Love at Second Sight

Chapter 16

Denial is the shock absorber of the soul. It protects us until we are equipped to cope with reality.

~C.S. Lewis

***

One week until the gala. Her calendar said that too. How? How had time gone by this fast? How could it have come to be just a week left before she had to say her goodbyes to everything here. She was going to miss every single person so, so much. 

Delilah, the polite one. Xavier, the hesitant one (still). Lily, the starstruck one. Giovanni, the perfect Italian ragazzo. Joseph, the surreptitious one. Laser, the adorable and sweet one. And, Chase, he was the quiet but obedient one. She was going to miss them so much. Naturally, all of them had resolved to maintain contact with her but she knew the odd hours of chefs. It would be extremely difficult for them and her to stand true to that resolve.

Besides, how could she forget the Siftons. They'd given her so much love, so much care. They'd come to be so much more than just her employer's family. They'd come to be her family. She'd begun to love each and every Sifton there was. Mrs. Sifton for her discipline and language regulations. Mr. Sifton for his bear-hugs and roars of laughter. Stella for her childish ways and adorable and lovable personality. Rhett for his flirting and multiple blunt innuendos. And Zac, for...everything.

Yes, she... did.

She always had been, perhaps. She had no clue how it had come to this when, to start with, she'd never expected to meet him ever again after what'd happened all those years ago. Fate, however, had had different plans, it seemed. She'd crossed paths with him again, when she'd least expected it. Initially she couldn't even tolerate him, then gradually she'd warmed up to him. Then she'd begun to like him. And now? Now she'd grown really fond of him.

Despite that realization, she'd stood her ground of wanting just friendship. And he'd complied without so much as a frown. She knew she couldn't give him anything more than that, not now, not ever. Travelling had become her life, she'd made it so. He was a family man, she could see it. It was how he'd been groomed. Anybody could guess it, after all he had Clair and Gerald's bond as the benchmark.

He might not stop her from working, but sooner or later he'd want her to stop traveling. He'd want a family, want her to be around him—she couldn't do that. That wasn't who she was. So, though she'd love to try out what life with him could be, she would not. It could never end well. There would be too much distance, too much time difference between the two of them most of the time to remain loyal to one another. There was far more possibility of things going south than it ending smoothly.

She couldn't do that to him. Ever. He was more likely to have a better life without her in it. So she would not rob him of even the prospect of a better life. That was a resolution she intended to hold to.

—x—

Savannah and Zac were in his cabin discussing and going through the minute details of the gala. Number of guests, approximate food quantity, welcome cocktails and drinks, any last minute changes, and other specifics.

"No, no. Don't do anything really fancy for the welcome drinks."

"Only the name is elaborate, Zac. The beverage isn't as elaborate as it seems. Plus, Blue Lagoon, though it's supposed to have vodka, can be swapped with soda for any underage guests who might come. 'Cause the color's so appealing, no one can resist it—even kids. So, you know, it's one of the few cocktails that can be morphed into a mocktail too."

"I see. Okay. Go ahead with that. And maybe one more? Similar kind?"

"I was thinking Sangria and Virgin Sangria? For the fruit-lovers."