Bound for Me (Be for Me #4)(64)

He thought she was that unforgiving? That hard? Is that what her mom thought too?

“I know it’s not much,” he lifted a hand and waved it round. “But it’s within my means. I’m going to meetings. Got a part-time job down at the school, helping the caretaker there. I quite like looking after the grounds.” He smiled a little sheepishly.

“That’s great, dad.” Her eyes filled. Her father was finally, finally getting it together?

“I’ll pay it back, Sav,” he said gruffly. “What I took. That and more.”

“You don’t need to. I just want you to stay like this. Be well.”

He lifted his mug and took a small sip of the brew. “Where did you go?”

She bit the inside of her lip. “Summerhill.”

His eyebrows shot up and he set the mug down with a bang. “Shut the front door.”

She laughed at his uncool-dad-speak. “No. I did. I was going to go tell them they’re a bunch of bastards.”

“And did you?”

“Pretty much,” her laughter died.

“What was it like?”

“Even more amazing than you’d imagine. It’s just another world.”

“Not our world, Sav. I was such a fool to take a flippant comment as a serious share tip? To put everything into that? To gamble again?” He bent his head and rubbed the back of his neck. “I blamed everyone but myself. But it was me making the mistakes Savannah. My mistakes. Over and over. And I’m so sorry I dragged you into it. I’m sorry I lost the hotel. I know you loved it.”

“It was just a three star little hotel, dad. I’ll build my own one day.”

“And I’m gonna come see it. I’m so proud of you. I want to make you proud of me.”

“I am proud of you now. It’s going to be okay. One day at a time, right?” If her father could do it, so could she.

“Right.” He glanced at the bag she’d dropped by the door. “You want to stay here?”

“No.” She shook her head. “I’m going to go stay at the hotel. Say a proper goodbye to it.”

“Yeah?” he nodded. Then he looked up at her, that hint of wariness back in his eyes. “And are you ever gonna see your mom?”



The hotel was so shabby compared to Summerhill, it was a joke to think her father had ever thought they could make something more of it. Savannah walked through the restaurant, looking over at the little bar behind which she’d practiced her bartending skills for so long. She’d had no customers, only a gently drunk father indulging her youthful fantasies. Clapping when she finally caught the water-filled plastic bottles she juggled with. Throwing cocktails made of colored water. As if a seventeen year old could take on a hotel? She wasn’t even legally allowed to be behind the bar back then.

She climbed up the worn carpet to the room the receptionist had assigned her. She knew it well. Knew it overlooked the main street. Knew the door to the ensuite bathroom used to stick.

It didn’t now. Which meant the new owners must be doing a better job of maintenance. Which was good.

She sat on the bed and pulled her phone from her pocket. She didn’t hesitate. Just dialled. “Hi mom. It’s me.”

“Savannah?” Her mother sounded surprised.

Which was no surprise really given how long it had been since Savannah had called her.

“Where are you?”

“Belle.”

“You’re home?”

“Yeah. I am.” She shifted to sit more comfortably on the bed. “Have you seen dad recently?”

“Last week. To tell him about the baby. I wouldn’t do that to him over the phone—” she broke off. “I wanted to tell you in person too…” Her voice faded.

So her father had been telling the truth. He’d gotten his shit together before he’d heard about the baby. He’d started to try, because Savannah had left. A chunk of that heavy weight that had been sitting below her sternum for so long, melted.

“It’s okay.” Savannah paused. “You didn’t know where I was, so you couldn’t come see me anyway.”

“Would you have let me in?”

Maybe not then. But now? “You really do love Brad, don’t you?”

“Yes. And he loves me.” Her mom answered softly, but strongly.

“Dad didn’t?”

“Your father was too busy battling his addictions to love me.” Her mother’s voice broke then. “I’ve never gone a day without regretting what happened. How it happened. But I couldn’t leave him with nothing. He loved you, so much. If’ I’d taken you, he’d have been destroyed.”

“In the end he was destroyed anyway. So was I.”

“I’m sorry. I couldn’t help him Savannah. I tried for so long. But I wasn’t strong enough.”

“It took strength to leave us.” Savannah said quietly. “It took strength to go with Brad. When half the town was judging and mocking. That took strength.”

“Yeah,” her mother said slowly. Cautiously. “I suppose it did.”

“Because you loved him.”

“Yes.” There were tears in her mom’s voice now. “But I’m so sorry I hurt you. It’s the biggest regret of my life.”