Chapter 14

“Tabitha, what do you mean I have to come back home now? I told you I’d be back in about a week or so.”

Savannah wiped the dry salt residue from her face and listened unashamedly to Micah’s end of the conversation.

“Who came to see me?” There was a fierce frown darkening his face. What could be giving him that look?

Forget about the phone conversation. Who in the world was Tabitha?

Savannah remembered the first day Micah came, he had made the stray comment about lipstick. She had dismissed her thoughts about him having a woman. After all, it was no business of hers. And although he had not revealed whether he had any love interests after her, it didn’t mean he’d been a monk, either.

Three days ago, it would not have mattered. But now, the seething question took control of every thought. She had the right to probe into his past dalliances with women. They were engaged, weren’t they?

Oh, wait. They weren’t. She had just thrown his proposal, which she accepted on the other side of the door, in his face. Therefore, she had no right to pry into his personal life.

Savannah reigned her thoughts back in as she tried to hear more of the conversation. Micah had little to say. The only thing she could tell was that whatever he was listening to made his amber eyes wide as dinner plates. His skin blanched and brought out the red freckles.

“When did all of this happen?” Micah asked Tabitha.

Savannah folded her arms and glanced at the window to Liliana’s room to meet the twin glares of Tisha and Connie. She mouthed the words, “Did you pray?”

They nodded like reluctant children. The nurse who had been watching them gave Savannah the thumbs up sign. How could someone be so interested in another person’s life? Savannah shook her head.

Turning back to Micah, she caught him in a distracted stare focused on her. The phone remained glued to his ear and she could make out a little bit of the woman’s voice tinged with hysteria.

Who is Tabitha? Savannah thought again, angrily.

No, stop wondering about it. It is no longer any concern of yours.

Like heck it isn’t, another part of her shouted. You can lie to yourself all you want to, but can’t ignore the truth.

What was the truth then?

Savannah bit her lip as Micah turned a little away from her.

The truth was that she loved Micah Reddington. Like any jealous woman, the idea of the man she cared about with her whole heart giving his heart to someone else raised a line of hackles down her back. It couldn’t be another woman. He had asked her to marry him, didn’t he? Micah wasn’t the kind of man to propose marriage to one woman while pursuing a relationship with another.

But he had changed over the years they’d been apart. The scandal had proven to completely morph him into an almost stranger.

Yet, this early morning proposal showed the glimmer of the man he once was. The one who loved her endlessly.

Why had she told him all those things?

“Tabby, there’s gotta be more to this than what you’re telling me.”

What was Tabitha telling him? Was she pregnant perhaps? No! Micah had made it clear to her when they dated he wouldn’t want to be in any position to father a child without the banner of his name and the legality of marriage. What was wrong with her? Didn’t she tell him that nothing he could say would change her mind about his guilt? “What would it take to prove my innocence?” His words echoed back in her mind.

Savannah glanced back her friends but they’d gone to sit in the chairs in the room. Their faces were hidden in dim light but she knew without a shadow of a doubt, Tish and Connie’s gazes were locked on her.

When she told Micah the reason for why she invited him to Nascha’s funeral, a subtle change had come over him. His eyes had lost the belligerent look and he grew more thoughtful. Had anything she said penetrated his skull?

Had anything he said penetrated her skull?

After all, he was here in a supportive capacity. Dr. Yamaguchi and the other personnel of the burn unit were sterling examples of their profession. They, with the help of God, had brought back her niece from the brink of death. Liliana was cared for with the highest regard to her comfort and condition.

There wasn’t any reason for him to be by her side.

Savannah spread her hands out before her. She chanced a glance at Micah to see that he’d moved a few feet away. He spoke in low tones, too low for her to hear. By any stretch of the imagination, she had no business being in the hall. A slight sound at the window withdrew her contemplation from her knuckles to see Tisha and Connie gesturing in no uncertain terms to come into the room where they could give her the lambasting she was sure she deserved. Savannah turned her head away. No, she wanted to stay with Micah.

A bolt went down her back. Was it really that simple? After all the hurt, the pain, the tears, and bitterness, she wanted to stay with Micah.

Her heart thumped inside her ribcage. When he hadn’t shown up at Nascha’s funeral, she’d taken his absence as sign of guilt. But she wasn’t being fair. If Nascha had indeed lied about him, as he constantly reiterated, going to the funeral would have been more than most people, even she herself, could take.

Micah had pride. She knew that. But he also had a human heart. A heart which was as flawed and conflicted as anyone else’s. His absence could have easily meant he was free of wrongdoing. Staying away would have been the best thing he could do.

Why were all these strange new ideas coming to mind now? Was it because he was still engrossed in conversation with Tabitha?

Savannah dropped her hands to her side. In this moment, the memory of her selfishness haunted her. He did have a life she’d taken him from. He had to go back to her.

But what about being his bride? That brought her up short. Yes, what about it?

“Savannah?”

She came out of her muddied thoughts to see Micah before her. “Yes?”

“I have to go.”

Some part of her expected to hear him say those words. Hearing it confirmed sent her into a panic.

Micah couldn’t leave. Liliana was still on that machine. She needed his comfort.

What about all those noble thoughts about letting him go back to his life? a nasty voice shouted at her. Lies. All of it lies.

She didn’t want him to leave. Not now ... or ever.

“Why do you have to go?”

His eyes slid away from her. A muscle clenched in his jaw. “I can’t say.”

A cold, harsh wind brushed her skin. “You can’t say? Why is that?”

He turned back to her. “I’ve got my reasons why. I want to keep it to myself.”

“Do you?” She couldn’t keep the bite out of her voice.

“Why are you talking to me in that tone?”

“What tone? I’m just curious is all.” Could he tell she was doing the very best she could not to beg him to stay?

“You sounded like you were upset.”

“I’m not upset at all,” she lied, working to keep her tone amiable and nonchalant.

Why are you lying? Just ask him not to go.

“I see,” he said. He rubbed at his forehead as if to rid it of some stain. “I think we’ve said all we need to say to each other.”

“Yes, we’ve said all we had to say.” He would know she rejected his marriage proposal. That she still found him guilty. Why would any man stay under those circumstances?

“Well then, I guess this is goodbye.” He shoved his phone into his inner jacket pocket. “Bye, Savannah.” She smiled. Her lips stretched beyond the point of elasticity.

“Don’t go.”

Micah started and his eyebrows rose into his hair line. She’d been so determined to show off an air of indifference that it took a few seconds for her to grasp those two little words had come from her.

“Savannah?”

“Don’t go, Micah.”

He stuffed his hand into his pockets. “Why don’t you want me to go?”

“I need you here with me and Liliana.”

He made a harsh sound. “Liliana is under the finest care in the world. She’ll be all right.”

“I still want you here with me.” Her lips hurt from the false smile on them.

“I told you I have to leave now. I can’t just hang around here anymore like a fifth wheel.”

You’re not just hanging around here. You’re my rock, my help. I can’t deal with this by myself.

“Who is Tabitha?”

Savannah wished she could take back the question as soon as it left her mouth. Why did she have to go and say that?’ “Why do you want to know? You’ve made it clear how things are between us. You can’t trust me and you don’t love me. All you want is me at your beck and call, like a good little puppy.” Micah’s voice held venom.

“That’s not true at all. I was just curious. And I don’t see you in that light.”