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“And just so you know, Chloe doesn’t want to move to London. Have you considered that?”
“You’ve been talking to her about it?”
“She brought it up,” he said. “Apparently you’ve been filling her head with this bullshit.”
“How dare you discuss this with her without me.”
“You’ve created this, Savannah! So deal with it.”
“I will!” she yelled and hung up.
Edward stood on the deck for a moment, trying to gather himself before going back inside. If Savannah was looking for a fight, she’d surely found one.
After dinner, he tucked Chloe into her bed.
“Are you mad at Mommy?”
“No, sweetheart. I’m not mad at your mommy,” he lied. The truth was, he was furious with his ex-wife. “Now get some sleep. You’re in charge of the pancakes in the morning.”
“Me?”
“Yes, you.”
“Good night, Daddy.”
“Good night, baby.” He kissed her forehead.
He poured himself another glass of Merlot and plopped down on his leather sofa. Turned on CNN to find out the latest goings-on in the world. He leaned his head against the tan leather and thought of Chloe. He didn’t know what he would do if a judge found that she’d be better off in another country. He wouldn’t survive without her, and thinking about it took his breath away. He blocked it from his mind. Thought about work instead, and before long his eyes grew heavy. He gave in to the fatigue.
* * *
When he pulled up in front of Savannah’s home on Sunday afternoon, his emotions got the best of him. Usually, she’d suggested that the drop-off take place somewhere else, but this time she wanted him to drop Chloe at home. In the past, when he’d dropped Chloe off there after his weekend, he would at least walk her to the door. Occasionally, Savannah would invite him inside for a cup of coffee and a quick chat. But today he wasn’t in the mood to stand on her doorstep, and even less in the mood for a conversation with her. He sat in the driver’s seat of the car, leaned over and kissed his daughter.
“I love you, sweetheart,” he said.
“Love you, too, Daddy. You’re not coming in?”
“No, not today, baby. I’ll wait here until you go inside.”
Chloe hopped out of the sedan and skipped to the front door of the two-story traditional brick home. The home that he and Savannah had shared before the divorce. The one that he still made mortgage payments on. She rang the doorbell and within seconds Savannah appeared in the doorway. She took Chloe’s backpack and gave her a strong hug. She glanced toward the car, as if waiting for Edward to step out of the car or at least wave. He refused to do either of the two, and as a result she ignored him, too. She grabbed Chloe’s hand and went inside, shutting the door behind her.
He sat there for a moment. Part of him hoped she’d return and at least beg him to come inside, start a fight or something. He needed to engage with her, even if it was negatively. With a long sigh, he slowly pulled away from the curb. They’d reached an impasse. And the only logical move was to allow the courts to make a decision. They’d been down this road before, allowing the system to decide the fate of their family. They had vowed never to do that again, to allow a third party to come into their lives and make decisions for them. They were educated and reasonable, and fully capable of deciding what was best for Chloe. However, they had broken yet another promise. They had all but started a war.
Chapter 4 (#ulink_1b0131e7-598a-5069-b69b-5d541a3cc3d4)
Savannah sat in the third row of the auditorium, a wide grin on her face as Chloe glided across the stage, dancing on her toes to “Für Elise.” She’d been practicing the routine for months, forcing Savannah to watch as she stumbled over her own feet too many times. But tonight she was graceful and poised, and she beamed with pride. Savannah lifted her phone into the air as she recorded the event. The seat next to her was empty. She’d saved it for Edward in the event that he made it on time. She hadn’t spoken with him in days. It was obvious that he was still bitter about their last encounter.
She looked around the auditorium and then took a quick glance at the door. She searched for him and finally spotted him standing at the back of the auditorium, his tall frame leaning against the wall. She always thought that Edward was a handsome man with a wonderfully built physique, light brown skin, a nicely trimmed goatee and a Bahamian accent that drove women wild. His tie was loosened a bit, and he looked exhausted. It appeared that he’d made it there in the knick of time, just moments before Chloe’s performance. Their eyes connected and she smiled, gave a subtle wave. He nodded a hello. She pointed at the empty seat next to her, but he kept his eyes focused on the stage—pretended not to see the gesture. Edward could be stubborn. And so could she.
After the recital, she searched for him again, but he was nowhere in sight. She couldn’t believe that he would leave without saying goodbye to Chloe, or at least letting her know that he’d been there. A light breeze brushed across the palm trees as she and Chloe stepped out into the night air. Edward stood near the door, waiting for them outside. Savannah exhaled. She was glad he was still there. When Chloe spotted him, she rushed over to him.
“Daddy!”
He lifted her into his arms and kissed her cheek. “Hey, sweetheart.”
“Did you see? I didn’t make any mistakes.”
“You did good.”
“Hello, Edward.” Savannah gave him another warm smile.
“Savannah.” He was cold.
They walked toward Savannah’s car as Chloe filled his ears with everything that had gone on over the course of her day.
“Sweetie, why don’t you sit in the car and wait for Mommy? Let me have a word with Daddy,” Savannah said.
“Okay.”
Savannah unlocked the door, got inside, started the engine and turned on the air-conditioning. Chloe hopped into the backseat and snapped the seat belt around her booster seat. Savannah got out and shut the door behind her.
“About the other day—” she began.
“Don’t even worry about it. It’s okay,” he interrupted.
“Edward, I don’t know how to fix this.”
“What are your plans, Savannah? Are you moving to London or aren’t you?”
“I am.”
“Then what is there to fix?”
“I’m not trying to hurt you. I’m just trying to do something for me for a change.”
“Without regard for your daughter...or me,” Edward argued. “Doesn’t it concern you at all that she’ll be so far away from her father? You women are all the same. You want a man to step up to the plate and be a good father, but then you won’t let him.”
“Don’t try to make this about all women or send me on a guilt trip.”
“If you’re feeling guilty, then maybe it’s your own conscience.” He walked toward the rear of her car and beckoned for Chloe to let her window down. “Good night, sweetheart. I’ll see you this weekend.”
“Good night, Daddy.”
He walked past Savannah and headed for his car. “Good night, Savannah. Drive safe.”
She stood there. She’d been dismissed, and she didn’t like it one bit.
* * *
She drove home, her heart beating fast. Edward had a way of getting under her skin. She glanced into the backseat, gave Chloe a warm smile. Didn’t want her daughter to notice that she was uneasy or angry. She bought Chloe a Happy Meal from McDonald’s and headed home.
When she stepped into the house, it felt stuffy from the Florida heat. She walked across the shiny hardwood into the kitchen and opened a window to let in some fresh air. She loved the home. She and Edward had it built to their own specifications. The hardwood had to be raisin-colored, and the ceilings had to be yea high. Edward had been very specific about the dimensions of the backyard and the square footage of his man cave. Almost immediately after the divorce, his man cave had been transformed into her home office. She’d painted the walls a soft pink as a tribute to her heartache.
Chloe rushed upstairs to her room and Savannah pulled the last load of laundry from the dryer.
“Chloe!” Savannah called. “Chloe, come and get your sneakers off the stairs, please.”
The phone rang as she made it halfway upstairs. She headed back downstairs to the kitchen to grab her phone. “Chloe! Your shoes.”
“Mommy, can I have an ice cream, too?” Chloe stood in the doorway of the kitchen.
“Give me a minute,” she said and picked up the telephone receiver. “Hello.”
“Savannah,” the caller whimpered on the other end.
“Nyle?” Savannah dropped the basket of clothes onto the tile floor. “What’s wrong?”
“They put me out.”
“Who?”
“My landlord. Put me right out onto the street. I have nowhere to go.”
“What? Why would they do that?”
“I don’t know, Savannah. Times have been hard. I missed a couple of payments. All I know is that all of my stuff is out on the street, and I have nowhere to go.”
“What about Aunt Frances? Why don’t you go there?”
“We don’t get along very well. I’ve burnt my bridges with her. She won’t let me stay.”
“Maybe I can talk to her.”
“I don’t know, Savannah,” said Nyle. “When are you moving here?”
“I’m working on it.” Savannah sighed. “I need some time to wrap things up here.”
“I’ll be homeless by the time you get here.”
“Maybe you can just come here for a while. I’ll send you a ticket.” Savannah thought that was a perfect idea. It would resolve her problems with Edward, and at the same time give Nyle a place to go.
“I can’t. I have to live in London. It’s my home,” Nyle said. “It’s why your father and I...our marriage didn’t survive. He wanted me to live in the US.”
“He wanted you to live in the US because it’s where he was...where your child was.”
“I know you blame me for leaving you, sweetheart. But he wouldn’t allow me to take you.”
Nyle’s story suddenly sounded eerily familiar. Edward was giving her the same resistance that her father had given Nyle. Only Nyle was willing to leave without her daughter. Savannah wouldn’t make that sacrifice. She wouldn’t leave without Chloe. Of that, she was certain. She would fight him.
“I can send you money to help you get into a place. It’s the best I can do.”
“I just need a deposit and first month. After that, I can make it on my own. And I promise to pay you back as soon as you get here. I promise.”
“I’ll wire you some funds in the morning,” Savannah said. “Do you have somewhere to go until then?”
“I’ll see if my neighbor will let me crash on her couch for the night.”
“Good. I’ll talk to you tomorrow, Nyle.”
“Kiss Chloe for me,” she said.
“I will.”
“I can’t wait to meet her,” Nyle said. “I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
She was gone, just as she had always been during Savannah’s life. She felt the emptiness and yearned for her mother’s presence. Leaving Florida would tear her and Edward apart, but she needed to be in London—to right the wrongs of her past. She needed it like the air she breathed.
Chloe stood in front of her, sneakers in hand. She grabbed her daughter’s face in her hands and kissed her forehead.
“Are you okay, Mommy?”
“I’m fine, baby.”
She was all but fine.
Chapter 5 (#ulink_3f153382-5c3a-51f1-ae56-cf3bcd343190)
Edward leaned back in his chair as he was winding down his call. He spun around and gazed out the window at the view of the marina from his office. He quickly jotted down a few notes and then looked up. Quinn was standing in his doorway. He held his finger up to her and she gave him a smile. He admired her curves in the dress she wore. She was a beautiful woman with a five-foot frame, dark flawless skin, braids and the deepest of dimples.
Quinn had been his biggest fan, the cheerleader who supported his every venture.
He finished his call and then hung up.
“What’s up?” he asked.
“We’re all headed over to Bailey’s for a drink. It’s Martin’s birthday. The big four-o. Can you believe he’s that old?”
“Doesn’t look a day over thirty-nine,” Edward teased.
“You’re coming, right?”
“I’m gonna pass. I have a lot to finish up here,” said Edward. “And not really in a celebratory mood.”
“Really? Why?”
“Just not feeling up to it today.”
“You want to talk about it?”
