‘Oh, and Savannah,’ Lucas adds wistfully. ‘Ronan is one hell of a lucky bastard.’
I can’t even bring myself to feel flattered, let alone say thank you.
While I wait, I pad through the house, roaming from room to room wearing one of Ronan’s t-shirts and a pair of shorts. The familiar scent of his cologne lingers round the neckline, offering a tiny modicum of comfort.
It’s eerily silent with the girls gone. It occurs to me that this is what my life would have amounted to if I’d chosen to be Single Sav forever. Wandering around the quiet house alone. One day, the girls will grow up and leave to live their own lives. One day they won’t need me in the same capacity. And I don’t want to be left here alone. I want to have someone to share my life with.
I made the right decision.
And I’m going to stand by it.
I open my Instagram app, ignoring the fresh influx of notifications, and change my username to Sassy Sav. Ronan will approve if no one else does.
I change my profile picture to the one of Ronan and me at the lake.
And then I head into my office to start updating my website.
When the phone finally rings, I almost jump out of my skin.
‘Savannah,’ Lucas’s tone sounds slightly more upbeat, ‘I’ve had a chat with the PR people. They’ve come up with a solution.’
I bite my lip dubiously, not daring to hope the solution might be a viable one. ‘Go on.’
‘We’re going to have an entire film crew at our disposal tomorrow for the shoot. It’s been suggested that we use this scandal to our advantage. We’re about to test the age old saying, “No publicity is bad publicity”’
I hate that the love I feel for Ronan is referred to as a scandal, but I’ll suck it up for the sake of his potential solution. At the end of the day, I have a business to run and with a massive loss of paying blog subscribers, the money from the Coral Chic contract will come in handy. ‘What do you mean?’
‘You said you and Ronan got together while he was teaching you to swim.’ Lucas annunciates every syllable painfully slowly.
‘Yes.’
‘How would you and Ronan feel about doing an Instagram live after the shoot? We have over six million followers on there, Savannah. If you and Ronan are as serious as you say you are, it would be a chance to redeem yourselves.’
‘What kind of an Instagram live?’ Doubt inflects my voice.
‘Tell Coral Chic’s followers how the company indirectly lead you, one of the most famous single women in the country, to love.’
I pause for a beat to consider it. I’ll never get a bigger platform to explain I wasn’t preaching one thing and practising another.
Lucas continues pitching his idea. ‘We’ll film it straightafter the shoot while all the equipment is set up, but both you and Ronan would have to be willing to go on camera.’
Ronan hates the camera. He’s made absolutely no secret of that. But this would be different.
‘If Ronan were to confirm you guys are in a relationship, explain he’s absolutely smitten with you, it would transform this from a scandal to a true love story. Everyone loves a happy ever after, right?’
‘I don’t know…’ It would mean putting myself out there for another absolute slating, but if we pulled it off, it would spin the entire scandal on its head.
‘Savannah, your reputation is in tatters. You don’t have many other options.’
I inhale deeply. He’s right. ‘We’ll do it. I’ll have to run it by Ronan, but I’m sure it won’t be a problem.’ I’m not sure truthfully, but hopefully he’ll do it for my sake.
It’s the best chance we’ll get to show we’re serious. And for my Sassy Sav business to have any chance.
‘He’s not there with you? I thought given the morning you must be having he’d be there to support you.’ Pity inches into Lucas’s voice.
I don’t need his pity. Or anyone else’s. ‘He’s doing the school run.’ Stick that in your pipe and smoke it.
‘Oh, I see.’ Lucas clears his throat again.
