Breaking Hearts

Questions

For a moment, Savannah simply stood there, caught between the two men.

Neither seemed particularly interested in explaining why the atmosphere had changed so suddenly.

Damien was the first to speak.

"I didn't realize you two knew each other."

Savannah looked at him.

"We've met before." Brian's expression remained calm. "We've spoken a few times." She felt the need to explain.

Damien's gaze shifted briefly toward the flowers in Savannah's hands.

"I see."

There was something about the way he said it that made Savannah uncomfortable.

She glanced at Brian.

"We were just going for coffee."

Damien nodded.

"Of course."

Brian opened the passenger door again.

"Damien."

Damien's eyes met his.

"Brian... Have a good evening, Savannah."

She nodded and then climbed into the car.

Brian closed the door and walked around to the driver's side.

As he drove away, Savannah looked through the window.

Damien was still standing outside the building.

Watching them leave.

---

The silence inside the car lasted several minutes.

Savannah couldn't help it. She wanted to find out what was going on. First there was the situation with Ethan, and now Damien. She turned toward Brian.

"So..."

He glanced at her.

"So?"

"How do you know Damien?"

"Business."

She sighed.

"That's your favorite way to answer."

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"It's usually best."

"That doesn't tell me anything."

"You didn't ask anything specific."

She gave him an incredulous look.

"Fine. What kind of business?"

Brian looked back at the road.

"Ashford Holdings has interests in several areas."

Savannah frowned.

"Several?"

"Yes."

"Such as?"

He paused.

"Property. Finance. Development. A few other things."

She looked at him.

"That sounds like a lot."

"It is."

Savannah remembered the way Damien had spoken during the meeting.

The way everyone seemed to listen when he entered a room.

She looked down at the flowers.

"So Damien, he is something huge in this company?

"Kind of."

"Does he own the company?"

"He's one of the people who runs it, but he and one other are competing for the highest amount of shares."

"One of?"

Brian nodded.

Savannah leaned back.

There was clearly far more going on than she understood.

"And the development in Sunnyvale?"

"Connected."

She turned toward him.

"So you do work with or for Ashford Holdings?"

"Sometimes."

"You're very vague."

"I know."

She laughed despite herself.

"You know, one day I'm going to get a straight answer out of you."

Brian glanced at her.

"Maybe."

The word made her smile.

They stopped at a quiet café a few minutes later.

Brian parked and got out.

Savannah followed after he closed the door for her.

Inside, they found a table near the window.

For a while, the conversation was surprisingly normal. As normal as could be with Brian's one worded answers. But at least he knew how to ask her questions that kept the conversation flowing.

They talked about her new job.

Her first week.

The campaign she'd worked on.

Her plans for the future.

Brian listened more than he spoke.

And Savannah found herself enjoying that.

There was something peaceful about being around him.

She wasn't constantly worried about what he thought of her.

She didn't have to pretend to know exactly what she wanted.

Eventually, she looked at him.

"Can I ask you something?"

"You can ask."

"Why did you come to my graduation?"

Brian's expression changed slightly.

"I told you."

"To congratulate me."

"Yes."

"That's not the whole reason."

He studied her for a moment.

"No."

Savannah waited.

He didn't elaborate.

She sighed.

"You're impossible."

"So you've said."

She smiled.

Then her expression softened.

"Thank you."

"For what?"

"For that night."

Brian knew exactly what she meant.

"You don't have to thank me."

"I do."

He shook his head.

"I was there when you needed someone."

"And you didn't have to be."

"No." His eyes remained on hers. "But I wanted to be."

Savannah's heart skipped.

She looked away.

For a moment, neither of them spoke.

Then Brian's phone vibrated.

He glanced at the screen.

Something in his expression became more serious.

"Everything okay?" Savannah asked.

"Yes." He put the phone away. "Just work."

She nodded.

She had a feeling that with Brian, there would always be another layer beneath the answer.

But strangely...

She was beginning to think she didn't mind discovering them one at a time.