Last Call (33 page)

The sorority sisters chatted happily amongst themselves about their plans to find rich husbands now that they’d graduated college, while Wendy and I caught up.

The clink of silverware against glass quieted the room as calls for a speech were made. Mary Anne stood in her beautiful cream and lavender lace dress and imperiously raised her hand to hush the room.

Tilting her head slightly and putting on a demure smile, Mary Anne began her show. "I can't believe that a lifetime of dreaming about my perfect wedding day is about to become a reality. Daniel and I met years ago through my sweet cousin Savannah. Where are you, Vannah?"

You've
got
to be kidding me
. I sat there frozen as heads turned my way and looked at me. Some looked at me uneasily while others smiled slightly. Since I obviously wasn't escaping notice, I smiled and waved my hand once.

"There she is. Thank you for letting me have him, Savannah." I smiled politely while the crowd chuckled at Mary Anne's comment. She continued to drone on and on, but the blood rushing through my ears blocked the rest of her speech out.

The happy clapping and "Cheers!" slowly brought me out of my angry daze. Several friends and family members took turns wishing Mary Anne well while I sat there just listening and stewing on her catty comment. I couldn't believe that she'd been so cavalier about the past. In
public.

A moment of quiet saw me rise to my feet before I could think better of it. "A toast to Mary Anne and Daniel," I called out loudly; raising my glass. "From the moment you stole his heart, it was clear that you two
truly
deserved each other." I smiled sweetly as I raised my glass. Mary Anne's smile wilted a bit, but when everyone toasted she smiled and I sat down.

My mother’s pinched face told me she wasn't happy with my toast on the way home, but she said nothing. Suddenly I was very angry that she hadn't dared to say a word in my defense about the snotty comment Mary Anne had made. As we pulled up to the house, I slammed the car door violently and marched into the house.

"Savannah Rose Guthry. What is
wrong
with you today? Why are you slamming doors and stomping around like a five year old?"

"Do you find no fault in what she did, mother?" I snapped.

"What
she
did? Shouldn't we talk about what
you
did?"

"Give me a damn break," I muttered. My mother’s mouth snapped into an angry line, telling me she heard my remark.

"Young lady, you
will
speak respectably in my home."

I threw up my hands in exasperation. "Seriously? I’m almost twenty-three years old. Why do you still absolve her of everything, even after all this time?"

"Because I expect nothing better from her, Savannah. But I raised you to be a better woman than that."

"So I'm expected to come here and allow them to make pointed jabs and nasty comments at me?"

"What do you mean ‘them’? Did Daniel say something to you?" My father’s booming voice startled me, and I turned to the sitting room off the foyer where Gage and my father were sitting.

Glancing at my father and then back to my mother, I bit my tongue and shook my head. "Nevermind. It was nothing."

"It doesn't sound like nothing, honey," dad spoke; angling for an answer. He stood and walked towards us; Gage following suit.

"Bradford, it's nothing. Savannah and I just had a small disagreement. Please excuse my behavior, Gage. That was unacceptable."

"I've been the recipient of Savannah's fiery temper before, so I can understand your behavior completely Mrs. Guthry," Gage teased; his charming dimpled smile magically pulling a smile from my mother.

"We aren't going to the dinner tonight," I stated suddenly, my resolve firm.

Both of my parents looked at me as I stood there defiantly, and I braced myself for an argument. My mother surprised me though when she agreed. "You know, I think that will be fine, darling. You should take Gage about the town. Excuse me, please." She turned and walked slowly up the stairs. After a small glance at us, my father followed after her.

Once my father disappeared at the top of the staircase, Gage stepped closer to me. "Hi, beautiful." Gage smiled and pulled me into his arms.

"Hi," I groaned.

"Oh baby, that was pitiful," he murmured in my ear. "I think you need some pampering, what do you think?"

I lifted my sad puppy dog eyes to his gorgeous ones and nodded yes.

"Go put on something casual. I have an idea."

"You do, do you? Can I have a hint?"

"Nope." He cupped my rear and placed a kiss on my neck. "Meet me in the guest house in an hour?"

"Sounds good," I replied, backing up reluctantly; his warm eyes making my knees weak.

"Hey Savannah?" he called when I finally turned.

"Yeah?"

"You look amazing in that dress."

After he surprised me with a private harbor tour at sunset and a romantic dinner, Gage and I returned to the guest house. I lay across his bed while he massaged my back to 'pamper' me like he promised he would.

His hands slipped under my shirt as he kneaded the muscles, causing small grunts of appreciation to escape my mouth.

"You keep moaning like that and we’re going to have some trouble," he hinted; his warm lips kissing my shoulder.

"Did you say keep moaning?" I asked playfully. Then I moaned louder in exaggeration.

His fingers pinched my sides lightly and I yelped at the sting. "Ohhh, I’m sorry, sweetheart. I'm going to need to kiss that and make it better."

He sat back on his haunches and placed his hands under my shoulders to pull my back into the air so he could slip my shirt off.

"You are so damn beautiful," he whispered, and then flipped me over; running his tongue over the side where he’d pinched me, and then doing the same to the other side.

His eyes looked hungrily at my exposed skin and then covered my body with his own. He lay on top of me for one excruciating moment, and then rolled us to our sides, keeping his eyes focused on mine the entire time.

"Are you ready for tomorrow?" he finally asked as his fingers traced over my facial features.

"The wedding?" I asked. His sudden change in topic from making me moan to the wedding ahead confused me.

"Yes sweetheart, the wedding."

"I…yeah, I'm ready. You know what kills me, Gage?"

"What Savy?"

"I love it when you call me that," I admitted; sucking his fingertip into my mouth as he traced my lips.

Dragging a heavy breath into his lungs, he pressed his hips into mine.

"What kills you?" he reminded me softly.

"That while I now know the type of person Daniel has become, and it isn't pretty, what happened between us still hurts."

"Yes, that's first love for you. It makes you stupid."

A peal of laughter escaped me. "That it does."

"You know what kills me, Savannah?"

"Hmmm, what?"

"Your sexy half-naked ass lying in bed with me at your parents' house." He groaned. "I want you to stay here tonight, but I can't do it. Not in good conscience."

"You can't do
it
?" I asked.

"No, dirty girl. I meant I can't let you stay here. I promised your father I would respect you, especially while under his roof."

"So then there’s no doing
it,"
I frowned playfully.

"Nope, sorry love."

"Then why did you tease me and pull my shirt off?"

Quick as lighting, he pushed me to my back and rolled on top of me. Sitting across my hips, evidence of his body’s desire of me plain as day, he pulled off his shirt and then lowered his body down to mine until he was hovering over my breasts. My heart skipped in anticipation of his skin touching mine.

"Because I can't help myself," he replied.

"Oh," I hummed as his lips touched my collar bone.

I closed my eyes and rode the waves of desire as his mouth and hands began to explore my shirtless top. He pulled me into a sitting position after a few minutes, my legs straddling his.

"Is this you pampering me?"

"Sure is," he laughed; his hands rubbing my back as his tongue drew circles along the tops of my breasts.

"Gage," I breathed out when his fingers went to the clasp of my bra.

"Yeah baby?" he said raggedly.

"If you undo that, we are
so
not going to be honoring my father’s wishes."

"Hmm?" His hand was working at the clasp and his hips were moving with mine as his tongue traced the edge of my bra cup.

"We need to stop unless you're ready to make love to me, because honestly, I don't have the same willpower from last time. I want you too badly."

He growled deeply, capturing my lips in a long, wet kiss. His hands left my bra intact and went to my hips instead, and then started to slip into the waist of my pants.

"Shit," he moaned. "Sorry. I'm stopping," he said, suddenly picking me up off of him and setting me upright on the bed beside him.

I noticed that he was walking a bit awkwardly when he stood up and grabbed my shirt from the floor; unraveling it and then holding it up for me. "You need to leave the room
now
."

"You're kicking me out?" I pulled my shirt from his hands and back over my head.

A smile crossed my face when I saw Gage's very serious expression.

"Yep. Get out, you wicked temptress," he hissed, pulling me up to his chest. He wrapped his arms around my waist and picked me up to carry me to the door.

"Oh my God…seriously? You're totally kicking me out? What are you going to do now?"

"Baby, I'm about to go take a cold, cold shower."

A giggle escaped me as he opened the door and set me outside.

"Goodnight, gorgeous. Sleep tight." He shut the door in my face; the click of the lock letting me know he was serious.

"Damn it," I muttered as I walked away. "Cold shower…hell, I need an
ice
bath to stop the sizzle down there."

Saturday - June 15, 2013

The Reception

After the wedding ceremony, the party continued in a large tent out on the lawn of the country club. The beautiful white tents were air conditioned - a must in the south in June - and huge. The large poles that held up the ceiling were wrapped in bouquets of fragrant flowers and bows. Huge, elaborate centerpieces decorated every round table, and crystals and candles sparkled everywhere. No expense was spared and it was beautiful…if you liked gaudy, that is.

The new couple was formally introduced to their guests, and I found a way to keep my eyes averted when Daniel and Mary Anne danced their first dance. I wasn't jealous anymore, but I still had a hard time being happy for them. I really hoped that someday I could get over those feelings.

An almost happy smile did cross my face as I watched my Uncle Grant dance with Mary Anne for the father and daughter dance. Uncle Grant had always been good to me through the years. I remembered when Daniel and Mary Anne first started dating, and he spoke to my father and told him how sorry he was. I tried to pretend like it never bothered me, but obviously even then, everyone could still see through my façade.

I couldn't help but wonder if his joyous smile as he danced with his only daughter was because he was finally unloading her into someone else's care.

When the floor opened up to all dancers, I was surprised to find my father tapping my shoulder for a dance. The sweet melody of an old Allison Krause song began to play as my dad danced with me.

"You dodged a bullet, baby," he murmured as we smiled for the cameras that kept clicking to catch those ‘magical’ moments.

"How do you mean?"

"Daniel. He was never good enough for you," he informed me, spinning me around. "Mark my words - the Livingstons never made him work for anything, and he’ll crumble at the pressure and be
begging
your uncle and I for a job in a few years."

"Shhh, dad," I chastised him.

"It shows your maturity that you came to this blasted wedding in the first place. I'm proud of you."

"I'm fine, Daddy."

"Do you want to tell me more about Gage? I like the way he looks at you."

My father had never once said a nice thing about Daniel in all the years he'd known him. The compliment caused my smile to grow wider and I looked past his shoulder to where I saw Gage standing on the sidelines of the floor watching us.

Pulling my reluctant gaze from him, I looked at my father. "How does he look at me?"

"The way a man
should
look at my daughter. Like you’re precious. Which you are, by the way." His voice was heavy with emotion and he kissed my cheek as a deep voice interrupted us.