to work with a Georgia attorney to get your conviction overturned, but you won’t have trouble finding someone good. Don’t hire a shark, though. You’ll have a settlement coming your way, so the scum lawyers will be circling. Talk to Mac. He’ll help you figure all that out. In the meantime, you should sit back and let Georgia do its thing.”
She sat back and attempted to take it all in. They had believed her. Zach had believed in her. Somebody had been on her side.
She couldn’t believe it. “It’s that easy? Just like”—she snapped her fingers—“that?”
“Once someone looked at your case without wearing blinders issued by Detective Vaughn, it was pretty straightforward.”
“You did this for me. You believed me.”
He looked at her stonily.
“Zach, I—” She reached a hand across the desk toward him. “I’m so sorry. I’ve been so stupid. I …” She hesitated, working up her nerve.
He stared down at her hand, then shook his head. “Look, Savannah, I don’t have the energy for this. It’s been a long week and I’m whipped. A woman I liked and respected is dead because of stupid teenage drama that could have been avoided. So I’m not in the mood for any more adult drama. I’ve had my fill. So let’s just go on about our business, okay? We had something, we ended something. It’s done. But in the meantime, TJ has something to tell you, so take him home and listen to him.”
Her pulse had begun to race. She felt him slipping away and it frightened the truth from her. “Zach, I love you.”
He looked at her and gave a snort of disgust. “Sure you do. Now. Because I proved myself. It’s all about that, isn’t it? You couldn’t take me and all of this”—he waved his hand around his office—“at face value. I had to prove it. Prove I wasn’t like that dickwad in your past. Prove that I’d stand by you—unlike your brother. Over and over and over. Well, I’m done proving myself. I managed just fine before you. I’ll be peachy keen after you, too.”
“But I was wrong. I know that. I love you.”
“It’s too little, too late, Savannah. You should have trusted me. You should have loved me for who I am, not what I do.”
“But I do love you for who you are, Zach! I trust you.”
“Oh, really? Well, guess what? We’ve had a bit of a sea change around here. I don’t believe you. I don’t trust you. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.” He stood and exited the office, leaving her shaken and trembling and brokenhearted.
Savannah sat frozen, devastated and uncertain, staring blindly through her tears at Zach’s empty chair. At some point TJ entered the office and said, “Jeez, Aunt Savannah. What did you do to make Zach so angry? He didn’t do anything wrong. He’s a good guy. He really helped me.”
“I know that, Teej.”
“I, um, need to talk to you about something. It’s nothing bad. Just stupid. I’m not in trouble or anything.”
“Yes, he mentioned that. Can it wait? I’m a little … distracted.”
“Absolutely! No rush. No rush at all. I’m going to go talk to Mandy if that’s okay with you.”
“Sure.”
The boy hesitated, then stepped toward her. He bent over and pressed a kiss against her cheek. “Everything will be okay. Don’t worry. Thanks for being there for me.”
TJ left, but Savannah still didn’t move, remaining lost in her thoughts and sunk into her misery. Eventually she noticed that Zach’s chair no longer sat empty. Gabi was watching her with pity in her eyes. “You told him you loved him, didn’t you?”
“Yes.”
“Your timing sucks, girlfriend.”
Savannah’s tears spilled. “I blew it. I am so stupid. Gabi, it wasn’t because of what he did, I promise. I had a long talk with Celeste last night and she helped me see what was in my heart. I spent this morning practicing how to tell him. But I’m too late. I don’t know how to fix it. I’ve lost him and it’s all my fault. I really screwed up.”
“What you’ve lost is your good sense. He’s angry, Savannah. His feelings are hurt. You shot him down, and guys never take that well, especially not men like Zach. His pride has been wounded. That’s almost more serious than wounding his heart.”
“I know.”
“But that doesn’t mean you’ve lost him. It means you’re going to have to work to get him back.”
At Gabi’s words, a little flame of hope flickered to life inside