Chapter 36: In which he knows.
"Savannah, where are you, you said you'd be here today. If you've gone back to your hometown then call me when you get time. I'm worried about you and....We need to talk....I have a lot to tell you, so please, call me back?"
"Shit!" I ran my hands through my hair and paced around the room. "What now? He's going to ask a hell lot of questions! Questions I can't answer."
I got a call from Sam this morning telling me that he wanted me to skip office today because he had plans. Just when I thought I would be able to face Nate confidently again…this happens. What was Sam doing and why I had to skip office? I didn’t ask because I trusted his judgment. But how can I not call Nate? But what if I spoiled whatever Sam was planning?
Damnit! I wanted things to be simple. Living in our country house with my mom, a simple job, maybe get married and have a simple life. That had been my dream as a kid. Living in the city is so much more complicated. And I can't have what I want if I stay here. But I did meet Nathan. Something I thought would never happen again. And I wouldn't trade that with anything.
I laid down on my bed. This whole plot was tiring…
Ding!
Ding!
Great! I'd been sleeping for five minutes and someone shows up at the door! Fuck. My. Life!
I stormed my way to the door and opened it with so much force that it slammed into the side wall. And then I started yelling, without looking at the person on the other side. "What on Earth is so fucking important that-"
"Hello to you too, Savannah."
"Lyric?" I gaped at the familiar brunette with the cute green eyes.
"May I?" He pointed to the inside of my apartment, looking uncomfortable.
"Yeah, come on in." I wanted to slat myself. I moved aside as he entered and closed the door after him. Lyric and I don't really interact much but he's a nice guy, at least he keeps Nikki happy and has been doing so for many years.
"Here," he held up a large bag that I just realized he had been holding the entire time. "Nikki sent this for you. Something important came up so she couldn't deliver this personally, but she's left a note inside this bag and said that you absolutely must read it." Lyric smiled.
"Thanks." I smiled back as I took the bag from him. I'll have a look as soon as I'm alone. "Have a seat. Would you like some snacks? Or coffee? Or tea?” I asked looking around my kitchen.
"No, I have to go somewhere, but I'd like some coffee, if it's not too much of a trouble? I have a proposition to discuss with you." He said, having a seat on the couch after I gestured towards it.
"No problem at all. I'll be a minute." I hung the dress up on a hanger in my closet and rushed to the kitchen to make some instant coffee for the both of us. It wasn’t too bad so it’ll do.
"Sorry if you're uncomfortable, my place isn't that welcoming." I smiled sheepishly as I handed him a mug of steaming hot coffee.
"On the contrary, this feels more like home. I'm not from a wealthy background, you know." He said, taking a sip from his cup.
"Really? But you own the cab business." I asked.
"Yes I do. But I didn't inherit it, although my father did own a garage. I learnt how to fix cars before I learnt to drive. Then I saved up enough money so I could buy my own car at 16. I worked really hard, driving around day and night before I could gather enough money to start a business. Didn't even go to college. Any guesses who my first hired chauffeur was?"
"No. Way!" I exclaimed, realizing who he was talking about. "You have got to be kidding me!"
"No, really!" Lyric laughed at the expression on my face. "We met when I had to drop her off at home sometimes. Fell in love and she decided to be rebellious and give driving a go. Nikki is the one from a wealthy family."
"I can only imagine." I laughed with him. Nikki is always rebellious, but this was something else entirely! As for her being wealthy…did anyone ever see the dresses she wore? No ordinary woman would be able to afford those designer babies. It’s why I borrowed dresses from her too.
"Okay, on to a more serious topic, I have a proposal for you." He said, expression serious.
"A proposal?" From Lyric? This was....unexpected. "Of what kind?"
Lyric laughed, the sound deep and husky, unlike Nate's carefree laughter. "Don't worry, it's nothing suspicious. Since you plan on buying that tiny building off the main highway, I was thinking that such a location would cost a fortune and new places take a while to attract customers, so I'll make a deal." I nodded for him to continue. "So I'm going to tell all my chauffeurs who are on their way in and out of town to stop at your diner for lunch, dinner, etc. And in return, you let my chauffeurs have free food for the next two years. And in return, I’ll take care of the funding."
“Oh my God! Lyric, that’s-”
“Hear me out and just to be clear, Nikki has nothing to do with this.” Lyric held up his hands before continuing. “I was planning on opening a garage near that freeway and I had eyes on that property too. But since you’re buying it, let’s make it a partnership. I get the basement as a garage, you get the top two stories as a restaurant and my drivers get free food. I simply become a shareholder and we jointly buy the place. It’ll mean you wouldn’t have to take a huge loan to pay off for the rest of your life.”
I thought about it for a while. It sounded like a fairly good offer. Damn! I wasn’t that good with business and investments and Lyric was right; even after selling my old house, I would still need a loan. If only Nathan was here, he would know what to do and how to make this deal. But I guess I did learn a thing or two being his personal assistant.
"Sounds good, as long as they don't eat the whole diner down."
"Oh, I guarantee they won't."
*
*
It was around 3pm the next day that the person I anticipated to come, finally rang the door bell.
"Hey." He was wearing a pair of charcoal dress pants, charcoal coloured jacket, paired with a red shirt underneath. He had a bag in one hand while the other was inside his pant pocket.
"Hey..." I said, surprised to see a meter long grin on his face.
"Do you have a dress to wear?" He asked, walking past me.
"Um...yeah?" I shut the door and walked into my living room behind Nate as he made himself comfortable on the couch.
"Good. Get dressed, we're going to the Town Hall." He said. "Samuel McKenna invited us to a Masquerade Christmas Ball."
All the breath rushed out of me at once as I dropped down on the couch opposite to him. It took me a few seconds to find my voice again. "Y-you've m-met Samuel?"
"Nearly punched him straight to the face," he smiled, "until I took a closer look at him and noticed the similarities."
I didn't know whether to feel relief or just pass out. Nathan knew! That's why he looked so relaxed and refreshed. The tension that had been going on between us for so long was gone now. Wait... "You met Samuel?!”
Darn that bastard! Why hadn’t he called and told me this was his plan? Why on earth did my ridiculous twin just decide this on his own? He knew how miserable I had been an-oh!
He knew how miserable I was and that’s why he risked it all. For my sake.
"Actually..." he sighed. "We had a lot to talk about yesterday and he told me the basics. How could we have wasted so much time over this matter? So much heartache, so much distrust that he nearly broke us up! It was a cowardly act to keep all this hidden, to keep so many secrets! He nearly destroyed us, Savannah, all because he was too scared of his daddy."
I was shaking my head as Nathan finished his sentences. "His paranoia isn't cowardly. You don't know what he's gone through…what we have gone through.”
And then I decided it was finally time to tell him the truth. “Our father took him away from us on our fourth birthday. Victor didn't even keep him with his family, instead, Samuel was sent to a boarding school in Australia so he couldn’t contact us. He wasn't allowed to call anyone, not us, not even Victor. He grew up all alone. He didn’t even know that we lost our mother until after he graduated high school and came running home from the airport, only to find mom gone and me about to head off to a community college."
Stay strong Sav, I'll come back soon. And then, no one will be able to separate us! It was the only conversation we'd been allowed to have before dropping me off to college. Samuel had been completely isolated from everyone, just because he'd wanted to control Samuel's life, turn him into a puppet.
“It’s not just Samuel, but you had lost so much too.” Nate told me now. “I’m so sorry that I had no idea, especially when we were in high school. And now, I made things even more difficult for you. It wasn’t your fault and yet you had to choose between being a good sister and being a good girlfriend. And I am so, so sorry for that.”
I shook my head as tears welled up in my eyes. “I’m glad you know now. I’m glad you came back to me. I missed you so muc-”
Lips, hot, passionate, possessive and wet and Nathan's, on mine. It felt like finding an oasis after wondering endless days in a desert. I felt alive again, as if every nerve in my body had been set on fire. It was pain and pleasure and so much more than words could describe.
I wound my fingers through the hair on his nape, pulling his closer, but he resisted. "My shirt's not wrinkle free." He said as we broke apart for air.
"Then you better take it off, Mr. Synclair." I was already sliding his jacket down his broad shoulders.
"And what do you plan to do afterwards, Ms. Tresscot?" He trailed kisses down the side of my neck, his hands lifting up my sweater to touch bare skin.
"Wicked, wicked things."