“Are you sure you’re ready to do this?”
He grinned.“I am.”He checked his watch.“I just hope Dad and Uncle Dom won’t be too long.I want them there.”
“You need help picking it out?”Josh asked.“If that’s the case I hope they hurry up.I have no freaking clue.”
“Nah.I think this is one of those things where I’ll know it when I see it.I don’t want any of you choosing it for me.”
He felt a bit self-conscious saying that, wondering how it must sound, but it was important to him.He was hoping that whatever ring he chose today, Savannah would wear it for the rest of her life.He wanted to choose it himself.
As they walked across the parking lot, Josh asked, “Does Jo know what you’re doing?”
He smiled.“She does.She already told Savvie during week that she could come over any time and she’d teach her how to make those pies.”
Josh grinned.“I’m just glad she included Tiff in the invitation.If she learns how to make them too, I’ll be happy to do more than my share of picking up around the apartment and she can repay me in pies.”
Jake laughed.He was grateful that when his dad had told her what they were up to today, Jo had suggested she could give Savannah her first baking lesson this afternoon.And he loved that Savannah was so happy not only to have a Saturday afternoon free but to get to spend it with Jo and Tiff.
“Mom was talking about going over to check in on them,” said Josh.“I’m not sure if that’s for the pies or the company.Probably both.She’s kind of adopted Tiff since I moved into the apartment.”
“It’s funny how life works out, isn’t it?”Jake asked.“I mean, apart from Savvie, none of us even lived here a year ago, and now we all have each other.”
“Yeah.I thought I was going to find my people when I moved to Atlanta.Turns out I’m much happier in a small town.”
Jake stopped abruptly as they approached the first of the stores.A man coming up the walkway headed toward the parking lot made the hairs on the back of Jake’s neck stand up.He looked a lot like the mugshots of Rick Harlow that Colt had shown him on Wednesday.When there had been no follow-up by then, Jake had called Colt and gone in to see him.Everyone else seemed to think that his encounter with Tiff would be enough to scare Rick off, but that wasn’t enough for Jake.Colt discovered that Rick had several outstanding warrants – nothing major, but enough to put him away for a while.
“What’s up?”Josh asked.
Jake jerked his chin.“Do you remember Rick Harlow?Is that him?”His voice sounded hard and cold even to his own ears.
Josh stared as the man started to cross the parking lot.“I think maybe.I haven’t seen him for years.I …”
Jake’s hands balled into fists at his sides.He didn’t have time for hesitation.
“Rick?”
When he called the name, the man turned and met his gaze.He started to hurry away, and Jake sprinted after him, shouting “Call Colt!”over his shoulder to Josh.
~ ~ ~
“And you guys are building your house right next door?Right there?”Tiffany pointed through the window, and Sadie nodded.
Savannah was amazed that there was no sign of the construction site from here.Harvey had shown her photos of the house and his guesthouse as they started to come together, but from Jo and Damon’s kitchen you’d never guess that it was just on the other side of the trees.
“I grew up here and always wanted to live on the waterfront,” Sadie said with a smile.
“I love it for you,” Savannah told her.She adored Sadie; she’d been more like a mom to her than her own mom had been.And something must have shifted inside her, because she didn’t even feel guilty admitting that to herself anymore.
“Thanks.I love it for me too.”Sadie smiled at Jo.“And I will be forever grateful to you.”
Jo lifted a shoulder.“I’ve told you before, you don’t need to thank me.I feel like I get the best of the deal.When I bought the land surrounding this place, it was to make sure that I wouldn’t find myself surrounded by a whole new subdivision in a few years.When you and Dom wanted to buy the piece next to us, I got the best of all worlds.”
“Aww.”Tiffany was watching the two women intently.“You guys really like each other, don’t you?”
Jo and Sadie laughed.“We do.We wouldn’t be here otherwise.”
“Yeah, right.”Tiff looked down into her bowl where she was adding butter to the flour.“I guess I’m just not used to that.Did you grow up here, too, Jo?Are you another small-town sweetheart like these two?”
“Me?No.”Jo leaned in a little closer as if she was about to share a secret.“You might not believe it, but I was an investment banker.”
