“I know he does. That’s why I’ve asked him to stick around for the next month. I have some business in LA that’s going to require me to be gone from the club quite a bit.”
“He’s going to stay here?” Melody didn’t sound happy. “Can he do that? Take time off from his other investments, I mean.”
A line formed between Trent’s brows. “I thought you’d be happy to have him around while you’re working on your album.”
“I’ll be too busy to spend time with him.”
“I’m sure you can make time to be together.” Trent cocked his head. “Is there something going on?”
Melody pushed back abruptly from the table, her wrought-iron chair screeching against the patio tile. “Everything is fine,” she snapped, picking up her plate and heading for the kitchen.
“What the hell is going on with her?” Trent looked to Savannah for explanation. “Are she and Kyle having problems?”
“I think the tour was hard on their relationship.” Savannah didn’t feel bad about sharing that bit of information. It only made sense that not everyone could handle a long-distance romance. “I think it will be good for them to spend some time together here.” On neutral territory.
“And it will give you and me a chance to spend some time together in LA.”
“You and I? Together?” Savannah’s breath caught. What was he suggesting?
“I’ve been thinking about it since you left. I don’t feel comfortable with you and Dylan in LA by yourselves.”
“If you’re worried about Siggy trying to take Dylan away from me, I think his attitude on that score has changed.”
“I’m not worried about my father.” Trent reached over and took her hand. “I missed you these last couple days.”
Savannah’s throat tightened. She lowered her gaze so he wouldn’t see the tears that brightened her eyes. He’d never said anything to her like that before, and the joy she felt left her paralyzed.
“I missed you, too,” she whispered, the strain on her vocal cords almost painful. “It would be nice to have you with us in LA.”
“Then it’s settled. Let’s get this cleaned up and then I want to hear all about the movie you’re going to audition for.”
When they carried the dinner dishes into the kitchen, Melody chased them out before they could offer to help. “The kitchen isn’t big enough for all of us.”
Which wasn’t at all true, but Savannah could tell Melody needed time to herself. She and Trent took Dylan to the comfortable couches in the outdoor movie theater. With the screen retracted, they enjoyed watching the sunset decorate the mountains in shades of orange and gold.
“It’s beautiful here.” Savannah let her head drop onto Trent’s shoulder as they watched Dylan running around the open gas fireplace, currently unlit.
“Staring at that view, it’s hard to believe that less than five miles away there are millions of lights and people.”
“Do you ever get tired of just how crazy it is on the Strip and in the hotels? That was what drove me crazy about New York. It was always people, people and more people. I think that’s why Tennessee appealed to me. Wide-open spaces where days could go by without seeing anyone.”
“That’s why I bought this place. To get away from it all.”
“You do have your own little vacation spot here.”
“Do you really want to go back to LA? The traffic? Everyone on top of one another?”
“If I want to get jobs, I’m pretty sure that’s where I need to be.”
“Scarlett makes it work, going back and forth.”
“She has two careers and a husband who lives here.” Savannah hadn’t meant to imply anything by this last remark. Nevertheless, she felt Trent stiffen. Containing a weary sigh, Savannah patted him on his knee and got to her feet. “It’s past Dylan’s bedtime.”
She expected Trent to be happy to escape after the direction the conversation had gone, but he surprised her by dogging her steps to the guesthouse. When she gave him a questioning look, he shrugged.
“I’ve been reading Dylan a bedtime story. I know it’s something you do for him every night, so I thought he’d expect it.”
Once again Trent had taken her by surprise. “That’s nice, but I’ve got this.”