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

  “I-I suppose you’re right. It’s hard for me to imagine forever with someone.” She shrugged. “They always say when you meet the right person, fireworks go off. That hasn’t happened for me. But I’m still hopeful.” She bowed her head down. “And I want to be open for the possibility of love. I really do.”

  “No one deserves it more than you, Callie. You have more love in your heart than anyone I’ve ever known,” Mac said, his voice infused with tenderness. “You always have.”

  “That’s rich coming from you, Mac. You saved me in every way possible that a person can save another human being.” She shook her head. “I don’t know many people who would willingly take a beating meant for another person. But you did…more times than I can count.”

  Mac’s jaw clenched. “And I’d do again in a heartbeat.”

  “I know,” she said in a soft voice. “That’s why you’re my hero, Mac. Forever and always.”

  Tears flooded Mac’s eyes. “Now you’ve got me tearing up. And you know how I don’t like to cry. I had to be tough growing up with six brothers.”

  Callie let out a laugh. “Something tells me you’re going to shed a bunch of tears on your wedding day. And I’ll be right there to remind you of how beautiful it is to shed happy tears.” Callie pointed to the clock hanging above the stove. “I hate to say it, but we should head out to the airport.”

  Within the hour they had arrived at the Savannah-Hilton Head International Airport. When they drove up, Mac insisted on being dropped off curb-side rather than have Callie park in the lot and deal with all the traffic congestion. Callie got out of the car in slow motion. Perhaps if she moved really slowly, she thought, this difficult moment could be stretched out.

  She heaved a tremendous sigh as she reached the curb and watched as Mac easily pulled out his travel bags. He slung one over his shoulder and held the other in his hand.

  Mac reached out and tweaked her nose with his free hand, just as he had done when they were kids. Callie tried to smile, but tears sprang to her eyes.

  “Hey, what’s with the waterworks?” Mac asked, his voice sounding crestfallen.

  “Every time you leave, I feel as if my insides are going to crack wide open.”

  She covered her face with her hands and began to sob. Mac reached for her and enveloped her in a huge hug. “Shh, Callie. We’ll be together again.” He gently pushed her away and examined her face. Mac reached out and brushed aside her tears. “Remember. You promised to come to Breeze Point and meet the Donahue clan. They’re dying to meet you. Plus, my wedding wouldn’t be the same without you there.”

  Callie let out a low chuckle. “After all the things you’ve told me about your brothers, I can’t wait to get a glimpse of them. And their lovely wives. I just hope that I remember everyone’s names. Oh…and your parents. I love them all already.”

  “All things to look forward to,” he said. “Until we meet again.”

  “Thanks for coming, Mac. Really. Truly.” She stood on her tippy toes and reached up to give him a hug. Mac picked her up so she was off the ground. Callie’s laughter rang out like a carefree child.

  “Gotta go before I miss this flight,” Mac said as he let go of her and picked up his duffle bags. “See ya later, gator.”

  “In a while, crocodile,” she called out after him as he walked into the terminal. Once he was inside he turned around and waved at her, bringing back a host of memories from back in the day. Callie took a deep, steadying breath as he turned around and disappeared from sight. She prayed that one day it wouldn’t hurt so badly to have Mac walking away from her.

  **

  Making her way through the next few days wasn’t easy for Callie. She missed Mac as much as one would miss their right arm. Thankfully, they had skyped twice and talked by cellphone a few times. She had also spoken with Delilah, who had asked her to be a part of her bridal party. Callie thought the gesture was sweet and heartwarming. Of course she had said an enthusiastic yes to Delilah’s question. An end of summer wedding would be stunning.

  She also had her new cottage to finish settling into, as well as a few pieces of furniture to find a place for. She had also been scouring the Internet and the newspaper for job openings. Gone were the days of receiving an allowance from her father and doing volunteer work during the day. Volunteering was wonderful, especially with the charities she was affiliated with—Make a Wish Foundation, The Teen Suicide Alliance and various homeless shelters located in Savannah. They were all worthy causes. But at the present time she needed an income.

  When Callie walked into her foyer she noticed that an envelope had been slipped under her door. Filled with curiosity, she bent down and picked it up, immediately noticing the quality of the grey envelope and the familiar, precise handwriting on the front. She would know Miss Hattie’s handwriting anywhere. She slit the envelope open with her nail then pulled out the cream-colored note tucked inside.

  Dear Callie.

  It would be lovely if you could join me for a proper English tea this afternoon at 4 o’clock sharp. There are a few things I would love to discuss with you. Love, Hattie

  Once again she found herself smiling at Miss Hattie’s thoughtfulness. She knew without a single doubt that this invitation had come due to the fact that Hattie and Pearl knew she was missing her brother. She let out a sigh. How wonderful it was to have friends who cared deeply about your happiness. A sudden sense of longing pierced her. How she missed Charlotte, Hope, Fancy and Morgan. The circle of friendship amongst the girls was at its best when it was all six of them. What could she do to mend the friendships and to encourage all the girls to come together? All her efforts so far had been in vain. The situation was so very complicated. She understood what had caused Fancy to splinter away from the group—heartache and a feeling of betrayal. But once Fancy had left Savannah, all the other ties had come undone. It had been like ripples on a lake.

  Callie called over to the house and spoke to Pearl in order to confirm her attendance at the tea party. For the fun of it, she decided to dress up in one of her prettiest, most romantic summer dresses. The dress swept all the way down to her ankles and was a shade of pale pink. It had three quarter sleeves and was airy and light. She paired it with blush colored heels and a simple pearl necklace. She felt perfectly dressed for an afternoon tea party at Savannah House.

  At five minutes to four, Callie got in her car and drove down the lane to Savannah House. She walked up to the front door and rang the bell, noticing additional signs of wear and tear on the walkway and the doorframe. Had Miss Hattie simply given up on the place or were there financial reasons as to why she had closed the resort and allowed the place to slide? As the sole heiress to the Alexander fortune, Hattie Alexander had been bequeathed a fortune upon her parent’s death. Callie couldn’t imagine, knowing how savvy Miss Hattie had always been about money matters, that things had gone so awry.

  When the door opened up, she felt her heart lurch to see Jax standing in the doorway. A huge grin was etched on his too-gorgeous-for-his-own-good face.

  “J-Jax. What are you doing here?” She fumbled to even muster a greeting. Lately, her thoughts had drifted far too often to Jax. She hoped it wasn’t written all over her face.

  “I might ask you the same question. Miss Hattie invited me to tea like she always does. I thought I was the guest of honor, but I suppose I’m wrong now that you’ve arrived.” He made a motion with his hand and waved her in. “Don’t just stand in the doorway, Callie. Miss Hattie is very particular about her tea time and it’s four o’clock on the dot.”

  Huh? Jax was a regular guest at Savannah House? Since when had Jax become such an expert on Miss Hattie and her habits? Clearly their relationship was tighter than she was aware of.

  As soon as she walked inside, her nose began twitching at the heavenly aroma that had drifted toward them. It smelled like something had just come out of the oven. Something mouth-watering and delicious.

  “You look very pretty today,” Jax sai
d in a low voice. She looked up at him, noticing the glint of male appreciation in his ice-blue eyes. “But then again, you always look beautiful.”

  “Thank you,” she murmured, suddenly feeling way more flustered than seemed reasonable. She had known Jax for over twenty years. Why was she suddenly tripping all over herself in his presence? And why was he sending her looks filled with interest? She needed to stop overthinking things. Jax was a notorious flirt and he loved to shake things up. No doubt he was simply playing with her.

  He held out his arm and she reluctantly looped hers through his. Like a gallant gentleman from a bygone era, he led her down the hall into the purple parlor. As soon as they entered, Callie caught sight of Pearl and Miss Hattie seated at a small, mahogany colored table. It was a smaller table than the one in the more formal, larger-sized parlor they had sat down at the other day. This room was much more of an intimate setting for tea.

  “You look lovely in pink,” Pearl said with a huge smile.

  “Doesn’t she?” Hattie asked. She clapped her hands together gleefully. “It’s so nice to have such good-looking young people around the place. It almost makes me feel young again.”

  “I’ve always avoided wearing pink due to my hair color,” Callie confessed. “There’s some rule about how redheads shouldn’t wear pink.”

  “Rules are meant to be broken,” Jax drawled as he pulled out a chair and motioned for her to sit down.

  Callie sat down and murmured a thank-you as she witnessed an exchange between Miss Hattie and Pearl. They looked like two cats who had swallowed the cream. A sudden hunch swept over her. They were matchmaking between her and Jax. It was written all over their faces. She didn’t know whether to applaud their boldness or scowl at their lack of good sense. She and Jax would not make a nice pair. They had been like oil and vinegar ever since the days when Jax had stuffed frogs inside her backpack in grade school.

  The table was set with a beautiful, peacock-themed China set. Vibrant napkins the color of cornflowers sat next to the plates. A gorgeous, sterling silver, multi-leveled platter held numerous delights. Chocolate covered strawberries. Lemon tarts. Tea biscuits. Scones. A vase of stunning roses sat in an over-sized teacup, adding a sweet, romantic aspect to the table decorations.

  There was so much food to partake of—Callie didn’t know where she would start. Deviled eggs, cucumber sandwiches, heart-shaped finger sandwiches and mini quiches.

  “It’s a lovely day to have tea outside, but it’s a bit hot for me. I can’t seem to withstand the heat these days,” Hattie said. She picked up her napkin and coughed gently into it.

  Pearl shot her a look filled with concern. Callie studied Miss Hattie. She looked a bit ashen. Perhaps it was her imagination.

  “It’s beautiful in here. I’ve always loved this room,” Callie said, gazing around at the purple-themed room.

  “This was always my mother’s favorite room,” Hattie said. “It was the one place other than her boudoir that she could come and find peace amidst the storms. This room was off-limits to the guests, you know.”

  “Smart move,” Jax said with a wink. “With all those guests flocking to Savannah House, it must have been nice to have a place all to herself.”

  “Yes,” Hattie said with a sigh. “Mama loved Savannah House but she did rebel against the lack of privacy. Daddy on the other hand loved all the hustle and bustle of the guests.”

  “Help yourselves to the fixins’,” Pearl said as she stood up from her chair and began pouring tea into the cups.

  “Thank you, Pearl. These old hands are too shaky to serve tea anymore. I don’t mind getting older in theory, but I do resent the ravages of time,” she said with a sigh.

  “You’re doing just fine,” Pearl said.

  Jax reached for the silver tong and helped himself to several sandwiches and treats. Callie felt the corners of her mouth twitching with amusement at the way he had filled up his entire plate. He turned towards her and motioned toward the platter. “Would you like me to serve you?”

  “Sure, but just a few sandwiches and maybe two of the desserts,” she said smoothly, not wanting Jax to overdo it.

  After Pearl finished pouring the tea and sat back down at the table they settled in for tea time. Conversation flowed easily amongst them at the table.

  “Mmm. Everything is delicious,” Callie raved as she bit into a delectable tart.

  “You can thank Pearl for that. My cooking days are long over,” Hattie said. Her expression was a tad somber.

  “My cooking days are long over as well,” Jax teased. “That last meal I burned sealed the deal.”

  Everyone laughed, especially Miss Hattie. Callie loved seeing her so happy, especially since she had caught a few glimpses of her looking melancholy. She smiled at Jax, feeling grateful that he had lightened Miss Hattie’s mood. He’d always had a knack for making people laugh. Back in the day he’d been the class clown. Because they’d always been at odds she’d never really appreciated it—until now.

  Pearl clapped her hands together. “Oh, Callie. I forgot to tell you the good news. Morgan is coming back home.”

  Callie covered her mouth with her hand. She felt a burst of joy so intense she thought that she might burst into tears. With Morgan back in town perhaps they could reach out to Charlotte and make a foursome for get-togethers.

  “I’m sorry for getting emotional,” she said in a voice choked with emotion. “It’s just so wonderful to know she’ll be back where she belongs. I’ve missed her so.”

  “I just know you girls will get back on track again,” Pearl said, tears glistening in her eyes.

  “You girls were the best friends I’ve ever seen in my life,” Hattie added. “I had a few friends like that, but they’ve all gone on to glory now.”

  Callie felt the heat of Jax’s stare and she turned towards him. His eyes were full of questions. Callie knew that he was wondering about the rift amongst her group of friends. Jax had grown up with all of the girls and he knew each one fairly well.

  “We’re going to get back on track,” Callie said in a firm voice. “I know we will. Friendships like that are worth their weight in gold.”

  “We believe you, Callie. You sound determined,” Jax said, sending her a smile ripe with encouragement.

  She felt a little suspicious. Why was Jax being so sweet to her? If he kept this up, he might give her a toothache.

  Miss Hattie let out a raspy chuckle. “You remind me of myself, Callie. When I was your age I was the most determined young lady on the face of the earth.”

  “Did all the things you hoped for come true?” Callie asked. She had always been curious about Miss Hattie’s early years. Up to this point she really didn’t know too much about her hopes and fears and aspirations. Had she found love along the way?

  “I’ve had a blessed life in many ways,” Miss Hattie said with a nod. She reached for her tea cup and took a long sip. After placing it back down, she said, “I have one regret. I had two major loves in my life and both slipped through my fingers.”

  “Two? Now you’ve intrigued me,” Jax said. He leaned forward a little bit in his chair and focused his attention on Miss Hattie. “You can’t possibly leave us hanging now.”

  Pearl let out a cackle and stood up. “If she’s fixin’ to tell you about her love life, I better pour everyone some more tea.”

  “Reach out for love. No matter what you have to do, hold on to it. Life is fleeting. Love endures.”

  Hattie Alexander

  Chapter Four

  Once Pearl had freshened up all of their tea cups, including her own, Hattie began to speak in a faraway voice. “My first love was named Samuel Blythewood. He was the most handsome boy I’d ever laid eyes on in my life. Even though my parents owned Savannah House and we had guests from all over the United States—all over the world really—I was a little bit sheltered. In 1940 I was twenty years old. I was in my junior year at Bryn Mawr, a woman’s college in Pennsylvania. My parents insisted that I
have a college education, even though I knew my future would be wrapped up in Savannah House. One night there was a dance at school. Boys from a neighboring college were invited along with some of their friends. That’s where I met Samuel. He invited me to dance…and I said yes.” Her eyes twinkled as she recounted the details of the evening. “It was seventy five years ago, but I remember it with vivid detail. I wore a long-sleeved, cranberry-colored dress and he wore a dark jacket and slacks with a bright green tie.” She clapped her hands together and let out a giggle. “He was the perfect gentlemen. We danced and talked and laughed. He brought me punch and introduced me to his friends. He was invited by one of the college boys who was his best friend. That night ended with a big commotion. There was a fire in one of the academic buildings and everything just went haywire. I became separated from Samuel and the next day we went home for Christmas Break. I can’t express to you how bitterly I felt about going home to Savannah without seeing Samuel. My girlish heart had been hoping he would track me down on campus the following day.”

  “You fell in love with him that quickly?” Jax asked. He had a dumbfounded expression on his face. “And never saw him again?”

  “I don’t think she’s quite finished with the story,” Callie murmured, praying that Miss Hattie had gotten a chance to see her special fella again.

  “Oh no,” Miss Pearl said. “The story doesn’t end there.”

  “I went home for Christmas break with a little hole in my heart.” Miss Hattie’s blue-grey eyes flickered with sadness. “Even though it was my favorite time of year I struggled to get into the Christmas spirit and I wasn’t very happy about working at the resort those last few days before we closed for the holidays. We still had guests to serve and accommodate, not to mention a huge holiday party my family hosted every year. Needless to say, the night of the grand soiree I was in a terrible funk. Mother insisted that I dress to the nines, so I wore my most stunning gown.” Miss Hattie closed her eyes. “Oh I can almost feel the texture of it. It was an ivory silk chiffon dress that went all the way down to my ankles. I felt like Betty Grable in that dress.”