From Best Friend To Fiancé (Savannah and Roman) novel Chapter 473

473

Chapter 268: Perpetually Grounded

Savannah

Later That Day

“What are you going to do now?” River’s voice was gentle, careful–like she was afraid the wrong inflection might shatter me completely.

It was late afternoon. The sunlight slanted through the tall windows in pale gold ribbons, dust motes drifting lazily in the air as if the world hadn’t come to a halt inside this room. Reese had left hours ago–where, I had no idea–and I hadn’t asked. I didn’t have the strength to.

He probably went for a drive to cool off.

River and I sat on the edge of my bed, close enough that our shoulders touched. The steady beep… beep… beep of Roman’s monitor filled the silence, a sound that had become both my anchor and my torment. Proof that he was still here. Proof that he wasn’t really here at all.

I’d told River everything.

The office. The threats. The way Reginald’s calm voice still echoed in my head like a poison I couldn’t seem to flush out.

I shrugged weakly. “I don’t want to do it without Roman.” My voice cracked almost immediately. “It just… doesn’t feel right. I don’t want

to.”

The tears came fast and humiliating, blurring my vision before I could stop them. I swiped at my cheeks angrily, but it only made things

worse.

“I never imagined my next appointment would be like this,” I sobbed. “We planned it together. Everything. Roman would have cleared his schedule for the entire day if he had to. He was excited.” My chest hurt–physically hurt. “And now he’s in a coma. And I’m supposed to sit there with his father.” I shuddered. “The man makes my skin crawl.”

River didn’t hesitate. She wrapped her arms around me and pulled me into her chest, holding me tightly. “Shh,” she murmured, rubbing slow, steady circles into my back. “It’s okay. You’re going to be okay.”

I shook my head violently against her shoulder. “I don’t feel okay.”

“I know,” she said softly. “But you will be.”

She pulled back just enough to look at

mo

“YOLL

…

;

78

12:55 Sat, Jan 31

Chapter 473

“That’s my fault too,” I whispered.

“No,” River said firmly. “It’s not.”

78

“She’s perpetually grounded because of me.”

“She’s not perpetually grounded. She’s studying. And that’s because she wants a future where she can boldly protect the people she cares about,” River countered. “Just think about it this way that she’s studying like a maniac so she can finish faster. That’s not your fault.”

I cried harder, my face buried in her shoulder. “I hate this. I hate all of this.”

“I know,” she whispered.

She kept talking, listing names, weaving a net around me with the people who cared about me. “We’ll all be there. Everyone. Except Randall and Rosie.” She pulled back slightly, smirking. “I know better than to suggest those two.”

I sniffed and shook my head. “Definitely not.”

She smiled softly. “See? Already making decisions. That’s progress.”

Her optimism made something in my chest tighten painfully.

“Cheer up,” she said gently. “It’s going to be okay. One day, you’ll look back on this and you’ll smile. You’ll tell your child about how strong you were. It’ll get better, Savannah. I promise.”

And somehow, that made me cry even more.

She froze slightly. “Oh no. That’s enough tears.”

“You’re making me cry,” I said miserably.

“I was trying not to,” she laughed quietly, patting my back.

“I miss him,” I whispered. “I miss him so much. I can’t do this anymore, River. I don’t know how.”

Comments

∞ 1