Georgia Summer

by Heather Colleen

  “Me?” He held his hands up, as if to dispel her worries. “Oh, I’m just goin’ for a walk. You’re not the only one that likes to do that, you know,” he joked.

  Georgia studied him. She still couldn’t tell if he was being honest.

  Answering her thoughts, Jace spoke again, “You know, I’m not some bad guy, Georgia. Sure, I may come off as a little rough around the edges…”

  Georgia raised her eyebrows skeptically at him.

  “But I’m actually a good person, if you'd just take a minute to get to know me a lil’ better.” He paused.

  Hearing this, Georgia hesitated. His words had struck a chord with her. Wasn’t she always telling herself to give people a chance rather than relying on rumors?

  “Can I walk with you? Just for a few minutes?” Jace asked, his face hopeful.

  Georgia bit her lip as she considered his request. “Um, all right," she conceded. “But just for a few minutes. I have to be back soon.” Jace smiled, and for a moment, Georgia glimpsed someone other than the arrogant jerk she had always thought him to be. They began to walk, Millie between them as they continued on the path.

  “So, how have you been?” Jace asked timidly.

  “Fine, I guess. It’s been an eventful week.” Georgia tugged at Millie, who was sniffing Jace’s pant leg suspiciously as they walked.

  “I know. That must've been really terrible, findin' Dr. Young like that.” Jace shook his head.

  Georgia glanced sideways at him, surprised by his comment. Since when did Jace Montgomery express empathy towards her? Or towards anyone? “You heard about that?” she asked, lifting an eyebrow.

  Jace nodded. “Everyone heard.”

  Georgia pressed her lips together. Of course, everyone would have heard that it was the sheriff’s daughter who found Dr. Young. “I-i-it was. It was terrible,” she admitted, letting her guard down. “It was the last thing I ever expected to find when I went down Firefly Lane that night.” She gulped. She hadn’t really talked to anyone about it since that night.

  Jace stopped, turning to face her as he reached out and touched her arm. “Hey, are you okay?”

  Georgia stopped. They were standing under a giant, live oak tree now, the shade of its leaves and long branches enveloping them in a shadow. “I’m fine,” she said, brushing his question off.

  He gave her a discerning look, his hand still resting on her arm.

  “Well, I’ve been better,” she confessed. She looked back towards Firefly Lane, recalling the night. “I just wish that Dr. Young hadn’t gotten to a point where he felt that…” She stopped, not wanting to utter that word. She took a deep breath, steadying herself, and went on, “Where he felt that was the only way out...the only option, I mean.” She looked down at the ground, feeling hot tears brim in her eyes.

  “Hey,” Jace said. His voice was softer now. He stepped in closer to her.

  Georgia could feel Millie’s heat against her legs as she tried to worm her way between them, anxiously panting as she attempted to intervene. Georgia wiped her eyes. She felt embarrassed for crying about this in front of someone, especially someone like Jace Montgomery.

  Removing his hand from her arm, Jace reached up and cupped Georgia’s chin, lifting her face.

  She looked into his dark eyes. They looked hungry as they scanned her face.

  “You’re really pretty,” he said softly, reaching over behind her ear as he tucked a strand of hair behind it.

  Why was he being so nice to her? Georgia wondered. Maybe she had been too hard on him.

  Jace gently took Millie’s leash from Georgia’s hand and reached around her towards a low-hanging branch. He then hooked the leash onto the branch, restricting Millie’s reach so that her nose just barely touched the back of Georgia’s knee.

  “Why did you…?” Georgia began, but Jace moved in closer. Georgia instinctively stepped backwards, her back scraping up against the tree as she tried to put more space between her and Jace.

  Jace took another step though and closed the gap again between them, pinning her against the tree.

  Georgia could hear Millie whining now around the tree as she yanked on the leash, desperately trying to reach Georgia. Georgia shook her head. “No, Jace.” She lifted her hands and pushed against Jace’s shoulders, but he quickly grabbed them, lifting them over her head and restraining them against the tree easily with one hand. Georgia gasped in shock. She felt powerless, paralyzed with fear as he leaned in again, his nose mere inches from her own. She looked around, hoping someone, anyone, would walk by. Where was the couple she saw earlier?

  With his free hand, Jace reached up and ran a finger down her cheek, stroking her smooth skin.

  Georgia squirmed and turned her face away against the tree in an attempt to break free from his touch.

  “You really are a beauty, Georgia,” he whispered in her ear as she looked away from him. “Why are you fightin’ this?”

  Georgia pulled harder against his restrain. “Let go of me, Jace,” she said breathlessly.

  “Oh, I get it. You’re not the lil’ whore that your sister is, huh?”

  Georgia closed her eyes tightly as she tried thrusting her weight against his hands once more, but he was stronger. She opened her mouth to scream, but he was one step ahead of her.

  He clapped his hand over her mouth. “No point in screaming, Georgia,” he whispered. His mouth was against her ear, pushing the side of her head into the rough bark of the tree. “No one can hear you.”

  He sniffed condescendingly, and Georgia could sense his disgusting sneer as she closed her eyes and attempted to twist her face out of his grasp. Georgia screamed into his palm as loud as she could, and Millie lost it. She had had enough of trying to be the well-behaved dog when she knew something was wrong. Millie sounded the alarm, barking and yelping as she pulled as hard as she could against the leash. Georgia felt Jace lean away from her face as he aimed a kick towards Millie.

  “Stupid, dumb dog,” he muttered as he swung his foot towards her head.

  Georgia felt a rush of anger as she wrestled against Jace, waiting for the sound of the blow of his foot against Millie’s head, but it never came. Relief flooded Georgia. Millie must have been too fast, she thought to herself, as Millie continued to shout for help in the only way she knew how to.

  All of a sudden, Georgia felt Jace’s grip against her slacken, and he abruptly dropped her hands from over her head.

  “Arghhhhhh!” he yelled.

  She heard a loud thud and looked down to see that Jace was flat on his face in front of her. Georgia fell away from the tree, stumbling as she tried to get away from Jace’s reach. Jace rolled over and tried to stand, but an arm swung out at his face, decking him hard enough so that he fell onto his back. Georgia looked up to see who Jace’s attacker was.

  She gasped. It was Landon Young.

  Chapter 18

  The Unlikely Savior

  Georgia stared at Landon. She almost didn’t recognize him in normal civilian clothes.

  “You okay, Georgia?” Landon called out, not looking at her as he kicked Jace in the gut.

  Jace yelped as Landon’s foot met his stomach, and his body curled up into a ball in the dirt.

  Georgia nodded, her eyes wide, not knowing if she should get up and run away or stay where she was. She felt dizzy, like she was watching an all-too-real action movie with Millie barking nonstop in the background.

  “You think it’s okay to just corner a woman and take advantage of her? You filthy piece of shit,” Landon snarled. He took Jace by his shirt and lifted his shoulders up off the ground. “Give me one reason why I shouldn’t finish you off this time,” he said through clenched teeth, his tone acidic.

  Georgia’s shock turned to confusion as she stared at Landon and Jace. What was Landon talking about?

  Jace sneered at Landon. “She’s not a woman. She’s a whore, just like her sister.” He then turned his face and spat in the direction of Georgia.

  Landon
didn’t miss a beat and punched Jace almost automatically, but he didn’t stop there. He continued to strike him repeatedly, with Jace’s head flopping backwards like a rag doll.

  Georgia grimaced as she saw blood spurt from Jace’s face, the consistent blows from Landon leaving gashes now in his skin. She covered her eyes. She couldn’t bear to see this. Peeking through her fingers over her eyes, she saw Jace losing consciousness as Landon continued to beat him to a bloody pulp. “Stop!” Georgia yelled, surprising herself. She was crying now. “Please! Stop! Landon, he’s not worth it!”

  Landon stopped and looked over at her. His eyes were blazing with fury.

  Georgia almost didn’t recognize the Landon she saw now. Gone was the calm, collected man she had met at the funeral service, replaced by an enraged, nearly unrecognizable person.

  Landon let go of Jace’s shirt and Jace dropped back onto the ground, moaning in pain. Landon stood over him, looking at him scornfully.

  Jace rolled onto his back and looked up at Landon. A disturbing smile spread across his face, revealing his teeth that were outlined in blood. He spoke, his voice hoarse, “Yeah, Landon. I’m not worth it. Remember what happened last time?”

  Landon froze, gazing down at Jace in disbelief.

  Jace laughed, his tone raspy. “You do remember, don’t you? If I remember right, you were beatin' me down over some other whore. What was her name again?” Jace paused, feigning forgetfulness. “Oh,” he said, his lips stretching into a ghastly smile. “Emmarie. That’s right. Emmarie.”

  Landon’s lips curled with wrath as Jace repeated her name.

  “Don’t worry, Landon. I kept our little secret,” Jace said as blood dribbled from his mouth.

  Georgia furrowed her eyebrows. What secret was he talking about? Who was Emmarie?

  “But I’d be careful if I were you,” Jace went on. “This time your daddy ain’t around to save you, so you’d better think twice before you finish me off.” Jace giggled. It sounded almost diabolical coming from his swollen, pulverized face. “Actually, maybe you’d better, so I can take our little secret to the grave with me,” he added, his mouth widening into a revolting, bloody grin.

  Georgia swallowed hard as the questions raced through her mind. Had this happened before?

  Landon stood there for a few moments staring at Jace, and Georgia could feel the hatred emanating from his body as he balled his hands into tight fists. A few moments of silence passed before Landon finally spoke, his voice seething with anger, “She’s right. You’re not worth it, Jace.” He looked down at Jace with utter disdain. He turned and began to walk over to Georgia, but then stopped. He turned back around again, and delivered a swift, hard kick into Jace’s side.

  Jace shrieked with pain, rolling over onto his side as he clutched his stomach.

  Landon then bent down and yanked Jace up by the scruff of his shirt, dragging him to his feet as Jace whimpered. Holding Jace up by his shirt, his feet barely touching the ground now, Landon glowered at him. He spoke, his voice low and threatening, “Let that serve as a reminder that if I even so much as hear a rumor that you pulled this shit again with another woman, I will finish you off and make it look like an accident.” Landon paused, his breathing heavy. “I’ve shown you mercy more than once now. Next time, you won’t be so lucky.”

  Jace stopped whimpering and looked up at Landon, this time with more fear than contempt in his eyes.

  Landon glared at Jace, and then let go of his shirt, dropping him to the dirt.

  Jace fell, disoriented as his feet hit the ground. Catching himself, he stumbled backwards and began to run, looking back at Landon to make sure he wasn’t following him. Landon didn’t move a muscle as Jace continued to run like a coward, his bloodied shirt standing out in the otherwise peaceful, serene park.

  It wasn’t until Jace was completely out of view that Landon finally moved and went over to Georgia. “Are you all right?” he asked as he bent down to help her up.

  Georgia let him help her stand, his strong hands helping her to her feet once again. She didn’t respond and kept her eyes down as she dusted the dirt off her shorts and shirt, not knowing what to say.

  Georgia then heard Millie whining as she tugged against the leash, desperate to reach Georgia. Forgetting about Landon, Georgia hurried over to the tree and unhooked Millie’s leash from the branch. No longer held captive, Millie bounded into Georgia’s arms, licking her face and neck with equal parts relief and joy. Georgia hugged Millie and stroked her fur, calming her. “It’s okay, girl,” she whispered.

  When Millie seemed placated, Georgia stood up again, this time allowing herself to look at Landon who was still standing there, watching her. He had been so quiet that she had almost forgotten that he was there. He was dressed in dark wash jeans and a navy t-shirt, his clothing still surprisingly clean after the scuffle that had taken place moments ago. Landon gazed at her thoughtfully, studying her as if he were attempting to read a book in a language he didn’t know.

  Georgia looked back at him, not knowing what she should say. Her mouth felt suddenly dry. She swallowed, moistening her throat. “I-I-I don’t know how I can even begin to thank you,” she said hesitatingly, unsure as to how to give a proper thank-you to the man who had just rescued her from Jace Montgomery. Georgia looked down, shaking her head. “I don’t know what I would have done had it not been for you…Landon.” She looked up at him again as she said his name, her eyes meeting his.

  Landon didn’t say anything, and the silence ballooned between them.

  Georgia stood there, waiting for him to respond.

  Landon shoved his hands in his pockets and looked down, appearing to be embarrassed by her thank-you.

  Georgia gripped Millie’s leash tightly, nervous as she searched for the right words. “Um…I guess I’d better head home. My dad will be wondering where I am,” she said, realizing that her hour was most likely almost up. The last thing she wanted right now was to hear the police sirens blasting through the park as they tried to find her. She didn’t doubt her dad would send them after her if she didn’t come home on time. “Thank you…again, Landon.” She turned and stepped back onto the path that would lead her to the exit of Maple Leaf Park.

  “You can thank me properly by letting me walk you home.”

  Hearing him finally speak, Georgia stopped, her back to him still. She slowly turned around, secretly glad to have an excuse to look at him again. “The last time I let a boy walk with me, it didn’t work out that well,” she said, gesturing in the direction of where Jace had run off. Landon raised his eyebrows, with amusement or slight offense Georgia couldn’t tell.

  He drew himself to his full height. “Well, I’m not a boy. I’m a Marine. They don’t let boys join the Marines,” he said, a note of pride in his voice.

  Georgia didn’t say anything, still unsure as to whether she should let Landon Young walk her home.

  In response to her thoughts, he asked again, “Let me walk you home, Georgia.” He paused for a moment, looking at her intently. “You can trust me.”

  Georgia gazed at him, studying his grey blue eyes for that dark aggression she had seen only moments ago when he was pummeling Jace. Seeing none, she gave in. “All right,” she replied, hoping she wouldn’t regret her decision. “But I have to hurry. My dad will be wondering where I am.” Georgia briefly considered reminding Landon of the fact that her dad was Sheriff Summer, but decided against it.

  “Of course. I understand,” Landon said, hastily walking over to her side as though he were worried she might change her mind. He fought back a victorious smile as they began to walk briskly towards the exit of the park. It was silent for a moment before Landon spoke again, “So, are you…okay?”

  Georgia nodded, anxious to put her second, even more awful encounter with Jace behind her. “I’m fine.” She looked straight ahead, focusing on getting home as soon as possible. But then curiosity got the better of her. She glanced sideways at Landon, taking in his striking profile. S
he had always liked the way men looked in uniform, and she recalled how he had looked at the funeral in his crisp Dress Blues. Somehow though, seeing Landon Young in normal attire made him seem more approachable. “How did you know?” she asked. “I mean, how did you know that I needed help?”

  Landon shrugged his shoulders. “I was over at Firefly Lane. I heard a dog barking like mad through the trees and it sounded like something serious. So I came over and sure enough, someone was in trouble.”

  “And just like that, you saved the day?" Georgia joked.

  “Well, I wasn’t about to let that pathetic excuse for a man take advantage of you, if that’s what you mean by saving the day,” Landon answered, his words clipped as if he were annoyed by her remark.

  Georgia looked down, embarrassed for having made light of what could have been a much worse outcome with Jace. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I didn’t mean to—”

  “It’s fine. You don’t need to apologize,” he said, waving her apology away. “I’m just glad nothing happened and that you’re…” His voice trailed off as he caught himself. “I mean, I’m just glad that everything turned out okay, and that no one was hurt,” he said, sounding more reserved again.

  Georgia nodded in agreement. “Me too.” She looked at him sideways again, peeking at him from under her lashes. She noted his sharp jaw line, his perfect profile seemingly chiseled to perfection. Georgia felt her palms sweating. Why was she suddenly nervous now? Not wanting him to catch her staring at him, she looked down at Millie, watching her head bob as she trotted next to her.

  It fell quiet again, except for the sound of their shoes hitting the pavement as they exited the park.