Georgia relaxed as she moved away. She’d done all she could for Henna. The rest was up to the girl. She only had one more hour to survive of this evening. Surely she could stay out of trouble for that length of time.
Behind her, she heard Vassal and Henna talking about her. Like most young people they assumed her hearing had already failed at her age. It made her smile to hear the discussion as she slowly moved away.
“Wish her luck with what?” Vassal asked.
“Who knows?” Henna replied. “She’s the strangest woman Dad’s ever liked.”
“I’m not surprised Brent likes her. I like her too. Georgia would be good for your father. She’s refreshingly brazen,” Vassal said, being sincere.
“Brazen? That’s not the only descriptive word that comes to my mind, but mine does start with a capital B,” Henna said sourly.
“Henna… why are you being so rude?”
It delighted Georgia that Henna didn’t go along with Vassal’s assessment. It meant she’d ruffled the girl’s feathers and that was exactly what Henna Colombo needed.
She was grateful every day that John had gotten in Mariah’s face and made her daughter pay attention to something besides her broken heart.
Chapter Ten
Georgia didn’t consider herself a paranoid person, but it seemed everywhere she walked, Justin and his blonde posse appeared moments later. If she didn’t know better, Georgia would have thought they were following her around. They didn’t seem worth feeling paranoid over, so she decided not to go there in her mind.
Then she noticed the three older blondes eyeing her. Buffed to perfection, they were preserved versions of Jackass Justin’s fan club. They were all younger, though how much was debatable. None had any lines on her face. Apparently, Hollywood had inspired an ex-wives club because they all seemed creepily friendly with each other.
Two of the women were as tall as her… the third just a few inches shorter. All of them were dressed to impress in tight, short dresses and towering heels. Everything about them announced they were out to garner whatever male attention looked promising. She’d bet Hollywood was still at the top of their wish list. Otherwise, why would they have come?
Hollywood had obviously been on a roll with a certain type of woman—a type she’d never been and would never be. They all looked like Mariah, blonde, sleek and elegant. They looked like groomed French poodles. She looked like a multi-colored mutt dressed in fancy clothes.
There would be no fairytale ending with Prince Colombo. She was officially in Cinderella hell. To deal, Georgia closed her eyes and did some deep breathing. Only thirty-seven more minutes to go and then she was going to send a text to Leonard. Her time at the ball was nearly behind her. In the meantime, she had no intentions of standing around and being judged by the former women in Hollywood’s life.
Georgia nabbed a wandering Vassal’s arm as he moved by. “I need some air,” she said. “Where can I escape for a few minutes?”
“Dining alcove next to the banquet room. Back the way you came and to the left. You’ll see the doors.”
“Thanks,” Georgia said, patting his shoulder.
Sneaking out one of the unlocked patio doors, Georgia breathed in the cool night air and walked across a giant expanse of worn and well-used pavers. She’d give anything to take her shoes off. Imagine how much pain she’d be in right now if she’d worn the gold high heels Ann had first wanted.
Seeing potential relief ahead, Georgia stopped to sit on the first bench she came across, checking first to see if any birds had christened it recently. The last thing she needed was to explain to the dry cleaners why there was bird poop on Trudy’s hundred thousand dollar suit.
Slipping off her shoes with a deep sigh, she wiggled her naked toes and took time to admire how nice her legs looked. Ann had given her a spray that was like makeup. Her legs were yoga taut and sleek, but had been much too pale for the cream material. Now they were a softly burnished tan that gleamed in the outdoor lamp. Her friends had dressed her well.
She felt Hollywood coming before she ever saw him clearly. He put off some vibe her body immediately felt whenever he was close.
“Damn it. You found me,” she said in greeting. “Who ratted me out?”
He walked under the light of the lamp and straight over to her. His chuckle was masculine and satisfied. He slid onto the bench next to her and bumped her hip with his.
“Vassal told me. I think he’s been keeping an eye on you.”
Georgia snorted. “I don’t know how that boy pulled his eyes off your daughter’s ass long enough to notice what I was doing.”
“Henna? Are you telling me Vassal’s interested in Henna?”
Georgia shrugged. “He seemed pretty nice when we were visiting… a lot better than Justin.”
“Well, that’s true enough,” Brent said firmly. “Huh… Vassal and Henna. I can actually see that working.”
“Maybe. If she ever gets her shit together. Your daughter’s way too feisty to let someone like that ass, Justin, take her under with his smarmy I-want-you-back crap. Being good-looking does not excuse a man from breaking his wedding vows, or at least not where I come from. Maybe I’m just old-school about those things.”
“Most people believe that, Georgia. I have always honored my vows,” Brent said.
Georgia studied his face. “You know, I can believe that about you. I figured that was why you kept marrying all those times. It was still stupid of you to keep marrying bimbos who just wanted your money, but I can see why you might have thought marriage was the honorable way to treat them.”
“At least you realize I’m capable of some amount of good,” Brent declared. “Now if you could just stop hating me for being a man, we might get somewhere in this relationship.”
“Don’t flatter yourself. I do not hate you, but I am mad as hell about this stupid date. You invited me here tonight when you knew damn well your exes were coming too. I’ve been the topic of gossip among your friends and your exes all evening.”
His sigh was long. His head nodded. “It was wrong of me to invite you. I tried to reschedule when I realized.”
“Without an apology or a real explanation as to why,” Georgia said sharply. “You never once admitted what would be going on tonight.”
“I’m not a bad guy, Georgia. I’m just a bit stupid about women—well, real women anyway. You don’t realize how unique you are. I don’t usually have trouble with most of your kind.”
“My kind?” Georgia laughed at the term and his nerve. “I’m the only one of my kind, Hollywood.”
“Yes, I know,” Brent said sincerely, spinning on the bench to face her. “That’s why I followed you out into my courtyard. I wanted to spend a few minutes alone with you. You really are my idea of a perfect date, even when you’re at a disadvantage. Your grace under pressure is as sexy as those perky breasts of yours.”
Georgia felt all the air leave her chest. No, no, no… he was not winning her over with charm.
“This thing between us—whatever it is—seems more impossible to me tonight than it did when we met over Mariah’s broken toilet. You’re not my social speed. Those flashy blondes with their short dresses and unlined faces are your speed, Hollywood. You and I both know that. Why do you keep chasing me?”
Brent chuckled and shook his head. “I wish you could see yourself the way men see you. I have six single rich friends near my age who’re right now hoping I crash and burn with you. I know at least two of them put your name in their phone so they can look you up when they see Mariah. But that’s not why I’m actually out here, even though there’s no way in hell I’m going to let any of them near you. I found you first.”
Georgia turned to him. “You either have a hearing problem or an ego the size of Ohio. Hasn’t any woman ever told you no before?”
Brent snorted and dropped his head. “Not as many times as you have.”
Her laughter rang out loudly in the night, scaring some birds out of a nea
rby tree. His self-effacing chuckle followed. Damn it, she didn’t want to forgive him.
“You are just trouble with a big, old capital T, aren’t you?”
In answer, Brent leaned into her and captured her mouth with his. There was both demand and need in his kiss. It shocked her how much she wanted to meet both. Sixty-two and she was making out in the garden of a mansion owned by the man kissing her.
She hadn’t seen this coming in her life. She hadn’t seen Hollywood coming.
They had absolutely nothing in common and no future that she could see, yet all she wanted was to stay where she was on this bench, kissing him back.
His hand slipped inside her suit jacket and cupped her breast, his thumb finding the edge of her bra and the uncovered skin above it. Even through all the layers, the intimate claim he was staking was clear.
“Is this a demonstration of your infamous idea about our chemistry?” She ordered her voice to be strong, but it ended up a whispered question against his lips.
“Yes,” he whispered back, just before his grip shifted from a gentle stroke to a tight hand on her breast while his lips captured hers again.
His tongue dancing in her mouth promised more delights than she could probably handle after such a long drought of no pleasure. A very vivid, detailed image of being with Hollywood popped into her head, full blown and reasonable. It had been years—literally years—since she’d had such blatant sexual desire for a man.
Cinderella Georgia was now officially scared. Her effing Prince Charming was winning her over.
Georgia pushed on Hollywood’s chest to put some distance between them. She laughed when he didn’t let go of her breast, even though the man finally did let her breathe. Before she could move away further, his forehead pressed against hers as if he just couldn’t bare to break their connection.
Her heart fluttered in her chest as her brain wondered what the tender gesture meant. They stayed that way so long that Georgia wasn’t sure what would happen when he let go.
“You planning to walk around holding my breast for the rest of the evening?” she asked, trying to break the spell.
“I’m just not letting go until you make me. I’m creating a memory here.”
Georgia laughed. “A memory of what?”
“Of the first time you let me really touch you,” Brent whispered. “I’ve wanted to do this since the day we met. I wanted to do all kinds of things to you. That’s why I asked you out that day. I liked you, thought you were sexy, and I wanted to get to know you. It happened the way love is supposed to happen.”
“Love? I thought you were just being fresh,” Georgia accused.
“Fresh? What does that mean?” Brent asked, laughing against her cheek.
“It was something my mother used to say to my father when he rubbed her backside while she was cooking him dinner. They made it sound like a good thing. I’m not sure I’ve ever accused a man of it before.”
Brent groaned a little. “I’d love to rub your backside, so yes, I’m definitely getting fresh with you.”
His mouth descended to hers again, but this time sweetly. When he broke the sweet kiss, he followed it with very light kisses down her face and throat. “I’m sorry I asked you here. I shouldn’t have. Henna suggested it, but I knew it was a bad idea. I hope you can forgive me.”
Georgia backed up and her breast left his hand for the first time since he’d sat down. She tapped his rock hard jaw. “Not happening, Brentwood.”
“It’s not? But… you kissed me back. I know you want me. Are you still mad?” Brent asked, scooting away.
Georgia snorted. “You know something? You’re turning out to be a lousy date. You set me up to be embarrassed. In my world, you deserve a bloody nose for it. Did you really expect a few kisses would make up for not warning me about your exes being here?”
“That’s like when a woman asks if her pants make her look fat. I’m not completely stupid. Any answer I give about kissing you will just get me into more trouble.”
Her laughter filled the courtyard… or wherever they were. It was hard to see in the dark.
“Well, I don’t have that sort of perception problem. I buy clothes that look nice and don’t give a crap if a man thinks I’m fat. And you are not off the hook for your bad behavior tonight.”
“You’re not… fat,” Brent said, stumbling over the word.
Georgia snorted. “Of course I’m not. Trudy’s a health nut in the kitchen, Ann’s a dance-a-holic, and Jellica is the yoga teacher from hell. I couldn’t gain a pound if I wanted to, not with friends like them.”
“My attraction to you exceeds the physical. I’d sleep with you no matter what you weighed,” Brent declared.
“Good God…” Georgia said, slipping on her shoes. “You craft physical perfection for a living. You must think women are really dumb.” She stood and looked down at him. “Oh, I forgot,” she said, studying his handsome face. “You have good looks and money. Women all play dumb for you. Well, screw you, Prince Charming. This Cinderella refuses to be one of them.”
“I said you kissed me back like you wanted me. I did not say you were dumb,” he grumbled, pushing up from his seat.
“Oh, I’m dumb, just in non-gold digging ways,” Georgia informed him. “When you grow a backbone about admitting your mistakes, and get some ethics about love and romance, give me a call. You have my number, Hollywood. I might not even block it on my phone after tonight. Who knows?”
She stomped away in her pumps, her feet protesting their confinement again.
“Georgia? Where are you going?”
She stopped and turned back. “Cinderella is heading back to the ball, and news flash… without Prince Charming on her arm because she doesn’t like his ass that much right now.”
When he stared at her like she was crazy, Georgia had to laugh. “Get real, Hollywood. I’m going to hunt up Henna and say good-bye. Maybe Vassal too, if he’s still here. It’s called being polite… and I like your daughter… at least when she isn’t being a little shit. I’ll see you again too before I leave.”
“But you’re still mad at me.”
Georgia sighed. “More like disappointed. Kissing you though… for a little while there, I really did want the fairy tale ending to our story. Except with you, it would be more like marrying a real King Henry the VIII clone. I’d have to watch my head constantly. Your entire dysfunctional family would be itching to see my neck on the social chopping block.”
Seeing nothing but confusion in his handsome gaze, Georgia turned around and walked away from him. Maybe she was the crazy one. Hollywood was handsome, rich, and hers if she wanted. But that blissful state would last all of five seconds. It would last until Hollywood figured out that bride number five wasn’t any better than any of the others. Then he’d divorce her too, and she’d spend the rest of her life grieving the loss of the second man she’d ever had serious feelings for in her life.
Couldn’t a smart woman avoid that kind of heartache? Of course, she could. Georgia had already done it—was doing it. Wasn’t she?
Chapter Eleven
Her husband had always said Georgia was part homing pigeon because she never got lost, not even in strange places she’d never visited before. It had been a very useful trait for a military wife. Her innate sense of direction was proving useful tonight too, as she found her own way out of Hollywood’s garden and back into his house.
She stepped inside and immediately noticed that all the people were missing from the banquet room. Only the caterers remained and they were whispering low to each other. Her gaze took in the still ample food spread and knew something very interesting must have pulled Hollywood’s guests away from their food.
That’s when she heard a female screaming obscenities.
Then there was some name calling in high-pitched voices.
More curious than concerned, Georgia followed the hallway until she was in the foyer once more and at the back of a mesmerized crowd. Two of Hollywood’s
exes, the tallest two, had shed shoes and climbed into the fountain to try and pull his third ex—the obviously still pining one—out of it. The woman was crying and trying to keep her distance from her determined rescuers, both of whom seem to be chastising her. It appeared to be quite the spectator sport for those in attendance.
Spying Vassal looking over as many heads as he could at his modest height, Georgia wove her way over to him. “What’s that all about?” she whispered.
Vassal chuckled as he looked at her. “You.”
“Me?” Georgia squeaked, drawing the gazes of the twenty people closest to them.
“Yes. My former mother-in-law seems to be in the midst of a mental breakdown because Brent abandoned her to go look for you. The other two are trying to help her pull herself together because they’re afraid all of them will be banned from returning to future events. No one wants to risk their chance of reconciliation.”
Georgia looked at the women in the fountain. “They’re embarrassing themselves. No man is worth that crap. Which blonde is your mother-in-law?”
“Former mother-in-law… and that would be the shorter one running away from the other two. She was the last in line and had intended to be the last Mrs. Colombo.”
“How can you tell them apart? They look like a set of triplets.”
“I know. Each successor wanted to be as beautiful as her predecessor. Now they’re all appalled because he’s more interested in you, who every trained eye in the room can tell has never had a smidgen of work done on her. They don’t understand your natural allure or your… earthly, snide charm.”
Georgia snorted over Vassal’s damning praise of her lack of filters. “I don’t have any allure and I’ve never had charm.” She shook her head as the two each took a hand and tried to pull on the resistant one. “I’m so mad at him I could spit in his food, but even Hollywood doesn’t deserve this.” She watched a couple minutes longer. “Why isn’t anyone doing anything?”
Never A Dull Moment Page 7