Under a Georgia Moon: Georgia Moon Romance Book 1

by Cindy Roland Anderson

  Immediately, Chase went to his room and packed for his return trip home. At least some good things had come out of being forced to come on this trip. He now knew why Hayden had been after him so persistently, and since she wouldn’t want her predicament broadcast, he believed she’d keep her end of the bargain and not say anything to her dad about his potential new job.

  With this stress no longer pressing down on him, he could pursue his music career, and figure out a way to have Addie too.

  Chapter Twenty

  “They want to interview me?” Addie sat down at the table. “Why?”

  Aunt Janie grinned and took a seat next to her. “Because of the letter you discovered! At my United Daughters of the Confederacy meeting yesterday, I shared the letter and picture with the group. The women were so excited, and Vera called her granddaughter who is a reporter for the Telegraph newspaper. Susannah is interested and wants to write a story for the paper.”

  Addie wasn’t sure she wanted to be interviewed by a reporter. If it was scheduled at the same time Chase was getting home, there was no way she was doing it. “When is the interview?”

  Janie glanced at her watch. “At ten.”

  Darn. She didn’t have an excuse to say no. Chase was picking her up around noon. Addie pushed back from the table. “I better go finish getting ready.”

  An hour later, Susannah left with a promise to let them know when the story would run. If they had room it would come out in Sunday’s paper, otherwise it would be in Wednesday’s edition.

  The reporter had done her homework and discovered that Lydia and Marianne had married brothers. What had probably seemed like a dream come true for the close sisters, turned into an ugly nightmare once the Civil War started.

  When the war ended, Lydia returned to the house, caring for her wounded husband until he died a few years later. Her sister, Marianne, died from an unknown illness, never setting foot in the house again. Lydia’s posterity claimed she never found her sister’s hidden valuables.

  Janie was excited with all this information. “This means the treasure could still be buried. Wouldn’t it be fun to find it?”

  Addie nodded her head. “Sure, but I thought every inch of the property has already been searched?”

  Her aunt walked over to the little computer desk in her kitchen. “That was years ago. And I don’t think anyone ever used a metal detector. I wonder if I could rent one?” She jiggled the mouse and opened a browser to start her search.

  The image of her aunt using a metal detector brought a smile to Addie’s lips. “I guess they can’t be that hard to operate.”

  Grinning, Janie raised both her eyebrows. “I’m gonna do it. This is so exciting!”

  Addie laughed. “Go, Aunt Janie.” She glanced at the clock. “Oh, wow. Chase is going to be here soon. I need to change my clothes.” She started to run upstairs, but paused by the doorway. “By the way, what do I wear to a bar?”

  Janie chuckled. “Sugar, don’t think of it as a bar. Dress like you’re going to a nice place for dinner.”

  Addie grinned, knowing just the thing to wear. After touching up her makeup, she pulled on a pair of dark-wash skinny jeans and a moss-colored, fitted peasant top. She slipped her feet into black, peep-toe heels, and accessorized with a pair of silver hoop earrings and several bronze and silver bangle bracelets.

  She spritzed on perfume, excited to see Chase perform again. Since the guys had missed Friday night’s rehearsal, they were meeting this afternoon to go over their music before setting up at Gracie’s Haven, giving Addie a chance for a little preview of the band’s show tonight.

  Grabbing her purse, she went downstairs. Chase stood in the foyer talking with her aunt. He looked incredibly hot in a white V-neck tee, worn jeans and his boots.

  He glanced up and she felt a jitter in her belly as she watched the slow curve of his mouth lift into a sexy smile. “Wow,” he said. “You look prettier than I remembered.”

  “Thanks. So do you.”

  He quirked a brow. “I look pretty?”

  Aunt Janie giggled like a school-girl, watching the interchange with pure delight.

  Addie gave him a coy look with half-lowered lashes. “You know what I mean.” Although, she still did think of him as a “pretty boy.”

  Grinning, he reached for her hand and pulled her close. He smelled unbelievably good as he drew her in for a hug. “Are you ready to go?” he asked, setting her back from him.

  “Yes.” She turned to say goodbye to her aunt. “Don’t lock me out, I’ll be home late.”

  Chase took her hand. “I promise to have her home before two.”

  Janie smiled. “I’ll take a nap and skip my sleeping pill so I can wait up for you.” She shooed them with her hands. “Y’all better get going. And have fun.”

  They said goodbye and walked to his truck. Instead of opening the passenger door, he led her around to the driver’s side. “I want you to sit in the middle.” He opened the door and helped her climb up.

  She scooted across his seat and settled in the middle. Bench seats were a total plus when dating someone you really liked—and she really liked Chase.

  He slid in next to her. The scent of his tangy cologne and the touch of his shoulder against hers made all her nerve endings tingle. A tiny sigh escaped her mouth as he looked over and gave her a crooked smile.

  “You really do look gorgeous.”

  “Thanks.” She lifted her face to his as he leaned down to kiss her. They were only a breath away when his phone blared out Start a Band.

  Chase groaned as he withdrew his phone. “I swear Jackson must have some kind of radar.”

  He gave her a quick kiss and answered the phone. “Sure, no problem. We’ll just swing by a store on the way.”

  Ending the call, he started the truck and backed out of the driveway. “Drew had to bring his three girls for the practice. I guess he forgot to bring diapers and he doesn’t want to bother his wife.” Chase pulled out into the street and then reached for her hand. “You don’t mind if we stop at the store, do you?”

  “Of course not.” She leaned her shoulder into his, loving the way it felt to be with him again. Like the last piece of a missing puzzle being put in place, completing the picture.

  On the way to the store, he asked her more about the mystery letter she’d discovered, and the interview with the Telegraph reporter. She made him laugh when she told him Aunt Janie planned to rent a metal detector to look for the buried treasure.

  “If anyone can find lost treasure, it’s your aunt,” he said, pulling into the Kroger parking lot.

  “So,” Addie said, climbing out of the truck. “Do we know what size of diapers Drew’s daughter needs?”

  Chase took her hand and looked at her sidelong. “They have different sizes?”

  “Yes,” she said with a laugh. “If I remember right, several different sizes. How old are his girls?”

  The automatic door slid open and they entered the grocery store. “I’m not sure. Something like seven, five and two.”

  Addie saw a sign for the baby aisle and she headed in that direction, pulling Chase with her. “It has to be for the two-year-old.”

  “Whoa. You weren’t kidding,” Chase said as the stood in front of the shelves containing a vast assortment of diapers.

  Addie’s maternal side unlocked as she stood next to him in the baby aisle. Everything looked so cute and fun to buy. Even the little jars of baby food. She picked up a package of number three diapers. “Is she a small child?” she questioned, noting they sized by weight not by age.

  He lifted a shoulder in a clueless shrug. “She’s little, like most kids.”

  Her lips twisted into a smile. “Maybe you should call and find out so we get the right ones.”

  After conferring with Drew, they selected the appropriate size and then Addie picked up a container of diaper wipes. This part of having a child wasn’t as appealing as the little jars of baby food or the entire section filled with lotion
and soap. She wondered if Chase was the kind of guy who would change a dirty diaper.

  As the checker scanned the items, Addie couldn’t help thinking the clerk probably assumed she and Chase were buying diapers for their own child. Secretly, she liked the idea.

  Chase paid for the diapers, giving Addie time to study his handsome profile. A sweet emotion filled her chest and swelled with each breath. She knew she had to acknowledge her feelings. She was falling in love with him. Really in love.

  It was time to stop her think-about-it-tomorrow attitude. She had to figure out a way to either live without her family or talk Chase into leaving Georgia.

  * * *

  Drew stood out on the porch, holding his crying daughter as Chase pulled into Jackson’s driveway. He looked relieved to see them. “Y’all are lifesavers.” He took the bag from Addie. “I’ll be back in a second.”

  Chase could smell the telltale signs that Lauren definitely needed a diaper change as he and Addie followed him inside the house. He admired Drew’s stamina. Would he be that kind of dad? A flash of panic hit him for a few seconds when he thought about Hayden and her plan to make him the father of her baby.

  He turned to find Addie watching him, a flicker of a smile played across her lips. All thoughts of Hayden left him as he pulled her into his arms and gazed into her brown eyes.

  “Guess he really did need the diapers.”

  “Guess so.” Addie wound her arms around his neck, her bracelets jangling with the movement. “Are you gonna be the kind of guy who’ll change a diaper?”

  “Is that a trick question?”

  Her dimple appeared. “No.”

  “Why do you wanna know?”

  She played with his hair around the back of his neck, making it hard for him to concentrate.

  “Just curious.”

  Curious as in if we had kids would she be the only one changing diapers?

  “Uh-huh. So that’s a question you ask all the time?”

  “Well, sure,” she said playfully. “Are you telling me nobody has ever asked you that before?”

  Not exactly. But he was certain Hayden would not be the kind of mother to ever change a dirty diaper.

  Intent on pushing Hayden and her predicament far from his mind, he gave Addie a teasing smile and then slowly lowered his head to kiss her. The second his mouth touched hers, something inside him shifted. His fingers pressed into her waist, pulling her closer. “I missed you,” he said, temporarily leaving her lips to trail kisses across her jaw.

  “I missed you more.”

  He smiled, and found her lips again.

  A throat cleared and he reluctantly ended the kiss.

  Drew held his now happy daughter, an amused grin on his face. “Hey.” He held out his free hand to Addie. “I’m Drew.”

  “Oh.” She took his hand. “It’s nice to meet you. I’m Addie.”

  “Well, Addie, Lauren and I appreciate you and Chase bringing the diapers.”

  “You’re welcome.” She reached out and touched Lauren’s button nose. “She’s beautiful.”

  “Thanks.”

  Lauren suddenly lunged forward, holding her arms out for Addie. “Well, hello there,” she said, cuddling the little girl close.

  The sight of Addie holding a baby did something to Chase. It was like his senses were sharpened and everything came into focus. This was the woman he was going to marry.

  Drew gave Chase an I’m-impressed look. “Wow,” he said to Addie. “She’s usually really shy. She must like you.”

  The little girl played with Addie’s bracelets. “Or she just saw something shiny to play with,” Addie said with a laugh. “Do you want me to watch her while you guys practice?”

  Lauren squirmed, wanting Drew to hold her again. “That’d be great.” He took back his daughter. “Syd has the other girls in the studio. I didn’t mean for y’all to be babysitters, but my wife’s blood pressure has been elevated and the doctor doesn’t want her up and around too much. Her mama couldn’t watch the girls until later on tonight.”

  “It’s no problem at all. I’m glad we can help,” Addie said as they walked into the studio.

  Chase captured her hand and held her back. He leaned over and whispered in her ear, “You’re good with kids. And yes…I’ll change diapers.”

  She turned her head and stared at him with an intense gaze. Grinning, he leaned in and gave her a quick kiss. “Just wanted you to know.” He winked and jogged away, laughing at the stunned look on her face.

  Chapter Twenty One

  Addie climbed out of Sydney’s sleek car and slipped the strap of her purse over one shoulder. Gracie’s Haven stood before her, the rustic-pine lodge looking nothing like the skanky bar in Daisy Springs.

  She glanced back at the car to see Sydney still seated in the driver’s seat, talking with her mother. Addie wished Chase would come out to escort her in, but knew he was busy setting up their equipment.

  She was anxious to see him. Anxious to hear them play. Watching Drew’s girls had proved to be a little challenging. While the band warmed up, Sydney decided to take the active girls to McDonald’s. Addie didn’t have a choice but to help her. By the time they returned, the guys were loading up their equipment.

  Glancing around her, she noted a large marquee out front. Lit up like a beacon, it read: Live Tonight—Chasing Dreams. The place seemed popular as more vehicles pulled into the already jam-packed parking lot. The Saturday night crowd, dressed in tight wranglers and cowboy hats, were winding up for a night of entertainment.

  At last, Sydney climbed out of her car. “Sorry. My mother doesn’t understand why almost every weekend I need to hear my husband play. According to her, if I’ve heard him once that is more than enough.” She rounded the car and beamed at Addie. “But you know what? I never get tired of hearing them play.” She locked her car and gave her a grin. “Ready?”

  A rush of adrenaline coursed through Addie. “Oh, yeah.”

  They stepped inside the crowded entrance and waited in line behind a boisterous group. Addie surreptitiously studied her surroundings, feeling a little out of place. She’d never been a party girl, or hung out with those kind of kids. Obviously, she’d led a sheltered life. The vibes she got from this place weren’t like any restaurant she’d been to back home. It felt a little like the frat party some guy had taken her to her freshman year in college. Needless to say, she left early and never went out with the guy again.

  Sydney confirmed their table reservations with a beautiful blonde who wore a tight black T-shirt with the words Gracie’s Haven stretched across her chest in silver letters. She pointed them in the right direction and Addie followed Sydney through double doors. The lighting dimmed as cigarette smoke swirled around in a heavy fog. Crinkling her nose, she surmised not all restaurants had embraced the new smoke-free-environment like most places.

  Addie’s heels clicked against the wood floor as she trailed behind Sydney through the crowded bar. The place was buzzing with loud laughter and the low hum of voices, sounding as if someone had tried tuning into a radio station but couldn’t quite find the right channel.

  She felt a little uncomfortable as a couple of guys let out a low whistle as they passed by. Without thinking, Addie turned to see where the sound had come from and met the stare of more than one man watching them intently.

  Before turning away, one good-looking cowboy raised his glass and winked at her. Her face burned hot and she quickly averted her eyes. The place was crawling with men. Where were all the girls?

  She soon found the women…scantily clad and drooling over Chase and his fellow band members.

  Seemingly oblivious to his audience, Chase sat on a stool strumming his guitar. Drew stood nearby stroking his instrument while Beau knelt in front of the amplifier, fine-tuning the sound. Jackson was at his keyboard, playing a few notes and then making some last minute adjustments.

  Sydney stopped at a small round table near the front. “Here we are,” she said, sliding int
o one of the chairs.

  Addie pulled out a chair and slid in beside Sydney. Three women occupying the table next to them were laughing and making catcalls at the guys on the stage. She was pretty sure they were already drunk. Addie narrowed her eyes at the brazen women who—judging from the way they were dressed—could give a hooker some stiff competition.

  Chase raised his face and his eyes skimmed over the crowd, then landed on Addie. His mouth lifted at the corners, warming her right down to her shimmering toenails.

  One of the women turned, following his line of vision. She glowered at Addie and scanned her up and down. A feral grin tipped her painted lips, like she just realized Addie wouldn’t be any competition.

  A waiter stepped in front of Addie, blocking her line of sight. Good thing. She was just about to stick out her tongue. “What can I get you ladies to drink?” he asked, winking at her.

  She sure hoped they served something other than alcohol, but seriously doubted it. The place was one rip-roaring party and the night was young. Sydney leaned over and whispered, “I always get a strawberry-lemonade. And the food here is really good.”

  “Sounds great,” Addie said and Sydney ordered for the two of them, requesting a menu as well.

  The waiter left to fill their orders just as Jackson played a few chords of music. Chase grabbed a hold of the microphone and spoke over the noisy crowd. “Hey, y’all, we’re gonna start the night off with a song for all those guys out there who…” He paused and he looked directly at Addie and winked. “Wanna kiss a girl.”

  The familiar Keith Urban tune started and the crowd went wild, especially the three loose women sitting close by. Their seductive dance moves made Addie uncomfortable. She glanced over at Sydney to see what she thought. With a look of pure adoration written on her face, Sydney watched her husband, her fingers tapping against the table in rhythm to the music. She didn’t even seem to notice what was going on around them.

  Addie shifted in her seat and focused on Chase, trying to ignore the crowd of people. This was their song. Sort of. And he was amazing.