Heart 0f Mine (Secrets 0f Savannah Book 6) Page 7

  “I wanted to be heard,” he admitted. “It’s a little more complicated than that, but what matters right now is that we’re agreeing to working together to resolve all the issues.”

  Hope shot him a skeptical look.

  He let out a sigh. Grayson didn’t blame Hope for not believing him. “I’m serious. Being here in Savannah and getting so close to the world famous resort my family created is food for the soul. I’ll admit I filed the suit for the wrong reasons.” He shook his head. “It would take a bit of time to tell you the reasons. All I can say with every ounce of sincerity I possess is that I don’t want to take away your livelihood. I want answers. And I think you can help me with that.”

  Just then, Myrtle came back to the table, her hands full with their plates. “Here you go. Lunch is served. Let me know if you need anything else.”

  Grayson looked down at his plate with appreciative eyes. “Go ahead. Dig in.” Hope spurred him on. “You won’t be disappointed.”

  As he took his first bite of the fried chicken, Grayson knew he’d made the right decision in following Hope’s lead in ordering the special. He closed his eyes as the flavors hit his tongue. “Oh, this is lip smacking good,” Grayson cried out.

  Hope grinned from across the table. “I hate to say I told you so, but—”

  Grayson chuckled. “Something tells me you don’t hate to say I told you so.” Hope begin to giggle. Pretty soon they were both laughing. After a few moments they settled into a companionable silence as they began to focus on their meal. Grayson watched as Hope began to tuck into the food with gusto. For the first time in a long time, Grayson felt contentment rise up inside of him. Being with Hope and sharing a meal with her in this relaxed setting felt like a wonderful gift, one he wouldn’t take for granted.

  In many ways the timing was all wrong for him and Hope. Grayson still had a lot of questions about his heritage and his blood ties to Hattie Alexander and Savannah House. He still hadn’t made peace with his father’s withholding crucial information about his heritage from him. Not to mention issues from the past that still tore him apart. He was a man who had obtained more success than most could ever dream possible, yet he still wasn’t happy. He was still searching for meaning.

  But, aside from all those issues, he thought the timing for him and Hope was perfect. He was ready for something real. A meaningful relationship. For quite some time he’d been having conversations with the Lord about turning his life around. He’d asked the big guy upstairs to help him find peace amidst the storms of his life. His favorite verse from Ecclesiastes ran through his mind.

  For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.

  As far as he was concerned, the time was now.

  “Don’t ever turn away from a chance to connect with someone, to love someone. That’s what life is all about.” Fancy Duvall

  Chapter Five

  A few minutes into the meal, Hope excused herself for a few minutes so she could call Savannah House and find out if anyone had heard from Callie. After speaking to Olivia for a little bit, Hope discovered that so far no one had heard from Callie or Jax with any updates. All morning Hope had been praying for Callie, Jax and their unborn child. All she could do now was wait for word that everything was fine.

  Taking a deep breath, Hope returned to the table. Having lunch with Grayson would serve as a distraction from Callie’s medical situation, if nothing else.

  Over lunch, Hope discovered that Grayson Holloway was a very charismatic man. He was one of those people who radiated like the sun. One of the most fascinating aspects of his life was his career as an author and illustrator.

  “So you write children’s books?” Hope asked. “That’s really interesting work.”

  “It’s the last thing I thought I’d ever be doing,” he’d said with a light shrug. “But I always wanted to draw. It was the only thing I was ever good at. For a long time, I traveled the world surfing and spending my trust fund money. That didn’t make me very happy.”

  Trust fund money? “So you have a trust fund? Lucky you.”

  Grayson wrinkled his nose. “It came from my grandparents. It’s a long story, but suffice it to say I had more money in my bank account than I could ever spend, but I lacked a sense of purpose.”

  “I can’t say I’ve ever had that problem,” Hope quipped. “I think it’s easy to think money will solve all our problems, but obviously it doesn’t work that way.”

  “No it doesn’t. Once I tapped into my creative side, a whole new world opened up for me. I tapped into the power of me. From that point on I began writing and drawing, making a name for myself in the literary world. Everything came together…book deals, the television show on the kid zone channel, best-selling books.”

  “I admire you for building yourself up.”

  “There’s a whole lot more to my story, so if you let me take you out on the town, all will be revealed.” He sent her an impish grin.

  She took a hearty bite of her chicken, then washed it down with her drink. She cleared her throat. “I think we need to resolve some of this issues so the situation can be diffused. I’d love to tell the girls the lawsuit is being rescinded.” She looked across at Grayson, feeling hopeful the worst was over.

  Grayson let out an appreciative sound as he swallowed a mouthful of food. He was taking his time in answering her, seemingly consumed by the delectable offerings on his plate. “I’d like to have your promise that I can have access to Savannah House, as well as providing me with an insight into Miss Hattie and her family. Photos, journals, oral history. I want to feel connected to my lineage. And part of that is walking in the footsteps of Miss Hattie and her folks. I have a lot of questions I want answered. And I’m hoping you can help me with that.”

  Hope felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off her chest. This morning’s meeting had led to this moment of clarity. Grayson wasn’t seeking ownership of Savannah House. He was looking for information on the Alexander family. He wanted a snapshot of his family’s history. His origins. Roots were very important. For the first time she understood his position.

  “That sounds fine by me, especially if you drop the suit.” Hope wasn’t leaving the table until she convinced Grayson to back off with the legalities.

  “Done,” he said in a firm voice.

  Hope was smiling so hard it made her cheeks ache. “We should probably have Marisol draw up some paperwork saying we’ve agreed to deal with this in an amicable fashion. She can detail the specifics.”

  Grayson grinned and sat back in his chair. “So, do you like me now?”

  Hope let out a cough. How did she even begin to answer Grayson’s question?

  “Are you always this straightforward?” Hope asked, stalling for time.

  “Pretty much,” he said. “Someone one described me as a straight shooter. I don’t think that’s a bad thing.”

  “No, it’s not,” she admitted. “Grayson, you seem like a decent guy, but I honestly don’t know you well enough to know the answer to that question.”

  He winked at her. “I’m hoping that’s about to change. Between my visits to Savannah House and getting to know the ins and outs of the Alexander family, we’re going to be seeing a lot of each other.”

  For some reason the very thought of Grayson hanging out at Savannah House gave her a feeling of euphoria. She did like him! Even though she had no intention of telling him so. As it was, she suspected Grayson had a slightly swelled head. She didn’t want him to think he had her wrapped around his pinky finger.

  This was information she needed to mull over in her head. Were her feelings toward Grayson romantic? If so, it would be surprising. After her disastrous relationship with Ross, a part of Hope had never truly believed she would find a man attractive on so many levels.

  Pain stabbed her in her heart as memories of Ross washed over her with the force of a tsunami. After all this time it still haunted her. Words, phrases were still stuck in her head.

/>   “Pregnant? You can’t be pregnant. I don’t want a baby.”

  “I’m married. I’ve been married for six years, Hope. I’m sorry, but it’s over between us. And you should get rid of that baby.”

  “I never loved you. Those were just words I threw out there in the heat of the moment.”

  “Are you all right?” Grayson’s voice brought her back to the present.

  She shook off the brutal memories. “I’m fine,” she said in a soft voice. It was true! And with each and every day she was healing from Ross’s cruelty and lies. She was becoming a better, more grounded woman. And those trials had strengthened her relationship with God.

  The question remained though—was she ready to date again? To fall for another man? To hope for something real? She had a daughter now to protect and guide. Dating just anybody wouldn’t do. Not at all.

  Myrtle popped up beside their table. “Are you guys still picking at your food? Or can I take some dishes away? I can bring over a box for take homes.”

  Hope nodded at Myrtle. “A take home box would be great. Saves me from having to make lunch tomorrow.”

  Grayson looked down at his almost empty plate. “Guess you can just take my plate away, Myrtle. There’s nothing left to box up.”

  Myrtle grinned at him. “I’ll be right back with the check unless you folks want to check out the dessert menu. There’s coconut cake, pecan pie, sweet potato pie and banana pudding.”

  Hope held up her hand and let out a groan. “Those sound scrumptious, but if I ate another bite I would pop.”

  “Me too, although I’m definitely coming back so I can taste that coconut cake,” Grayson said. Hope thought Myrtle might faint at the idea of Grayson’s return. She was definitely looking at him with moon dust in her eyes.

  “Thank you for stepping out on a limb of faith and sharing a meal with me,” Grayson said. “Thanks to you I’m a new fan of soul food.”

  “Thanks for setting up the mediation meeting,” Hope said with a smile. “I’m happy we could find a way to work through things.”

  When the check came Grayson scooped it up, even though Hope wanted to pay her fair share. Grayson insisted, telling her he’d recently received some royalty checks and wanted to celebrate.

  By the time she made her way back to Tybee Island, Hope felt more invigorated than she had in a very long time. And there was no denying it was all due to Grayson. She couldn’t deny the pull of physical attraction. He was really easy on the eyes. And if he bottled up his charm, he’d make a small fortune. She liked listening to him. His mannerisms were full of enthusiasm and his voice radiated excitement. For someone who’d lived a very quiet existence for most of her life, Grayson was a shot of adrenaline in her veins.

  It hadn’t been a date, for goodness sakes, she reminded herself. But she couldn’t deny the romantic attraction she felt toward Grayson.

  If things hadn’t been so complicated, Hope would have felt far less guilty about her budding feelings for Grayson. Even though they had agreed to mediate the matter, Hope still had her guard up. She wasn’t sure it was all about Grayson. She knew she might be holding on to some issues from the past related to Ella’s father and his terrible treatment of her. Once bitten, twice shy.

  Grayson, for all intents and purposes, seemed like a decent human being.

  But you don’t even know him! She told herself. You can’t possibly know whether he’s good or not. He’s a stranger. But she knew Grayson wasn’t really a stranger anymore. The walls had come down a bit for both of them. Hope could no longer use that excuse to deny the feelings that were being stoked inside her like a slow burning fire. She liked him. Really, really liked him.

  Lunch with Grayson had gone by far too quickly as far as Hope was concerned. Although she’d been hesitant to break bread with him, lunch had been fabulous. She’d thoroughly enjoyed herself. Laughter had flowed like a river between them. Rather than feeling nervous, Hope had felt comfortable with Grayson once she’d settled in and stopped having jitters about being alone with him.

  She practically floated back into Savannah House. Olivia, who was manning the front desk, greeted her warmly.

  “Hey, Hope. We’ve been waiting for your return. Sorry to say, but Morgan, Charlotte and I are holding the fort down. Fancy had a meeting out of town. Callie is resting at home. She just called to say the doctor diagnosed her with dehydration. She was hooked up to an IV for a few hours and told to take it easy for the next few days.”

  Hope’s shoulders sagged with relief. “Thank the Lord,” she said. “I was getting worried when I didn’t hear anything.”

  “So, what happened at the meeting?” Olivia asked, an expectant look on her face.

  “I can’t be certain, but I do think he’s telling the truth about being related to Miss Hattie. Remember how Marc told us that Grayson’s father was an author and an expert on adoption issues?”

  Olivia nodded. “Yes, I do. He’s an expert of some sort.”

  “Well, Grayson took his father’s birth certificate as well as information showing he was sent to a home for foundlings.” Hope let out a sigh. “The adoption paperwork has Miss Hattie’s name on it, along with Samuel’s name. The baby’s name was listed as Patrick Alexander. I imagine back in the nineteen-forties a person couldn’t attribute the father’s last name unless they were married. Since that wasn’t the case, perhaps Miss Hattie listed him as last name Alexander.”

  “Wow,” Olivia said, her caramel-colored eyes widening. She held out her arm. “I just got chills. I feel like I’ve stepped back in time.”

  Hope quirked her mouth. “I feel the same way. It’s painful to imagine Miss Hattie going through all of this. She loved Samuel so much. Giving up their baby must have been an unimaginable choice.”

  “She may not have felt she had a choice,” Olivia said, tears misting her eyes.

  Hope closed the distance between her and Olivia. She tightly embraced her friend. Just then, a guest walked up to the front desk.

  “Sorry to interrupt,” said the lovely woman with the intricately braided hair. “I lost my room key. And I was wondering if you had any extra toothbrushes.”

  Hope stepped aside and let Olivia do what she did best.

  “Hi, Maya. Room key coming right up. Suite 311, right?”

  Maya let out a disbelieving laugh. “Yes, room 311. You’ve got a fantastic memory, Olivia.”

  Olivia grinned. “It’s my job to get things right.” She turned around and grabbed a key card and an extra toothbrush, then turned back to face Maya. “Here you go, darlin’. If there’s anything else we can help you with, don’t hesitate to ask.”

  Maya graced her with a beautiful smile. “Thanks. Our stay here has been wonderful. We’re going to hate to go back home.”

  As Maya turned to head upstairs, Hope moved back behind the desk.

  “Hearing words like that from our guests is the cherry on top of the sundae,” Olivia said.

  Hope placed her arm around Olivia’s shoulder. “All day I’ve had this feeling of Miss Hattie watching us. I just know she’s looking down from heaven and cheering us on.”

  “I get that feeling all the time,” Olivia said. “So now that Holloway showed a strong link to Miss Hattie, where does that leave us? I hate to begrudge him a familial tie to a woman we all loved, but it might rip our lives apart.”

  “Believe it or not, the situation was diffused. Grayson doesn’t want Savannah House. He wants information about his heritage and his links to Miss Hattie, Savannah House and the Alexander family. I think he also has questions about his grandfather. He’s agreed to drop the suit on the condition that we help him get those answers. Honestly, I think it’s the answer to our prayers. By opening up our doors to Grayson and answering his questions, we give him what he’s seeking without having to defend a lawsuit.” She let out a ragged breath. “All things considered, it’s a win for us.”

  Olivia’s shoulders sagged with relief. She pressed her hand against her chest. “O
h my goodness. I feel so relieved. I’ve been tossing and turning at night just imagining losing Savannah House to Holloway. Well done, Hope.”

  Hope shook her head. “I’m not sure if I did anything but listen and keep an open mind. Grayson isn’t so bad after all.”

  Olivia cocked her head and narrowed her gaze at Olivia. “Grayson is it? He’s not Holloway anymore?”

  Hope flushed. “He asked me to call him Grayson, and considering we were able to work through this issue, it seemed silly to keep calling him by his last name.”

  “Is he as gorgeous in person as in his photos?” Olivia asked.

  Hope shook her finger at Olivia. “Oh no. I’m not answering that question. Next thing you know you’ll be pairing us up or teasing me about liking him.”

  “Me?” Olivia asked in an overly sweet voice. “Would I do that?”

  Hope laughed, knowing her friend projected an innocence that hid her mischievous side. “I’ll let you judge for yourself when he comes to Savannah House. He’s very eager to get a tour and information about the Alexander family.”

  “I can’t wait,” Olivia said with a squeal. “It’ll add a little excitement to the place.”

  “Ha! As if we need any more excitement here. We’ve had a surprise inheritance, four weddings, five engagements, a surprise baby, a massive renovation project, a long-lost presumed dead brother, a millionaire…and now Miss Hattie’s secret grandson.” Hope let out a deep breath. “Never a dull moment around here.”

  “Just the way we like it,” Olivia said with a chuckle.

  Just then, the door to Savannah House opened and a tall, dark and handsome man breezed through the doorway. Hope smiled as he raised a finger to his lips. Olivia had no idea that the love of her life was about to surprise her. From Hope’s vantage point she could see Hunter Rawlings, while Olivia could not. Once he rounded the corner with an armful of red roses, Olivia let out a squeal of delight.

  Hunter walked behind the front desk and swept his wife up in an embrace. Hope let out a sigh as she looked on, marveling at their love story. After all, it wasn’t every day that a millionaire businessman came back to his hometown of Savannah and fell back in love with his high school girlfriend then married her.