Right Where We Belong (Silver Springs #4)(66)

“That last part doesn’t surprise me,” he said wryly. “She views any other single, attractive woman as a rival.”

“Considering what we’ve done, I’m not sure we can fault her for that—”

“True,” he broke in. “With you, she has reason. But that hasn’t been the case in the past.”

Savanna struggled to overcome the disappointment she felt. “Does she know that...that we...”

“No.” He spoke immediately, saving her the trouble of trying to finish that sentence. “I haven’t told her.”

Savanna was relieved. She didn’t want to have an instant enemy in Silver Springs. And yet... “Are you going to?” she asked.

“I haven’t decided. We’re not exclusive, if that’s what you’re wondering. It’s not as if I’ve been cheating on her. But I will have to restrict my...activities at some point. And soon. I can’t be sleeping with you if I’m trying to make something work with her. That wouldn’t be fair to anybody.”

“True.” Savanna wanted to ask if he’d slept with Heather since sleeping with her, but she didn’t feel she had the right. She’d been the one to stipulate that there were no expectations attached to their night together. Of course, they hadn’t established any “rules” for what’d occurred between them at the truck. That had come out of nowhere. But she could see why he might approach a second encounter with the same understanding.

“This might be too intrusive of a question,” she said. “If it is, you don’t have to answer. But I can’t help wondering...”

“What is it?” he asked.

She braced herself, in case she was about to get an answer that would sting. “Do you love her?”

He studied her for several seconds without answering.

She lifted a hand. “Never mind. Like I said, that was too intrusive.”

“Savanna, if I loved her, I wouldn’t be doing what I’ve done with you.”

She couldn’t help feeling some relief, even though she knew his lack of feeling would only make what he had planned that much harder for him. “So what you’re doing...it’s all for the baby.”

“Entirely. Getting back with her, becoming a full-time parent, is the only way I can guarantee the baby will never be neglected or mistreated.”

Savanna didn’t know what to say. He was trying to do what he felt was right for a child, possibly his child. She couldn’t argue with that. “Okay, I’ll respect your decision, of course—and be careful to maintain the new boundaries you’ve set.”

He looked as troubled as she felt. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s fine. What we feel—it’s probably just sexual attraction, right? Infatuation? It can’t be anything serious, not this soon or this fast. Maybe I can’t keep my hands off you because I’m drunk on my newfound freedom. Or I’m trying to escape the harsh reality of my current situation. In any case, I’m in no position to make sound romantic decisions. This forces me to...to gain control of myself. Depending on how you look at it, it could be for the best.” Except what she felt for Gavin felt a lot more authentic than what she’d felt for Gordon the past few years. That was the strange thing.

“I appreciate your understanding,” he said.

“Of course. We can still be friends, though, I hope. We live so close it’d be a shame if that weren’t true. My kids idolize you already. I’d hate to think I blew their chance to have you around now and then.”

“We can certainly be friends. I’m staying the rest of the night—on the couch—just to make sure you’re safe. And I’ll be only a phone call away whenever you need me.”

“I appreciate that. Truly. I’ll support you in what you’re trying to do, will hope it turns out for the best.”

“Thank you.”

“No problem. But...I should cancel out on the barbecue next week, right?” Her kids were looking forward to the party so much she hated the thought of telling them it wasn’t going to work out, but if Gavin was planning to bring Heather, she wasn’t sure she could stand to watch him with another woman no matter how many times she told herself she had no right to feel jealous.

“No, don’t cancel. I think Branson and Alia will really enjoy it. You and I, we’ll be fine. Friends, like you said.”

“Okay.” She hoped he was right.

His phone went off before he could say anything else.

“Aren’t you going to get that?” she asked when he made no move to answer.

He grimaced. “I’d rather not.”

“But it’s so late. What if it’s your mother? Or brother? Aren’t you worried that it might be an emergency?”

“Not really.”

The truth dawned on her. “You think it’s Heather...”

He scrubbed a hand over his face. “I’m almost certain of it. I’ll call her in the morning, deal with...with everything after I’ve had a bit more sleep.”

His phone fell silent but pinged a moment later to indicate an incoming text. This time, probably because she was watching and he didn’t want her to see him continue to ignore it, he pulled it out of his pocket and looked down at the screen. Then his jaw went slack.