“You know, Adam, we had a similar problem on our property in England. We ended up moving to livestock. We have sheep, cattle, pigs, and poultry now, and it’s very profitable,” I said.
“Lotsa folks around here farming pigs and cattle,” Adam replied.
“That may be true…but if you started with the very best breeding stock…your daughter is a star in the food business. Imagine a high-quality product associated with her name. Every restaurant in the state - the country even - would be clamoring for a product from your farm. If you raised sheep, the wool would be an added resource, too. You could produce honey, maybe even do something more exotic, like atract with Elk for hunting…you have a great piece of land to work with. Your options are virtually limitless,” I shrugged, hoping he would see the value in my ideas.
“I kinda like the sound of that,” he said. “Sounds like it could be an expensive proposition to set up, though.”
“I had an idea about that, too,” I said cautiously. He cocked his head to the side and raised an eyebrow. “What if you had a silent partner? Someone with the money and connections to get you started that allowed you to run everything yourself?”
“I don’t know, Lucas. I don’t feel good posting the deeds to my land, and I don’t have any other collateral to contribute.” Adam said, putting his hands on his hips.
“No, no – nothing like that. Look, I could provide the capital and put you in touch with people back home who are running things successfully. All the decisions would be yours. I’d be more of a silent partner,” I replied.
“Hmm. Well, that’s something to think about, Lucas. That’s a real generous offer,” he wiped his brow. “Only one thing concerns me, though.”
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Well, suppose things don’t work out with you and Georgia? We’d be tied up as business partners. I don’t know that’s such a good idea,” Adam looked at me with his head cocked to the side, wincing against the bright, mid-day sun.
“Well, that’s the thing I wanted to talk to you about,” I said. My throat felt dry, and my heart beat hard in my chest. “Adam, I’m in love with Georgia. I thought I’d been in love before, but when I met her…everything is different. She’s my whole world. If you’ll give me your blessing, I’d like to ask her to marry me.” I pulled the small box from my pocket and opened it to show him my grandmother’s diamond ring.
His eyes grew large, and he made a whistling sound through his teeth. “Damn, son, that’s a helluva rock!”
“It’s been in my family a long time. It was my grandmother’s. She was strong, elegant, and beautiful…just like Georgia,” I beamed at him.
His gaze moved from the box to my face. “You gonna do right by her?”
“Yes, sir. Always. I’d lay down my life for her,” I replied solemnly.
“She’s hard-headed, ya know. She gets somethin’ in her mind, and she won’t let it go, and there ain’t no tellin’ her different. She can make ya absolutely crazy sometimes,” he shifted his weight and put a hand on his hip. “But ain’t nobody loves with their whole heart like her. She sees the good in everybody. She’s…well, she’s somethin’ else,” his face was soft, his smile full of love.
“Yes, she definitely is something else,” I smiled back at him. “So?”
He stepped forward and shook my hand. “You got my blessin’, son. Make her happy. She deserves it.”
I went with Rome to pick up a few, last-minute things for the the meal. I had offered to take everyone out – anywhere they’d like to go, but Georgia insisted dinner at home was all they wanted. When we returned, Georgia and Celia had transformed the dining room. It was tastefully festooned with bunting, and the table was set with a cloth and a beautiful, old set of china that had apparently been around longer than anyone in the family could remember. It was a casual affair, Adam dressed in jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. Celia and Georgia both had on sundresses. The dinner was a beef tenderloin with all the trimmings – apparently Rome’s favorite.
As the last of the dishes were set in the center of the table, the front doorbell rang. “Who in the world would that be?” Adam asked.
“I invited somebody – I’ll get it,” Rome said, walking through to the front door.
“Hey, ya’ll,” as he walked in, I knew the voice immediately.
“Mike!” Georgia exclaimed, jumping up from her seat. “How sweet of you to come!”
He handed her a small spray of flowers. “Happy birthday, Georgia. Hope you don’t mind…Rome invited me, and well, after everything, I really thought it’d be nice to see ya’ll.”
Mike nodded to Adam, then walked over to me. “Lucas, I hope you don’t mind? I’m glad to see ya’ll – really,” he stuck his hand out to shake mine.
“Thank you for coming,” I said, “and listen…at the hospital…,” I started, and he cut me off.
“Don’t say another word about it, brother. You were in pain. It’s forgotten. I know what it’s like to be crazy when it comes to the woman you love,” he said as he shook my hand, but his eyes were already behind me and fixed on Celia. Of course, I realized as he walked to her and handed her the rest of the flowers in his hand. They were in school togegther - it made sense that she was the one he would be interested in. “I know it ain’t your birthday, but I thought you should have flowers too,” he told her.
“Thank you,” Celia whispered as she gingerly took them from his hand. I wasn’t sure what the history was there, but they had definitely been more than classmates.
Dinner with Georgia’s family made for a wonderful evening. They laughed and reminisced throughout the meal. Rome was more than happy to share embarrassing stories about his sister from their childhood. He told me about how she would chase him and his friends when they were little, begging to play every sport he played and determined to beat everyone – boys and girls alike.
After dinner, we went into the living room for cake. Adam brought out Rome and Georgia’s baby book. “It’s ridiculous,” I said, thumbing through the pages. “You never went through an awkward phase. It’s totally unfair,” I laughed as I looked through the school photos of her all the way through high school.
“Luc, I’m sure you never went through an awkward phase,” she smiled up at me.
“Are you serious? I’m British – my head didn’t catch up with my teeth until I was thirteen,” I joked, and they all roared with laughter.
After cake and exchanging gifts, Celia and Mike disappeared. The tension between them had been palpable all night, and we suspected that they must have things to talk about.
I told Rome that I’d like to take him to dinner the following evening – a guys’ night out – for his birthday. I offered to let him pick any restaurant in town he’d like to go to, and he excitedly started researching steakhouse options around Nashville.
“Beautiful night,” I told Georgia. “It looks like there may still be some fireflies out,” I smiled at her. Adam gave me a wink from outside her line of sight, knowing what I was up to.
“They’re lightnin’ bugs, not fireflies,” she laughed. “Come on then, let’s see if we can catch some.”
We took the four-wheelers down to the creek where we had been the night before. This time, I had already stashed a blanket and a bottle of Chateau Neuf de Pape I had purchased earlier in the trunk.
I laid the blanket out in the flat spot near the creek bank that Georgia loved. She started to sit down, and I stopped her. “Just a moment, there’s something I want to say,” I slid my arms around her and looked down into the face of the woman I loved.
“You already told me happy birthday,” she grinned.
“I’m glad I got to be here with your family – to celebrate with the people you love,” I kissed her forehead. “I can’t imagine my life without you, Georgia. You have my whole heart.”
She smiled up at me, tiptoeing up to sweetly kiss my lips. “I love you, Luc. I wouldn’t want to be anywhere else,” she said.
“I’m glad,” I said, stepping back from her. Her brow furrowed as I pulled the box from my pocket and dropped to one knee. “Georgia Graham, you are my whole world…tell me you’ll be mine forever and make my life complete. Marry me, Georgia.” My heart beat hard in my chest as she stood there in the moonlight, mouth agape, staring down at me.
Her lips pursed, and her brows dipped as tears began to splash down her cheeks. She stepped forward, nodding her head. “Yes, Lucas. Yes, I’ll marry you!” She took my face in her hands and put her mouth on mine. As I lifted her into my arms, I thought my heart might explode. I set her down and pulled away long enough to slip the ring on her finger.
“It’s – stunning!” She said as she looked down at her hand.
“It was grandmother’s. She would’ve loved you.” I said, stroking her face with my fingertips.
I was gentle, then, as I laid with my fiancée. We sipped fine wine and laughed and made love under the stars by the creek side. “I wonder what Daddy’s gonna think,” she said as we got back to the house, parking the four-wheelers in the shed.
“About that…,” I stroked the back of my neck with my palm, raising my eyebrows at her.
“He knew?!” She asked. “You’re kiddin’!”
“I had to get his blessing, Georgia. He’s a scary man!” I chuckled.
“Well,” she laughed, “you gotta point there, I guess. But listen,” she turned to me, putting her hands on my chest. “I don’t want to rush a big weddin’. I want to get this season in the can – make sure we’re on track with the show first, okay? After all,” she leaned up closer, “we know neither of us is goin’ anywhere.” She pressed her soft lips to mine.
“Whatever you want, Georgia.” I held her close. “I’m willing to wait, as long as you promise you’re mine.”
Epilogue
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: HIT SERIES WE’LL BITE! RENEWED FOR A 3-SEASON ARC
Atlanta, Georgia, January 10th: BITE Television announced today that the fan favorite series, We’ll Bite! staring Georgia Graham and Lucas Nash has been renewed for a 3-season arc. The show’s first series was plagued by filming delays after an accident while filming. After its release, the show garnered critical acclaim, winning top awards in travel and reality categories. The loyal fan following of the two charismatic stars catapulted the show to the top spot in its time slot, as well as digital download and on-demand rankings. Stars Georgia Graham and Lucas Nash became engaged last year. They are currently wrapping up a press tour associated with the first series. Season two of We’ll Bite! will be begin filming when the stars return from their honeymoon at the end of the summer.
Sweet Promise (The Grahams Book 1) Page 21