The Better Man Read online

  Miller’s sadness quickly disappeared the moment Alex appeared on the screen and she told her mother all about the stars. Savannah had peeked over at the screen to find Alex giving her daughter all the attention in the world. It was as if Alex was in awe of Miller. After they had finished video chatting, Savannah called Evan. They were now both eating breakfast together over video chat. It was cute watching Miller try to feed her father some cut up banana.

  “Mummy said you had a bad dream last night,” Evan said as Miller took a drink of water from her sippy cup.

  Miller set her cup on the high chair’s tray. “Yes.”

  “But Auntie Sav was there to protect you, wasn’t she?”

  “Yes, Daddy,” Miller said as she looked over at her.

  Savannah’s heart clenched in her chest at the loving gleam in Miller’s eyes. A sleepless night was worth protecting her from bad dreams. The doorbell rang, and Savannah got up from the dining table chair she had been sitting on. She walked over to Miller and kissed her cheek.

  “I’ll be right back. Keep talking to Daddy,” she said before she left the table and made her way down the hall. With Evan still video chatting with his daughter, Savannah knew Miller would be safe. Once she reached the door, she grasped the handle and twisted it before she opened it.

  There, standing before her, was William Lawrence.

  Last night had been awkward for them. He was the first person to know that she was in love with Walter Vidović. What made it easier to breathe was the fact that he didn’t put it together. All he saw was “Walter” and didn’t realize that Walter was his cousin’s ex-boyfriend’s best friend. The best friend who confided in her when she and Landon first broke up, and Alex left Duke to go back to Boston.

  Savannah took in Will. Unlike last night, he seemed more himself. That soft smile she was starting to see more often was back. It was so gentle and sweet. So Will, she thought. Savannah was surprised to see him in jeans and a plain black T-shirt. He had mentioned he had a meeting this morning, so she expected to see him in a suit like yesterday.

  Professional William Lawrence was very attractive. But casual William Lawrence with a relaxed smile and a soft gaze made her heart beat wildly in her chest. Savannah wasn’t sure why she suddenly looked at him so intently. He was her best friend’s cousin. In theory, he was off-limits. She had been so strung up on Walter that she never saw the man who was currently staring at her.

  Oh, God.

  He’s staring.

  Again.

  Nervously, Savannah ran the back of her hand across her forehead. “Please don’t tell me I have something on my face. I cut up fruit for Miller’s breakfast.”

  Will laughed. “No, you’re perfect.”

  I’m perfect.

  She flinched at his innocent comment. No one thought she was perfect besides her best friend and her father. Her own mother thought she needed polishing. The fact that Will thought so caused a single flutter in her chest. Almost like a lightning strike. Just one bolt to send the electrical currents through the valves of her heart.

  As if Will sensed her unease, he brushed his dark brown hair back and smiled at her. “Can I come in?”

  Savannah blinked, realizing that they were both just standing at the door. She stepped aside and let him into the house. Once inside, she watched him slip off his shoes by the hallway table and then turn to face her.

  “Has Miller finished her breakfast?”

  She shook her head. “No, she’s talking to Evan. She didn’t have a great night.”

  Concern washed over his face, and his light brown eyes darkened. “What happened?”

  “She just had a bad dream.” Savannah then led Will down the hall and into the kitchen where they could see Miller was still talking to her father. She watched as Miller waved her hands at her father, describing the bright stars they watched together before they fell asleep.

  “Are you okay?” Will asked.

  She turned her head to find his concerned expression now directed to her. “Yeah, why?”

  “You look tired.”

  “Is that your way of telling me I look awful?” she teased.

  His lips curved. “No, you don’t,” he promised. “You just look like you didn’t sleep very well.”

  I didn’t.

  I had a stupid dream about Walter and me.

  But she couldn’t worry him with Walter. She had done that last night. Will didn’t deserve the burden of her problems, so she would keep them from him.

  Walter Vidović was her past.

  And Will was her … friend.

  Friend was a stretch, considering they’d only had a handful of conversations through the years. After Miller was born, it was as if Will found his ray of sunshine. He emerged from the coldness she was used to. But Savannah wasn’t surprised. If anyone could warm the once cold and brute William Lawrence, it was Miller Gilmore.

  So Savannah lied. Well, sort of. “Yeah, Miller’s bed is tiny. Didn’t you have a meeting?”

  Will sighed. “Client canceled at the last minute. My partner called me this morning to tell me. They weren’t really interested, but it’s okay. They weren’t our priority this weekend, and I think they knew that, too.”

  Savannah nodded as she watched Miller pop a strawberry in her mouth and chew. “Hey, do you mind watching her while I shower?”

  “I don’t mind at all,” Will said and then joined Miller at the table. He greeted her with a kiss, and she fed him a strawberry in return.

  Savannah stood and watched how carefree and loving Will was.

  He was different from the man she had met, and that only made her dangerously curious as to what had changed him.

  After Savannah had collected her clothes and makeup bag, then went to the bathroom upstairs and showered, she picked up her phone on the counter to find another set of messages from Walter. Whatever happiness she felt with Will and Miller was short-lived as she was plunged back into reality and the pain she had masked for years.

  It was easier after he graduated. When she didn’t have to walk around campus and hear his name or see his face. But here she was, years later, in a towel staring at his texts. He had left her a voice message last night, but she couldn’t listen, scared the longing in his voice would be strong enough to make her break.

  To make her go to him.

  Savannah chewed her lip as her thumb hovered over her inbox. One touch and she’d see his words. See if he yearned for her the way she once had for him. As Savannah looked at her reflection in the mirror, she got to thinking.

  Why now?

  Why after all these years?

  Why after he began to fade from her heart did she shine?

  Inhaling a deep breath, Savannah opened the browser on her phone and typed his name into the search bar, wondering what his life now entailed.

  Savannah’s was happy.

  Happy before he messaged her.

  She was finally getting somewhere with her job.

  Besides her mother’s recent messages, she was otherwise at peace with her life.

  This weekend wasn’t what she had expected. She was supposed to spend it with her goddaughter and be happy. Not be locked in a bathroom, wondering why he came back to inspect the destruction his tornado left behind. But only the foolish ever looked back after walking away, and Savannah Peters was the biggest, breathing fool out there as she watched articles of Walter load on the screen.

  “BREAKING: Vidović departs from the Bucks after saying no to pay rise.”

  “Walter Vidović has left the Bucks high and dry.”

  “Could Vidović be moving to the Knicks?”

  One article caught her attention.

  “Could Vidović’s crumbling personal life be the cause to his sudden departure?”

  She opened the article and skimmed it.

  Her heart stopped at one paragraph.

  Rumors around Milwaukee suggest that his excessive partying and constant clashes with the Bucks head coach last season c
aused his departure. But a source close to Vidović revealed that a personal tragedy has broken the defender, causing him to return to his home state of New York. But these reports have not been confirmed by the Bucks or Vidović.

  Personal tragedy …

  Savannah wondered what that could be. But it could be rumors written by journalists to attract readers.

  Nothing could hurt Walter.

  Not even Savannah.

  Without another thought, she opened his text messages, knowing those were manageable compared to his voice. She could fight against the written word easier than the spoken ones from lips she knew so intimately.

  Walter: You know I care about you, Savannah. I always have. Believe me, I need you. This isn’t a game. You’re the only person I can talk to.

  Walter: Do you remember that night after I was drafted to the Bucks and I couldn’t take it anymore and I flew back to Duke to see you? I didn’t care about being a first round pick. I only wanted you. I told you I missed you. I fucking did. I still fucking do.

  Walter: My biggest regret was letting you go.

  Walter: I believed in us too late, and I fucking let you go.

  Walter: Please don’t tell me I’ve lost you for good, Savannah. That would kill me more than losing my career.

  Written words that were years too late.

  She knew that, and she knew he did, too.

  But Savannah had grown since she left him after she graduated from Duke.

  Hadn’t she?

  Locking her phone, she decided that enough was enough. She would not give him her time anymore. She had made promises she vowed never to break. If she replied, she would break them once more.

  She had to let him go for the both of them.

  Let him focus on his career.

  Let her be free of him for longer than she was in love with him.

  It was too little, too late.

  Walter Vidović would not save her.

  She would be doing the saving.

  And she was going to save herself first.

  Savannah set her phone on the counter and got dressed. After she had put on a pair of dark blue skinny jeans and a bright yellow fitted T-shirt, she blow-dried her hair. She hadn’t bothered to straighten her curls. The humidity in the air would ruin them no matter how much product she put in. Reaching for her makeup bag, she pulled it close and unzipped it. She removed her moisturizer and rubbed some on her face. Deciding for a natural look, she added some powder on her face to hide the exhaustion she—and Will—saw. Then she added a little blush to give her cheeks some color before she curled and added a coat of mascara to her lashes.

  Happy with her minimal makeup, Savannah turned off the light before she exited the bathroom. She heard Miller’s laughter as she made her way through the gates and returned to the living room to find Miller on Will’s back. She was riding him as if he were a horse. Will had even neighed as he crawled across the floor. A laugh escaped Savannah, alerting them that she had finished getting ready.

  Will stopped his crawling. “Look, Millie. Auntie Savannah is here.”

  Miller grinned as her green eyes sparkled. “Savvy, horsey!”

  “I see that,” she said, approaching the two of them. She stared at Will who looked up at her. The genuine smile on his face was refreshing and sweet. He didn’t care that he might look foolish. He was so carefree, and Savannah wanted to taste that kind of freedom.

  “You ready to go?” Will asked.

  Savannah’s brows furrowed as she tilted her head at him. “We’re going somewhere?”

  He nodded. “We are. We have a surprise for you.”

  “Y’all do?” She glanced over at Miller, who was nodding her head as her little hands grasped the back of Will’s shirt tightly. Savannah picked up Miller and set her on the floor before she ran over to the couch and grabbed her toys.

  Will stood and dusted his knees. “We’re ready when you are, Savannah.”

  Savannah.

  Just the way he said her name without a hint of shame or embarrassment had her smiling like a foolish teenager.

  Her heart might be at the mercy of Walter Vidović.

  But her time belonged to William Lawrence.

  So she smiled at the revelation and nodded. “I’m ready if y’all are.”

  He grinned at her as he walked over to Miller and scooped her up in his arms. “We’re ready.”

  Eight

  Savannah

  Savannah had no idea how Will managed to drive through Boston without getting lost and find parking. It was incredible. Parking in Boston was a nightmare. Most places needed permits, and it was hard to come by any parking without having to find a garage that charged a fortune. But Will had done it, and she was impressed. He told her that he had spent a lot of time in Boston visiting Alex when they were growing up. He had even joked that if he could drive in New York City, he could drive anywhere, which made her laugh.

  His and Miller’s surprise was a visit to the planetarium. Savannah asked if it was okay to take Miller since she didn’t want to take that experience of Miller seeing the planetarium show away from Alex and Evan. But Will seemed to have it all covered, revealing that Miller had already been to the Charles Hayden Planetarium at the Boston Museum of Science twice in the past two months. They spent time walking through some exhibits as they waited for the show to start. She watched in awe as Miller stared at all the displays while in Will’s arms. Savannah was going to take the stroller out of Evan’s car, but Evan had assured them that Miller was well behaved at the museum when Savannah had called him this morning.

  Miller’s attention was always on the exhibits. Savannah was not surprised that her best friend’s daughter was enchanted by science. Like mother, like daughter. And Savannah knew if she was anything like her mother, Miller was going to achieve big things in the world. Feeling her phone vibrate, Savannah stepped away from Will and Miller who were staring at photographs of the red and blue galaxy. When she turned around, she saw Will smile and focus on Miller as the toddler spoke to him.

  That devotion was beautiful, and her heart warmed at the sight. Without looking at her phone, she answered the call and set it to her ear.

  “Hello,” she said with a smile on her face as she witnessed Will kiss Miller’s cheek.

  “Savannah.”

  Walter’s voice had her heart stopping, and her smile instantly fading. She pulled her phone away from her ear and checked the screen, hoping she was hearing things.

  Walter.

  Her heart plummeted from her chest as she closed her eyes tightly. She hadn’t meant to answer his call. She was so distracted by the sweet display in front of her that she lost her focus.

  She should hang up.

  Pretend it never happened.

  Instead, she pressed her phone to her ear and let out a soft breath. “Walter.”

  He sighed with relief. “Thank, God. Savannah, I’ve been trying to reach you. Can I come see you? Please, can we just—”

  “Ladies and gentlemen, we are now opening the planetarium for the Wonders of the Night Sky show. If I could please have you all line up, we can let you all inside,” the museum employee announced, not knowing that she had come to Savannah’s rescue by interrupting Walter’s pleading.

  “I have to go,” she said in a flat tone. The relief she felt rose within her, desperately wanting to be known to the world.

  “Savannah,” he whimpered.

  Walter Vidović actually whimpered.

  But she had to be stronger.

  To better them both for the future.

  “Goodbye, Walter.” Then she hung up on the love who truly hurt her. The love she thought she had wanted. She gazed up to find Will still smiling at Miller who was now looking at him. Savannah raised her phone, turned on her camera, and snapped a picture of them with the large picture of the red and blue galaxy as their background.

  Savannah looked at the picture, and that little crack in her heart stitched up with the smiles on their f
aces.

  This was pure love.

  Sweet, untainted love.

  And it was beautiful love.

  Love she had never known … until today.

  Will turned and directed his gentle smile toward her. She watched it stretch wider, eliciting the smile on her face. She slipped her phone in her back pocket before she returned to them. She set her palm on Will’s shoulder as she reached up and brushed Miller’s curls behind her ear.

  “Ready to see the show, Miller?” Savannah asked.

  A glint sparkled in the toddler’s vibrant green eyes. “Yes!”

  She laughed as they turned and made their way toward the planetarium’s doors. When they reached the employee scanning the tickets, Will managed to pull his phone from the pocket of his jeans. Unlocking it, he showed the tickets to the employee who smiled at Miller waving at her.

  “Hello, Miller. It’s nice to see you again,” the museum employee said as she held the scanner over Will’s phone.

  “Hello,” Miller greeted.

  Once the tickets were scanned, the employee smiled. “Enjoy the show. See you next time, Miller.”

  As Savannah and Will walked into the planetarium, she asked, “How do they know Miller’s name?”

  Will laughed as they climbed the steps to their seats. “Your mother doesn’t get nominated for a Nobel Prize and the science community not know about it or you. Alexandra is a celebrity around here. That’s how Miller bypasses the age requirement to see the show.”

  “That’s so incredible. It still blows my mind that Alex was nominated for a Nobel Prize. It sucks that she and Dr. Rodahawe didn’t win,” Savannah said in disappointment as they found their seats. They sat down, and Savannah turned to find Will setting Miller on his lap.

  “Yeah, I agree. But I guess winning would have added a lot of pressure on her to follow it up, you know.” The lights dimmed, and a presenter stood in the middle of the theater. “I don’t understand the research that did win, but Alexandra did say it was revolutionary. She did want Dr. Rodahawe to win his second, but I think she’s relieved they didn’t win. She just wants to focus on her Ph.D. and raising Miller.”