and walked away or gone back for more tickets and drenched her over and over and over again.
She had not dreamed that he’d throw two balls and then give her a kiss. Not just any kiss, either, but a curl-your-toes, we’ll-be-okay, I-forgive-you sort of kiss.
At least that’s the way it had felt to her. She wouldn’t be confident that she’d read him right until they had a chance to talk.
She glanced at the clock visible through the window at the Mocha Moose as she hurried past. She had forty-five minutes. Plenty of time to shower and shampoo and slather herself in that special fragrance he loved so much. She’d wear her other new set of peach lingerie and her new sundress—peach-colored, of course.
Rather than unlock the shop, she went around to the back of the house and entered through the kitchen. She went straight to the bathroom, where she ran water in the tub and tossed in a bath melt.
She began humming the gazebo song from The Sound of Music, the one in which Maria and Captain Von Trapp declare their love, as she entered her bedroom, pulling the wet T-shirt over her head.
“Well now,” came a voice from out of her nightmares. “Isn’t it nice that you’re so anxious for me.”
TWENTY-FIVE
Savannah’s blood ran cold. “Kyle?”
He was tall, gym-rat built, and he wore his blond hair longer than he had years before. His blue eyes glowed with a malevolent light. His mouth spread in an evil smile. How had she ever thought him handsome?
“What? Don’t tell me you don’t recognize me. It’s only been what … seven years? Eight? You always were a stupid bitch, though. Hillbilly trailer trash and too dumb to know it.”
“What are you doing here, Kyle?”
“Well, now. That’s an interesting question. I came here to take care of one—no, two troublesome details, but I caught part of your little performance earlier. Gave me another idea altogether. Don’t stop with the T-shirt, sugar. Take off that pretty little bra.”
“You need to leave, Kyle.”
“Oh, I’ll leave. After I’ve gotten what I came for.” He reached behind him, pulled out a gun. “You really should have left well enough alone, Savannah. You shouldn’t have sicced the law on us. Since we had to run, we figured we might as well detour a shade off our escape route and make sure you understood what a big mistake you’d made. Now, let’s see those tits.”
Rather than waste half an hour walking back to his office and changing into a dry shirt, Zach bought a T-shirt from a vendor and changed between two booths. He then made his rounds in half the time he ordinarily would have taken. No stopping and shopping for him this year. He had places to go and, with any luck, a person to do.
He wanted to talk to Savannah. He needed to talk to Savannah. However, he needed to be with Savannah, too. In his experience, make-up sex was one of life’s greatest gifts—and he’d never had make-up sex with a woman he loved.
“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Turner,” he murmured as he turned to start down the last row of booths set up in Angel Creek Park. Despite his hurry, a display at the front of one tent caught his eye. “This is interesting. Is it a sculpture? A wall hanging?”
“It’s wearable art if a person so chooses, but it can be mounted for display on a wall, or we do sell a table display unit to hold it.”
The item was made from skeleton keys that had been soldered together, but the shape … wearable art? “I hope this doesn’t come across as insulting, because I really find this piece fascinating, but … what exactly is it?”
The grandmotherly artist smiled. “Why, a chastity belt, of course.”
“Of course,” Zach replied. Just like he’d said. Interesting people.
He’d reached the second-to-last booth when Logan McClure called his name. “Hey, Zach. Aren’t you the talk of the town today.”
“Heard about booth seventeen, did you?”
“I did. It was funny. I was just leaving the first-aid tent when you walked up with your tennis balls. Celeste came to stand beside me and we exchanged hellos. I didn’t pay much attention to her because I was watching you and Savannah.”
“I’m so glad we were able to provide the morning’s entertainment.”
“I certainly laughed. Anyway, that’s not the strange part. Celeste started asking me questions about you and Savannah, and I thought it was weird since she knows you two better than I do. I