Page 71 of Never the Best

He asked me every day. I thought about it for a moment before answering. “A solid seven,” I said honestly. “Not perfect. Not fixed. But good.”

“That’s all that matters.”

As we ate the simple zucchini and pasta dish he’d made, I realized it truly wasn’t about being perfect or fixed. It was about moments like this—quiet, simple, and full of possibility. It was about building a life I could live, one small step at a time.

As Dr. Allen once told me, “You just need to get through one moment and then another, live in the present. The past is gone and the future isn’t here yet. Breathe, Pearl, you’re bigger than anorexia.”

CHAPTER 25

Rhett

Ididn’t want to go to the damn Savannah Soirée for Hope, but Vanderbilt Finance was their biggest sponsor. This was one of the initiatives I’d chosen to back when I launched my company. My CFO liked to remind me it was a great tax deduction, but for me, it was far more personal. It was one of the ways I was trying to atone for what I’d done to Pearl.

Looking back on my life, I was still amazed at how much that single act of cruelty against Pearl had shaped me. At seventeen, I’d been a selfish, careless asshole—one who barely thought about the consequences of his actions. It took me years to grow up. I was more responsible and thoughtful, but now, with Pearl back in my life, it was like I’d leapfrogged to a whole new level of accountability.

I first began to support the Savannah Soirée for Hope annual charity because it was aimed at raising funds and awareness for critical issues affecting the local and regionalcommunity. Each year, the event focused on a specific cause, and this year, it was to support reading initiatives for underprivileged children. The soirée brought together Savannah’s elite, philanthropists, and local community leaders for an elegant evening of cocktails, dinner, and live entertainment.

This year, it was being held at the Harper Fowlkes House, a stunning Greek Revival mansion built in 1842. The house boasted a grand ballroom with soaring ceilings, elegant chandeliers, and original hardwood floors. It was surrounded by a picturesque garden courtyard, offering both indoor and outdoor spaces for guests to mingle and enjoy the evening.

By the time I got there, I was late because I had to make sure Aunt Hattie was with Pearl, and then I had to go home to put on my monkey suit. Aunt Hattie had declined to attend, so I could. Even four weeks after her nervous breakdown, we were taking turns being with Pearl. I was working from her home office whenever needed, but mostly, I’d told my team I was taking time off. Those who worked closely with me were shocked because I wasn’t the type who did that—but then, I’d never had a girlfriend who needed me to care for her.

Pearl Beaumont was my girlfriend!

That thought lightened my mood almost instantly. Sure, we were starting weirdly—Ilivedwith her and slept beside her—but it felt so fucking right.

This year, the soirée featured a silent auction showcasing art, travel experiences, and luxury items donated by local businesses and sponsors. A live jazz band was playing, and Ilooked around for the organizer. When I found Emily Latham, I quickly made my way to her.

She hugged me and grinned wide. “Isn’t everything amazing?”

“It certainly is. Thank you so much for all that you do.”

“None of this could happen without you.” Emily was in her late forties and had been doing this kind of work her whole life. I had a tremendous amount of respect for her. She wasn’t part of the Savannah elite. Instead, she came from, as she joked,the wrong side of the tracksandfleeced the wealthy and snobbish Savannah elitesfor money to help her old neighborhoods. I was all in with her efforts.

I supported this charity because of Emily. She made sure that the Savannah Soirée for Hope was more than an evening of glitz and glamour—it was a celebration of community, compassion, and the power of collective action to change lives. The fact that it was popular as an event at which to be seen, and that the rich came to show themselves off, was fine with me, as long as they were generous with their checkbooks.

After talking to Emily, I wound up near the bar, nursing a glass of bourbon I didn’t even want, while I half-listened to Gabe Rhodes and Noah Carter talk about the Savannah Bridge project that Carter Construction was working on in partnership with Savannah Lace.

“How’s Pearl doing?” Gabe asked me during a lull in his conversation with Noah. “I hope it’s okay that Aurora told me what happened.”

“Of course. Pearl’s better.”

He put a hand on my shoulder. “I hear that you’re taking care of her. Took a leave of absence yourself.”

My jaw clenched. Savannah was a small fucking gossipy town. I waited for Gabe to say whatever he was going to say. He’d been a mentor of sorts, since he was older than me, but mentor or not, if he said anything untoward about Pearl, I was in a bad enough mood to hurt the son of a bitch.

“I’m very impressed,” he finished with a twinkle in his eyes.

“I’ve been where you are,” Noah added but didn’t expound. “It’s not easy to see the woman you love struggling. So, if you want to talk, reach out.”

I felt like an idiot for thinking these men, good men, would insult Pearl.

“Thanks, Noah. I will.” I meant it.

I managed to eat some appetizers, but I really wanted to finish the speech part of the evening, where I introduced the keynote speaker, and headed home to Pearl.

I smiled at that thought. I smiled a lot when I thought about her.

“How’s it going, Rhett?” Luna found me at my table and gave me a quick hug.

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