Daddy Wanted. Renee Andrews

I was coming to your grandparents’ store to find...” he began.

      “They can help you with whatever you want.” She forced her feet to move away from the distraction of Brodie Evans and then prayed he got everything he needed from the store today. She didn’t want to talk to him again, didn’t want to see him again. Turning, she sprinted across the square toward her truck, but then heard Mandy yell, “Savvy, wait!”

      In the shock of seeing Brodie, she’d forgotten to disconnect the call. “What is it?” she asked breathlessly.

      “I’m here, at the trailer. I was bringing a couple more casseroles from the ladies at church, so I’ll wait for the kids to get off the bus, and then I’ll stay until you get here.”

      “You’re there?” she asked. But even if she didn’t have to race to the bus stop, she still wanted to leave the square. And the man from her past. “Okay, but I’ll be there soon.” Savvy blinked past the emotions spreading over her like wildfire.

      Brodie. After all these years...

      A large palm cupped her left shoulder as she reached her truck. She’d been running, her chest pulling in air from the effort, and he wasn’t even breaking a sweat. “Savvy, wait. I’m trying to find Willow.” Brodie turned her to face him. “I have to find her.”

      Savvy’s hand squeezed the phone still pressed against her ear. Mandy said something, but she couldn’t make out the words, the jolt from Brodie’s statement drowning out every sound except the thudding of her heart pulsing in her ears. “Willow?” she whispered as visions of her beautiful friend flooded her mind.

      Willow standing beneath Jasper Falls, her long dark hair framing a laughing face as she splashed Brodie and Savvy. Willow had died there, at the place they’d all loved. And Brodie had no idea.

      “Yes, Willow,” he said. “She wrote to me, said she needed to talk to me about helping...”

      Savvy shook her head, didn’t listen to anything else. “You can’t help.” The memory pushed tears forward, and they spilled onto her cheeks. Savvy brushed them away. “Willow’s gone.”

      “What do you mean, she’s gone?” He reached into his jacket and withdrew an envelope. “She wrote to me and said she still lived in Claremont and that she wanted to talk to me. She gave me her phone number, but her voice mail box is full. And she didn’t give an address. I thought maybe your grandparents could help me find her.”

      “Brodie, you don’t—”

      He held up a hand. “Listen, Savvy, I’m sure she told you what happened, and I know you’re probably still angry over what I did. But I know Willow is here, and I’m going to see her.”

      “No...you’re not.” Disbelief and shock swirled together to make her light-headed. She grabbed the truck door and took a deep breath.

      “Savvy, you can’t keep me from seeing her.”

      “I am still angry,” she finally said, wanting to hit him for the way he had hurt Willow back then. She lifted her arm to do just that, but then dropped it to her side. What good would it do?

      “I need to talk to her. I need to apologize,” he said thickly, as though either of those things could actually happen.

      Savvy gawked at him. “You’re too late. It’s too late to apologize. Willow—” She couldn’t hold back the truth. “Willow’s dead, Brodie.” His eyes widened, the blow of the news evident, but Savvy had neither the time nor the inclination to explain. “And I’ve got to go take care of her kids.” She twisted away, hurriedly climbed into her truck and slammed the door. Then she drove away without looking in the rearview mirror.

      Mandy’s voice echoed through the line of the phone Savvy had tossed on the seat. “Savvy?” she asked. “Savvy, can you hear me?”

      She had obviously touched the speaker button at some point. Reaching for the phone, she nearly sped through the stop sign at Maple and Main before slamming on the brakes. They squealed in protest, and the phone slid toward the passenger door.

      Mandy yelled, “What happened?”

      Savvy held her foot firmly on the brake while she retrieved the phone. Then she answered, “It’s okay, Mandy. I’m on my way.”

      “I figured that part out,” she said. “That was Brodie, wasn’t it? Is he okay? And are you?”

      “No,” she said honestly. “And no.”

      “I know that was hard, talking to him and telling him about Willow, but please take a moment to calm down. Don’t speed when you drive out here. I’ll get the kids when they get off the bus and wait for you to get home. Take your time. Everything is fine.”

      “Okay,” Savvy said, disconnecting and tossing the phone back on the seat. But she didn’t agree. She had three kids to raise. She had to fight the school to keep them from holding Dylan back. And she had to get over the knowledge that she wasn’t the only wild child who had returned home.

Chapter Two

      Brodie hit the brakes to keep from plowing into the back of Savvy’s truck when she screeched to a stop at the intersection of Main and Maple. His mind reeled. He needed a moment to sort through the tornado of information he’d received, but he didn’t have time to stop and process. He had to follow her, couldn’t let her get away without telling him what had happened to Willow.

      Willow. Dead.

      After all this time, he was finally going to make things right, and she was dead?

       God, why? And how?

      That letter had been mailed less than a month ago. A month ago, she was alive. A month ago, he could have talked to her, helped her son the way she’d asked and apologized for treating her so badly.

      Now that chance was gone.

      He set his jaw and accelerated as Savvy continued out of town. She’d said she had to take care of Willow’s kids. Brodie had known Willow had a son from that letter. How many more children did she have? Had she been married? And if she was, where was her husband?

      And why was Savvy taking care of them now?

      So many questions. And unfortunately, Savvy, who could undoubtedly provide answers, didn’t want anything to do with him.

      Brodie had been prepared to see Willow, but he hadn’t anticipated running into Savvy.

      Savvy, still as stunning as ever, even in ratty blue jeans, an old T-shirt and a baseball cap. She’d been pretty in school, but she was downright gorgeous now. Hard to believe this was his old friend. One of the two females he’d opened up to in high school. In spite of the string of girls he’d had physical relationships with back then, Willow and Savvy were the only two that he’d truly known. They’d been so close.

      And he’d blown it.

      Today, Savvy’s dark eyes said it all. She hadn’t forgiven him for what he’d done to Willow. And Brodie didn’t blame her. He’d never said he was sorry. He’d never asked for forgiveness. He’d planned to do both today, but now that would never be possible.

       God, please, help me out here.

      He’d only recently found a relationship with God, but he’d been talking to Him continually ever since he thought he might lose his daughter.

      “I didn’t get the chance to ask for Willow’s forgiveness, but let Savvy forgive me, Lord. I know You sent me here for a reason, and if that’s it, help me figure out how to make that happen.”

      * * *

      Savvy couldn’t stop thinking of Brodie as she drove her old truck down the once-familiar dirt road between Claremont and Stockville toward Willow’s trailer.