Blue Moon Kisses: Georgia Moon Romance Book 3

by Cindy Roland Anderson

  He arrived at Peach Tree Village and parked in the visitor parking space, then made his way to his grandmother’s condo.

  “Hey, Miss Nora,” Beau said after he walked inside the front door. “Is Nana here?”

  “In the kitchen,” he heard his grandmother holler. “Be out in a moment, sugar.”

  A sense of relief washed over him at the term of endearment. Maybe he was out of the doghouse with her.

  “So,” Miss Nora said, placing her hands on her ample hips. “What are you going to do about fixing things with our sweet Ashlee girl?”

  Looks like he wasn’t quite out of the doghouse yet. “I’m working on it, ma’am.”

  “I don’t care if you’re confused…” The Irish woman’s words trailed off, her forehead knit in bewilderment. “Wait, did you say you’re workin’ on it?”

  Beau smiled at her. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “I should hope so,” she said, looking a little disappointed she didn’t get a chance to give him a good scolding.

  “Can’t talk any sense into him, Nora?” his grandmother said as she waltzed into the living room.

  “Don’t have to.” Miss Nora took a seat on a chair. “It seems the boy’s come to his senses on his own.”

  “You’ve already talked to Ashlee?” Nana looked mildly disappointed too. Apparently, the two women had prepared a whopper of a dressing down for him.

  “No, ma’am.” Beau was trying to give up his old way of thinking, but all the unknown variables were making the transition difficult. “A couple of things have come up that have complicated the situation.”

  Even after explaining all about his job dilemmas, his grandmother told him that none of that mattered. What was more important was telling Ashlee that he loved her.

  “I’m going to talk to her just as soon as I speak with Chase.”

  “You’re asking her brother for permission to marry her and not her daddy?”

  Beau felt his jaw go slack. “I think you’re getting a little ahead of yourself. I still need to tell Ashlee that I love her and ask her for another chance.”

  “I know, sweetheart.” His grandmother reached inside her pocket, pulled out a small ring box and flipped open the lid. “And I have the perfect way for you to do that.”

  “Is that what I think it is?” Beau choked out as he stared at the diamond ring.

  “The very one.”

  Beau’s grandmother had showed him the platinum ring only once. It was just before he left for college. The vintage ring had a one and a half carat European square-cut diamond, surrounded by smaller diamonds for a total of two carats. It had been in the Jacobsen family since shortly after the Civil War ended. Benjamin Jacobsen, his great-great grandfather, had married Lauralee Murray, a wealthy heiress from Virginia. Lauralee’s parents hadn’t condoned the match and threatened to disinherit her if she went against their wishes. But Lauralee had fallen in love with the wounded soldier and freely gave up her lavish lifestyle and all her wealth to marry Benjamin Jacobsen.

  Mrs. Murray couldn’t stand the thought of her daughter having nothing and gave Lauralee the ring in case she ever needed money. The ring was never sold and had been passed down from generation to generation. Nana had worn the ring for years, but when the diamond needed to be reset, she put it in the safe, promising Beau that if he ever brought home a young lady she knew was the right one for him, she would give him the ring at that time.

  “You think Ashlee’s the one for me?” he asked, taking the proffered ring box.

  Nana beamed. “I know she is.”

  Beau fixed his eyes on the beautiful setting, tipping it slightly to the side until the diamond caught the light. It was gorgeous and something he definitely couldn’t afford. The modest ring he’d purchased for Jenna had been expensive enough. At least he’d been able to resell it soon after Jenna had returned it.

  He knew Ashlee was the one too. When the time was right, he’d ask her to marry him with this very ring.

  “Thank you, Nana.” He closed the lid with the intention of handing it back to her for safekeeping, but she pushed it back toward him.

  “You’re going to need that this evening at Taylin and Luke’s family party.”

  “What?” He squinted at her. “Surely you don’t expect me to propose tonight, do you?”

  “Why not? It’s not like y’all just met. And you don’t have to get married right away.” Nana stared him down. “Just so you know, there has never been a shot-gun wedding in our family, so you better keep your hands to yourself until you marry the girl.”

  “Yes, ma’am,” Beau said as he slipped the ring box into his pocket. Thinking with his head made proposing feel totally insane without weighing out all the options. However, thinking with his heart felt righter than he’d ever thought possible. It would be the second impulsive thing he’d ever done in his life, and he could just imagine the shocked look on Ashlee’s face when he got down on one knee and opened the ring box.

  “In case you’re havin’ any doubts,” Miss Nora said, coming to stand next to his grandmother, “there’s a blue moon tonight.” She leaned in close and whispered, “In Ireland, if you kiss a girl under a blue moon and then ask her to marry you, the two of you will be blessed with many happy years together.”

  Beau smiled, knowing the Irish woman was full of blarney. There was a full moon tonight, but it wasn’t a blue moon. Plus, he was pretty sure all the folklore surrounding a blue moon wasn’t that romantic. “Did you just make that up?” Beau asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

  “Maybe I did.” Miss Nora waggled her finger at him. “But finding your true love only happens once in a blue moon, young man. Every time you see a full moon, you can be reminded that you married the girl meant only for you.”

  “She’s right,” Nana said, rubbing her hands together. “Now, we need to move to plan B.”

  “What was plan A?” Beau asked.

  “Getting you to admit it.” Nana glanced at her watch. “Plan B is happening in ten minutes. So, you need to get going.” She handed him a small paper bag. “Since you were late for lunch, you’ll have to eat on the go.”

  “Thank you.” Beau gratefully accepted the bag, the scent of pulled BBQ pork making his empty stomach rumble. “Could you at least tell me where I’m going?” he asked as she walked him toward the door.

  “Addie Nichols phoned me a little while ago and said she’s arranged for her husband to be all alone at his house so you can talk to him.” She opened the door and gave him a little push. “After talkin’ with Chase, don’t forget to ask Ashlee’s daddy for permission. It’s tradition.”

  It looked like Addie’s plans involved more than just talking with her husband and then making up with Ashlee. When she’d said she was working on a plan, Beau assumed that meant she was setting up a romantic supper or something, not planning his engagement. He ignored his brain that was frantically flashing warnings about not having a solid future planned out. Instead, he listened to the steady rhythm of his heart and recalled the unexpected words of wisdom Jackson had offered him after Beau had told him about Ashlee’s ultimatum. He’d been desperate for advice on what to do, and Jackson had come through for him.

  “Ask yourself if you’re okay attending Ashlee’s wedding and you’re not the groom,” Jackson had said in a serious tone. “Because she will move on and find someone else. If you’re cool with that then you don’t really love her. But if not, then you need to do some heavy groveling, bro. Probably on one knee, if you know what I mean.”

  Deciding he was going to go for it, he jogged across the lawn to the parking lot and unlocked his SUV. He started the engine, and then called Addie on speaker phone for more information about plan B.

  “Are you calling to thank me or yell at me?” she asked when she answered the call.

  “Thank you. I think.”

  “Yay!” she said with a giggle. “This is going to be so much fun.”

  Her enthusiasm made him laugh. “Hold on, if this
goes down, I’ll be hijacking Taylin and Luke’s party.”

  “Nope. Taylin is the one who suggested it. She said her impromptu proposal worked out very well for her.”

  Beau blew out a big breath. “Even if Ashlee agrees to marry me, I don’t have any plans beyond the proposal.” Technically, he didn’t have that planned either.

  “That’s what engagements are for, Beau. Chase packed up everything he owned and moved to Idaho to marry me. He said he was scared to death, but couldn’t live without me.”

  “Y’all were married a month after he moved. Jackson and I thought maybe it was because you had to, but Izzy didn’t come for three more years.”

  “What!” she made a disgruntled sound in the phone. “We didn’t… never mind. I wasn’t pregnant. We were just crazy in love and didn’t want to be apart any longer than we had to.”

  “I’m just teasing.” Chase had already cleared that up when he and Jackson had asked him about it. He just wanted to rile Addie up a little. “So, Ashlee’s big brother is waitin’ on me at the house?”

  “Don’t make it sound so ominous. Chase is harmless. Besides, you’re taller than he is.”

  “Does he know I’m coming over?”

  “No, he still thinks you’re on your way to Savannah. I just sent him home to get my purse, which I left behind on purpose, by the way.”

  “Where is everyone else?” Plan B wasn’t very thorough. He’d hoped Addie would’ve prepped Chase a little.

  “We’re all over here at Taylin and Luke’s helping them get ready for the party. That way some of us can be free to help you pull off a romantic proposal later on tonight.”

  “I can’t just get down on one knee?” he groaned.

  She snorted. “No way. You owe that girl something good. She’s had a rough two days and has had to grow up a lot.”

  Beau felt responsible for her misery. It gave him the courage to plow ahead, regardless of how uncertain his future was. “Here goes nothin’,” he said as he pulled in behind the only car in the driveway.

  “Relax, Chase is going to be totally cool with it.”

  He sure hoped she was right.

  Climbing out of his car, Beau started for the front door. Before he could knock, it swung open and Chase stepped out, carrying a baby blue purse over one shoulder.

  “Nice purse,” Beau said, unable to help himself.

  “You’re hilarious.” He pulled the door closed and made sure it was locked. “I thought you’d be long gone to Savannah by now. Did you change your mind about comin’ to the party?”

  “You could say that.” Beau swallowed and started to put his hands in his pockets. Then he remembered the ring box was in one of them, so he dropped his hands down to his sides. “I… uh, need to talk to you about somethin’ important.”

  A slight frown wrinkled Chase’s forehead. “This sounds serious.”

  “You could say that too.”

  “Bro, what’s goin’ on?” Chase slipped the purse from his shoulder and put it on the sidewalk. “You’re not dying or anything, right?”

  “No, but what I have to say may make you want to kill me.”

  Both of Chase’s eyebrows went up. “You better just spit it out. I can’t even think of anything that would make me want to kill you.” He scratched his head. “I might consider murder as an option if this has anything nefarious to do with my wife.”

  “It doesn’t.” Beau rolled both of his shoulders back. “Okay, I’m just gonna come out and say it.” Except he didn’t know where to start.

  “Dude, you’re killin’ me here.”

  “Sorry.” Beau shook out his hands and flexed his fingers a few times. “I’m in love with your little sister.” He let out a big breath. There. He’d finally said it.

  Chase looked at him completely dumbfounded. Then he started laughing. “Good one, bro.” He punched Beau lightly in the shoulder. “You really had me going there for a minute.”

  Great. Chase thought he was joking.

  “I’m serious, Chase. I love her. I don’t know how it happened, only that it did.”

  Chase sobered and shook his head as if to clear it. “Okay, let me get this straight… are we talkin’ about Ashlee?”

  He hadn’t said her name? Shoot, he was totally screwing this up.

  “Yes. I’m in love with Ashlee.” His voice cracked, so he gently cleared his throat. “I know you’ll probably think it’s messed up, but I really do love her.”

  Chase was giving him that blank stare again. Beau should probably wait to announce his intentions after Chase had time to absorb it, but he needed to get it all out there.

  “I’m goin’ to ask your daddy for permission to marry her.” He cleared his throat again. “I was hoping to have your blessing too.”

  “Seriously, you and Ashlee?” Chase asked in a disbelieving tone. “You’re not just messin’ with me?”

  “Pretty serious.” Beau’s heart knocked against his sternum as he waited for Chase’s verdict. Addie believed her husband would be cool with things, but Beau was beginning to have his doubts.

  “Wait a sec.” Chase’s eyes lit up, and a grin split his face. “Are you Ashlee’s mystery boyfriend?”

  “Yeah.” Warmth flooded Beau’s neck and face. “I should’ve said something earlier, but I was tryin’ to buy time to get up the guts to talk to you.”

  “You thought I’d be mad?” Chase asked as he pointed to himself.

  “You mean you’re not?”

  “Are you kiddin’?” Chase said, leaning in to give him an enthusiastic thump on the back. “You’ve always been like a brother to me. Might as well make it permanent.”

  Beau felt like the weight of the world had just been lifted from his shoulders. It was stupid, but Chase’s approval made his eyes burn with emotion. He pinched the bridge of his nose with his thumb and forefinger. “Oh, man. I can’t believe you’re gonna make me cry.”

  Chase laughed and shoved him playfully in the shoulder. “You’re the one who wants to marry my little sister. That’d make any man cry.”

  Beau lifted his chin and gave him a mock glare. “Watch out, bro. You’re talkin’ about the girl I love.”

  That made Chase shake his head again. “You and Ashlee.” He swooped down and picked up his wife’s purse. “Who would’ve ever guessed.”

  Not Beau. Getting engaged was the last thing on his mind when he’d come home three weeks ago, especially to Ashlee Nichols.

  The sound of a cell phone pealed from the pocket of Chase’s jeans. He reached behind him and pulled it out. “Hey, babe,” he said with amusement. “You are never gonna believe who I’m talkin’ to.” Addie’s response made Chase’s brow furrow. “How did you know?” He turned to Beau, one eyebrow raised. “He forgot to mention that part to me.”

  “Sorry,” Beau mouthed.

  Chase smiled and waved him off, continuing to listen to his wife in silence. As the seconds ticked by, Chase’s face grew more and more animated. “Yes, ma’am,” he said before ending the call.

  “That was my wife,” Chase said, unnecessarily, “and I’m supposed to tell you that we’re commencing with plan C.”

  “What’s plan C?” Beau asked.

  “Apparently, Taylin and Addie knew you would eventually come to your senses, and they’ve been busy hatching a plan.” Chase clapped Beau on the shoulder. “You, my friend, now get to prove just how much you love my baby sister.”

  Chapter 29

  Ashlee stood in front of the mirror, trying to get used to her new look. How could cutting off thirteen inches of her hair change her appearance so drastically? It was strange how much lighter her head felt without the weight of her long hair.

  Although Isabelle had innocently cut it to see if it would turn dark like Rapunzel’s had in the movie, she initially felt like she’d lost her identity. Her hair was so much a part of her. It was her livelihood. It was as if her hair had turned dark, as dark and depressed as she felt inside. Fairytales were exactly what the t
itle entailed. Make-believe. A fantasy. Not real.

  She’d grownup a little then, and now that the shock was wearing off, Ashlee could admit that she kind of liked the hairstyle change. It made her look mature and more sophisticated. It also gave her a new perspective. While she didn’t necessarily believe in a fictional happily-ever-after, she did believe in love. She was holding out for the real thing, and she just had to hope that Beau would figure things out.

  Running her fingers through the layered hair that brushed her collarbone, she marveled at how easy it had been to wash, dry and style her hair. Several people had commented that she looked more like a twin to the Dancing with the Stars judge, Julianne Hough, than she did to her actual twin sister. Taylin had come home yesterday and said the same thing to her. Luckily, they still looked like sisters. Even better, she still felt like they were sisters. She’d been so worried that things would never be the same. Taylin might be a wife and mother, but she would always be her sister.

  A knock sounded at the door. “It’s open,” she called out as she turned away from the mirror.

  “It’s just me,” her sister-in-law said, coming through the door. “Wow, Ash, you look amazing.” Addie made the motion with her finger for Ashlee to turn around. “Don’t hate me for saying this, but I’m really digging your new sexy haircut.”

  “Are you just sayin’ that because you still feel guilty or do you really mean it?”

  “I really mean it.” Addie ran her hand through her own auburn tresses. “I wish my hair wasn’t so naturally curly or I’d totally have Jackie give me the same haircut.”

  “You can always ask Izzy to cut it for you,” Ashlee teased.

  “I’m so sorry that happened,” Addie said, covering her face with her hands. “I’ll never forget the catatonic state you were in when Mom Nichols and I came home.” She peeked through her fingers. “Do you honestly forgive me?”

  “There’s nothin’ to forgive. It was nobody’s fault but my own.” Ashlee crossed the floor and took her sister-in-law’s hands away from her face. “If anyone needs to ask for forgiveness it’s me. I fell asleep while watchin’ my niece.”