“A plan?”
Mallory nodded.
“He’s in Asheville. We know where he’s staying. He told me he’s free tomorrow night.
We make this happen. No more excuses. No more running.”
Savannah hesitated for only a second longer before nodding.
“Okay.”
She exhaled, resolve settling deep in her bones.
“Let’s do it.”
51
Planned Chaos
The Plan
Savannahpacedthelivingroom like a woman preparing for battle.
Mallory, meanwhile, was thriving—sitting cross-legged on the couch, laptop open, radiating the kind of unshakable confidence that only someone with absolutely nothing to lose could possess.
"Alright," Mallory announced, typing furiously. "We need a strategy. A solid, foolproof plan. We know Chase is in Asheville. We know he’s free tomorrow night. And we know he has no idea you’re about to waltz in and throw an emotional grenade at his life. So, we have to make this count.”
Savannah stopped mid-pace, dragging a hand through her hair. “What if he doesn’t want to see me? What if this just—hurts him all over again?”
Mallory didn’t even look up. “Sav, I love you, but if you start spiraling, I will duct-tape your mouth shut and carry you to this bar myself.”
Savannah blinked. “You don’t have that kind of upper body strength.”
Mallory arched an eyebrow. “Try me.”
Savannah let out a strangled laugh, but Mallory pressed on, eyes gleaming with a mix of determination and unhinged enthusiasm.
"You want to see him. You need to see him. And we're making it happen."
Savannah exhaled, nodding. “Okay. What’s the plan?”
Mallory spun the laptop around with a flourish, revealing a website with sleek black-and-white photos of Chase’s hotel—a boutique spot in downtown Asheville that screamed classy but in a way that makes you wonder if the coffee costs $9.
“He’s staying here. Fifteen-minute walk from The Hollow. And before you even think about pulling a mysterious hotel lobby run-in, I am begging you tohave some dignity.”
Savannah crossed her arms. “So what’s your genius plan?”
Mallory’s smirk was the stuff of legend.
“He’s meeting me at The Hollow. He’s never been there before, which means he’ll be completely out of his element. That’s where you come in.”
Savannah narrowed her eyes. “Define ‘out of his element.’”
Mallory’s grin widened.
"Oh, you’re gonna love this. This bar is… weird. And I mean weird. The regulars function like a chaotic little cult. The bartender, Gus, is convinced he can read your entire romantic history based on your drink order—he once told me I was ‘destined for a love triangle, but only if I stopped ignoring my chiropractor’s texts.’”
Savannah’s lips twitched. “That’s—unsettlingly specific.”
