Page 27 of Promise of a New Beginning
Aiden wiggled out of his arms. “Okay. Let me get my stuff.” He climbed back into the shelter. When he returned, he had a handful of rope and put it in Jack’s hand. “I made slip knots just like you showed me.”
Jack picked Aiden up and hugged him tight. “I was worried about you,” he said. He reached a hand out and touched Savannah’s cheek. “Aiden, let’s make a promise.”
“A promise?”
“Yes, a promise. Let’s promise not to hide in the woods anymore. Both of us. I promise if you promise.”
Savannah could barely breathe. In one breath, he made her angry, and in the next, he filled her heart with hope. That couldn’t be a healthy combination, but she was drawn to him in ways she knew would taunt her days and haunt her nights.
Chapter Fifteen
JACK OPENED THE cargo hold and began removing the luggage. The flight into New York had been relatively smooth, and it had given him time to think through the previous few days. Normally, he’d land, say farewell to his students, pick up a few supplies, and head back up to the mountains feeling like he’d unloaded a great weight from his shoulders. This afternoon, the anxiety that usually drove him to expediently say goodbye to his passengers had turned on him, and he dragged his feet. He was in no hurry to go back to the mountains—or to say goodbye to Savannah.
“Jack, we can’t thank you enough,” Elizabeth said as she picked up her bags. “I don’t think any of us will ever forget this trip. Thank you for bringing Aiden back to us. Aiden will never forget what you taught him. Right Aiden?”
Aiden wrapped his arms around Jack’s legs. “I promise not to hide in the woods. You promise, too, right?”
Jack crouched down and looked him in the eyes. “You bet I do, buddy. No more hiding.” He tousled his hair and stood back up to shake Lou’s hand. “Lou, you helped me out there. Thank you.”
“I don’t know how I could have done that, but if I did, you’re welcome.” Lou embraced Jack. “Thanks for everything, man. I hope we see you again sometime.”
Pratt picked up his backpack and slung it over his shoulder. “I still can’t believe you’re an engineer.” He pulled his tuque down past his eyebrows. “You’re much cooler than the guys I went to school with.”
“So are you, Pratt. What did you decide to do about your parents?” Jack smiled when Josie appeared by Pratt’s side.
Pratt laced his fingers with hers. “I’m going to talk to them. Really talk, not fight, and if they don’t like it…” He shrugged. “Well, I guess they’ll need to make a choice. See me and agree to disagree on my career choice or forget they have a son.”
“Pratt,” Josie chided him.
Pratt lifted the right side of his mouth in a smile. “I’m kidding. I won’t let that happen.” He looked at Jack. “She’s a ball breaker.”
“Josie, you keep him in line, you hear?”
“I’ll do my best,” she said. “We’re just hanging out for a while, nothing serious.” She lifted her eyes to Pratt, and Jack could tell there was more to them than a couple of kidshanging out.
“Enjoy the now, Jack,” Pratt said.
“Thanks, Pratt. You too. Josie, watch out for snakes.” As they walked away, Jack caught a glimpse of Savannah hugging Elizabeth, then Aiden and Lou.I need to fix the past to enjoy the now.He looked away, thinking of when he’d first seen Savannah and how he’d assumed she was a spoiled city girl.Boy, was I ever wrong.They headed into the airport terminal, leaving him and Savannah alone under the warm afternoon sun. Her cheeks were flushed as she came to his side.
“You look different than you did when you arrived,” Jack said. “Prettier.”
A flush rose on Savannah’s cheeks. She put her hands in the front pockets of her jeans and looked at the plane. “You know, I thought you were such a selfish jackass when you were so hard on Pratt when we first arrived.”
“And now?” He was afraid of what she might say, but he couldn’t take his eyes off of her. The sun glistened, highlighting the blend of yellows and greens in her beautiful eyes. Jack didn’t think he’d ever forget the look in her eyes when her legs were wrapped around his waist in the stream—like she’d been dreaming of him her whole life. And even if she hadn’t, he was going to keep that image in his mind as inspiration to follow through with what he’d promised.
“Now I see Jack Remington, a man, a widower, and a soft-hearted-survivor-man-slash-pilot.” She licked her lower lip. “Who can be a real jackass when he gets scared.”
“You had me there for a minute. I thought I’d made out like a bandit. Do you have to be brutally honest?”
“I don’t know how to be anything but,” Savannah said. “I’m afraid Bradens don’t lie very well. My big rancher father drove morals and ethics into our little brains on a daily basis.”
“I’m going to miss you, Savannah,” he said. He stepped closer to her, breathing in her fresh, feminine scent, knowing it might be the last time he would be able to. His heart ached at the thought, and he swore to himself that he was going to do everything within his power to fix his life so he could be in hers. But Jack worried that a woman like Savannah would have her pick of better men than him.
“This all feels so weird. Two nights ago, I would have sworn we’d be leaving hand in hand today.”
He put his hand on her cheek, and she pressed her face into it. “You took a broken man, and in a few short days, you opened his eyes to what he was missing. You deserve so much more. You deserve a man who is whole.”
Savannah moved away from his hand. “People always think they know what other people deserve, and I’m so sick of it. What does it even mean to say that I deserve someone who’s not broken? Maybe I’m broken. Have you ever thought of that?”
