Even now, Lisa was gazing up at her husband as if his words were golden.
Nesta was the kind of hostess Savannah loved. Just when the conversation seemed to be waning and she was about to start scrambling for a new topic, the older woman came to the rescue.
“Savannah, can I steal you away for a moment?”
Trying not to nod too eagerly, Savannah murmured something appropriate to the Tatums and followed Nesta to another couple—Doug and Paula Fisher. Both Doug and Paula had gone to school with her father. With the exception of the Kilgores, she had always felt closer to the Fishers than any other of her parents’ friends.
Though the days following her parents’ deaths were a blur of pain and confusion, she remembered how kind the Fishers had been. One particular memory stood out. On the day of the funerals, she had been trying to find some privacy from all the guests that had congregated at the Wilde house after the service. Instead of going to her bedroom, she had gone outside to escape to the guesthouse behind the mansion. Her grandfather had been living there but had moved his things into the mansion the day before. The house would be empty and she could find the privacy she sought.
On the path that led to the house, she had spotted Paula sitting by herself in the lush flower garden that had been Maggie Wilde’s pride and joy. Paula’s eyes had been focused on something in the distance, and Savannah had known immediately what she’d been gazing at—the giant oak tree where Beckett Wilde had been found hanging.
Savannah had continued on to her destination but the look of anguish on Paula’s face had always made her feel a certain kinship with her—as if the older woman understood her devastation.
Savannah was in the middle of laughing at a story about one of the Fishers’ grandsons when she heard a deep, familiar voice. Startled, she turned and did her best not to show a reaction. Had Zach known she was attending this dinner? Was it merely a coincidence that the Kilgores had invited all married couples, leaving her and Zach as the only singles attending? She glanced over at Nesta and had her answer. The woman’s eyes were twinkling with delight. Savannah mentally shook her head. Heaven save her from well-meaning matchmakers. First Aunt Gibby and now Nesta.
Following Savannah’s gaze, Paula said, “It’s so good to see Chief Tanner in a social setting. Seems like every time we’ve seen him lately, he’s been tied up with those vandalisms.”
“I just don’t understand why he can’t figure out who’s doing them,” Richard said. “Seems like our tax dollars are being wasted if he can’t do his job.”
Savannah turned swiftly back to the couple. Her mouth opened to defend Zach, but then she swallowed her words. Both Richard and Paula were eyeing her in unashamed speculation. Well crap, them too?
More than a little frazzled, she turned back to Zach, who appeared to be the only other surprised person in the room. Savannah couldn’t decide if this was more of a conspiracy or an intervention. Either way, it wasn’t going to work.
Nesta clapped her hands to get everyone’s attention. “Thank you all again for coming. Lamont says the steaks are perfect. So let’s all go in to dinner.”
Savannah stepped back out of the way and watched the couples head into the massive dining room. She looked over at Zach, who had held back, too. The chagrined expression on his face told the tale, and his words confirmed her thoughts. “I think we’ve been set up.”
Disarmed, she laughed and took the arm he held out to her. “Let’s not disappoint them.”
Zach couldn’t believe how easily Savannah was taking to being set up. He figured she would accuse him of being in on it and was relieved she’d seen through the ruse. This wasn’t the first time the people of Midnight had tried their matchmaking on him. It was, however, the first time he was pleased with their efforts. There was no one he’d rather spend the evening with than Savannah.
She looked beautiful. Her sleeveless lavender sweater showed her slender, toned arms and golden skin to perfection. And her skirt hit just below mid-thigh, revealing a delicious amount of her long, lean legs. He was pleased to see that the shadows beneath her eyes had disappeared and the tense set to her luscious mouth had eased. He also noted that she wore her hair loose and flowing the