Southern Storm (Southern 3)

He looks up and gone is the cocky guy who got arrested and in his place is a guy who knows his time is up. “Good,” he says. “The gang is all here.”

Jacob sits down in front of him on the chair. “Well,” Jacob says. “We’re all here. What did you want to say?”

“I suggest you sit down because this is going to be a long one,” he says, looking over at us, and neither of us move. “Suit yourself. I guess I’m going to start at the beginning,” he starts. “Before I say anything, I only did this for you,” he says to Savannah.

“For me?” She points at her chest. “How is any of this for me?”

“When I first stepped into town and took one look at you, I knew that you were perfect for me,”

Chase tells her. “I’d come into the bar and watch you all night long.” He looks down. “But he would show up.” He points at me. “And ruin it. Then you didn’t come one night, and I waited in the parking lot, and I followed her home.”

“What?” Savannah whispers. “Oh my God.”

“I stayed out there watching until all the lights were off, and then the next day, I did it again,” he says. “This time, I waited for you to leave, and then I snuck into your house.”

“You were in her house?” Jacob says, shocked and his hands go into fists. “My son lives in that house.”

“I never would touch your son,” Chase says. “I liked being in your space.” He looks at Savannah, and I want to yell at him to look away. “Anyway, I finally got the courage up to talk to you more, and then I asked you out and you said yes.” He smiles. “I thought I had a chance.”

“One date, officially” Savannah says. “Half a date at that. Coming to visit me at work is not really a date.”

“You didn’t give me a chance!” he yells, and it takes everything I have not to jump over the table and attack him. “Anyway, I started following you more and more, and it just became a habit. I tried to get you to see me. I was right in front of you the whole time, but you were so in love with Beau you didn’t see me.” He looks down. “So I had to do what I did in order for you to see me.” His eyes fill with tears. “Can’t you see I did it all for you?” He goes on and on with the story, and when I walk out of the station, I’m raw.

“You need to calm down,” Savannah says, and I just shake my head. “What do you want to do?”

“The only thing that I can do,” I say, waiting for Jacob outside. He looks at me and tosses me the key. “Thank you.”

I sit in the truck, and she doesn’t say anything until we get there, and I shut off the truck. “You don’t have to do this,” she whispers, and I look over at her. “You don’t even have to say anything about it.”

“Then I’m just as bad as he is,” I say to her and look forward. “It ends now.”

I get out of the truck and walk around, and Savannah waits for me. There is a party going on not too far from here, where we should be, but now we are here. She links her fingers with mine, and we walk up the steps, and I ring the doorbell. I hold my breath when I hear the locks open and I come face-to-face with my mother. “Beau,” she says, smiling. “We didn’t know you would be coming.”

I push past her and look around. “Where is he?” I ask, and she turns and pretends to be confused. “I know he’s here, Mother. I saw his truck outside.”

“Now is not a good time.” She looks at me and then looks at Savannah. “Perhaps …” She continues talking, but I walk to my father’s study and push the door open. He sits on the couch leaning back while my brother’s wife sits in front of him on the single chair, and my brother stands looking out the back window.

“This is great,” I say and walk into the room with my mother behind us. “Family meeting time.”

“She isn’t family,” Liam says of Savannah, raising his hand to point at her. I notice now the empty glass in his hand.

“Is that the way to speak to the woman who had your child?” I say and look over to my mother to see if she knew about it. But her wringing her hands gives me my answer, and I shake my head. “It’s over.” I look at my father who just leers at me.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” he says, glaring at me. “But if this is another tantrum you’re going to throw, I suggest you watch your tone with me.”