Georgia On My Mind Read Free Page B

Euchre, a card game Bill had imported to Rhode Island from Minnesota . Good Gus lingered. “Are you sure you’re all right? It’s not like you to break down like that.”
    “I miss my mom,” she said, knowing she could confide in him and it wouldn’t be all over the center in ten minutes.
    His face softened. “Of course you do, honey.”
    “And to add insult to injury, my boyfriend in Atlanta dumped me this morning.”
    “ What? Is he crazy ? I’ll tell you what,” Gus huffed, “if I was thirty years younger, why I’d court you myself. He’s a fool.”
    Amused by his righteous indignation, Georgie smiled. “I’d be honored to be courted by such a lovely gentleman.”
    “Don’t you worry. You’ll meet a nice young man in no time. Once the word gets out that you’re on the market, we’ll have to beat them off with a stick. Heck, Walter is ready to run away with you the minute you say the word.”
    Smiling, she got up to hug him. “Do me a favor and don’t put out the word, okay?”
    “Sure thing,” he said, returning her embrace and kissing her forehead. “Your secret is safe with me. I’ll let you get back to work, but we’re right out there if you need us.” He headed for the door.
    “Gus?”
    Turning back, he raised a white eyebrow.
    “Thank you. Tell the others, too.”
    “Our pleasure, honey.”
    When she was alone, Georgie dropped her head onto her folded arms and took a deep, rattling breath. So embarrassing. Flipping out over trash of all things. What he must think of her. Nathan Caldwell. It was a nice name that suited him. Too bad he’d gone and ruined all her fantasies by being a jerk. Now what would she have to look forward to every day?
    A cloud of depression hung over her as she slugged through the rest of the day. Closing the center at the stroke of six, she felt bad—as she did every day—ushering the last few stragglers to the door, knowing many of them wouldn’t see or talk to another living soul until they returned the next morning. They were why she kept coming back every day, despite her overwhelming desire to be anywhere else.
    After an hour of paperwork, she walked through the heavy humidity to her car.
    Parallel parking in front of the house a short time later, Georgie focused on what to have for dinner and the things she needed to get done that night—including laundry and a list of her mother’s assets for the probate attorney.
    She came to an abrupt halt at the sight of a huge arrangement of fragrant, festive lilies sitting on the porch. With a glance around to see if anyone was watching, she went up the stairs, her heart heavy with dread. How predictable of Doug to do something like this. He’d probably had his secretary order the consolation bouquet. So sorry to dump you, she imagined the card would say. Have a nice life. Love, Doug. She plucked the envelope from among the flowers.
    Inside she found a card describing the eco-friendly environment the flowers had been grown in. That’s odd . What does Doug care about that? Reading the message, her heart skipped a crazy beat. “Sorry I made you cry. Forgive me? Nate Caldwell.”
    “Oh,” she gasped, turning to find Jogger Guy, still fresh and polished in his work clothes, standing in the street watching her with his hands jammed into his pockets. Tongue-tied, she stared at him.
    He made his way toward her. “Do not cry,” he ordered, softening his tone when he added, “Please don’t.”
    “I won’t.” The stink of flounder clung to her clothes and hair as he reached the bottom step and looked up at her with startling blue eyes. “How did you know where I live?” He’d seemed so intent during his runs that she was certain he hadn’t paid much attention to them drooling over him from the porch.
    “I’m a detective,” he said with a smug expression.
    “Oh, so you just, like, tracked me down?” she asked, not sure how she felt about that.
    He grinned, causing his tanned, handsome face to crinkle in