Page 93 of Inarticulate

He shooed her with a flick of his wrist and an annoyed glare. Hurting Penelope wasn’t something he enjoyed either, but this situation brought back memories of when he’d deceived her in the same way. The only difference was her willingness to forgive and the constant reminder that she still wanted to be with him.

If only he loved her in return, this never would’ve happened. But his feelings didn’t mimic hers. She’d grown to be like the sister he’d never had among the family who had taken him in as one of their own. The Augustines were the only people he’d trusted with his stutter, and it hadn’t come easily. One word turned into two, a greeting into a farewell, and soon he felt comfortable slipping his voice into their conversation.

He did it on his own terms, in his own time, which meant he didn’t butcher his communication like he did everywhere else. Savannah wouldn’t understand that, though. She wouldn’t realize it took months and months of constant nagging from Dominic to get him to attend ‘family dinner’ after he’d broken Penelope’s heart. She wouldn’t know it took over a year to answer the simplest questions from Mrs. Augustine over what portions he wanted at dinner.

Nobody knew that but them. And he’d thought that would always be the case.

“I wouldn’t recommend letting down my mother again,” Penelope continued. “Ignore her enough and she’ll drive into the city and drag you back to her dinner table.”

He conceded a half-hearted smile. Mrs. Augustine wouldn’t dare. She was too sweet. So sweet, in fact, that her kindness had meant he’d been able to manipulate her into keeping secrets from her only niece.

“Come on.” She approached his desk and cocked her hip against the wood. “You’re spending New Year’s with us. I won’t take no for an answer. So you should come tonight to get the awkwardness over and done with.”

“No,” he mouthed and stood to retrieve his coat from the back of his seat. His current attitude wasn’t conducive for celebration. He’d spent Christmas alone. He’d do the same with the bringing of the New Year.

He slid his arms into the thick material and made to step around his desk, only to be blocked by her slender body.

“Keenan…” She placed a hand on his chest and looked up at him with those beautiful blue eyes that Savannah had threatened to claw. “When are you going to let me in?”

He ignored the question, her touch, and the reminder from the past, and repositioned his collar.

“Refusing to speak won’t make anything better.”

He stepped away, but she countered, sliding back into his path. Her hand lowered to his waist, underneath the jacket, to the thin business shirt beneath. “She’s not coming back.” Her pretty face turned somber. “You need to let it go.”

She was right.

Settlement was tomorrow, and if Savannah was attending the scheduled meeting in the morning he would’ve heard of her arrival by now.

“Don’t do this to your—”

His computer dinged with an incoming email, the innocent, most mundane sound resulting in the stiffening of his entire body.

“She’s not going to get in contact with you.” Her eyes implored him. “Why are you doing this to yourself?”

She wasn’t wrong. She hadn’t been in any assessment or statement since Savannah left. But not confirming on his office computer would only mean he’d pull out his cell to make sure. His imagination was more of an optimist than he liked to admit.

He backtracked and leaned over his office chair to stand immobile, his gaze caught on the unread email sitting at the top of his inbox.

“What is it?”

His throat tightened and the slightest flicker of hope ignited in a chest devoid of warmth. Her name was there, at the top of his screen, the accompanying subject read—

AUTOMATED RESPONSE: Out of Office.

Penelope came to his side. “Open it.”

He already was, his fingers doing a double-click on the mouse.

Please be advised that as of 27thof December I will be in Seattle overseeing the changeover of the Rydel property. Once settlement is complete, I will be taking an extended vacation and any queries should be forwarded to my assistant, Rebecca, who will endeavor to find the right person to answer your questions.

Kind regards

Savannah Hamilton - Rydel Hotels

His stomach bottomed out.

“She’s here,” Penelope whispered.

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