Perhaps in this instance she’d judged him a little too harshly. “To be fair, you were pretty vocal about your view regarding the whole marriage and kids thing. You didn’t want anything to tie you down.”
“You were right to listen to Rafe. I gave you no reason to think otherwise. At some point I let my father’s negative opinions define me. I figured if I was going to be labeled selfish and no good, I might as well act that way.”
“So, what did you hope to gain by coming here?” She didn’t understand what he wanted from her. “If you’re interested in being part of Dylan’s life, I welcome that. I would never keep him from you.”
Her son recognized his name and got to his feet. He toddled over to Trent and lifted his arms, asking to be picked up. Savannah’s throat tightened as Trent scooped up Dylan and checked out the costume.
“This is really cute. I especially like his horns.” Trent’s crooked smile had a detrimental effect on Savannah’s equilibrium.
She cautioned herself not to read too much into his visit. Just because he’d made an effort to stop by didn’t mean his opinions had changed.
Her son was an excellent diversion from her tumultuous emotions. “Dylan, what does the dragon say?”
To her delight Dylan growled, first at her and then his father. Trent laughed.
“I heard you two doing this the night before you left. You were having so much fun. I didn’t know how to handle how I was feeling.” He lifted Dylan into the air, making him giggle. Trent stared at his son for a long moment, his smile fading. At last he returned his attention to Savannah. “Since then I’ve had time to think. I want to be part of your life.”
“I think that would be great for Dylan.” And she meant it.
“What about for you?”
What about her? Having him around all the time would be bittersweet. In her life, but never truly hers.
“I’ve really missed you.” She thought that was safe to admit. But to keep him from getting the wrong idea, she continued, “We were friends for a long time before anything happened between us in New York. It’ll be great to be on good terms once again.”
“Do you want to go back to being just friends?”
She opened her mouth to say no, but the word couldn’t make it past the lump in her throat. The last thing Savannah wanted was to be just friends with Trent, but she couldn’t go down that road to heartache again.
He began before speaking again without waiting for her answer. “At one point you thought you’d be okay living in Vegas. Do you still think that’s a possibility?”
“We could talk about it. Now that I’m working, my financial situation isn’t so dire and I can afford more house there than here.”
“And you’re okay about traveling back and forth?”
Now that his father was no longer entertaining him, Dylan decided he wanted to be put down and squirmed until Trent set the boy on the floor once more.
“Scarlett has made it work. I don’t see why I can’t, as well.” Savannah watched Dylan head to the bin where she kept his musical train. Plastic clattered as he pulled the pieces out. “My son’s happiness is important to me. If living in Las Vegas means you and Dylan get to spend as much time together as possible, then that’s what I’ll do.”
“What about your happiness?”
Since leaving Trent behind and moving to LA she’d discovered peace, but not joy. “I’ve learned I can be content anywhere as long as I have my family.”
“I’ve learned something, too.” He took her hands in his. “The only time I’m happy is when I’m with you.”
Savannah stared at Trent while blood pounded in her ears. Had she heard him right? Or was she imagining the words she longed to hear?
“But you said...”
“Forget what I said. I was an idiot. I’ve been an idiot for a long time. Nothing else explains why I ever let you go.” Trent tugged her up against him. “I love you.”
A stunned Savannah was marveling at her abrupt turn of fortune even as Trent’s lips closed over hers. His kiss reflected all the hunger and longing that filled her. She held on for dear life as her future shifted onto a new track. When at long last he broke the kiss, she was breathless and gloriously happy.
“I love you.” His deep voice gave weight to the phrase. “I made the mistake of letting you go once. I can’t let that happen again.”
Savannah’s chest ached at the pain and loss she glimpsed in his gaze. “I’m not going anywhere.” She glanced at Dylan, who could not have been less interested in what was going on between his parents. “We are not going anywhere.”
“Promise?”