Page 53 of Imperfectly Perfect

“I think you have your answer then.” Fallon wished the meal was ready so she could plate everything, so she could distract herself even more. “Like I said earlier, Savannah, you shouldn’t be making any decisions tonight. You’ve already got one potential lawsuit going on and now you want to add in a second? That’s a lot for anyone.”

“She’s my daughter.” The fierceness in Savannah’s voice surprised Fallon.

Stepping away from the counter, Fallon straightened her shoulders and looked directly into Savannah’s eyes. “She’s as much your daughter today as the day she was born. What’s in her best interest?”

“She deserves everything.”

“Everyone does,” Fallon responded.

Brinley stepped into the kitchen, snapping the tension sharply. “Is it ready?”

“Almost,” Fallon answered quickly, shooting Savannah a sharp look. She didn’t mean to look offended or as if Savannah was in trouble. But they both clearly wanted to keep Brinleyout of the conversation that they were having. “I’ll let you know when the timer goes off, okay?”

“Sure.” Brinley glanced from her mom to Fallon and back again before she turned on her toes and walked out of the room.

“I won’t decide tonight,” Savannah agreed finally. She grabbed Fallon’s hand, lacing their fingers together. “I wish it were easier.”

“What was easier?”

Savannah rested her forehead on Fallon’s shoulder. “Life.”

eighteen

“I don’t think life is supposed to be easy,” Fallon said, her voice soft.

Savannah had felt her tense instantly, and she regretted the comment. She knew what she’d been walking into when she said that, how Fallon was likely to take it, but she hadn’t managed to keep her mouth shut. She was exhausted, mentally and emotionally, and she hadn’t been able to keep herself together so as to not hurt Fallon in the process.

Sighing, Savannah stepped back and deliberately put space between them. She wanted to go back to the couch and curl up in a little ball again, to hide away from the big bad world out there and create a cocoon of safety in here. And yes, that did include Fallon. At least for now.

“I know it’s not,” Savannah said, dropping her voice and her gaze, thoroughly scolded. She wrapped her arms together over her chest. She was caught between wanting to leave the room and wanting to stay.

“I know it’s not my place to say anything, but Brinley’s struggling. She says a lot without saying a lot.” Fallon frowned. “I used to do the same.”

Savannah jerked her chin up sharply. “Are you saying he’s abusing her?”

“I’m saying it’s not a healthy situation. Beyond that, I don’t know. She hasn’t said anything to me one way or the other, but I wouldn’t be surprised if she’s taking in a whole lot more than people think she is.”

Savannah closed her eyes, falling back into the counter. She hated this. She’d brought Brinley into this world, and now she was just trying to protect her from the very place she’d brought her. Shaking her head, Savannah pulled herself together as much as she could. “I’ll talk to her.”

“All right.” Fallon stayed firmly on the other side of the small kitchen.

It was so odd. Any time before, in the last few weeks anyway, Fallon had come right up to Savannah and hugged and kissed her without problem. It had been that way that night even. But now she was pulling away. She was putting space between them. She was deliberately not coming closer. Savannah could see it in each move that Fallon made, whether Fallon was aware of it or not.

“Will you stay the night?” Savannah asked.

Fallon shook her head. “I really shouldn’t.”

Instead of looking at Savannah, Fallon moved toward the stove and checked on the food. She wouldn’t even glance in Savannah’s direction. That was as much confirmation as Savannah needed. Fallon was pushing her away, and it was probably because she was too much, the whole situation was too much. Fallon had said from the beginning that she’d wanted to keep this casual, and that she didn’t want the emotional entanglements of a relationship.

Yet, they hadn’t really stuck to that, had they?

Savannah stayed right where she was, watching Fallon in silence as she pulled the food from the oven and set it on thestovetop. She snagged the plates and started plating everything, giving each of them a full plate and Brinley a much smaller one.

“I’d really like it if you would stay,” Savannah said again, her voice quiet. She was just trying to get some sort of confirmation that what she was thinking was actually happening—that Fallon was going to leave here and they wouldn’t see each other again.

“I can’t tonight.” Still, Fallon didn’t look in her direction. “Brinley!” Fallon called into the other room.

It didn’t take long for Brinley’s small feet to pad their way into the kitchen. Her eyes lit up at the sight of the plate. “It looks so colorful!”

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