The Plan (Capitol Love Series Book 1) Read online

  The next day, Savannah sat on the patio of Sweet Happens with a double latte and scone enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon, wondering if things with Steve would ever get better than “nice.” Or if she even wanted things to go beyond “nice.”

  “Well, look who it is!” came a familiar voice behind her. Even if she hadn’t recognized it, the way her stomach flipped was all it took for her to know that Colin was there.

  “Hey, yourself,” she said turning around and smiling at the sight of him in jeans that were worn down in all the right places, with a gray-and-black graphic tee and that smile that made her tingle in places that Steve’s smile definitely didn’t.

  “I was sure you’d have starved to death by now since you haven’t been by the bar in a while.” He pulled out a chair and sat down across from her, looking completely at ease.

  “There’s this place that Rayne discovered—called a grocery store?” Savannah said.

  “Those places are total rackets. Not only do you have to pay for the food, but then you have to cook it. Neither of which is the case at my bar,” he said with a smile.

  “We were starting to worry that we’d overstayed our welcome. And we figured you were going to get in trouble with your boss for giving away all that food.”

  He looked away for a second. “Don’t worry about my boss,” he finally said. “That last bill was a misunderstanding between me and Diana. I was going to explain next time you came in, but you haven’t been around.”

  Savannah couldn’t be sure, but Colin seemed a little nervous.

  “No! Of course we’ll pay for our food! That’s not why we go there.” Her voice trailed off, and she blushed a bright pink as she realized that the reason she went there was sitting across from her, eyebrow cocked as he waited for her to finish, knowing exactly what she was avoiding saying.

  Savannah cleared her throat and reached for her latte to give her something to do other than watch Colin’s sexy mouth twitch in amusement. After taking a slow sip, she realized that he was not going to do anything to ease the awkwardness of the moment. So she cleared her throat, narrowed her eyes at him in playful annoyance and acknowledgment of the moment, then flipped her hair over her shoulder and sat up straighter.

  “So, yeah, I haven’t been avoiding you because you made us pay for dinner. I’ve just been really busy with work and...stuff.”

  “Good to know,” Colin said with a half-smile. “So would one of the things you’ve been busy with be museum guy?”

  Savannah immediately felt awkward but reminded herself that Colin was just a friend. “Yeah, a little. We had our third date last night.”

  “Wow, that’s a big one,” he said with a wink.

  “Is it?”

  Colin’s response was to wiggle his eyebrows, and suddenly Savannah got his drift. “NO! It wasn’t that kind of date. We just went to dinner and then he took me to this storytelling show over at the 9:30 Club.” Savannah could feel her face growing bright red and looked away from him while taking another sip of her coffee.

  “Wow, museums and storytelling at the 9:30 Club? This guy’s going all out on the unique dates thing. That’s cool. I mean, he’s probably not trying to compensate for any...shortcomings,” Colin teased.

  “You’re such a...guy!” Savannah said, throwing a napkin at him while trying not to laugh.

  Colin had hit a little close to what Savannah had been worrying about since the previous night. She and Steve had sat close together during the show and leaned against each other as they laughed, and he’d touched her knee a few times. They’d even had a little make-out session tucked into a dark corner near the door as they waited for the Uber he’d ordered for her, and it had been really...nice. But that was all. Still, nice was good. It was definitely better than…not nice, right?

  “He’s a gentleman,” she said as she dodged a return hit from the napkin. “Maybe you’ve heard of it? We’re just taking it slow.”

  “If you say so, Red.”

  Hearing him use her nickname felt so comforting that Savannah almost said something about it. Instead, she flung the napkin ball back at him.

  They were still grinning at each other like idiots when Crystal came out onto the patio.

  “Colin? Can I see you for a second?”

  Savannah glanced up, surprised by how stressed Crystal sounded. She was normally so cheerful and energetic. Savannah now saw dark circles under her eyes, and she almost seemed jittery.

  Colin stood and followed Crystal around the corner of the building, out of earshot, but Savannah could still see them. She told herself it was none of her business, but she couldn’t help watching them and trying to figure out what they were talking about. They both seemed agitated.

  At one point, Crystal raised her voice and said, “You can’t just refuse all of a sudden.” And later, “I’ll pay you whatever you want!”

  Then Savannah thought she heard Colin say, “It’s not about the money,” and something about trouble with his supplier.

  Eventually they seemed to come to an agreement, and Savannah heard Colin say “last time.”

  Crystal went back inside looking relieved and miserable at the same time, and Savannah had a cold feeling in the pit of her stomach. There had to be an innocent explanation for what she’d just seen, but she was having trouble coming up with it.

  Colin came over to her table but didn’t sit down. “I’ve gotta go take care of some stuff, but it was good to see you, Red.”

  “Everything OK?” Savannah asked, standing up so she could be eye level with him.

  “Yeah, it’s just...business.” He started to walk away, hands stuffed in his pockets, then turned back and said, “You should bring this guy by the bar sometime. Let me make sure he’s good enough for you.”

  She smiled and said, “Maybe I will.”

  Colin nodded then walked quickly away.

  Savannah sat back down and picked at her scone. She thought back over some of the other interactions she’d observed between Crystal and Colin and realized that whatever was going on, it had been going on for a while.

  Chapter 16

  A few days later, Colin was still brooding over his conversation with Crystal, but he perked up when he saw a text from Savannah on his phone after he got off work—until he read it.

  I was thinking of bringing Steve by for brunch on Saturday morning so you can meet him. Does that work?

  Colin pictured Savannah and this guy strolling in to brunch like most couples did—announcing to the world that they’d just rolled out of bed together. He felt bile rise at the back of his throat, but then he reminded himself that he had known this was a possibility when he’d set his plan in motion. He needed to see it through. And if this guy fit her Plan, then the sooner Colin knew he’d failed, the sooner he could move on.

  So he typed, Yep. I’ll reserve your table for you. 11am.

  Saturday morning a few minutes before 11, Savannah walked into a lively and crowded Zipped. She was surprised to see the space transformed into the spitting image of her vision of the afterlife. A U-shaped buffet to the right of the door took up the end of the bar, the stage area, and one bay window. It was piled high with all manner of pastries and fruit and held large dispensers of mimosas and Bloody Marys. At the other end of the room, in front of the booths, was an elaborate omelet and waffle station.

  Savannah was relieved to see a RESERVED sign on her usual table because there wasn’t another open seat in the place. Sliding into her chair, she glanced around for Colin and saw him moving between tables, chatting, refilling coffee mugs, and clearing plates with the grace of an athlete on the field. The white towel hanging out of the back pocket of his jeans drew her eye to the way the muscles in his thighs and tight butt moved.

  A few minutes after 11, he suddenly looked over at Savannah’s table, as though he had just now remembered that she would be there. He nodded at her while he finished processing a check, and then he made his way over to her table carrying a silver carafe.
r />   “Morning, Red,” Colin said as he poured her a cup of coffee. “Where’s your friend?”

  “He’s running a few minutes late, but he’ll be here.”

  “You guys didn’t come over together?” he said before he could stop himself.

  Savannah narrowed her eyes at him. “I know what you’re asking, and not that it’s any of your business, but no, we didn’t see each other last night. He’s supposed to meet me here.”

  “Hey, I was just making conversation,” Colin said with a smile.

  At 11:30, he came over to refill her coffee cup. “Why don’t you go get an omelet or a waffle? If someone comes in looking like he’s lost, I’ll direct him to your table.”

  Savannah sighed. “Might as well.”

  “Have you called him?”

  “Yeah, he’s at work. First he said he’d be ten minutes late, then another ten minutes, and now he’s saying he’s not sure.”

  “Well, he’s an idiot for putting work before you,” Colin said then quickly turned and went back to the bar.

  When Savannah got back to her table with her tomato-and-cheese omelet, she found a mimosa and chocolate donut waiting for her. She looked over and saw Colin watching her from the bar. She mouthed the word “thanks,” and he responded with the smile and wink that she was getting very used to seeing.

  At 1:00, the brunch was officially over and only a handful of people lingered over their coffee.

  “So you got stood up, huh?” Colin said, dropping into the chair across from her.

  “Looks like,” Savannah said glumly. “Around noon he texted to say that he would text me when he was on his way, and I haven’t heard from him since.” She gestured toward her phone like it was at fault.

  “The guy’s a loser, but you shouldn’t let it get you down. Better to know now.”

  “I know. I’m probably just having a sugar crash.” She looked down at the remnants of what had been a second donut and a chocolate croissant that she’d used to distract herself for the past hour.

  As much as Colin had hated the idea of her being at brunch with another guy, he hated even more that she was so down because it hadn’t worked out.

  “Hey, you wanna get out of here?” he asked suddenly.

  Savannah had her head propped on her hand and was drawing designs in the pastry crumbs on the table. “What do you mean?” she asked without looking up.

  “I mean let’s go do something. It’s a gorgeous day, I’ve been working around the clock for weeks, and you’re not doing much better.”

  “What do you want to do?” she asked, finally looking at him.

  “I don’t know, but we’ll figure something out. Give me five minutes and I’ll meet you out front.” Colin stood and took a step away from the table before turning back. “You’re in, right?”

  “I’m in,” Savannah answered with a grin that lit up her green eyes and made Colin feel like the luckiest guy in the world to be the recipient of it.

  As Savannah gathered her stuff and headed outside into a beautiful, warm sunny day, Colin ducked into the kitchen to let everyone know he was taking off.

  Diana looked shocked. “Really?” she asked.

  “Is there a problem?” Colin said as he washed his hands and splashed water on his face.

  “No, but you never take time off. What’s the occasion?”

  “I just realized how long it’s been since I saw daylight. Or had fun.” He pulled off his dirty T-shirt and changed into the clean one he kept on a hook on the back of his office door. Having seen him do this multiple times, Diana didn’t bat an eye at his six-pack abs.

  “So no catfish nuggets today?” she said.

  “She got stood up so I’m going to try to cheer her up.” He looked at his reflection in the small mirror on his office wall and ran a hand through his hair.

  “I can’t believe I’ve known you for five years and I’m only just now realizing how much of a masochist you are,” Diana said as she watched him primp.

  Colin shot her an annoyed look. “I’m not a masochist. I’m just…” the words “crazy about her” popped into his head, but he wasn’t ready to let that out into the world, so instead he said, “I’m just going to have some fun.”

  Diana followed him out into the restaurant. “Well, if this doesn’t end up being torturous enough, I know some special clubs that might interest you.”

  “You’re hilarious, D.”

  “You know, the kind that are in basements, without names.”

  “Goodbye, Diana,” Colin called over his shoulder as he pulled open the door.

  “I’ve got an idea,” he said as he joined Savannah on the sidewalk.

  “Good, because I have no ideas.”

  “Do you like baseball?” Colin asked as they started walking south toward the waterfront.

  “Why? Are we going to a game?” Savannah asked, the excitement evident in her voice.

  Laughing, Colin said, “I guess we’d better be, with that reaction.”

  “I’ve never been to a game, but it’s on my D.C.-specific bucket list.”

  “Do you do anything without a plan or a list, Red?”

  “Not often,” she admitted.

  “Well, then brace yourself, honey, because today is going to be very unplanned.”

  Savannah felt a tingle race through her body, but she wasn’t sure if it was nerves, excitement, or something else altogether because as they walked, his arm kept casually brushing against hers.

  When they arrived at Nationals Park half an hour later, the game was already underway, though there were still a lot of people milling around outside having a few drinks before going into the stadium.

  “It’s OK,” Colin reassured her. “Nothing interesting happens during the first inning anyway.”

  After she and Colin passed through the metal detectors at the outer edge of the stadium, Savannah headed toward the ticket sales booth, which had a long line of people waiting, but Colin put his hand on her lower back and steered her away.

  “Let’s not waste time in that line. I’ve got a better idea.” He quickly walked away from the crowds and toward the delivery entry into the ballpark.

  “What are we doing?” Savannah asked. “I thought we were going to the game.”

  “We are,” he said with a smile. “We’re just going in the back way.”

  “The back way? Wait—are we sneaking in?” Savannah was shocked but also feeling that tingle again.

  “Eh, sneaking sounds devious. Let’s think of it as using an alternate entry point.”

  As they rounded a corner, Colin thought he recognized the security guard idly pacing near the delivery entrance, thumbs hooked on his gun belt.

  “Hang here for a second,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”

  Colin hurried over to the guard, who smiled and bumped fists with him in greeting. It looked like they were joking around a little, then Colin motioned toward her, held his hands palms up, and shrugged his shoulders, and he and the security guard laughed. Then Colin reached into his pocket and shifted his body so that his back was to her. The other man took whatever Colin handed him and slapped Colin on the shoulder. They exchanged a few more words and another a fist bump, and Colin trotted back to Savannah.

  “Ready to go in?” he asked.

  “What was all that?”

  “That’s Tyrell. I know him from...ah...my basketball league.” Colin had his hand on her back and was propelling her toward the door. As they approached, Tyrell swiped his security pass and opened the door for them.

  “You kids have fun in there,” he said with a smile as they passed through.

  “I didn’t know you played basketball,” Savannah said.

  “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Red.” The truth of that statement didn’t sit right with her, but he said it in a low voice with his mouth close to her ear, giving her goose bumps over her whole body. “Now let’s hurry before someone sees us.”

  “This is crazy!” Savannah whis
pered. Her cheeks were flushed, and her eyes were sparkling with excitement.

  Since she seemed to be enjoying the cloak-and-dagger stuff so much, Colin decided to keep it up, even though it wasn’t strictly necessary that they sneak around. They reached the end of the hall, and he held a finger to his lips to signal her to be quiet. Then he slowly poked his head around the corner and, seeing that the next hallway was also empty, pulled her after him, and they ran down the hall toward a closed door.

  Colin pushed open the door, which led into a stairwell. As Savannah moved toward it, a door slammed loudly somewhere nearby. Colin pulled Savannah to him with a little more force than he’d intended, causing her to fall against his chest. He wrapped his arm around her to keep her there and took a step back into the stairwell so the door closed behind them. He looked down into her upturned face, felt the warmth of her hands on his chest, and was suddenly aware only of the sound of their breathing.

  Savannah’s head was filled with the sound of her pounding heart. Colin’s chest was firm and warm under her hands, and she wanted so badly to slide her fingers up his neck to his hair and see if it was as soft as it looked.

  His eyes traveled from her emerald eyes down to her full lips, which were slightly parted as her breath escaped in little pants. And he knew she wanted him just as much as he wanted her. He slowly inched his face closer to hers. When their lips were millimeters apart, Savannah’s eyes drifted closed.

  And then a door slammed right above them, and they both jumped. At the sound of feet running down the flights of stairs, Savannah jumped back from Colin and stared at him with panic in her eyes. Colin grabbed her hand and pulled her back into a dark corner behind the stairs, where he flatted himself against the wall and held her tightly against his chest. Seconds later, a man came barreling down the stairs, threw the door open, and rushed out, not even noticing Savannah and Colin in their inadequate hiding place.

  As soon as the man was gone, Savannah looked up at Colin and said, “That was close.”