Chapter Two
“Who is that hunk of burning love I saw you dancing with?”
Savannah turned around to see Rachel eyeing her teasingly. She looked beautiful. Rachel had allowed Savannah to do her hair and makeup only on the condition that she went lightly on the makeup. But honestly, Rachel didn’t need a lot of makeup. Her skin was flawless, her red hair was shiny and beautiful, brushed and loose around her shoulders instead of pulled back in her usual ponytail. And the green, strapless gown with the diamond clasp in front that Avery had picked out for her not only fit her like a glove, it was a great color on her.
Ignoring the question, Savannah said, “I keep thinking I’ll cut off my hair someday but it’s so easy to pull it back I haven’t done it yet. What do you think? Should I do it?”
“No. You’re dodging my question,” Rachel said. “Who is he?”
Sighing, she knew Rachel would keep asking until she answered. “Harlan Sullivan. Aka, my new boss.”
“Harlan Sullivan?That’sHarlan Sullivan?”
“The very same. Why, do you know him?”
“No, but I remember him from high school. I was a freshman when he was a senior, so I only saw him from afar. I didn’t recognize him. I haven’t seen him in years, though. When did he get to be so gorgeous?”
“I don’t know. I haven’t seen him in years, either.” Gorgeous, she thought gloomily. That was an apt description. A gorgeous, mouth-watering, hunk.
“He’s your age, isn’t he? Weren’t y’all in the same grade in high school?”
She wondered if Rachel knew Savannah’s history with Harlan but since she was so much younger, she probably didn’t. “Yes, but we...weren’t close.”
Liar, liar. You were only in love with each other. Or at least, one of you was in love.
Savannah had figured the first thing Harlan would have done all those years ago was tell his buddies he’d scored with the banker’s daughter. Especially since he’d dumped her practically the minute he’d gotten what he wanted. But no one ever brought it up around her. Not even Regina Taggart, Paloma Kelly’s niece and a huge gossip. If she’d known, the story would have been all over town.
Maybe Harlan really hadn’t told anyone they’d slept together. She sure hadn’t. At first because it was a precious memory she didn’t want to share with anyone but Harlan. Then later, well, why confess how stupid she’d been? Besides being miserable, Savannah spent the first few weeks after the breakup expecting to hear the gossip about herself. She never heard one rumor.
“Harlan just bought Whiskey River Construction,” Savannah said, steering the conversation away from the past.
“You don’t look very happy about it.”
“I don’t know what I am.”Yes, you do. You’re still pissed. You want him to feel what you felt all those years ago. She knew she should let it go. Fourteen years was a hell of a long time to hold a grudge. Apparently that heartbroken girl still lived inside her, though. That girl had never forgotten the pain and humiliation of discovering her first love had only been using her.
“What’s going on, ladies?” Avery asked. Blonde and beautiful in her sleeveless burgundy velvet dress with the flared skirt, Avery stood out even among all the glitter and glamour at the ball.
“Savannah’s new boss is here,” Rachel said. “That’s him, talking to your movie star.” She pointed at the two men. “Savannah and he were in the same high school class.”
“Now that’s a picture to make a woman drool,” Avery said.
“Do y’all smell that?” Savannah asked, changing the subject, she hoped.
“All I smell are a million different perfumes,” Avery said.
