Chapter 33

thirty-three

“I know you’re not a huge fan of wine, but I’m glad you decided to come with me again.” Fallon slid Savannah’s arm into hers and held onto her tight. They walked behind the waitress as they were shown to their table.

Fallon had been anticipating this all day, wanting to spend some one-on-one time with Savannah when they’d barely been in each other’s presence in the last week. But Brinley was back with her father, and Savannah had come in for an appointment with Athena, so Fallon thought this was as good a time as any.

As they sat down, Fallon crossed her legs and couldn’t tear her gaze from Savannah. She really was one of the most stunning people that she’d ever met, not just in her looks, though she definitely had those, but in the underlying joy that she always seemed to have.

“I’m willing to try wine again.” Savannah’s face lit up. “Especially if it comes with an evening with you.”

Fallon couldn’t stop grinning. She ordered each of them a glass of wine and a cheese tray. But she had something very important to discuss with Savannah. Her week was up, and while she knew Savannah wasn’t going to push for an answer, Fallon was determined to give her one.

“With me?” Fallon asked, teasing.

“Of course.” Savannah winked. “It’s the first date I think we can say we’ve been on.”

Fallon paused at that, considering it. “I think you’re right. And it’s fitting that we should come back to MILF Wine.”

“Why’s that? Because it was our first time actually sitting down together?” Savannah thanked the waiter when her glass of wine was put in front of her.

Fallon snagged hers up as the waiter left and sipped the new flavor she’d wanted to try. Unlike the last time they were here, she couldn’t tear her gaze from Savannah, curious about every interaction and flirtation that she sent Savannah’s way. She was ready to build up for a wonderful night, and she was going to enjoy every moment of it.

“Because I think I’m the one who found the real MILF.” Fallon’s eyes glittered with excitement.

Savannah’s cheeks turned bright red. “Fallon!”

Canting her head to the side, Fallon enjoyed Savannah’s reaction. “It’s true. I think I’m the one who won out in this deal.”

Savannah’s lips parted, her mouth opening and closing twice before she finally blew out a breath with a smile. “What deal?”

“The deal of us,” Fallon pushed. She was easing into this conversation in the exact way that she wanted to. She needed to explain her last few hesitations, her last few moments of fear and restraint. “Don’t you think?”

“I think we may have both won that one.”

“Perhaps.” Fallon set her glass down and plucked a piece of cheese from the tray, popping it between her lips. “But I have no doubt that you might have gone on to find happiness without me. I’m not entirely sure the same is true for me.”

“You’re being too hard on yourself.”

“I’m not,” Fallon replied. She squared her shoulders, dropping her gaze to Savannah’s lips. If they were in bed having this conversation, she wasn’t sure they’d ever make it to this point. Fallon would be far too distracted by soft touches and kisses to force her way into the uncomfortable space that this conversation had to occupy.

“Then you don’t give yourself enough credit.”

“I really do,” Fallon countered. She spun her wine glass in a circle. “Something about you forced me to reevaluate my life and my previous decisions.”

“Previous decisions?”

Fallon nodded slowly. “To never fall in love.”

Savannah paused, the smile faltering for only a second before it was back again. “Are you saying you’re in love with me?”

“I spoke with Athena this afternoon, before you came in, once I finally got up the courage.” Fallon flat-out ignored Savannah’s question. She leaned back in her chair, stretching out her muscles. Finally getting the courage to talk to Athena had been one of the scariest things she had ever done in her life.

But Athena had been expecting it.

Which had been a blessing and a curse all at once. It had made the decisions Athena had to make easy, but it had meant that Fallon couldn’t explain as fully as she’d prepared to do. And the conversation hadn’t gone the way she’d repeatedly rehearsed it.

“What did she say?”

“That she wasn’t surprised.” Fallon finished her glass of wine and snagged another piece of cheese.

“That’s it?” Savannah’s eyes widened.

“No. Athena’s not a woman of many words, but trust me, that’s not all she had to say. She’ll hire a secondary person to take notes on your case for her. It’s why she’s kept me from doing it before now—because she suspected.” Fallon pressed her lips together hard. “And I’m pretty sure that Monti said something about it, which confirmed those suspicions.”

“Monti?”

“She said she would walk the line as best as she could, but I can’t fault her for talking to her partner.” Fallon played with the napkin in her lap. She hated being the center of attention more than anything, and she’d been stuck in the center far too often lately. “But in true Athena style, she kept what she could close to her chest.”

“She sounds like a good boss to have.”

“The best,” Fallon mumbled quietly. She couldn’t imagine working for anyone else. At one point, she’d had dreams of her future and ideal careers, but that had never mattered, had it? It’d all been about finding a safe place to land where she’d been needed.

“So I won’t be spending any more alone time with you in the conference room?” Savannah’s smile was filled with mischief.

Fallon chuckled and shook her head. “Unlikely.”

“Well, that’s a pity.” Savannah sipped her wine finally, seeming much happier with the flavor of this one than the one she’d tried the last time. “I kind of secretly enjoy that room when Athena’s not in it.”

Laughing, Fallon relaxed even more. This was going so well. Savannah seemed nearly as relaxed as she was. With a second glass of wine ordered, Fallon shifted her stance and leaned over the table. She snagged Savannah’s fingers and brushed her thumb over the tops of Savannah’s knuckles.

“I don’t think it was a secret,” Fallon said, her voice lowering.

They were so connected in this moment, two people charged together and spinning within each other’s spheres. Their worlds had collided in a cemetery, with death rife and abundant, but together they’d found life and love.

“I’m not really that transparent, am I?”

“Sometimes.” Fallon brought Savannah’s fingers to her lips and pressed a delicate kiss against her warm skin. “And sometimes you’re still hard to read and understand. I promise. I don’t know all of your secrets yet.”

“Yet?” Curiosity flashed in her eyes.

“Yes. Yet.” Fallon laughed lightly, quite enjoying the way this conversation was going. She was going to lean into their flirtations as much as possible. “If ever.”

“If ever?” Savannah sounded worried now.

“No, I didn’t mean…” Fallon winced. “I mean that it’s really hard to get to know all of a person, and you deserve to keep some things for yourself.”

“And if I don’t want to?”

“Don’t want to what?”

“Keep things to myself.”

Fallon eyed her carefully, trying to figure out if she’d messed this up already. But Savannah seemed far too relaxed for that, so perhaps she was just teasing. “You don’t?”

Savannah shook her head. She reached over the table and snagged Fallon’s hand back. “No, I don’t. I want to share it with you. I love you. I told you that.”

“How did it go with Brinley?” Fallon glanced down at their joined hands, keeping their fingers wrapped together.

“Better than I thought.” Savannah sighed heavily, her eyes closing as if she was remembering the conversation. “She’s excited.”

“Excited? What did you tell her? Because I’m pretty sure that stepparents are supposed to be things of nightmares.”

“Stepparent?” Savannah raised one delicate eyebrow at Fallon, and it was far too late for her to take back what she’d said, and Savannah had clearly noticed her mishap. “I didn’t think we were far enough along in our relationship to be considering that.”

“You know what I meant,” Fallon mumbled. “She’s not afraid about me punishing her or something?”

“Hardly.” Savannah guffawed. “I think she’s excited about cooking with you, and more sleepovers—as she put it—and getting to know you better. She wants you to come to her recital next week.”

“What recital?”

Savannah pursed her lips and nodded her head. “She’s been going to Tia’s studio for the last few months, since ice skating isn’t her thing.”

“She’s been…” Fallon stopped. She really hadn’t known much about Savannah and Brinley, had she? And yet she was already in love, not just a little bit, but fully. “I didn’t realize.”

“Saylor suggested it when she started working for me since Brinley made it very clear that she didn’t want to do any type of ice skating.” Savannah looked at her oddly. “Tia didn’t tell you?”

“No.” Fallon went back to playing with her napkin. “But I haven’t told her about us yet. Not since Saylor’s birthday party.”

“You might want to do that.”

“Yeah, it’s on my list.” Fallon shot Savannah a glance. “And to talk with Monti. Probably tomorrow since Athena doesn’t want to keep it from her.”

“So you’re telling your family about me. Should I take that as a good sign?” Savannah finished her wine and started plucking at the cheese on the tray. “Does that mean we’re officially a couple now?”

Fallon grinned. “I thought we were officially a couple after last weekend.”

“But now you’re telling everyone. So that makes it more official.”

“More official than saying I want to be with you?” Fallon played with her napkin again. “I love you, Savannah. Is that official enough?”

Savannah’s entire face lit up. “You love me?”

“Yes.” Fallon grabbed her wine and sipped it slowly, not moving her gaze from Savannah’s face. She wanted to see Savannah’s reaction, to understand the full impact of her words. She was so unsure about repeating herself, about saying it again and taking that risk. But it was now or never. She’d come this far, why not go all the way. “I love you.”

“I will honestly say I didn’t expect you to say that in the week you asked for.”

Fallon’s lips twitched. “Why not?”

“Because you don’t move fast.”

“Neither do you,” Fallon pushed back. “Speaking of, that’s a good question. How fast are we taking this?”

“I think our speed has always been slow and bumpy. Hopefully, it’ll be less bumpy from here on out.”

“I can get on board with that.” Fallon smiled sweetly. “But I think since Brinley knows, this is going to go a little faster than either one of us is comfortable with. Especially if she’s asking me to go to her recital.”

“True.” Savannah raised her glass in Fallon’s direction. “I’m okay with that speed. You?”

“Do I have another choice?”

“Yes.”

Fallon had her doubts about that, but she would go with it for now. She was ready to jump in with both feet, especially knowing that Savannah was also willing to keep a pace they were both comfortable with. “I’m ready.”

“Really, really?” Savannah asked.

“Yeah.” Fallon stood up on instinct. She rounded the table and immediately pressed her mouth to Savannah’s. She held on, kissing her deeply and ignoring the fact that they were in the middle of a restaurant, that they had done this a hundred times over by now. It was like they were kissing for the first time. When she finally pulled back, Fallon eased away, unable to wipe the smile from her lips. “I love you.”

“I love you, too,” Savannah murmured. “But if you’re going to kiss me like that, then we’re going to need to go home. Your place or mine?”

Fallon grinned and winked as she sat back down. “Mine.”