“But I need ice cream right now,” she wailed. “It will make me feel better.”
“Tomorrow you’ll be moaning and groaning about eating past your limit and blaming me for letting you do it. You know too much ice cream gives you stomach aches.” Eden grinned at her. “I’m saving both of us the hassle.”
“Thanks for taking the bullet for me,” she grumbled, watching as her sister devoured the ice cream. “You know I have a bad habit of eating when I’m upset,” Georgia said, sticking out her mouth in a pout. “And at the moment I’m past caring about the day after regrets.”
“Georgia, you have to snap out of this. I know it was upsetting to find out about Riley’s child, but the truth is, he’s out of your life. He’s back in town just for the funeral, I imagine. Don’t let it consume you.”
“I just feel foolish.” She let out a beleaguered sigh. “I’ll be honest. Ever since Riley left I’ve imagined the two of us getting back together one day in the future. So all this time I’ve been daydreaming about a possible future with him while he’s been…raising a child he conceived with another woman.”
Eden hit her spoon on the side of the bowl, then made a face. “It’s really shocking, if I’m being truthful. Riley has always been such a stand-up guy. And I imagine his family kept quiet because the baby was out of wedlock. You know how traditional his family is. It’s always been about protecting the Somers’s family name. Blah blah blah.”
“It’s odd Aunt Libby never mentioned it. After all, a baby is a blessing in a family no matter how it comes into being.”
Eden frowned. “Georgia, that’s true, but plenty of people in this town would view it as a scandal. You know how Hope Valley can be. Maybe Riley wanted to protect his son from all the whispers.”
“Maybe.” Georgia shrugged. “Aunt Libby was a sweetheart. I think I know why she never mentioned it. I’m sure she figured it would be upsetting for me to find out.”
Georgia had visited Aunt Libby throughout her illness. She had regularly brought her books from the library and treats from the candy shop in town. She had always appreciated how their relationship hadn’t been gutted by her breakup with Riley. They’d maintained their friendship.
“So, where is the mother? Do you know for sure he’s not married?”
“He wasn’t wearing a ring and he said he’s raising the child by himself. He said Aidan wasn’t planned.”
Eden let out a low whistle. “That can’t be easy.”
All of a sudden the kitchen’s back door opened up to reveal their mother, Rosalie Ballou, standing there with an armful of flowers. She let out an annoyed sound. “Imagine my surprise when neither of you showed up at the reception for Libby. What happened to the two of you?”
“Come on in, Mom,” Georgia said, biting her tongue rather than reminding her mother she hadn’t knocked. It was Rosalie’s way to barge into the home she and Eden shared. She did it every single time she came over and it was terribly difficult for Georgia to call her out on it. Mama had been through so much in her life. Georgia hated to come down on her, particularly since her mother cried at the drop of a hat. She was an extremely emotional woman who didn’t hesitate to turn on the waterworks on every occasion.
“Don’t mind if I do,” her mother said, making the way inside with the use of her cane. For the last two years her mother had been struggling with multiple sclerosis, an auto-immune disease that affected her balance and coordination. Even though Georgia had invited her mother to come live with her and Eden, Rosalie Ballou refused. She wanted to maintain her independence for as long as possible.
“I’m sick, Georgia. I’m not dying.” It was Mama’s favorite phrase.
So Georgia and Eden had stopped inviting her. Not that it stopped Rosalie from treating their house like her own.
Rosalie walked inside and Georgia jumped up to take the flowers from her arms. “I brought these flowers for the two of you. They had them in droves at the reception. Seems like everyone in town sent flowers for Libby.” Georgia saw tears pool in her mother’s eyes as she sat down at the kitchen table.
Georgia watched as Eden patted her on the back. She went and reached for a vase under the kitchen sink, then filled it with water and placed the vibrant bouquets in. She placed the vase on the counter and stood for a moment to admire them. They were gorgeous.
“So what happened to the two of you?” Mama asked. “I looked for you everywhere. Kit said you never showed up.”
“I wasn’t in the mood after running into Riley.” Georgia paused dramatically. “And his child.”
Her mother didn’t bat an eyelash. She stared blankly at Georgia. “Oh,” she said in a soft voice. “You met him?”
“Yes, I did,” she snapped. “Clearly you knew all about Aidan. Your expression is very telling.”
Her mother hung her head. “Libby told me a few years ago. She didn’t mean to tell me. It just slipped out when the child was sick with pneumonia and everyone was worried. She swore me to secrecy.”
“A secret? From your own daughter?” Georgia ask, her voice resembling a roar.
“What good would it have done to tell you? You’ve been heartsick over Riley. It would have only given you more pain.” Mama made a tutting sound. “And if you ask me, there was something funny about the whole thing.”
“Funny? What do you mean by that?” Georgia asked. She nervously ran her fingers through her shoulder-length locks. Her heart began to thunder like crazy.
Rosalie shook her head. “It was a secret, which is so unnatural when it comes to a child being brought into the world. Especially for a family like the Somers. They’ve always been so proud of their family achievements. And it was a little bit strange that Riley didn’t come back to town to have Aidan baptized.” She crinkled her nose. “It was all a bit hush-hush. And I don’t think Riley married the mother either.”
Georgia bit her lip. “You’re right about it being a bit odd.” Mama had hit upon something that didn’t quite make sense. Aunt Libby, as well as Riley’s own mother, had always been so particular about family matters. As far back as Georgia could remember there had been major hoopla around family events—birthdays, Baptisms, weddings, funerals.
“Maybe he just wanted to do everything away from here. It’s not as if Riley lives in Hope Valley anymore.” Eden gave her two cents’ worth.
“It’s neither here nor there. You missed a lovely reception.” Mama turned her gaze to Eden. “And you really should have made an appearance. A certain someone was looking for you.”
Eden frowned. “Who are you talking about?”
“Max Stone. The most eligible bachelor in town,” her mother said, wagging her eyebrows.
Georgia couldn’t help but laugh at the expression on her mother’s face. Rosalie Ballou was such a matchmaker. And she loved the idea of Eden falling in love with the mysterious vineyard owner. He was handsome and wealthy, and above all else, single. In Rosalie’s eyes, he was a perfect catch for Eden.
“Max is eye candy, that’s for sure. But he and I are not going to fall in love and walk off into the sunset together,” Eden said.
“Why not?” Rosalie asked in an annoyed tone. “He’s sheer perfection. If I was twenty years younger, I’d be in the running.”
Eden rolled her eyes. “Because he’s rich and conceited. Plus, all the single ladies in Hope Valley are running around after him. It’s pretty nauseating to watch.” Eden frowned.
“Then stop watching,” Georgia teased. Her sister reached over and playfully swatted at her.
“It’s none of my business, but something was off between Kit and Jayden today,” their mother said with a sniff. “There seemed to be some serious tension crackling around them.”
“Mama! Stop gossiping!” Georgia exclaimed. Sometimes her mother could be impossible.
“I love Kit like she’s my own daughter,” Rosalie said. “I’m worried about her. And you should be too. She’s your best friend in the world.” Rosalie wagged her eyebrows at t
hem.
Eden and Georgia exchanged a furtive glance. Kit London was one of their closest friends. She had gotten married shortly after they’d graduated from high school to their other friend and classmate, Jayden London. Jayden had been recruited right out of high school by the NFL. He now played with the Colorado Cougars. Jayden was a superstar athlete, with endorsements and hosting gigs that had made him a household name.
In recent years, their marriage had been a bit troubled. Jayden’s time on the road, his sports injuries and the constant groupies who chased him had placed stress on the marriage. The fact that Kit had been struggling with infertility had heightened the entire situation. Both Eden and Georgia knew that Kit was thinking about a formal separation from Jayden. Their marriage troubles were a closely guarded secret. There was the constant threat of the media picking up the story and running with it. Media scrutiny could serve as the death knell for their union.
The fact that her mother had picked up on some troubling vibes at the reception concerned Georgia. She made a mental note to call Kit later on this evening. Even when you walked down the aisle with your high school sweetheart, Georgia realized, there were no guarantees. Riley’s handsome face flashed before her eyes. Having him back in Hope Valley was uncomfortable. She had tried for the last few years to get him out of her head and her heart. His return to town had knocked her off-kilter and proved the point that she wasn’t over Riley Somers. Not by a long shot.
Chapter Three
Riley looked around the room at his relatives who were gathered for the reading of Aunt Libby’s will. It was two days after her funeral and the harsh reality about his aunt’s death was slowly beginning to settle in. There would be no more Aunt Libby to remind him to put sunscreen on when he walked through the apple orchards in the blazing sun. Never again would he be able to take her out for her favorite ice cream treat in town. Despite his grief, he had to smile. She had stipulated that everyone in attendance had to wear blue jeans. Jeans had been Aunt Libby’s favorite article of clothing. Most of the townsfolk had memories of her digging amidst her flowers in the garden on the side of her house by the veranda.
It felt so strange that he would never again see her wearing her over-sized sun hat and the rubber Hunter boots she always wore when it was raining. He should have come back home more often in the past few years. Life had become so busy, especially having a child to look after and raise. Guilt now relentlessly stabbed at him. How many times had Aunt Libby asked to see Aidan again? He had seen her last year when she’d flown out to New York to visit for a week.
Georgia walked into the room, providing a sucker punch to his gut. He took a deep breath. With her hair pulled away from her face and twisted into an up-do, she looked sleek and polished. Her beauty radiated like the sun. He had always thought Georgia was a classic beauty. She made jeans and a white oxford shirt look anything but ordinary. The set of pearls gracing her throat added the perfect touch.
With her peaches and cream complexion and warm hazel eyes, she was a stunning woman. Way more attractive than she might ever realize. Georgia had always thought her sister Eden was the beauty in her family. Although Eden was attractive, Riley had always thought Georgia was in a class of her own.
Unforgettable!
“Thanks for the heads up about Georgia,” he said in a low voice to his younger brother, Charlie.
“Anytime,” Charlie said with a grin. “I figured it wouldn’t matter one way or another considering you and Georgia haven’t been an item in quite some time.” His brother’s voice dripped with sarcasm.
Riley glared at Charlie. “You’re really asking for it.” Charlie was two years younger than Riley. Although they were close, Charlie enjoyed needling Riley to no end.
“Are the two of you still fighting?” Molly asked as she walked up, heavily rolling her eyes. “You’re acting so juvenile. Aidan is more mature than the two of you.” Molly’s eyes trailed after Aidan, who was playing on the other side of the room with a fire engine. Riley couldn’t help but notice the way his sister couldn’t seem to take her eyes off Aidan. This was the first time Molly had spent any amount of time around Aidan in quite some time. Despite her insistence that she didn’t want to raise the son she’d carried in her stomach for nine months, Aidan couldn’t help but wonder if his little sister was having second thoughts. Or was she just going through growing pains?
He hoped she wasn’t going to rock the boat, because although he would always be sympathetic to his sister’s circumstances, Aidan was his son.
Riley locked gazes with Georgia. She was talking to his mother, who was looking at Georgia as if she’d hung the moon. She had always had a soft spot in her heart for Georgia. It had made it all the more painful when they had broken up. His mother had been heartbroken.
Just as he was about to go over to Georgia and break the ice between them, the executor of Aunt Libby’s will called the meeting to order. Connie Quinton, Esq. had been one of Aunt Libby’s oldest and dearest friends. With her no-nonsense attitude, Riley felt certain she would handle Aunt Libby’s estate with finesse. Riley couldn’t help but wonder what his aunt had left Georgia in his will. She was the only non-family member in the room. Connie began the proceedings, rattling off the individual bequests one by one. Riley smiled at his own particular bequest. In addition to a nice sum of money, he had been given Aunt Libby’s favorite horse, Oreo. Although the money had been a kind gesture, Riley really didn’t need it. Riley had been given a vast trust fund at birth, along with all of his siblings and cousins, along with shares in the family’s’ cider business. Although Riley had walked away from the family business, Hope Valley Cider Company, in order to pursue other avenues in New York, he still had a large stake in the corporation. Lately, he’d been thinking of getting back in the game.
Georgia began dabbing at her eyes with a tissue when it was revealed that Aunt Libby had left her the glass figurine collection she’d loved so dearly. Georgia bowed her head and closed her eyes as if in prayer. Riley had forgotten how Aunt Libby and Georgia had bonded over her glass figurine collections. Aunt Libby had collected the figurines ever since she was a little girl. Her father—Riley’s great grandfather Portland—had once gifted her with a glass ballerina after coming home from a business trip to San Francisco. The thoughtful gift had started Aunt Libby’s lifelong hobby. As a result, she had hundreds of glass figurines in her collection that Georgia would now be inheriting.
As the reading of the will came to an end, Riley made his way over toward Georgia. She greeted him warily. He couldn’t help but think of the words she’d hurled at him after Aunt Libby’s service. He hated knowing that she thought so poorly of him. Perhaps he could let her know Aidan wasn’t his biological child. But wouldn’t that be going against Molly’s wishes? And stirring up a hornet’s nest in the process.
Although it wasn’t a crime to have a child at seventeen years old, Molly harbored a great deal of shame about it. Riley also thought she felt guilty about not raising her son and her failed quickie marriage. She worried about what people would think of her. Riley thought Molly’s decision had been courageous and wise. He hoped in the years to come she would be able to appreciate her own actions as noble.
His mother flung the French doors open, allowing the October sunshine to stream inside the room. Everyone began to trickle outside. Riley walked over to where Georgia was standing by the patio table all alone.
“Hey, Georgia,” he said, praying she didn’t unload on him. Riley was hoping to smooth things over between them. For way too long now they had been at odds. He knew most of it was his fault, but somehow he needed to find a way to fix things.
“Riley,” she said with a nod. “You must be tickled about Oreo. I know how much you used to love riding him.”
He nodded his head. “I’m happy she thought of me. I grew up riding Oreo, whenever Aunt Libby would let me. It’s an honor that she left him to me. It will help me deal with losing her knowing she wanted me to have him.”
“Are you going to bring him to New York or leave him here in Hope Valley?” Georgia asked, her brows knitted together.
“To be honest, I have no idea. The farm is what he’s used to. I imagine if he had a voice he’d like to stay right here. And lately—” His voice trailed off. After their showdown, he wasn’t sure he should say anything to Georgia. He wasn’t sure how she would respond.
“Lately what?” she asked.
“Lately I’ve been thinking about moving back home.” He blurted out the words.
He watched as her hazel eyes widened. “Really? Why? You couldn’t wait to leave Hope Valley for New York. Aren’t you happy there?” Riley could hear the surprise emanating from her voice.
“Life is good, but I miss this town. I miss my family. And I miss being in the cider business. I suppose I took it all for granted.” He didn’t tell her he missed her, although it was the honest to goodness truth. Georgia didn’t want to hear that, not after the way they had ended things. Not after the way he’d run away from Hope Valley and left Georgia shattered.
“Your family would love to have you back,” she murmured. “I know they miss you being here in town.”
“And you?” he asked. “How would you feel about it?”
She let out a sigh. “What are you asking me, Riley? Things have been over between us for almost four years now. I have no say in your life. What difference does it make what I think? If moving back here is a good thing for you and Aidan, go for it.”
“I hate that there’s this wall between us,” he admitted. “I know I hurt you. All I can say from my heart is that I was young and I didn’t know what I wanted. But I miss talking to you. It sounds like a cliché, but I miss your friendship.”
Georgia met his gaze. There was a quiet strength radiating from her orbs. “Riley, it hasn’t been easy on me. I loved you. I wanted to be your wife. More than anything, I believe that people have the right to make their own destinies. Even though it hurt, I understand why you did what you did. You weren’t sure about us. And I miss your friendship too. I miss laughing at your jokes. I miss going to the movies with you and putting m & m candies in with the popcorn.”
Georgia On His Mind (Hope Valley Book 1) Page 3