Georgia Summer

by Heather Colleen

  “What were you doing over at Firefly Lane?” Georgia asked nervously, unsure as to whether she wanted to know the answer.

  Landon shrugged. “Just looking. My dad always used to take me there as a child to look at the fireflies at night.”

  Georgia bit her lip, imagining a youthful Dr. Young showing little Landon the spectacular firefly light show by the river. She hoped it was this memory of Dr. Young next to the river that prevailed over time in Landon’s mind, and not the thought of his father’s suicide at the very same place.

  “I read the letter,” Landon said, interrupting her thoughts.

  Georgia nervously clutched the leash, wondering what he was going to say. “Oh?” she responded apprehensively.

  “Yes. Thank you for giving it to me.”

  Georgia held her breath, hoping he wouldn’t ask how it came into her possession.

  “So it was you that found him, wasn’t it?” he asked.

  Georgia swallowed the rock in her throat and nodded.

  “And you that found the letter then?”

  Georgia answered, her voice sounding rather small, “Yes. In his car.”

  Landon nodded stiffly. He didn't want to know any more details about what she had seen that night at Firefly Lane. “Your dad told my mom that it was his daughter who found him,” he explained.

  “I thought that if anyone deserved to see the letter, it should be you: the person your father wrote to,” Georgia said quickly, hoping her explanation made sense to him as it did to her.

  He nodded. “I understand.”

  Georgia felt relief bloom in her chest. “I had hoped it would give you some answers.”

  “It did. I mean, I had a feeling something was wrong the last time I spoke to him months ago before my deployment, but he never said anything,” Landon said, his tone regretful. “I think in his own way he thought he was protecting me by not telling me the truth.”

  Georgia looked up at him. Landon glanced over at her, meeting her eyes, and for a brief moment Georgia could sense the tremendous burden of his sadness in the depths of those slate-colored eyes. She felt her heart ache for Landon. She knew what it was like to have a parent torn away at a young age, to feel powerless to their fate.

  Landon looked ahead again, breaking off his gaze.

  “I’m…” She swallowed, her mouth suddenly dry again. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t know your dad very well, but I was lucky enough to spend a little time with him at the diner—”

  “At the diner? Duke’s Diner?” Landon asked. His expression was puzzled.

  Georgia nodded, realizing he wouldn’t know about her recent, gainful employment at Duke’s. “Yes. That’s where I’m working this summer.” She felt suddenly shy as she revealed this.

  “As a waitress?”

  “Um, no. As a barista, actually.” She timidly tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

  Landon looked over at her, his eyebrow raised with amusement. “Really?”

  Georgia felt her cheeks grow warm as she blushed. “Yes. Really.” She was unsure as to whether he was judging her now.

  “That’s…interesting,” he said slowly.

  Georgia’s previous embarrassment turned to annoyance. “And why is that interesting?” she asked defensively. Was he making fun of her?

  Landon shrugged his shoulders. “Well, it’s just that you don’t seem like the barista type of girl to me.” His tone sounded less teasing now.

  She hesitated, not knowing if she should ask the next question. She took a deep breath, curiosity replacing her annoyance. “And what kind of girl do I seem like to you?”

  Landon grinned. “You’re the kind of girl I’d order a fancy coffee drink from, even if I came in only because I was hungry,” he answered, a boyish grin splayed across his face.

  Georgia rolled her eyes and exhaled loudly. “Geez, do you have to be such a guy?” she asked, chuckling.

  Landon looked over at her again, his smile fading. “Actually,” he said softly.

  Georgia looked over at him.

  “You’re the kind of girl that you wonder why she’s a barista in a small town diner, and not out there saving the world instead.”

  Georgia bit her lip, a pleased smile playing across her lips. Truth be told, Georgia already knew that her life wasn’t destined for working in a diner or even behind a desk, and that was one of the many reasons why she wanted to attend medical school one day. But somehow, having this almost complete stranger recognize this quality about her made her feel unique, understood, and that she wasn’t just chasing after a meaningless childhood dream of hers. “You really think so?” Georgia asked, her blue eyes bright as she looked up at him.

  “I do.” Landon looked down at her. His cesious were eyes piercing even in the near darkness as night fell. The sky had darkened from turquoise to midnight blue as the sun slipped behind the horizon. Overhead, Venus shone brightly near the moon.

  Georgia looked at him for a moment longer, his gaze making her feel weak in the knees. She looked down at Millie again, unable to hold his gaze any longer. Millie happily led the way a few paces ahead of them. Millie knew they were almost home, which meant she could curl up in her bed soon.

  The fragrant smell of magnolia blooms wafted towards Georgia like incense as they turned onto Magnolia Lane. She inhaled deeply, drinking in their scent. As glad as she was to almost be home, she didn’t want her time to end with Landon. It felt like she was only just beginning to know him. Instinctively, she slowed her pace down. “So, how long are you in town for?” she asked, trying to sound casual.

  “A week,” Landon answered simply. His voice failed to convey any emotion.

  “Just a week?” Georgia asked, hoping she didn’t sound desperate.

  Landon nodded. “Then it’s back to Afghanistan.”

  Georgia’s face fell. She looked away quickly, not wanting him to know how disappointed she was.

  “Do you walk every night in the park?” Landon asked, changing the subject.

  Georgia nodded. “Almost every night with Millie.”

  “Will you be there tomorrow night?”

  Georgia looked over at him. “Maybe. Why?” She smiled at him playfully.

  Landon shrugged his shoulders and shoved his hands in his pockets, suddenly shy. “Well, maybe I could go with you…in case, you know, that scumbag shows up again.”

  Georgia almost laughed, but caught herself. She stopped and faced him. “You really think Jace would try anything after what you did to him tonight? Trust me, I’ll be fine, Landon.” She fought back a satisfied smile as she thought of Landon trying to protect her again.

  “Well, would you mind if I…um, kept you company anyways?” He turned to face her.

  Georgia looked up at him and felt a swell of guilt as she had almost just laughed at him. He looked anxious as he waited for her to respond to his unadorned request of just being able to walk with her again. She gazed at him inquisitively, admiring his strong build and striking features. This was a grown man that was fighting a war over in the Middle East, had held, and most likely fired weapons that could easily annihilate the enemy, and yet Georgia didn’t see any of that as he stood before her. What she saw was just a boy, asking a girl for a chance. She looked into his grey blue, expectant eyes. “I would like that.”

  Landon smiled, a flicker of relief in his eyes.

  They walked a few more paces before Georgia stopped in front of her house. “Well, this is me.” She turned to face Landon again.

  He was looking up at her house. His eyes wandered back to her. “Is your dad home?”

  Georgia wondered why that would matter to him. “He should be,” she said, looking back over her shoulder at the front window. Georgia didn’t know whether Landon wanted to walk her up to the door, but she knew she couldn’t waste any more time before her dad sent out the police force. “I’d better head in,” she said, a hint of longing in her voice. She hoped he would offer to walk her to the door, but Landon didn’t say anything
. Disappointed, she turned to leave, but Landon’s hand on her arm stopped her.

  “Wait, I’ll walk you up,” he said.

  She looked down at his hand. His touch on her bare skin felt warm, steady, but also unnerving with what felt like an electric current jolting her body.

  He dropped his hand quickly to his side, trying to ignore how soft her skin was on his fingertips, and how he wanted to touch her again and feel her smooth skin.

  Georgia nervously bit her lip, attempting to push away the thought of his hand on her skin. She turned and began to walk up the front path, Landon by her side. As they reached the front door, Georgia faced him again. “Thank you for walking me home. And for earlier…” Her voice trailed off as she thought of Jace.

  Landon didn’t say anything, and instead gazed at her face, his eyes drifting to her hair. Several tendrils had fallen out from her ponytail. They brushed the sides of her face, their dark chestnut coloring starkly contrasting with the paleness of her skin. He reached out with his hand, and Georgia held her breath as his fingers touched her hair. He ran his fingers through the runaway strands, combing them back and over her ear, tucking it away from her face.

  Georgia closed her eyes as his fingers grazed her ear, weak from his touch.

  Landon tucked the remaining tresses behind her other ear, and said softly, “I remember you in high school.”

  Georgia opened her eyes, startled by his comment. “You do?”

  Landon withdrew his hand. “I ran into you once.”

  Georgia inhaled sharply, stunned that he would have remembered anything about her since she would have been a lowly freshman, and he a senior. “I don’t remember…” she said, her voice drifting away as she tried to recall when she had ever interacted with Landon before.

  “I do.” Landon smiled as he revisited the memory. “You were quiet back then. Very shy, from what I remember.”

  Georgia nodded, not arguing with his point. Her mom had passed away just before she began her freshman year of high school, the wounds of her loss still fresh. An image of her mom flashed in her mind as she recalled those final months. How thin and fragile her mom had become. They all knew the end was near as her mom struggled to hold onto her life, her body quietly wasting away. Georgia remembered the last time she hugged her, her mother’s thin, weakened arms offering the comfort only a mother could give to her child.

  It was that year when her mom passed when Georgia decided she wanted to become a doctor. Throwing herself into her studies, she took every advanced course possible in high school. She stayed up late every night to study, doing anything she could to distract herself from the pain she felt inside as she coped with the loss of her mother.

  Georgia blinked slowly, an expression of clear pain written across her face as she thought of her mother’s suffering. She brought herself back to the present moment, and looked at Landon. She opened her mouth, but didn’t know what to say to him. What could she say?

  Luckily, Landon spoke, filling the silence, “I think your mom would be very proud of you.” He smiled sadly at her.

  Of course, Landon knew what had happened to Georgia’s mother. Being the small town that it was, news traveled fast—good and bad. Georgia shook her head slightly, unsure as to how to respond. She looked up at him, a curious expression on her face. “I’m surprised by you.”

  “Why?” His expression was puzzled.

  “It would just seem that you’ve changed since high school.” Georgia suddenly felt embarrassed as she said this. She didn’t even know him in high school, and yet she had let those rumors prevail in her judgment of Landon.

  Landon’s eyes fell. He was acutely aware of the rumors of Willow Creek. He knew what people thought about him. “I’m sure it would appear that I’ve changed since high school,” he said, agreeing with her. He looked out from the porch, lost in thought. “People always want to believe the worst in others.” He looked back at her, his gaze more intense now. “But you don’t know the whole truth about me, Georgia.”

  Georgia bit her lip, thinking about Dr. Young and his many secrets. “We don’t really know the whole truth about anyone, do we?”

  Landon didn't respond. He furrowed his dark brow as he studied her.

  Georgia couldn’t tell what he was thinking. Was he confused about her question? Did he feel judged by her earlier comment? She felt herself steadily growing faint under his forceful gaze, his steel blue eyes searing into her own. Tearing her eyes away from his, she looked down, reaching for the doorknob. Millie panted breathlessly next to her. She was tired of waiting to go inside. “Goodnight, Landon,” Georgia said as she turned the doorknob, glancing over her shoulder at him.

  He was looking at her that way again, examining her, his full pink lips set in a straight line. “Goodnight…Georgia Summer,” he said, the corners of his mouth lifting upwards into that barely-there smile of his, as if there were some hidden joke or meaning in her name. He then turned and went down the front steps, skipping two at a time.

  Georgia let her hand drop from the doorknob. She watched him for a moment as he made his way down the front path with his hands in his pockets, his tall build standing out even in the darkness. He turned down Magnolia Lane, heading back in the direction from where they had just come.

  An abrupt movement across the road at the neighbor’s house caught Georgia’s attention, her eyes darting to their porch. As her eyes refocused, she saw her neighbor, Mrs. Sullivan.

  Mrs. Sullivan was a nosy, prying woman that spent too many of her days observing the neighborhood and garnering as much gossip as possible. As the town busybody, living across from the sheriff’s home was an absolute dream come true for Mrs. Sullivan. She was sitting on prime real estate for gathering and airing out others' dirty laundry. She was watching Landon walk down Magnolia Lane, her eyes slanted with suspicion, most likely developing her new story to share with friends over sweet tea the next day.

  Georgia glared at Mrs. Sullivan and balled her hands into fists, knowing full well that the newest rumor tomorrow would not only involve Landon, but also herself, the sheriff’s daughter. Georgia shook her head in annoyance. What lengths would Mrs. Sullivan go to concoct a juicy, scandalous tale that she and all of Willow Creek could gobble up for pure entertainment? What lengths would she go to skew the truth about someone she knew nothing about?

  Georgia watched Mrs. Sullivan go back inside her home and sighed, glad that she was gone now. She looked up at the moon, and became lost in thought as her mind drifted back to Landon.

  To what lengths would she go to learn the truth about Landon Young?

  Chapter 19

  A Warning

  As Georgia let herself into the house, she heard a loud, startled snort come from the couch.

  Her dad sat up quickly, rubbing his eyes. “Oh, good. You’re home,” he said, stifling a yawn.

  Georgia held back a smile. How many times had she caught her dad sleeping on the couch? “Hi, dad,” she said as Millie ran by, her toenails grating loudly against the wood floor as she headed straight for her bed in the kitchen. Georgia’s eyes roamed over to the grandfather clock. It was barely five minutes past the hour. Luckily he had fallen asleep and failed to send out the troops.

  “How was your walk?” her dad asked as he rubbed his forehead and temples.

  Georgia froze as she hung up the leash. What should she tell him? “It was…” She searched for the right word. She didn’t want to lie to her dad, but she didn’t want to worry him either. Besides, Georgia reasoned, everything had worked out fine, hadn’t it? “It was good.” She hoped her words sounded convincing.

  Her dad nodded. “I’m glad. I know how much you love walkin’ in that park.” He smiled sleepily at her.

  Georgia didn’t respond and instead looked down at her feet, slipping off her sneakers.

  “Oh! That reminds me, Georg,” her dad said, standing up. He strode off into the kitchen, his shirt wrinkled from his impromptu nap.

  Georgia lined her shoe
s up neatly next to the front door. Standing back up, she locked the door just as her dad returned to the living room.

  He was holding what looked like a black, oversized tube of lipstick. “I got you somethin'.” He handed it to her.

  Georgia took the tube, realizing that it was actually a small black canister.

  “I know it’s not the most exciting gift, but I think you oughtta have it with you at all times.”

  Georgia examined the tiny print on the side of the container. “Pepper spray?” she asked, her expression surprised.

  Her dad nodded. "Yep. Picked that up for you earlier today. Meant to give it to you before your walk, but I forgot,” he said sheepishly. “Anyways, I want you to carry it with you, especially at nighttime when you’re out walkin’.”

  Georgia looked up at her dad, her eyes wide with guilt for not having told him about Jace, but also knowing that if she did tell him, her dad would never forgive himself for having forgotten to give this to her earlier. Maybe this would have been enough to stop Jace from attacking her, Georgia wondered. She pushed the thought away. There was no use dwelling over what couldn’t be changed, she told herself. She cleared her throat. “Thank you, dad. I really appreciate this. I’ll be sure to carry this with me,” she said, meaning every word.

  “Now, hold on. You ever used one of these before?” Taking it from her hand, he showed her how to use it, and how to click the nozzle back into the locked position. “It should be small enough to put in your pocket,” he added.

  Georgia slipped it into her pocket. It was just small enough to fit comfortably into the pocket of her shorts. She removed it from her shorts and held it again in her hand, the canister cool against her skin. “Thank you, dad. This is a really great idea.”

  Her dad gave her a pleased smile. “I just want you to be safe,” he said. “And don’t be afraid to use it! That stuff there is pretty potent.”

  Georgia nodded as she looked down at it, her mind flashing with vivid images of spraying down Jace until he choked from the pungent smell. She swallowed anxiously, wishing she had the pepper spray with her earlier.