“Did your mother come up with you?”
Sutton rolled his eyes upward. “She called at the last minute to tell me she was staying in Atlanta for the holiday. I didn’t want to ask because I knew I wouldn’t like the answer about who or what is keeping her there.”
“Do you think she’s still seeing your father?”
“I don’t know and don’t want to know.” He glanced around the space. “You really picked a nice place.”
“I was lucky because the landlord completely renovated it after the last tenant. He put in a new floor, updated the electrical system and modernized the bathroom. You can have a look around if you want.”
“I’ll do that at some other time. I just stopped in to let you know I’m back. Are you going to need help setting up?”
“I don’t believe so. The deliverymen will set up the furniture, and those bringing the shelving know they have to anchor them to the wall.”
“What about a security system?”
Georgina smiled. It was one of the first things her father had questioned her about once she went over the details of setting up shop. “I’m waiting for him to arrive within the hour.” Once she stored her inventory, two flat screens and two sewing machines in the storeroom, she’d scheduled a date for the entire premises to be wired directly to the sheriff’s office.
Sutton tugged on the braid falling down her back. “Good for you. I know you’re busy, so I’m looking forward to seeing you over the weekend.”
“I’m not going to be here for the weekend. I have to go to DC on business.” Georgina had decided not to say anything to her family about becoming a children’s book illustrator until she’d agreed to the terms in her contract. And she decided not to sign anything until she had her lawyer look it over.”
“Well, I suppose I’ll see you when you get back.”
She looped her arm through Sutton’s. “Of course you will. Now that you’re staying with your uncle and auntie, I will be certain to drop by and see how you’re adjusting to life in a small town.”
Since moving out, Georgina stopped in to see her parents once and no more than twice each week, while her mother called every other day to give her an update of the goings-on in the store. She knew Evelyn missed her, and Georgina had to admit she missed seeing her mother, yet decided now that the cord was cut, she did not want to revert to the time when Evelyn depended upon her for constant companionship.
“You forget I came from a small town, and I must admit it feels good to be back.”
“Are you saying you got tired of Hot Lanta?”
“Don’t get me wrong, Georgi. I loved Atlanta, but there were times when I just wanted to walk out of my house and encounter absolute silence. I didn’t need to hear planes flying overhead, car tires on the roadway, or even my closest neighbor’s music whenever they were having a party. Wickham Falls isn’t Mayberry, but it comes close. I know times have changed where we now have folks addicted to drugs, but it still hasn’t reached the stage where it’s become an issue.”
“That’s true. The Falls has changed, but not so much that it has diminished the quality of life,” she said in defense of their hometown.
Sutton tugged on her braid again as he lowered his head and kissed her forehead. “I’m proud of you, Georgi, for going out on your own. If you need anything—and I mean anything—just let me know and I’ll help you out.”
She laughed. “You’re no different than my father. Thank you very much, but I don’t need any money, Sutton.”
He winked at her. “Just asking.”
The ringing of the bell chimed throughout the empty space. “That must be the technician.”
Sutton walked to the door. “I’ll hang out here until he’s finished.”
“That won’t be necessary.”
“I’m not going to leave you alone in here with some strange man who may use it as an opportunity to take advantage of you.”
“Are you still watching those crime shows?” she asked as he walked to the door. Sutton had admitted to her that his guilty pleasure was watching true-crime programming.
“I wouldn’t miss them,” he said over his shoulder, and then unlocked the door.
The technician walked in, holding out his ID badge. “Yo, man. You’re Sutton Reed. I remember that triple play you made when you caught that fly ball, stepped on first base to double up the runner and then threw home to cut down the player at the plate.”
Georgina sat, sighing when Sutton and the technician launched into a discussion about baseball. Her cousin was prepared to leave before she’d mentioned someone coming to wire the store, and now he was deep in conversation with a man whose knowledge of baseball indicated he was an avid fan of the game. West Virginia did not have a professional baseball team, but that didn’t keep folks in the Falls from rooting for either the Washington Nationals or the Atlanta Braves. Rather than sit and listen to the two men talk sports, Georgina retreated to the storeroom and opened a large bin with knitted and crocheted babies’, toddlers’ and children’s hats, sweaters and socks. Whenever she sat long enough to relax, she found herself knitting and crocheting handmade garments she anonymously donated to the church’s outreach for their clothing drive. She didn’t know why, but she always became emotional when seeing a child wearing one of her creations.
Georgina managed to crochet and finish two beanies using lime-green baby yarn by the time the technician completed his task. He’d installed cameras and sensors before instructing her step by step how to arm and disarm the system. He promised to return to hook up a panic button under the reception desk once her furniture was delivered. She waited for Sutton and the technician to leave before punching in her code, arming the system, to leave and return home to pack for her trip to DC.
* * *
Georgina stared out the windshield when Langston came to a complete stop in the driveway leading to his sister’s home. The three-story house was dark, and she wondered if Jacklyn was still up.
“Maybe we should’ve waited for tomorrow morning to drive up. It looks as if everyone has gone to bed.” They’d left Wickham Falls at nine because Langston wanted to wait for the latest edition of The Sentinel to come back from the printer.
Langston undid his seat belt. “Jackie’s still up. She claims she’s more creative once everyone goes to bed.”
“What if she isn’t up?”
“Stop stressing, babe. I called my sister before I came to pick you up, so she knows to expect us.”
Georgina undid her seat belt and waited for Langston to come around to help her down. She was looking forward to seeing his sister again, if only to reminiscence about high school. There were times when she regretted not attending college because then her social circle would have expanded beyond the kids with whom she’d gone to high school. Langston had formed friendships with his college roommates and colleagues at the television station, while her day-to-day existence did not venture beyond the environs of Wickham Falls.
Langston had helped her out and gathered their bags from the cargo area when the front door opened. “See. I told you Jackie would still be up.”
She walked with Langston up the porch steps, smiling when Jacklyn extended her arms. “Thank you for inviting me to your home.”
“There’s no need to thank me, Georgi. You’re involved with my brother, so that makes you family.”
Georgina wanted to tell Jacklyn that she was getting ahead of herself. She and Langston sleeping together did not translate into an engagement or even marriage. “We’d wanted to get here earlier but—”
“Don’t you dare apologize,” Jacklyn said, cutting her off. “I rarely get to bed before one in the morning. The exception is when Peter’s home.”
“Is your husband going to be here this weekend?”
“He came in a couple of hours ago. Whenever Peter is called away, I never know for how
long or when he’s coming back.” Jacklyn looped her arm through Georgina’s. “Come inside. I’ll show you guys to your room. I’m going to put you in the mother-in-law suite where you will have complete privacy, because it’s off-limits for the kids.”
“How old are your children, Jackie?”
“Brett is five, and Sophia is three going on thirty-three. Both are really excited because they’re going to spend a couple of weeks with my parents on their houseboat.”
“Are you going with them?”
“Nope. It isn’t often I get a break from my kids, so when Mom and Dad asked to see their grandkids I did not hesitate to say yes. Peter’s on vacation, so he’s going down with them. Once you have children, you’ll discover that a temporary break is needed to maintain your sanity.”
Georgina wanted to tell Langston’s sister that at thirty-two she still had time before she began thinking about starting a family, because at the present time it wasn’t a priority for her.
Jacklyn led them down a hallway off a sitting room. “You guys are here.” She opened a door and stood aside while Georgina and Langston walked in. “Sleep well.”
Georgina smiled at Langston once Jacklyn had closed the door behind her. The suite to which they’d been assigned had a king-size bed, sitting area, double dresser, en-suite bath and walk-in closets. “This is very nice.”
“Jackie thinks of you as special, because whenever I come to visit, I always sleep in one of the third-story bedrooms.”
“You’re just her brother, while I’m going to be her illustrator.”
Langston set their bags on the floor in a corner. “Bragging, princess?”
“Yes.” She slipped out of her tennis shoes and then unbuttoned her blouse. “I don’t know about you, but I’m ready to go to bed—to sleep,” she added, when he flashed a wolfish grin.
“Aw, baby. You’re not going to give me some?”
“No, and not for the next five days.”
He stared at her before realization dawned. “Oh, I see.”
Even if she hadn’t been on her menses, Georgina had no intention of allowing Langston to make love to her in his sister’s home. She wasn’t being prudish but felt what they did to and with each other could be done in the privacy of either of their homes.
Bending, she opened her weekender and removed a nightgown and a cosmetic case. “If you don’t mind, I’m going to use the bathroom first.”
Fifteen minutes later she reemerged to find Langston in bed, snoring lightly. It was apparent he hadn’t waited for her. She slipped into bed next to him and turned off the bedside lamp. Resting an arm over his flat belly, she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Chapter Thirteen
Georgina sat in the Lindemanns’ home office with Amelia Kincaid. The room was more like a living room than an office with a sofa, chairs, wall-mounted flat screen, audio equipment and a wood-burning fireplace with family photographs lining the mantelpiece.
The fifty-something woman had arrived from New York on the noon train, and Peter Lindemann had volunteered to drive to Union Station with his son and daughter to pick up his wife’s literary agent. Jacklyn said every time her husband returned home from an assignment his children treated him like Santa on Christmas morning.
When Georgina was introduced as their uncle Lang’s friend, Brett and Sophia had cautiously approached her before Sophia crawled up on Georgina’s lap to ask to touch her hair. The toddler appeared transfixed that she had curls like her uncle’s friend. Both children had inherited their father’s dark-blond hair, and their hazel eyes were a strikingly beautiful contrast to their light brown complexion.
Georgina felt slightly uncomfortable as Amelia continued to stare at her but vowed not to let the other woman see how much she was affected by her. Amelia took off her tinted glasses and pinched the bridge of her pencil-thin, narrow nose. Sunlight coming from the window behind glinted off short, jet-black hair, reminding Georgina of a crow’s or raven’s feathers.
“You’re quite a surprise, Georgina.”
She gave the older woman a direct stare. “Why would you say that?”
“When I first saw your illustrations, I thought you would be a lot older.”
Georgina’s expression did not change. The woman was not only rude but also judgmental. “Are you saying that my age is going to be a factor when it comes to negotiating a contract for me?”
Spots of color dotted Amelia’s fair complexion with the jab. “Not at all. I’m just saying that you will probably enjoy a long and celebrated career as a children’s book illustrator once I convince Jacklyn’s publisher that you should become her personal one.”
Georgina lowered her eyes. “I’m sorry. Forgive me for being presumptuous.”
Amelia laughed. “Not only are you beautiful, but also modest.”
Jacklyn cleared her throat. She’d held her twisted hair off her face with a wide headband. “My brother would definitely agree with you, because he and Georgina are in a serious relationship.”
Realization then dawned as to why Amelia had appeared so entranced with her. It was apparent the agent was attracted to women, and it was the first time she’d become conscious of someone of the same sex seemingly coming on to her.
“By the way, where is your brother?” Amelia asked Jacklyn.
“He left to go to the television station where he used to work to reconnect with some of his former colleagues.”
Appearing satisfied with Jacklyn’s explanation, Amelia opened a leather binder filled with a sheath of papers. “Well, I think it’s time we get down to discussing business.” She unscrewed the top to a fountain pen and scribbled something. She tore off the page and handed it to Georgina. “This is what I’m going to ask them to give you for the first book in the series.”
Georgina stared at the numbers. “Is this your highest, mid or lowest quote?”
Amelia slumped back against the cushion on the armchair and put on her glasses. “Why are you asking?”
“Because it seems quite generous for a first-time illustrator. I know the more they offer me the higher your fee as my agent. What I don’t want to do is price myself out of contention when the publisher feels they can get someone for a lot less.”
“It is on the higher end of the scale,” Amelia admitted.
Although she did not want to minimize the worth of her talent, Georgina also wasn’t going to let the agent make it impossible down the road for her to sell her sketches. “What if we start at the middle, then when it comes time to negotiate for a subsequent contract we can ask for a little more than the higher end of the scale?”
Amelia’s mouth tightened in frustration. “Your illustrations definitely warrant a little more, Georgina. Do you have any idea of how talented you are? You are truly a gifted artist.”
She gave the avaricious agent a long, penetrating stare. “I am aware of my talent because my grandmother told me a long time ago that I have a special gift. So yes, I know that I’m talented.” Georgina pointed to Amelia’s pad. “Perhaps you can write down another figure that would make it easier for me to agree to have you rep me.” The agent scribbled another number and this time Georgina smiled. “That’s better. Once the contract is finalized I’d like my attorney to go over it before I sign and send it back to you.”
Amelia retuned her smile. “Did you major in business in college?”
“No. I never went to college, but I did have the best teacher when it came to running a business. My father.”
“She’s right,” Jacklyn confirmed. “The Powells have owned and operated the same family business in Wickham Falls, West Virginia, since right after the Civil War, so she’s definitely not a novice.”
Georgina realized Amelia now saw her differently. If the woman’s client had been anyone other than Jacklyn, Georgina would’ve walked out of the meeting. Greed bred contempt, and she wanted
no part of it.
“I will draw up a contract between you and me, outlining my fee and the length of the agreement, which can be terminated in writing with thirty days’ prior notice. I hope this meets with your approval?”
Georgina nodded. “It does.”
Amelia stood up. “I’m going to go to my room and work on this.”
Waiting until the woman left, Jacklyn closed and locked the door behind her and sat on the love seat next to Georgina. “You really pissed her off. There aren’t too many who are able to challenge Amelia Kincaid, who has earned a reputation as a piranha. It’s true she fights to get the most money out of a publisher for her clients, but she’s also in it to make as much for herself. She’s never married, doesn’t have any kids and lives in a prewar, rent-controlled apartment on the Upper West Side overlooking Central Park that belonged to her parents, and she’s also as penny-pinching as they come. Whenever she entertains a client she always orders the cheapest item on the menu.”
“Aren’t those expenses tax-deductible?”
“Yes, but she still doesn’t like to spend money. The one time she came down to meet with me I’d discovered that she’d checked into a flophouse and wound up with bedbug bites. That’s why I tell her she can stay here.”
“How do you think she would react if you gave her a bill for lodging and food?”
“You know you’re bad, Georgina Powell,” Jacklyn teased as she flashed a wide grin. “Enough about Miss Tight Wad. Now you have to tell me how you and my brother got together.”
Georgina told her everything from the time she and Langston shared a table and a dance at the Chamber fund-raiser, to his being supportive when she decided to move out and start up her own business.
“Are you aware that my brother is in love with you?”
Georgina stared at the pattern on the rug. “I am, because he told me.”
“Are we talking about the same Langston Wayne Cooper? Because even when he told me he was going to marry Ayanna, he refused to admit that he was in love with her.”
Starting Over In Wickham Falls (Wickham Falls Weddings Book 9) Page 18
