he can to catch the people responsible. He needs the town’s support, not their criticism.”
Instantly she knew she’d said the wrong thing. Aunt Gibby’s sherry-brown eyes were almost glowing as she exclaimed, “Bless your heart, honey, you still love him, don’t you? Even though you were both so young and he broke your heart, I don’t know how many times I told Esme and Beth-Anne that the love you two had was the forever kind that just don’t die. I remember how you used to look at each other when you thought nobody was watching. It was just the sweetest thing.”
Refusing to get into a discussion on her feelings for Zach, then or now, Savannah shook her head. “Law enforcement officials get a bum rap a lot of times. They’re often overworked and underappreciated. It’s nothing more than that.”
Salt-and-pepper eyebrows arched over Gibby’s twinkling eyes, the doubtful look saying she wasn’t one bit convinced. Considering how weak and ineffectual her words sounded, Savannah wasn’t convinced, either. She felt nothing for Zach, other than a lingering sense of disappointment. But that was only natural. She had trusted him and he’d let her down.
Her tired mind struggling to come up with a different subject, Savannah was surprised when Gibby did it for her. “So who’s the young man you’re seeing now?”
Savannah searched her memory for the name of the last man she had dated. Dan something or other. He’d been a friend of a friend—a blind date. They’d spent a boring evening together. Dan was in advertising and wanted to talk about their newest client, a large shoe manufacturer. He’d made the statement that because she was a woman, he was sure she would be interested in talking about shoes. Savannah had spent the evening hiding her yawns. Since they’d met at the restaurant, they’d ended their date the instant dessert was finished. She had never heard from him again, for which she was extremely grateful. But that had been over a year ago, and she hadn’t dated anyone since.
She raised her gaze to answer and swallowed the vague, evasive reply she had planned to give. Gibby would have made an excellent attorney. The piercing, speculative look said she wouldn’t settle for anything but the full truth. Suddenly wishing for anyone, including Zach, to knock on the door, Savannah scrambled for a satisfactory answer. One that would keep the woman from pursuing further questions. Telling her that she was too focused on her career to consider getting serious with anyone would only start the woman on an endless tirade of “You’re not getting any younger,” along with the ever-popular reference to her biological clock.
Just as Savannah opened her mouth, still not sure what she was going to say, the doorbell rang. Deciding someone up there really did like her, she jumped to her feet and dashed out of the kitchen. Anyone other than the devil himself would be invited in for a visit. She opened the door and quickly reversed that thought.
Savannah stared at Zach, who once again stood before her. She kept the door half-closed and put her polite mask back on. “Did you forget something?”
“Yeah.” He handed her a small card. “Here’s my cellphone and home numbers. Call me if you hear or see anything suspicious.”
“Couldn’t I just dial 911?”
“Savannah, I’m not looking for an argument. I just—”
“Is that you, Zach?”
Before she could stop him, Zach pushed the door open and stuck his head inside. “Hi, Miss Gibby. How’re you doing?”
“Just fine. In fact, Savannah and I were just about to sit down for a little supper of chicken almondine casserole. My specialty. Why don’t you come in and join us?”
Savannah kept her eyes focused on Zach, her glare telling him he’d better not accept, as she answered her aunt. “I’m sure Chief Tanner already has dinner plans. We wouldn’t want to—”
“Actually I don’t, and that sounds right up my alley. Thank you, Miss Gibby, I’d be pleased to join you.”
Before she knew it, Zach was inside the house, walking beside the older woman as they headed into the kitchen. Savannah stood in the foyer, speechless. Zach stopped at the door to the kitchen and turned back. The grin he shot her brought back memories that she’d successfully squelched for years.
“You coming?”
She took a breath, straightened her shoulders, and headed toward the kitchen. She could do this. There were worse things than having a very brief meal with the handsome, sexy man who’d broken her heart. Odd that she couldn’t