My Fisherman

chapter 4

Cole's pickup turned into the driveway and stopped in front of a small white house surrounded by flowers, trees, and a wooden fence.

Savannah looked through the windshield.

For a moment, she didn't say anything.

She remembered this place.

The house looked smaller than she remembered, but it still had the same wide porch and blue front door.

Her grandmother's house.

Cole turned off the engine.

“Here we are.”

Savannah looked at him.

“Thank you.”

He nodded.

She reached for her bag.

Before she could open the door, the front door of the house opened.

Her grandmother stepped onto the porch.

“Savannah!”

Savannah's eyes immediately filled with tears.

“Grandma.”

She opened the truck.

Her grandmother hurried down the steps and wrapped her arms around her.

Savannah held her tightly.

For the first time since she had left the wedding, she allowed herself to cry.

“Oh, sweetheart,” her grandmother whispered. “Come here.”

“I missed you.”

“I missed you too.”

Her grandmother pulled back and looked at her.

Then she looked down.

At the wedding dress.

Then back at Savannah.

She sighed.

“You really did it.”

Savannah wiped her cheek.

“yes.”

Her grandmother shook her head.

“I knew you were stubborn, but I didn't know you were going to become a runaway bride.”

Savannah laughed through her tears.

“Neither did I.”

Cole stood beside the truck, waiting patiently.

Her grandmother turned toward him.

“Cole, thank you.”

“No problem.”

“You should come inside for coffee before you go.”

Cole shook his head.

“I can't. I have work.”

Her grandmother frowned.

“You always have work.”

“I do.”

“Five minutes won't kill you.”

Cole looked toward Savannah.

Her wedding dress was wrinkled from the journey, her hair was partly loose, and the remains of her makeup were still under her eyes.

Cole looked at her for a second.

Then he looked away.

“I really have to go.”

Her grandmother sighed.

“All right. Go.”

Cole nodded.

“I'll see you later.”

He got into the pickup.

Savannah watched as he backed out of the driveway.

The truck looked expensive enough to belong to someone who had money, but it certainly didn't look loved.

There was dried mud along the sides, dust on the windows, and fishing equipment scattered in the back.

The truck had the look of something that had cost a lot of money but had been treated like a workhorse.

Savannah watched it disappear down the road.

Her grandmother touched her arm.

“Come inside.”

Savannah followed her.

The moment she stepped through the front door, she felt something inside her settle.

The house smelled exactly as she remembered.

Fresh bread.

Spices.

Something cooking.

And the faint smell of the ocean that seemed to follow everything in Seabrook.

Her grandmother looked at her from head to toe.

“Now.”

Savannah stopped.

“Now what?”

“Go upstairs.”

“Why?”

“Because you look like you escaped from a wedding.”

Savannah looked down at herself.

“I did escape from a wedding.”

“I know. I'm the one who told you to come here.”

Her grandmother pointed toward the stairs.

“Go wash your face. Take a shower. Change your clothes.”

Savannah smiled.

“Grandma...”

“No arguments.”

“I don't have anything else.”

“I put some clothes in your old room.”

Savannah stared at her.

“So fast?"

“Yes.”

Her grandmother turned toward the kitchen.

“Go make yourself look human.”

Savannah laughed.

“I look human.”

Her grandmother looked at the smeared makeup under her eyes.

“Debatable.”

Savannah burst out laughing.

“Fine.”

She carried her bag upstairs.

Nearly an hour later, Savannah walked back downstairs.

She had showered.

Her long honey-blonde hair was clean and loose around her shoulders, still slightly damp at the ends. She wore a simple pair of jeans and a soft cream-colored top.

She felt better than she had felt all day.

Her grandmother looked up from the kitchen.

“There she is.”

Savannah smiled.

“I survived.”

“I can see that.”

Her grandmother placed a bowl on the table.

Savannah's eyes widened.

“What is that?”

“Food.”

“I can see that.”

“Then why did you ask?”

Savannah laughed.

“You know what I mean.”

Her grandmother sat down.

“Seafood stew. Fresh bread. And don't tell me you're not hungry.”

Savannah sat opposite her.

“I am starving.”

“Good.”

She took the first bite.

Her eyes widened.

“Oh my goodness.”

Her grandmother smiled.

“Good?”

“This is amazing.”

“I know.”

“You made all this?”

“Who else would?”

Savannah took another bite.

She hadn't realized how hungry she was until then.

Her grandmother watched her eat for a moment.

“Now tell me what happened.”

She put her spoon down.

“I couldn't marry him.”

“I know.”

“I tried to convince myself.”

“I kept thinking maybe Dad was right. Maybe love would come later. Maybe Alexander and I could build something together.”

“But every time I imagined standing there and saying yes, I felt like I couldn't breathe.”

Her grandmother reached across the table and took her hand.

“Then you made the right choice.”

Savannah looked at her.

“Dad won't think so.”

“Your father has never been very good at accepting things he didn't choose.”

Savannah gave a small laugh.

“That is true.”

Her grandmother squeezed her hand.

“Alexander is a good man, but good doesn't mean right for you.”

Savannah nodded.

“I know.”

Her phone began vibrating on the table.

Savannah looked down.

Dad.

She immediately turned the phone facedown.

Her grandmother glanced at it.

“Don't answer if you aren't ready.”

“I don't want them to know I'm here.”

“They won't.”

“They'll find me.”

“Not if I don't tell them.”

Savannah looked at her.

“Thank you."

Her grandmother leaned back.

“You think I invited you here so I could hand you back?”

Savannah smiled weakly.

“I trust you.”

“Good.”

Her grandmother's voice became firm.

“You're safe here.”

Savannah's eyes filled with tears again.

“Thank you.”

Her grandmother shook her head.

“You don't have to thank me for giving my granddaughter a place to sleep.”

Savannah smiled.

She suddenly thought about Cole.

She remembered his simple clothes.

His muddy truck.

His quiet manner.

She wondered why he had come to pick her up himself.

“What does Cole do?”

Her grandmother looked at her.

“Cole?”

“Yes.”

“He's a fisherman.”

Savannah nearly dropped her spoon.

“A fisherman?”

“Yes.”

“He's that young and he's a fisherman?”

Her grandmother laughed.

“He enjoys it.”

“But what is he doing here?”

“Fishing.”

“I mean, why would someone his age choose that?”

“Because he likes the life.”

Her grandmother shrugged.

“His father was a fisherman. Cole grew up around the sea. It's what he knows.”

Savannah thought about his broad shoulders and the roughness of his hands.

It suddenly made sense.

“And he lives here?”

“Yes.”

“Alone?”

“Why are you asking so many questions?”

Savannah immediately looked back at her food.

“I'm not.”

“You just asked me four questions.”

“I was curious.”

Her grandmother smiled knowingly.

“Of course you were.”

Savannah ignored her.

After they finished eating, her grandmother got up and began clearing the dishes from the table.

“Leave those,” Savannah said. “I'll help.”

“You've done enough today.”

“I ran away from a wedding. I don't think that counts as doing enough.”

Her grandmother laughed.

“Go sit down.”

Savannah smiled and carried her glass to the kitchen.

Her grandmother shook her head but didn't argue.

For the first time all day, Savannah felt relaxed.

There were no wedding planners rushing around.

No people telling her where to stand.

No one adjusting her dress.

No one reminding her what she was supposed to do.

She was simply in her grandmother's house.

She wandered into the living room and looked around.

Some things had changed over the years, but most of the house still looked the same.

The old bookshelf was still against the wall.

Family photographs covered the small table beside the window.

Savannah picked one up.

It was an old photograph of her and her grandmother at the beach when she was about eight years old.

She smiled.

“You were such a messy child.”

Savannah turned.

Her grandmother was standing in the doorway.

“You're the one who let me play in the sand.”

“I didn't tell you to put sand in your hair.”

Savannah laughed.

“I was eight.”

“You were trouble at eight.”

“And I'm trouble now?”

Her grandmother smiled.

“Much worse.”

Savannah shook her head.

“You missed me.”

“I did.”

The moment was interrupted by a knock at the front door.

Her grandmother looked toward the door.

“I'll get it.”

Savannah remained in the living room, but she heard her grandmother open the door.

She could hear a man's voice.

“I brought those fish you asked for.”

“I totally forgot.”

Savannah's curiosity got the better of her.

She walked toward the hallway.

By the time she reached the entrance,

Cole stood at the door holding a large basket filled with fresh fish.

His dark hair was still slightly messy, and his clothes still carried the rough, practical look of someone who had spent most of his day working.

He looked like he belonged to the sea and everything that came with it.

His grandmother pointed toward the kitchen.

“Put them over there.”

Cole stepped inside.

Savannah came around the corner at the same time.

Neither saw the other coming.

She stepped forward.

Cole turned.

They nearly walked straight into each other.

Savannah stopped.

Cole stopped too.

For a second, neither moved.

Savannah looked up.

And this time, there was no wedding veil.

No smeared makeup.

No tears.

Just her.

Cole looked at her properly for the first time.

Her long honey-blonde hair fell naturally over her shoulders.

Her face was fresh from the shower, free of the makeup that had covered the tiredness and tears earlier.

Her blue-green eyes caught his attention immediately.

They were clearer than he remembered.

Softer too.

She looked younger without the heavy makeup.

And somehow, much more beautiful.

Cole's expression remained serious, but his eyes stayed on her a second longer than they should have.

Savannah noticed.

Then she noticed his eyes again.

Those striking icy-blue eyes looked even clearer up close.

She had already thought he was handsome when she saw him outside.

Now, standing only a few feet away, she realized she had underestimated him.

Cole finally looked away.

“Sorry.”

His voice was calm.

Savannah stepped aside.

“It's fine.”

He carried the basket into the kitchen.

Savannah watched him for a moment before turning away.

Cole set the basket on the counter.

But before he walked away, he glanced back.

Savannah was already looking at him.

Their eyes met again.

Neither said a word and neither looked away.