Page 7 of Promise of a New Beginning
Savannah narrowed her eyes. “You can be a real jerk, you know that? Watching my father grieve—and never knowing my mother—sucked. And pain comes in all forms”—like finding your boyfriend in bed with another woman or having to prove yourself every day in a chauvinistic industry—“none of which are fun.” She took a step forward and looked up at him. The bottom of his chin was peppered with stubble except for an area about an inch long and a quarter inch wide, where a thin white scar had laid claim. Even though she wanted to call him out again for acting like a jerk, her heart wondered if it was his pain speaking. She wanted to touch that scar, heal the pain, and reveal the real Jack Remington. Instead, she said, “Thank you for saving me from the bobcat.”
Savannah focused on the ground before her as she made her way back to the camp—her need to pee forgotten—Jack’s kiss still fresh on her lips, his harsh words battling with the pain she’d seen in his eyes, and her confused heart thundering someplace in between.
Chapter Five
SATURDAY MORNING, AIDEN was up with the sun, chattering in his high-pitched voice. Savannah lay in her tent, thinking about the evening before and wishing she could transport home like they could on Star Trek. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. No matter how much she loathed the idea of pretending nothing had happened, or admitting that it had, she had to join the group and face Jack. She touched her lips, remembering the way her body shivered while he kissed her—partly from the fear of seeing the bobcat, but mostly from how good it felt to be wrapped in his big, strong arms with his hot mouth devouring hers.Stop it. No men, remember?She couldn’t even stick to her resolutions for forty-eight hours. That had to be some sort of a record.
She still had to pee, too, which meant that not only would she have to face Jack, but she’d have to go back in the woods alone and possibly run into the bobcat again. Last night her fear had morphed into some sort of sexual hunger, and she’d been so wrapped up in their kiss that she’d forgotten to ask him if that bobcat might come back.One thing is for sure. No more peeing in the woods alone at night.She gathered her confidence, changed her clothes, and stepped out of her tent.
“Savannah, I waked up early!” Aiden shouted.
Savannah winced. She needed an announcement about her whereabouts like she needed a hole in her head. One quick scan of the site told her that Jack was not around.
“Good morning, Aiden. How’d you sleep?” she asked.
It always amazed her how much energy children had in the mornings.
“Good. We heard a big cat last night and I was scared, but Dad said it was just a bobcat, and I’m not afraid of bobcats. It’s not like they’re lions or tigers. My dad could scare away a bobcat. Mom told me all about them this m—”
Elizabeth put her hand on Aiden’s shoulder. In her jeans and tie-dyed shirt, she looked comfortable and relaxed. She wore a bandanna around her hair, secured beneath her dreadlocks.
“Sweetie, let’s let Savannah breathe a little. She just woke up, okay?” Elizabeth said to Aiden.
“Okay, Mom. Can we go to the water?”
“I’ll take you, buddy.” Lou crossed the campsite from where he’d been stacking wood for the evening’s fire.
“Have fun. Jack said he’d be back in half an hour,” Elizabeth said. Lou kissed Elizabeth, and she pulled him into a deeper kiss. When Lou and Aiden disappeared over the crest of the hill, Elizabeth said, “With a little one, I gotta get my fill of Lou every chance I get.” She winked at Savannah.
Pratt popped out of his tent, followed by Josie. Savannah’s jaw dropped.After one night?It dawned on her that she might have been doing the same thing if Jack hadn’t backed off.
“We’ll go with you, Lou.” Pratt reached behind him for Josie’s hand.
“Let me grab towels,” Josie said, and she headed to her tent.
“Nature calls. Be right back.” Savannah slipped into the woods and inspected her surroundings carefully before she chose a spot to take care of her bathroom needs. When she returned to the camp, Elizabeth was waiting for her.
“I want to go down to the stream, but I didn’t want to leave you alone. Do you want to come with me?” Elizabeth asked.
Savannah wasn’t used to not showering. She really wanted to get into the water to bathe and wash her hair with the organic shampoo she’d found at the Natural Store. She couldn’t do that around the others.
“No. It’s okay. I’ll go in a little while,” she answered. She knew Jack wouldn’t allow her to go alone, but once Pratt and Lou were back, she could ask Elizabeth to go with her.
Twenty minutes later, Savannah had finished organizing her belongings in the tent, and as she was backing out, she heard Jack’s heavy footsteps approach. Butterflies took flight in her stomach. She rolled her eyes, angry with herself for feeling anything after the way he had treated her and wishing she hadn’t enjoyed that kiss so much.Okay, Savannah, just get it over with.She took a deep breath and climbed from her tent.
Feigning a smile, she said, “Good morning.” As if she hadn’t experienced the greatest kiss of her life the night before.
Jack walked past the tents to the fire pit, not once looking at Savannah.
“Morning,” he grumbled as he began building a small fire.
Savannah tried to discern if she was witnessing Jack’s typical morning grogginess, or if he was sincerely going to grumble at her and pretend they hadn’t kissed.I didn’t peg you as a pretender, too. Darn it. I hate pretending.
“The others went down to the water,” she said.
He continued silently building the fire.
“You’re not going to speak to me?” she asked.
