Till The End Of Time (Secrets of Savannah Book 1) Read online

  The laughter soon turned to sobs as her shoulders began to heave with the force of her cries. She knew everything happened in God’s time, but her heart ached to know she would never hear another poignant story from her friend’s lips. She had learned so much from Hattie’s wisdom and courage.

  This time she didn’t resist when Jax pulled her into his arms. Her head rested against his chest as he made circular motions on her back and began to croon in her ear. Even though her heart was breaking at the loss of Miss Hattie, a sense of peace swept over her as Jax rocked her back and forth.

  Much to her surprise, she felt safer in his arms than she ever could have imagined. His arms made her feel safe, as if nothing could touch her. She held on to him tightly, wishing that she could be sheltered in his arms until the pain of losing Miss Hattie subsided.

  **

  All Jax wanted to do was to provide comfort for Callie. It hurt him to see her so broken up. Her beautiful green eyes were red-rimmed from crying. Her lovely face had blotch marks. As they drove back to Tybee Island, Callie kept her head bowed down.

  “Is there somebody I can call? Olivia? Luke?” he asked, making sure he didn’t reference her parents. That would only complicate matters.

  “No,” she said in a dull voice. “I’ll call them both later on. I want to see Pearl first. She was one of Miss Hattie’s closest friends. I could hear it in her voice how badly she’s taking this.”

  “Pearl is a strong woman with a large, loving family. She’ll get through this.” Jax darted a look at Callie. “We all will.”

  “I’m going to miss her,” Callie said in a soft voice.

  “Me too. I never got around to thanking her for being my surrogate grandma. When my grandmother died eight years ago, she sent me a sweet, charming letter asking me if she could be my replacement grandma.”

  “Oh how sweet,” Callie said, letting out a little groan.

  “She wasn’t trying to take her place. Nothing like that. She made it clear that she knew how deeply I loved my grandmother and that I would miss her for the rest of my life. She just wanted me to know that she was willing to fill in the gap. I wish I’d told her that it was the nicest things anyone has ever done for me.”

  “I think she knew, considering you were a frequent visitor at Savannah House. You two were close.”

  “She was a special lady,” Jax said, turning off the road as the sign welcomed them back to Tybee Island. As he pulled up in front of Savannah House a quick look determined that a few downstairs lights were still burning bright. Poor Pearl was inside—no doubt grieving over her friend.

  Jax opened Callie’s door for her and helped her out. As they stood on the porch and rang the doorbell, Jax couldn’t shake himself of the idea that the news about Miss Hattie was false. It almost felt as if the grand dame herself would come to the door and greet them. When a woman who had such a huge presence and a rich history as Hattie Alexander passed on, it was hard to process it. After all, there were supposedly seven stages of grief.

  Pearl opened the door and he watched as Callie flung herself against her chest. Both women began to sob. Pearl rocked Callie back and forth. Jax gently ushered them both into the house, closing the door behind them.

  “Let’s go in the parlor room,” Pearl advised, leading them down the hall to the quaint, vibrantly decorated room. Pearl had her arm looped around Callie’s waist. The two walked in unison, leaning on each other for support.

  As soon as they entered the parlor, Callie stopped mid-step, her mouth hanging wide open. She had a quizzical expression on her face. Pearl sent her a gentle smile. For the first time Jax noticed the beautiful woman with the long dark hair and the soulful eyes perched at the edge of a purple velvet love seat.

  “Morgan!” Callie cried out, her features creased in shock.

  “Callie,” Morgan said in a soft voice.

  For a moment neither of the two seemed to know what to do. Electricity hung in the air. Jax wasn’t sure which of them made the first move. It was a faltering step in the other’s direction. Next thing he knew the two women were wrapped up in each other’s arms…laughing, hugging, crying, apologizing for not keeping in contact with each other.

  Jax looked over at Pearl. She was swiping at her eyes with the back of her hand. Even though she was mourning for Miss Hattie, Jax knew her soul was rejoicing for the reunion of her daughter and Callie. He knew one thing for certain. Miss Hattie was surely looking down at them from her perch in heaven, thanking the Lord for such a blessing.

  “Saying goodbye is never easy, especially when you love someone. But it’s important to do it, to pay homage to that person for all they were to you in this world.”

  Callie Duvall

  Chapter Six

  The next few days passed in a blur as the funeral was held for Miss Hattie. With no other family to speak of, Pearl had been named executor of the will and, as such, was responsible for all the arrangements. Miss Hattie had trusted Pearl immensely in life, so it made sense that she would have entrusted her to handle all her affairs. Callie had been shocked to discover that she, along with Olivia and Morgan, had been named in the will. An official invitation to the reading of the will had arrived at her doorstep yesterday morning.

  Callie stood beside Olivia and Morgan at Magnolia Cemetery as a huge throng of people gathered for the final prayer before Miss Hattie was going to be laid to rest. The weather was humid and rain was drizzling from the sky. Half of Savannah had crowded into the church to say goodbye to Hattie Alexander. It had been a soulful and uplifting service, one that Callie would always hold in her heart as a cherished memory. Although she had caught a brief glimpse of Jax inside the packed church, she hadn’t spotted him since they had arrived at the cemetery.

  “Looking for someone?” Olivia asked as she leaned in toward her.

  “No,” she fibbed, “just amazed at how many people are here.”

  “I see your parents are here as well,” Morgan said with a nod to her right.

  “That’s to be expected. They were also quite fond of Miss Hattie,” Callie said, casting a quick glance at her parents. She had told Morgan all about the events leading up to their estrangement.

  Her father was gazing straight at her, while her mother was dabbing at her eyes with a tissue. Luke was standing beside them. He sent her a subtle wave. Callie smiled at her brother, then quickly looked away. She still wasn’t ready to forgive and forget. Her chest still tightened with anxiety every time she thought about how Mac had been lost to her for all those years. Some things in life you could never make up for, no matter how much you might regret it. Perhaps her father was sorry, but he couldn’t give her back what he’d stolen from her. Callie knew she had her faults, but she’d never done anything so wicked in her life.

  The pastor’s voice intruded on her thoughts, allowing her to shift her focus toward the matter at hand. Saying goodbye to a formidable woman who had been very dear to her.

  “Welcome, everyone,” Pastor Jeremiah intoned. “We are gathered here today to say our final goodbyes to a remarkable, God-fearing woman who made an indelible mark in our world. Hattie Alexander was born and bred in the beautiful city of Savannah. She made Tybee Island her home and, with her kindness, invited us into her charmed world. Cry not for Hattie. She is with the Lord now and the multitude of loved ones who have gone before her. Some of you who are gathered here may know the story of her one true love, Samuel, who was killed in action during World War II. I visited with Hattie a few weeks ago. It might surprise some of you to know that Hattie knew her time here on earth was slipping away.” Pastor Jeremiah grinned. “But I’m here to tell you that Hattie wasn’t afraid. She was looking forward to her divine rewards and to meeting her heavenly father. And of course, being reunited with her beloved Samuel. As the casket is lowered into the ground I invite friends to come forward and say a final goodbye.” He nodded toward the crowd. Morgan stepped forward and stood beside him. She began to sing “A closer walk with thee”—it had b
een one of Hattie’s favorites. And as sung by Morgan, it sounded angelic and hauntingly beautiful.

  People began walking up to the casket and saying their goodbyes. Many placed flowers on top or took a few for their own remembrances. When it was Callie’s turn to say goodbye she walked up to the casket and picked a vibrant stargazer lily from a floral arrangement. Miss Hattie had always loved them.

  Tears filled her eyes as she thought about how kind Miss Hattie had always been to her. Ever since she was a child, the older woman had shown her grace. She had taught her life lessons that Callie would carry with her until her dying day. She felt someone graze against her arm and she looked up to find Jax standing there, his features creased with sorrow. He subtly reached for her hand and squeezed it, providing her with a brand of comfort she was sorely in need of at this moment. It was crazy the way her heart was thumping like crazy due to his nearness.

  **

  Jax felt the heat of Callie’s gaze as he plucked a white rose from one of the arrangements and placed a kiss on it before laying it on top of the casket. “Rest easy, my friend,” he said in a low voice.

  He turned back toward Callie. Tears were streaming down her face. He gripped her hand even tighter. Earlier, her father had asked him to watch out for his daughter. Jax knew that Lionel had made the request since he had known Callie since childhood, not to mention he was a trusted employee in the family business. Little did Lionel know that watching out for Callie was already engrained in him. He did it now instinctively. And it had taken every ounce of self-control he possessed not to tell Lionel that he was in love with his daughter.

  Jax knew he needed to wait on that declaration. God willing, one day soon Callie would reciprocate his feelings, leaving the door wide open for him to approach Lionel about his intentions toward Callie.

  Slow down, a voice in his head buzzed. You’re going to scare her off if you don’t chill out a little bit. Although he knew taking it nice and easy was the smartest tactic, he wasn’t sure if he could slow down the pace. Tomorrows weren’t promised and love had a mind of its own.

  As they moved aside to let other mourners approach, Jax led her a few feet away from the burial site. He was still holding her hand and enjoying the way her small hand felt joined with his.

  “How are you holding up?” he asked.

  “I’m doing okay,” she answered. “How about you?”

  “I’ve been trying to look at today as a celebration of life rather than as a farewell that came way too soon.” He quirked his mouth. “I know she was ninety-five but saying goodbye is hard.”

  “I know,” she said with a sigh. “I’ve done it a few times myself and it never gets easy.”

  He knit his eyebrows together. “Mac?”

  She nodded. “Yes. And my grandmother.” She felt a tightness in her chest. “And my birth mother. Despite her faults she was my mother. And losing her was incredibly painful.”

  “You’ve had to be resilient, Callie,” Jax said. “Strong.”

  “So much for being the pampered princess of Savannah,” she teased.

  Clearly, Callie knew that a few people called her pampered princess behind her back. Appearances had been deceptive. No one in Savannah had truly known about her painful past, so it had been easy for the newspaper columns to view her as nothing more than a vapid, spoiled socialite. They knew nothing about her abusive childhood or the poverty she had endured. Nor did they know about the loss of her brother. Even though she did a great deal of charity work and community service, some people still wanted to view her as a debutante.

  “I know you hate that label,” he said, feeling guilty about having called her that a few times in the past himself. Although he loved Callie with all his heart and soul, he had to admit that there had been a few times in the past that she had acted like a princess. Growing up in the luxurious world of the Duvalls had allowed it to happen. But she had grown up as of late. He could tell that she had matured and evolved. And he understood that her suffering such trauma as a child had shaped her life in many ways. So what if the Duvalls had spoiled her? After being treated so horrendously for the first five years of her life, he wasn’t about to hold it against her.

  In the most important ways of all, Callie was a wonderful human being. She lived her life with kindness and spirituality.

  Callie shrugged. “I’m not crazy about it, but it doesn’t define me. I know who I am, Jax. And while I’ve had some bratty moments in my teenage years, I’m not that kid anymore.”

  “Neither am I,” he teased. “I don’t torment beautiful young ladies anymore by way of frogs.”

  The sound of Callie’s tinkling laughter added a lightness to the somber mood.

  “Thanks,” she said with a smile. “I needed to laugh today. There’s been a serious lack of laughter in my life for weeks now.”

  “Well, if you let me take you out again, I promise you that you’ll be laughing like crazy,” he promised.

  She narrowed her gaze. “Jax, what is this all about? Are we…dating? Or is this two old friends socializing?”

  Callie’s question momentarily threw him for a loop.

  “The truth is, I have no idea,” he said, deciding to be completely honest. “I want to date you. In case you haven’t guessed, I’m not motivated by friendship, although I do consider you as a friend.”

  As tough as Callie liked to pretend to be, he could have sworn she was blushing at his comment. “We are friends, Jax. Old friends who go way back. Are we complicating things by going out together?” She looked so serious it made his heart rejoice. Clearly, she’d been pondering this, which meant she had been thinking about him. Score!

  “Yes. Dating is complicated. So is falling in love,” he said.

  Callie’s eyes widened and her mouth hung open. For once in her life, he realized, she was at a loss for words.

  Just then Pearl walked up, providing a buffer between them in a highly charged moment. He could see the look of relief wash over Callie’s face. Pearl had just saved her from a lay-your-cards-on-the-table moment. Little did she know that he fully planned to revisit this topic with her…very soon.

  Enough time had been wasted. Today they had said goodbye to Miss Hattie. Just the other day she had told them the story of her star crossed love with Samuel. What Jax had taken away from that story was that tomorrows were never promised. He had spent years pining after Callie instead of working towards his goal of making her fall in love with him. Those days were over!

  “Callie. It’s time to go to Savannah House,” Pearl said in a gentle voice. “We’re heading back to the house for the reading of Hattie’s will.”

  Jax turned toward Callie with a raised eyebrow. Reading of the will? Had Miss Hattie put Callie in her will? She had always been very fond of Callie—of all of the girls actually—but it was a little bit shocking that Callie had been formally requested at the reading of the will.

  “I have to go,” Callie said. “Can we talk later?”

  “Of course,” Jax said, his heart pounding like a jackhammer within his chest. “Gimme a call. I’ll be around.”

  Callie walked off with Pearl, joining up a few moments later with Olivia and Morgan. Jax frowned as he watched the women walk toward a dark town car. A driver dressed in a dark suit got out and assisted all four of them into the car.

  He was getting more curious by the second. Not only had Callie been summoned to Savannah House for the reading of Miss Hattie’s will, but so had Morgan and Olivia. Jax would bet odds that Fancy, Charlotte and Hope had also been invited. The question was—would all the girls show up? And if so, what had they inherited from Miss Hattie?

  **

  Callie was a bundle of nerves as she sat in the library with Pearl, Olivia and Morgan. What was this all about? If Miss Hattie had left her a pearl necklace or a brooch, did she really have to sit here and listen to the official reading of the will? It seemed so formal.

  Mr. Mayhew, the attorney who was presiding over the reading of the will
, looked at them from behind a pair of old fashioned spectacles. He seemed like a very no-nonsense sort of guy. With his dark hair and forbidding expression, he seemed to want to cut to the chase. Dressed in a purple long-sleeved dress shirt with suspenders and a lilac bow-tie, Attorney Mayhew cut a colorful figure.

  “We’re still waiting for three people,” he announced, holding up his wrist so he could check out his watch. He made a tutting sound. “This isn’t a slumber party. For goodness sakes, this is serious business. I can’t believe they’re late.” Stress was evident in Mr. Mayhew’s voice. Callie imagined that he might just snap if the other participants didn’t show up. Which increased her curiosity. Who were they waiting for?

  “Maybe they’re not coming,” Pearl said in a cryptic tone. “Hattie expected things to just come together, but a person shouldn’t expect to control things from beyond the grave.”

  “Who are we waiting for?” Olivia asked. A look of confusion was etched on her face.

  The door suddenly swung open and Callie watched in surprise as Charlotte Duvall sailed through the door. With her dark brown hair, cornflower blue eyes and creamy complexion, Charlotte had a very sweet appearance. Her cousin had always been a bit shy and timid. Although they had grown up together as members of the Duvall family, Charlotte and Callie had been very different. Callie had been bold and sure of herself, while Charlotte had been on the mousy side. Her parents liked to joke that her twin brother Case had taken up all of Charlotte’s boldness in the womb.

  Callie knew that once upon a time she and Charlotte would have known that the other had been invited to Savannah House for this meeting. But her relationship with her cousin had become a little frayed at the edges over the last few years. Callie wasn’t even sure as to why.

  Why hadn’t she seen this coming? Of course. It all made sense. Miss Hattie had included all six of them in her will. Now they were just waiting for Fancy and Hope to show up.