Free Return of the Runaway Bride by Donna Fasano Page B

this sentimental mind-clutter concerning Savanna. He'd been certain he'd tamped it down until he'd pushed it so far in the back of his brain that he could finally forget the past. Until he could finally live with what she'd put him through. And he had lived with it. Until now.
    "Just hang in there," he murmured. "She won't be here long."
    Suddenly he paled. What had she said during lunch? He searched his short-term memory for her exact words, but he couldn't seem to recall them. She'd said something to the effect that she liked the idea of living in a small town. No, no, he thought, that wasn't it exactly. His mind ran in a frantic attempt to remember. She'd said that she'd love to move to Fulton.
    His heart raced. If having Savanna in town for two short days had rattled him to this extent, how in heaven's name could he exist living in the same town with her?
    Impulsively he turned sharply on his heel and pulled open the top drawer of the filing cabinet nearest the window. He flipped through the manila folders. The letters were here someplace, he'd filed them himself.
    When he had his hand on the folder, he relaxed a bit and took it over to his desk. He settled himself in his chair and opened the file. The senior partner of Richmond's largest law firm had sent him a partnership proposition annually for the past three springs running. Daniel had politely turned down each offer, but he'd kept the letters.
    He stared at the latest offer, but he was so agitated he couldn't seem to focus on the words. If he lived in Richmond, he'd be near his mother. If he was working in Richmond, he'd be near Celia. If he moved away from Fulton, he wouldn't have to worry about running into Savanna. He wouldn't have to run the risk of ever again losing his cool around her.
    Daniel didn't know exactly what Savanna's plans were, didn't know if she was going or staying. But it wouldn't hurt for him to keep all of his options open. It wouldn't hurt a bit for him to prepare for the worst.
    Without giving the matter another thought, he picked up his voice recorder and began dictating a letter of inquiry.
     
    ~   ~   ~
     
    Savanna turned onto a winding street of a suburb of Richmond. She glanced down at the directions that Daniel's mother had given her over the phone, then she looked up and began counting the houses on the left side of the street.
    Susan Walsh had been the epitome of the genteel Southern lady when Savanna had telephoned the woman barely an hour ago asking if they could get together. Savanna had tried to keep the distress out of her voice, but wasn't certain if she'd succeeded. When Daniel had denied any knowledge of having received her letter of explanation, Savanna had been confused at first. Then she began thinking that maybe his parents had kept the letter from him in an effort to protect him. Or maybe the letter had been lost in the mail.
    Enough speculation, she had thought. If she wanted answers to her questions, the best place to go was directly to a knowledgeable source: Daniel's mother. With the help of the internet phone book, Savanna had easily obtained the Richmond telephone number of Daniel's sister, where his mother now lived. Susan Walsh hadn't sounded in the least surprised to hear from her. She'd only sounded pleased. Savanna wondered if Daniel had talked to his mother about her arrival in Fulton.
    Savanna pulled into the long asphalt driveway of a large, white Georgian-style home. A huge magnolia tree partially blocked her view of the house. She stopped the car and cut the engine.
    She hadn't planned on meeting Daniel in the park earlier today. And she hadn't expected this drive to Richmond to see Susan Walsh, either. Nothing about her visit south had turned out the way she'd planned. But then didn't some smart person once say that the best laid plans often went awry? If she wasn't feeling such turmoil, she'd probably laugh at the irony.
    The soles of her shoes scuffed on the brick-paved walkway, and once she reached