Page 26 of Practically Perfect Together

She's kneeling on the path, actually hugging my dog, her face buried in his golden fur. She's wearing jeans and a simple blue blouse instead of her usual power suit, a portfolio tucked under one arm. She looks different somehow—softer, more relaxed, more...here.

She hasn't noticed me yet, completely absorbed in greeting Bear. My feet feel rooted to the ground, unable to move forward or back.

"Is that—?" Liam's voice comes from behind me, startling me out of my shock. "What's she doing back? I thought today was her big Denver start date."

"It was," I manage, unable to look away from her. "At least, that's what she told me before she left."

Bear barks joyfully, then races back toward me as if to share his exciting discovery. Savannah looks up, following Bear's path, and her eyes widen as they land on me. She straightens slowly, clutching her portfolio a bit tighter, offering a small, uncertain wave.

Before I can react, she turns and continues toward the lodge entrance, her pace quickening slightly.

"Did you know about this?" I ask, turning to find Liam watching me with an unusually careful expression.

"No, but..." He hesitates. "Mom asked me to clear her schedule for a meeting this afternoon. Something about restructuring our corporate retreat program."

"Restructuring our—" My brain struggles to connect the dots, to understand what this means.

"She's in with Mom right now," Liam says, surprise evident in his voice. "Mom just said she had an important meeting about expanding our corporate retreat program. I had no idea it was with Savannah."

"How could you not know who Mom was meeting with?" I ask, confusion mixing with the shock of seeing her.

Liam shakes his head. "Mom just said to clear her schedule for an important business meeting. You know how she is. Always being mysterious when she's planning something."

I stare at the lodge entrance where Savannah disappeared moments ago. She's back in Elk Ridge. Not in Denver. Meeting with my mother about something business-related.

"So she's not in Denver." I try to keep my voice neutral, to not reveal how my heart is hammering against my ribs.

"Apparently not," Liam says, looking as confused as I feel. "But what that means..."

He trails off as Jules jogs up to us, slightly out of breath. "Did I miss it? Is she here?"

"You knew she was coming?" I turn to her, surprised.

"She called me this morning," Jules admits. "Asked if Evie would be available for a meeting. I didn't know what it was about, just that it was important."

"Important enough that she's not in Denver starting her fancy new job," I say, trying to process what this might mean.

Jules glances toward the lodge, then back at me. "I think you need to talk to her, Jay. Whatever brought her back here instead of Denver seems like something you should hear from her directly."

Bear whines, looking between me and the lodge entrance, clearly conflicted about where he should be.

"Go," Liam says, giving me a gentle push. "I'll handle the kids with Declan."

I don't need to be told twice. With a final pat on Bear's head, I stride toward the lodge, my mind racing with questions. What is she doing here? Why isn't she in Denver? Why come back without telling me?

I find them in Mom's office—Savannah standing beside the whiteboard, pointing to what looks like a presentation slide on her tablet. Mom's expression is focused, engaged in a way she usually reserves for exciting new lodge opportunities.

"—boutique experience that larger corporate venues simply can't match," Savannah is saying. "With the right positioning, Mountain Laurel Lodge could become the premier destination for exclusive executive retreats in the region."

Neither of them notices me at first, giving me a moment to take in the scene. Savannah seems different. She’s still poised and articulate, but there's a passion in her voice I've only heard glimpses of before. Her hair is looser, her posture more relaxed, her gestures more animated.

"Jameson," Mom says, finally spotting me in the doorway. "Perfect timing. Savannah has the most fascinating proposal for our corporate retreat program."

Savannah turns, and for a brief moment, vulnerability flashes across her face before her professional mask slides back into place. "Jameson. Hi."

"Hi?" I repeat, unable to keep the edge from my voice. "Two weeks of nothing and all I get is 'hi'?"

Mom glances between us, her intuition immediately sensing the tension. "I think I need to check on that... thing. In the kitchen." She gathers her notepad, giving Savannah's arm a gentle squeeze as she passes. "We can continue this later, dear."

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