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“I’m going to bed, Mom.” Brinley stood in front of her.
Savannah blinked wildly, not sure when that had happened. The dishes were cleaned up, Brinley was in her pajamas, and the television had the sitcom rerun on that Savannah had been watching to fall asleep to every night. Fallon was still next to her on the couch, but she’d shifted farther away.
“Yeah, sure, baby.” Savannah opened her arms and captured Brinley in a hug. “Did you want me to tuck you in?”
“Nah.” Brinley grinned as she turned to Fallon and gave her a hug.
Fallon was somewhat awkward about it. Her shoulders were stiff and her arms were tense. She didn’t linger in the touch either. Savannah said nothing as Brinley walked toward herbedroom. Her chest tightened, to the point where it very nearly hurt.
“I should get going,” Fallon said, pulling herself to stand.
Savannah glanced at her phone, tapping the screen to make the time light up. Nine? When the hell had it become so late? Where had all the time gone? Fallon disappeared into the kitchen and came back with the bag she’d brought, the one that had been filled with the groceries.
“I’ll see you around,” Fallon said, her voice monotone in a way that Savannah hadn’t heard before. Was she just as tired as Savannah?
“Uh, yeah.” Savannah didn’t bother to stand up.
Fallon put her purse over her shoulder and nodded at Savannah. Her lips parted like she was going to say something, but then she stopped. Savannah wanted to know what those words were, the ones that died on Fallon’s tongue. Were they words of hope? Words of arousal? Words of anxiety, depression, and self-doubt?
No, those last ones were just Savannah’s thoughts.
Fallon wouldn’t say or think those things.
“See you,” Savannah finally said, giving Fallon the out she so clearly needed. She’d have to deal with that another day, when she had more brain energy and emotional capacity. And it would have to be soon, because sitting in this limbo of the unknown wasn’t something she liked to do. She’d done it long enough with Forrest because they’d been married and had a kid, but that was the only time she’d ever allow herself to be subjected to it again.
When the door clicked behind Fallon, Savannah sat in the silence—again.
This time, however, it was comforting. Savannah stayed there for another hour before she got up and locked the front door, snagged her phone, and called Kyla.
“Hey.”
“Sorry. I know it’s late,” Savannah said, settling back onto the couch. “I just needed to talk to you.”
“Okay. Is something wrong?”
“Maybe.” Savannah pulled herself together. She might not have been able to confront Fallon tonight, but she could at least get an answer from Kyla. “I need to know if you want me to pursue this case for Conrad. I can’t do it without some of your help, unfortunately.”
“Jesus,” Kyla mumbled. There was rustling around, blankets and fabric moving. “Let me get away from the kids.”
Savannah listened to the silence as Kyla moved through the house. She waited with as much patience as she had left in her body until Kyla finally said, “Tell me what’s involved.”
Relief rushed through Savannah. It wasn’t an immediate denial. And while that was still a strong possibility, the fact that Kyla was even listening to the idea was more than Savannah had hoped for. Savannah stretched her neck and started in on everything that Athena had told her so far. The case would be difficult to win, but they could settle it out of court. They needed information from Kyla, and they needed her support on the case.
It was close to midnight before Savannah and Kyla finally stopped talking. The phone was hot in Savannah’s hand, burning, and the battery was nearly dead, but she had an answer. She had at least one answer to the many questions that had been running through her mind that night. Closing her eyes, she curled up on the couch and pulled the blanket fully over her body.
She stared at the television screen, not really watching what was on it.
She had an answer.
She’d never thought she’d have that.
Kyla had told her yes.
nineteen
The text had been nothing but vague.
Just a simple,please come over tonight, Brinley’s at Forrest’s.
