“Oh, Riley,” Georgia said, her voice choked with emotion. “I know I’m wearing my heart on my sleeve, but there’s nothing I’ve ever wanted more than to be with you. I never dared to think we could actually start over again. I thought those dreams died when you left town.”
“Georgia, I want it all. The house. The kids. The big wedding at Hope Valley church with all our friends and family members in attendance. I want to raise Aidan with you. You’re the most loving person I’ve ever known. We both need you in our lives. Not hearing from you in the past few days put everything into sharp focus.”
He reached his hand into his pocket and pulled out a navy blue velvet box.
Georgia let out a gasp and raised her hands to cover her mouth. Her knees felt weak. Riley was gazing at her with a look of such love and devotion. Should she pinch herself to make sure this wasn’t some elaborate dream? Before she could do it, Riley had dropped down to one knee.
Georgia looked down at the man she had loved for almost as long as she could remember as he opened up the box. An elegant diamond ring stared back at her. It was shimmery and brilliant. Classic and elegant. It was a princess cut diamond surrounded by a diamond band. She wasn’t sure if she had ever seen anything quite as beautiful in her entire life. It felt surreal to have Riley on bended knee before her. She needed to pinch herself to see if it was truly happening.
“Georgia, I’d be honored if you would be my wife. Several years ago I made a foolish choice. I was scared. It’s hard to admit it, but it’s the truth. I’ve grown up a lot since then. Being a father has changed me. Being loved by you has transformed me. Please allow me to be your husband. I promise to never forsake you. I want to help you make all of your dreams come true. Please say yes, baby.”
Tears blurred her vision. She knew that she must look a mess. Her face was sopping wet with tears. “Yes, Riley. Of course I’ll marry you,” she cried out. “That’s all I’ve ever truly wanted for as long as I can remember. And I promise to be devoted to you and Aidan.”
Riley let out a ragged breath. He took her hand and slid the ring onto it. She looked down at it, filled with admiration. She flexed her finger, loving the way the light hit it as it shimmered and shined.
Riley stood up and took her hand in his. “I’m still in shock you said yes.”
Georgia giggled. “That’s how I felt when you dropped to one knee. Total and utter shock. I can’t wait to share the news.” Suddenly, she thought of Aidan. “Wait a minute. Shouldn’t we talk to Aidan before we tell anyone about our engagement?”
Riley’s expression turned sheepish. “I talked to him before I bought the ring. Even though he’s only three-years old, he’s a very smart little boy.”
Georgia’s heart began to thunder inside her chest. “W-what did he say?” Suddenly, her throat felt dry. Her palms were moist. There was so much riding on Aidan’s reaction. What if he didn’t want her to be his mother? It would be heartbreaking. And in good conscience, she couldn’t move forward with the engagement if that was the case.
Riley reached out and placed his hand under her chin and lifted it up. The grin on his face was infectious. “He gave me a huge thumb’s up. He’s crazy about you, Georgia. I know the two of you need more time together to really bond, but that will come in the days and weeks moving forward.”
“Oh yes,” Georgia cried out. “I can’t wait for our future to unfold.”
“We’re pretty blessed aren’t we?” Riley asked. “Most people don’t get second chances like this to get things right. God is good!”
“Yes, He is, Riley. He’s blessed us in so many ways.”
Georgia stood up on her tippy-toes and pressed a kiss against Riley’s lips. The kiss sealed the deal. She was engaged to Riley. After all these years they were finally moving toward a shared future. But now, they were both older and wiser. They both knew their lives were better with each other in it.
**
After Riley left, Georgia couldn’t stop looking at her ring finger. The diamond flashed and winked at her. As she changed into her pajamas and began brushing out her hair, Georgia couldn’t help but wonder what Eden would say about her engagement to Riley. She knew Mama would be deliriously happy, despite her own disappointments in the romance department. Her mother had always firmly believed that she and Riley were destined to be together. She hoped the timing of the engagement didn’t add to Mama’s heartbreak. Georgia prayed it would give Rosalie something to rejoice over.
Would her sister be happy for her? Or would she think Georgia was a fool to get back with someone who had wounded her so terribly once before?
The sound of her sister coming into the house diverted her attention. She could hear Eden rustling around in the kitchen. She bit her lip. She might as well tell Eden the news. Dear Lord. Please let Eden share my joy. I want my family to love Riley as much as I do. I’m not sure I can do this without Eden’s approval.
“Hey there,” Eden said as Georgia walked into the kitchen. “How are you feeling?”
Georgia couldn’t help but grin. “I feel terrific.”
Eden’s eyes widened. “That’s great. I know you were feeling down for the last few days.”
Georgia knew her smile must be overtaking her entire face. “Riley came by to see me. It turned into the best night of my life.”
Eden frowned at her. “Slow down, sister. You’ve got stars in your eyes.”
“And a ring on my finger,” she blurted out, holding out her hand to show Eden her ring.
Eden let out a cry and clapped a hand over her mouth. Her eyes went wide. Tears streamed down her face. “Georgia! You’re getting married,” she cried out.
Tears pooled in Georgia’s eyes. She nodded at her sister. “Yes, Eden. I am. Riley proposed to me tonight. And I know you might think I’m all sorts of crazy, but I said yes. I love him. Matter of fact, I never stopped loving him.”
Georgia felt herself being swept up in an embrace by her sister. They held on tightly to one another for what seemed like an eternity.
When their embrace ended, Georgia could see the happiness radiating from her sister’s eyes. “I’m so thrilled for you. I know how much this means to you.”
“Riley’s the one,” Georgia said. “Despite what happened between us in the past, he’s the one who holds my heart.”
“I know he is. When I look in your eyes I see the truth shining back at me. You love Riley. And he loves you. There’s nothing more powerful than love.”
“You’re right. And I’m willing to start fresh with Riley. A brand new page. That’s how much I love him.” She didn’t tell Eden she knew in her heart Riley hadn’t betrayed her. It was something she knew with a deep certainty, but she didn’t need to shout it from the rooftops.
“I believe in forgiveness. The love you two felt for one another has endured,” Eden said. “I hope to find that kind of love for myself someday.”
Georgia squeezed her sister’s arms. “I have no doubt you will, Eden. No doubt at all.”
A little while later, Georgia lay down and tried to sleep. Her excitement made it difficult. She ended up tossing and turning. She relived the moment Riley got down on bended knee. First thing tomorrow morning she would head over to Mama’s house to tell her the joyful news. And Molly!! She couldn’t wait to see her expression when she learned the news.
Suddenly, Georgia sat up in bed. Something had been bothering her ever since meeting up with Molly for coffee. It had been lurking under the surface and she hadn’t been able to put her finger on it. Until this very moment.
When they’d discussed having children, Molly had said she wanted more children. More. It had been a strange turn of phrase. Georgia had heard it come out of Molly’s mouth, but she had figured it was a mistake. But now, she thought it had been a slip of the tongue. More children.
Riley had insisted he hadn’t betrayed her. And he hadn’t spoken about the identity of Aidan’s mother. Why hadn’t he? It was a strange omission. Why hadn’t Libby ever men
tioned Riley’s son?
Was she going crazy? Her heart was pounding fast and furiously. Did it make sense? She thought back to when Molly had been MIA from Hope Valley. It matched up with her being pregnant with Aidan since he was three years old.
Molly was Aidan’s mother! Riley hadn’t betrayed her after all. He was raising Molly’s child as his own. Georgia lay back down and tried to no avail to fall back to sleep. What if she was wrong? Should she confront Riley about it? Was it really any of her business one way or the other?
She knew it was her business now that she was going to marry Riley. Aidan would be her son. She deserved to know his back story. Tonight had been such a momentous occasion. Although she didn’t want to do anything to spoil things, Georgia knew she needed to talk to Riley about Aidan’s paternity as soon as possible. She loved him unconditionally, but she needed answers.
Chapter Eight
The following morning Georgia was still in turmoil over her suspicions about Molly being Aidan’s mother. In the clear light of day, she felt a bit foolish about her hunch. What if Riley laughed in her face? Or thought she was insane for even suggesting something so preposterous. He might be insulted that she was suggesting Riley wasn’t his biological son.
Georgia picked up her cell phone and dialed his number.
“Good morning, beautiful,” he said by way of greeting.
“Good morning, fiancé,” she answered, feeling butterflies in her stomach as the words passed her lips.
Georgia got right to the point.
“I need to talk to you. In person,” she said. “It’s important.”
“Is something wrong? You sound…a little rough around the edges.”
“You’re right. I didn’t sleep too well last night,” she admitted.
“What’s wrong? Is it your mother? Eden? I hope you’re not having second thoughts about our engagement?”
“No, of course not. I’m proud to wear your ring, Riley,” Georgia said. “It’s actually about Molly.”
**
Riley felt his pulse quicken as Georgia mentioned his baby sister. “What’s wrong with her?” he asked, his protective instincts kicking in. His heart began to thump wildly. Had Molly confided something in Georgia about Aidan? No way. This whole time Molly had been the one to insist on privacy about her secret, short-lived marriage and the birth of her son.
“What I need to say is best said in private. Face to face.”
“Okay. Why don’t we meet up? How about in fifteen minutes at the apple orchards?”
Riley knew Georgia would know the exact spot he meant. It had been their regular meeting place at the Somers’s apple orchards for picnics and leisurely strolls. They used to sit for hours under one of the apple trees and talk to their heart’s content. Riley let out a sigh. Those had been some of the best moments of his life.
He had missed Georgia so much over the last few years. The ache of loss had never truly left him. She had always owned his heart.
“That sounds good,” she said. “I’ll see you in fifteen minutes.”
Fifteen minutes later, Riley was sitting under their favorite apple tree. The fall weather was crisp and clear. The sun was shining brightly. He felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off his chest. Just being back home made him feel lighter and less burdened. The crunch of tires on the dirt road caused him to swing his head in the direction of Georgia’s car. He watched in appreciation as she stepped out of it, her nicely-shaped legs shown to their best advantage as she walked toward him.
She didn’t hesitate to plop down beside him on the blanket he’d rustled up from the trunk of his car. She leaned over and pressed a kiss on his cheek.
“I forgot how peaceful it is out here,” Georgia said, letting out a sigh.
“My grandfather used to always say that these orchards were one of God’s masterpieces,” Riley said, referring to August Somers, the man who had taught him so much about life and love and family. He had carved out a wonderful legacy for the entire Somers clan. Someday, Riley hoped he could be the force of nature August had been. He sure intended to try.
“He was right,” Georgia said, placing her arms behind her and looking up at the tree’s branches. “This is glorious. A little slice of heaven.”
“I miss it. I miss the smell of the crisp Colorado air and the taste of an apple as I bite into it. I miss seeing a friendly face on the front steps at Hope Valley Church. There’s nothing quite like this town.”
“Amen. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else,” Georgia said, looking away from his gaze, then bowing her head and twiddling with her fingers.
“So what’s up, Georgia? What’s bothering you?”
She lifted her head up and met his gaze. “I had coffee with Molly last week. She said something that didn’t fully register until last night.”
He froze. Did Georgia think she knew something about Aidan?
“She didn’t mean to raise any red flags with me. She slipped up. I imagine it must be hard pretending she’s not Aidan’s mother.”
Riley let out a shocked gasp. He couldn’t think of a word to say. For so long now he’d been keeping this secret. He had promised Molly not to divulge it to anyone. Now—Molly herself—had inadvertently spilled the beans to Georgia.
“I-I don’t know what to say,” he sputtered. He put his head in his hands. He couldn’t lie to his future wife. He let out a groan. “Georgia, this is something I should have told you the night I proposed. I planned on telling you. I promise you, I did. You’re right. Molly is Aidan’s birth mother.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she asked in a soft voice. “There’s so much about this situation I don’t understand. I need you to explain it to me, Riley.”
“I should have told you, but this whole time I’ve felt such pressure to keep Molly’s confidence.”
He felt Georgia’s comforting hand on his shoulder. “Riley, you’re not divulging anything I didn’t already suspect. It hit me last night. Molly said something about not having any more children the day we had coffee. Then I remembered how she’d been gone for so many months from Hope Valley. She didn’t even come back for school breaks. And lastly, but most importantly, it explained why no one ever mentioned you had a child. Not to mention your reluctance to talk about Aidan’s mother.”
Riley let out a sigh. It felt as if a huge weight had been lifted off his shoulders. Keeping this secret since Aidan’s birth had been difficult.
“Molly got married to Eric in secret. They were young and in love.” He shook his head. “And incredibly foolish. Even though they were only seventeen, they thought they could make it work. Sadly, Eric wasn’t really in it for the long haul. He bailed after a few months. Molly found out she was pregnant and when she told Eric he let her know he wanted nothing to do with her and the baby. Molly was despondent.” He let out a shudder. “We were really afraid she was going to do something to harm herself. She didn’t want to keep the baby. I begged her to reconsider, at which time she asked me if I wanted to raise her son. I know you probably won’t understand, but at that very moment I think I grew up. I knew that I needed to be this baby’s father. And from the moment he was born, that’s what I’ve been.”
Tears pooled in Riley’s eyes. “The moment Molly placed him in my arms, I fell in love with him. I vowed to raise him on my own and keep Molly’s secret. She’s felt a lot of shame about her failed marriage and not wanting to raise her own child.”
“She was so young,” Georgia said, making a tutting sound. “A child. I remember how much she loved Eric. She must have been crushed by his desertion and totally confused about her future as a single mother at seventeen.”
“That’s exactly how it was,” Riley said. “Eric signed away his parental rights. It’s such a shame he doesn’t want anything to do with Aidan, but he’s my son now. And he always will be. Only Molly, Eric, myself, Mama and Aunt Libby know the truth.” He met Georgia’s gaze. “And now you.”
“Oh, Riley. I’m already head-o
ver-heels in love with you, but if I wasn’t before today, this would have pushed me right over the edge.” She wiped away tears with the back of her hand. “Helping Molly when she was at her lowest point was such an act of brotherly love. And raising Aidan on your own was a brilliant idea. I’m just so proud of you I could burst.”
Riley placed his arm around her shoulder and pulled her close to his chest. “I was the winner in all of it, if I’m being honest. I was able to help Molly. And I received the greatest gift of all. Aidan.”
Chapter Nine
Riley was in heaven. He was pretty sure he was dreaming, but he didn’t care. He was standing in a field of sunflowers and the sky was as blue as a robin’s egg. Aidan was running around in circles with his face turned up toward the sky. Georgia was beside Aidan holding his hand and they were laughing. The two people he loved more than life itself were having a glorious time. Happiness hung in the air. God was good. This, Riley realized, was the life he should be living, surrounded by joy and happiness. He was no longer keeping secrets from Georgia. They were going to be together forever and always.
He felt as light as a feather. Georgia knew the truth. And she still loved him. What had he been running from all these years? His future was going to be filled with love and faith and family.
Suddenly, he sat up in bed with a jerking motion. What was that noise? It was a heavy, banging sound. It was annoying for more than one reason. The loud noise had interrupted one of the most satisfying dreams of his life. A quick look at the clock sitting on his bedside table revealed the current time. It was four a.m. and someone was making a racket outside. A quick look outside his bedroom window solved the mystery. Molly was standing at the front door. Or at least it looked like Molly. The outside light was fairly dim.
Hoping the racket hadn’t woken up Aidan, Riley quickly raced downstairs and flung open the front door. Molly was standing there with her fist raised as if she was prepared to keep banging on the door. What was she doing here? She didn’t live at the house anymore. Aunt Libby had allowed her to live in the guest house next to her home for the last few years. As a college student, Molly loved the privacy and the sense of living on her own.
Georgia On His Mind (Hope Valley Book 1) Page 8
