Chapter One
“Don't look now, but your past just walked in the door.” Her older sister's loud whisper forced Georgia Ballou to jab her elbow in Eden's side, causing her to let out a high pitched squeal. Considering the somber circumstances, it was highly inappropriate.
Heat crept up her neck at the outraged glances several parishioners sent in their direction. She couldn't blame them, Georgia thought. They were at a funeral after all. The last time she checked, funerals were supposed to be full of reverence and solemnity. It was a time for mourning, not inappropriate chit chat.
Something told her Libby Somers wouldn’t mind. Her sense of humor had been legendary. Although she had hailed from a very prestigious family, she’d never taken herself too seriously. She had been a fine and wonderful woman. She had been Georgia’s friend.
The whole town of Hope Valley, Colorado had turned out for the service. She couldn't very well avoid it, no matter how much she wanted to, especially since Libby Somers had been the town's social butterfly and grand dame with connections to every single person in town. She had been heavily connected with Hope Valley Church and a huge donor to all of its programs. Everyone loved Libby. With her generous heart and sly sense of humor, she'd nudged her way into the hearts and minds of an entire community. It didn't hurt that she’d owned half the town and served two terms as the town's Mayor. The likes of Libby Somers would never pass this way again. Of that she was certain.
Try as she might, Georgia couldn't distract herself from the pressing issue at hand. Her past in the form of Riley Somers had just walked down the center aisle of Hope Valley Church and seated himself with the large Somers clan. She shrunk down a little in the pew, sending a prayer to the Good Lord Almighty that Riley wouldn't be able to spot her in this standing room only crowd.
Don't look at him. Don't even spare him a glance. Too late. Against her will her gaze swung toward him, scanning the back of him the same way she would read a newspaper. Not a single detail escaped her scrutiny. Everything about him was achingly familiar. The wavy dark hair. The strong line of his neck. The broad shoulders. The dark jacket encasing his rugged frame. Everything about him resonated with her. She felt goosebumps pop up on her flesh and she locked her arms in front of her in response, rubbing them as a way of shaking off the chill. Whatever would she say to him anyway? Hi, Riley. How's life been treating you since you walked out of my life? Seeing anyone these days?
Who was she kidding? She couldn't drag her gaze away from him if she tried.
For the entire length of the service Georgia found her gaze returning to Riley. Even though she was filled with dread at the prospect of coming face to face with him, a part of her wanted him to turn around. She wanted to lock gazes with him, to see those magnetic blue eyes widen with surprise when he saw her. She needed to see if he was as unsettled by her presence as she was by his close proximity. Maybe he wouldn't even care, a little voice buzzed in her ear. From the rumors she'd heard around town, Riley had settled down in a small town in upstate New York. It was miles and miles away from the Colorado River town they'd both grown up in.
When the children's choir started singing “On Eagles Wings” her eyes became misty and she reached for her sister's hand. This song had special meaning for them, going all the way back to childhood and their days in the Hope Valley Church choir. When Riley got up to read a Bible passage she felt her palms moisten. He'd always had this effect on her if she was being honest with herself. He'd been her first junior high school crush, then years later her first serious boyfriend, as well as the man she'd hoped to one day marry.
Rather than propose to her, Riley had left Hope Valley for a life far away from her and his entire family.
Georgia sucked in a deep breath as Riley's deep, rumbling voice washed over her as he recited a passage from Corinthians. It had been so long since she'd heard that familiar tone. Once they'd broken things off he'd quickly left town, which hadn't given them any time to work things out. After five years together, Georgia had given him an ultimatum. Marriage or bust. Her cheeks blushed to remember Riley telling her he didn’t want to get married. And he hadn’t been certain about kids either. It had broken her heart.
Neither one of them had made an effort to keep in touch. For Georgia, it would have been too painful to treat him as just a friend when she'd loved him for as long as she could remember. She wasn’t that type of girl. How could she stand by and watch him get married someday to someone else? It would have broken her.
Even though she'd fallen out of love with him over the course of the past few years, it still felt as if a heavy weight lay lodged in her chest. It still felt as if there was unfinished business between them.
Some things a person just never got over. Losing Riley Somers was one of those things.
As the service concluded, Georgia watched as the Somers family solemnly lead the congregation out of the church. Riley's hands were crossed in front of him and his head was bowed as he walked towards the back of the church. He was surrounded by family members. When it was time to exit her pew she stood frozen, unsure of what her next move should be. She could dart out the entrance by the front of the church or head downstairs to the lower level until everyone had cleared out. Heat rose to her cheeks as she realized the lengths she would go to in order to avoid coming face to face with Riley.
“You can't run from this, Georgia.” Her sister's gentle voice buzzed in her ear. “It’s bound to happen sooner or later.”
She turned in Eden's direction. Her sister's beautiful features were drawn tight. The green eyes she knew so well shimmered with loving concern. She swallowed past the lump of emotion sitting in her throat. “I don't want to run. It's just that—.” Her voice trailed off, eaten up by doubt and nervousness. “I'm not sure I can face him.”
“Yes, you can,” Eden said in an encouraging tone. “You're way stronger than you realize.”
Strong? For so long she'd felt the very opposite. When she'd lost Riley her entire world had turned upside down. Ever since that moment she'd been trying to get her life back in order. Some days it felt like it was still a huge, colossal mess.
“I don't feel very strong,” she mumbled, giving voice to her secret shame. Ballou women were fierce and brave, going back generations to the original settlers who landed in Colorado. It was embarrassing to admit how far she'd fallen. Not many knew it, with the exception of Eden and a few close friends, but she suffered from slight anxiety. At the moment her palms were moist and her heart was beating like a jack hammer.
Eden reached for her hand and clasped it with her own. “It'll be fine. You can do this. I believe in you.” I believe in you. She smiled at Eden as the sound of her mother's voice echoed in her ears. Those were Mama’s words, uttered at the slightest provocation. If they'd had a bad day as kids, their mother would whisper those words as she cradled them in her loving arms. And even now, as she struggled with multiple sclerosis, their mother served as their biggest cheerleader. Mama could be fierce, but she was incredibly loving.
Once they exited the church they were swept up with the crowd of parishioners who were paying their respects to the Somers. Riley stood with his family, looking way more handsome than he had a right to look. Their eyes met, and despite the wild urge to run in the opposite direction, she took a few steps towards him, meeting him halfway. He gifted her with a warm smile, showcasing white, even teeth. In another life, Riley could definitely charm folks as a politician or the star of an ad campaign.
Suddenly, it was just the two of them standing in front of each other.
He reached out and clasped her hand. “Georgia. Thanks for coming.”
“I'm so very sorry about Aunt Libby. She was an amazing woman,” she murmured. “I admired her very much.” It felt a little surreal to be standing here with Riley after all this time.
A semblance of a smile tugged at his lips. Those perfectly shaped, achingly familiar lips. The ones that used to kiss her so tenderly.
“It's hard to believe she's gone. I keep expecting to hear her voice scolding me about something or other. She was a big fan of yours, Georgia. She always spoke highly of you.”
“She was very good to me,” she murmured. “Even when she was telling me off about something, she'd turn around and ask me if I needed anything.” She'd never forget Libby's many kindnesses over the years. Some of them had occurred during her darkest hours. She would miss her friend terribly.
Riley let out a soft chuckle. “That was Aunt Libby. Tough as nails, but a sweetheart through and through.”
“When did you get in?” She almost bit her tongue for asking, since she'd promised herself she wouldn't layer their conversation with anything other than comments related to Aunt Libby and her passing. When it came to Riley, curiosity always got the best of her. Still.
He quirked his mouth. “We just got in late last night.”
We? A pain gripped her low in her belly. She felt herself sway a little. Riley using the word we signified something that she might not be able to handle. We could mean a girlfriend. Her stomach twisted. Or a wife. No! Surely someone would have told her if he'd gotten married. Aunt Libby would have made sure she’d known about it.
“Georgia, there's something I need to tell you—.”
Riley's anxious expression sent warning bells clanging through her head. The last time he'd spoken such words to her he'd been announcing his intention to leave Hope Valley and place their relationship on ice. Just the ragged sound of his voice caused painful memories to sweep over her. A feeling of déjà vu crept over her. She felt like running in the opposite direction.
“Daddy! Daddy!”
The exuberant cry rang out in the stillness of the spring afternoon. A little boy, no more than four, came hurtling towards Riley with outstretched arms. He catapulted himself at Riley, wrapping his arms tightly around his legs. “I found you, Daddy!”
No, it couldn't be. Riley couldn't be a father. It was the last thing he'd ever wanted. Her head told her one thing, while her eyes confirmed another. The chubby cheeked, dark-haired little boy with eyes as blue as the sky was the spitting image of her ex-boyfriend. The stark reality of his paternity caused nausea to bubble up inside her. Her knees threatened to buckle underneath her. Riley was this little boy's father!
The same man who'd ended their relationship rather than commit to life as a father and husband, was now a father. After all this time the rejection still hurt like crazy. Her heart still ached at the loss of him. And to top it all off, he had a child. He was a father. The memories came flooding back to her all at once. The devastating last fight they'd had right before Riley left Hope Valley for good flashed into her mind.
“You don't get it, Georgia. I don't want to be a father. I'm not ready for all that. I might never be.” Yet here he stood, almost four years later, with a dark-haired boy who was the spitting image of him. She watched as Riley scooped up the child and pressed him against his chest, his large hands cradling him with more tenderness than she'd ever seen him exhibit. Quickly, she scanned his ring finger, surprised at the lack of a wedding ring. An unwed father? That didn't seem like Riley's style. Although he'd been adamant about not wanting to be a father, clearly something had changed along the way. Maybe he just didn’t wear a ring.
“Georgia, I'd like you to meet my son, Aidan.”
My son. My son. How many times had she fantasized about him uttering those words about their child? Their son? Only Riley hadn't been ready for the responsibility, or at least that's what he'd claimed three and a half years ago. And he'd walked out of her life because of it.
“Hi, Aidan. It's nice to meet you,” she said in a shaky voice. She forced her lips to curve upwards into a smile, not wanting this beautiful little boy to think she was cross at him. It had nothing to do with him and everything to do with his daddy.
“Nice to meet cha,” the little boy mumbled as he squirmed in his father's arms. Riley let Aidan down and he scooted off to chase after a squirrel.
Her eyes trailed after him and she blinked, her mind trying desperately to process what her heart already knew. She swallowed hard, trying to ignore the metallic taste in the back of her throat. “H-How old? How old is he?” she asked in a voice barely above a whisper.
His jaw clenched and he seemed to wince. “He's three, Georgia.”
Three! Three years old? Somehow, after all the heart to heart discussions they'd had about not being ready for fatherhood, he'd left Hope Valley and had a baby. Matter of fact, if she'd done her math correctly, the baby had been conceived when they'd still been together. It stung like crazy.
“All this time I thought-.” Her voice trailed off as the cold, hard facts began to coalesce in her mind. What had she thought all these years? So very many things. He'd been afraid. Cold feet. Immature. She’d even thought maybe she hadn’t been enough. Never in a million years had she ever imagined he'd found someone else. Or that he’d cheated on her.
A molten hot rage burned in her veins. “Well, this certainly explains why you dumped me and high tailed it out of town,” she spit out.
“Georgia, please. It wasn't like that.” He reached out as if to comfort her.
She swatted his hand away. “Please? Please nothing! Riley, I've known you my entire life. We went to school together. We dated for five years. We were practically joined at the hip. How did you think I would react to this level of betrayal? Am I supposed to give you a ticker tape parade?”
Riley winced. “I can't imagine how you must feel. I should have written you, called you, left a message on your cell. I have no excuse other than not wanting to hurt you.”
“I think you can safely say you failed in that regard,” she snapped. “Your child is three!”
She could see his jaw harden. “Aidan is my whole world. His arrival in the world wasn’t planned, but he’s a gift. Even though I’m raising him by myself as a single father, I can't be sorry that he's here. Not for anyone or anything. Not even you.”
Anger rose up inside her. “I’m not asking you to,” she snapped. They stood for a moment just staring at each other. Tension bristled in the air between them. Georgia felt awkward. She didn’t want to make a scene at Aunt Libby’s service, but she couldn’t hide her fury.
“Georgia!” Molly, Riley’s younger sister, came bounding up to her. With her rounded cheeks, freckles and auburn hair, Molly was a cherub come to life. Molly had been away at college for the past few years. Georgia only saw her infrequently, but during the years when she was Riley’s girlfriend they had forged an unbreakable bond.
“Molly!” Georgia called out. Georgia wrapped her arms around the young woman who had always felt like a little sister to her. During the years she’d been Riley’s girlfriend, she’d counseled Molly on everything from dating to permed hair to getting a college scholarship to falling in love. She couldn’t help but smile at the sight of her. Molly had been just as distraught as she had been when her relationship with Riley imploded. Although a loving girl, Georgia knew Molly had always been a bit on the high-strung side.
“I’ve missed you so much,” Molly said. “No one ever tells you how lonesome college can be sometimes.”
“Well, the good thing is that you’re not too far from home,” Georgia said. Molly attended school at Pineville College in Denver, so her trip home was only a few hours.
Molly tugged at her hand. “Are you coming over to the house for the reception?”
Georgia couldn’t help but dart a glance in Riley’s direction. She didn’t have the courage to look at Aidan, who was standing a few feet away with his grandmother. Just the sight of him dredged up feelings of loss that she didn’t want to deal with at the moment. “N-no, I can’t make it, but please accept my condolences, Molly. If you’re around for a few days, let’s meet up for coffee.”
Molly’s face lit up. “Oh, I’d love that, Georgia. Let’s make it happen. I’ll be home for at least a week.”
With a wave of her hand and one last look in Riley’s direction, Georgia began to walk away from the church. Although she had intended to go to the cemetery for the burial and then to the reception, Georgia knew it wasn’t a good idea. Her insides were churning and her pulse was racing with adrenaline. She raised a hand to her temple. It was pounding.
Georgia, I'd like you to meet my son, Aidan.
The words roared in her ears. She heard her sister’s voice calling after her, but she didn’t stop until she reached the safe confines of her vehicle. Her shoulders shuddered and she burst into tears as soon as she was alone. Why hadn’t Libby told her about Riley’s son?
Even after all this time, Riley Somers still held her heart in the palm of his hands.
**
Riley Somers felt numb. He had gone through the motions during the reception for Aunt Libby. Riley had smiled and greeted the townsfolk of Hope Valley with all the charm and grace of a member of the Somers clan. Seeing Georgia after all this time had felt like a thunder bolt from above. Beautiful, feisty Georgia. He'd seen the flash of hurt in her eyes. He was responsible for putting it there, that look of shock and awe. She'd looked at Aidan as if he represented a betrayal. And he didn’t blame her one bit.
She didn’t know the truth. Nor could she. Riley had given his solemn vow to his sister to never divulge the origins of Aidan’s birth. And for the past three and a half years he hadn’t told a soul. Only his mother knew the truth. Aidan was the biological child of his sister. She’d been seventeen-years-old when Aidan was born, and if he hadn’t promised to raise her child, there had been no telling what Molly would have done. Molly had run off and gotten married in secret to her childhood sweetheart, Eric Talbot. Although they had been crazy in love, the marriage hadn’t worked out. Eric had broken up with Molly a mere two months after they had been married by a justice of the peace.
Molly had been blindsided and heartbroken and ashamed of her secret marriage. Eric had wanted nothing to do with her or their child. He had moved on to another relationship and his parents were urging him to annul the marriage.
There had been talk of her terminating the pregnancy. To this day Riley wasn’t certain she would have gone through with it, but it had scared him to death. She had been devastated by first love gone wrong. At that point in time, Molly hadn’t had a great relationship with the Lord. It had never even occurred to her to get married at Hope Valley Church. For most of her life she’d sat in the church pew along with the rest of the congregation, but she had never developed her own personal relationship with God. She had been young and scared and in way over her head.
Riley blew out a deep breath as he settled down at the kitchen table. The reception had lasted for three hours. Although he deeply appreciated the large crowd who had gathered for the funeral service, burial and reception, Riley needed some down-time. Losing Aunt Libby hurt so much. It reminded him of his own father’s death six years ago. That wound had never fully healed.
Molly had taken Aidan upstairs to settle him down for a nap. Sometimes when he watched Molly gazing at her biological son he wondered whether she regretted her decision. There had been such a look of longing in her eyes earlier. She’d jumped at the chance to tuck Aidan in. And how could he have refused her? Molly had carried Aidan in her stomach for nine months. There was a tie between them that no one could ever sever. Riley understood it.
What if Molly decided she wanted Aidan back? The question rattled inside his head. He couldn’t imagine giving Aidan back at this point. Legally, he was Aidan’s father. He was his son in every way possible except for biology. Somers blood ran in both of their veins. And he would walk through fire for the little boy who owned his heart.
His mother’s footsteps sounded in the entryway to the kitchen. “It was a beautiful send-off for Libby wasn’t it?” she asked, her voice filled with emotion.
He patted the seat beside him. “It sure was, Mama. I kept thinking she’s looking down on us from Heaven with a great big smile on her face.”
She sniffed back tears. With her dark hair and green eyes, his mother was still a very attractive woman. Growing up in Hope Valley, Riley had often heard her referred to as a beauty queen, having won the Miss Hope Valley crown in her teens. She’d weathered some tough times in her life, but she was still fighting the good fight.
“Georgia sure looked beautiful today, didn’t she?” she asked in an overly casual tone.
Riley almost rolled his eyes at his mother. She was as subtle as a sledgehammer. Posey Somers had always loved Georgia. When he’d left town and broken things off with her, his mother had given him a tongue-lashing for the ages. She had wanted a happily-ever-after for the two of them, complete with a white wedding at the church and a sweet baby nine months later.
Riley let out a sigh. Things hadn’t quite worked out that way, and she’d made it her mission in life to remind him of all he’d lost. Not that he needed any reminders. He thought about Georgia all the time. And seeing her this morning had been akin to a kick in the stomach.
“Georgia’s always been the prettiest woman in this town,” Riley said, earning himself an approving nod from his mother.
“So what are you going to do about it?” she asked.
“Mama. What does that even mean?” He let out a loose chuckle. He loved his Mama more than anything in this world, right next to Aidan…and Georgia. He knew he still loved her. A woman like Georgia stayed with you forever.
She sent him a fierce look. “It means that women like Georgia are hard to find in this world. If you hadn’t gotten last-minute jitters, you would have put a ring on that woman’s finger.”
His mother’s words caused an ache inside of him. “I can’t change the past or the choices I made. Life doesn’t work that way.” Even if he sometimes wished it did.
“But now that you’re back in town for a spell, you can reconnect with Georgia.”
He made a face. “I don’t think Georgia wants anything to do with me. Not sure if you noticed, but she saw Aidan at the service. Let’s just say she did the math. She’s furious. And I can’t say that I blame her.”
Posey made a tutting sound. “You did a good thing, son. You protected your sister. But at what cost? Call me crazy, but I always imagined that you and Georgia would find your way back to one another.”
He made a tortured sound. “I’d like nothing better, but the past is standing between us.”
His mother frowned at him. “You gave that girl a world of hurt. I understand you were young and you weren’t sure about settling down and having kids, but you crushed her heart and wounded her pride. When you left Hope Valley, Georgia was broken. Even now, I’m not sure she’s the same young woman she was before you left.”
Pain seared through his chest. “I never meant to cause her pain, Mama. Hurting Georgia is the last thing I’d ever want to do. She was pushing for marriage and kids—I don’t blame her. We’d been dating for almost five years and she was anxious for a ring. It wasn’t that I didn’t love her. Lord knows I did. I just wasn’t sure about settling down and being tied up with a family and kids.”
Posey stared him down. “Now you’re back in town with a child that you’re claiming as your own. You need to tell her the truth. Aidan is not your biological son.”
“Mama, you know I made a promise to Molly. When she came to me, desperate and pregnant with Aidan, I promised I’d see her through the entire situation.” Painful truths came back to haunt him. “She wasn’t even sure about having the baby. I told her if she had the child she’d never regret it. When she asked me to raise her son, how could I refuse?”
“You did a wonderful thing for your sister, Riley.” His mother tutted and shook her head, her face a mask of disapproval. “But it seems to me that the truth shouldn’t be buried. Things done in the dark always come to light. I believe that.”
His mother’s words resonated with him. He knew she spoke the truth. And coming back to Hope Valley would allow him to talk to his sister and see if she was all right with him telling Georgia the truth. After all, they’d always agreed to tell Aidan when he reached a certain age. Riley was of the belief that if they told Aidan when he was little it wouldn’t be such a shock. He’d have years to wrap his head around the situation and get used to it. Lies had a way of catching up to people.
“Believe it or not, I agree with you wholeheartedly. I came back home to attend Aunt Libby’s funeral and mourn with our family, but it may provide an opportunity for me to talk to Molly. It’s time she bends a little.”
His mother scoffed. “Your sister isn’t exactly the flexible type. Ever since she came into this world that girl has been as stubborn as a mule.” She shook her head. “I was hoping she’d mature and change over the past few years, but so far I haven’t seen any signs of it.”
Riley wanted to believe Molly had changed and grown due to her experiences as a teen mom. Although she hadn’t done a single thing to raise her son, she had carried him for nine months and brought him into this world. In Riley’s eyes, that made his little sister a hero.
“It’s too bad this is sitting between you. I love Georgia and I hate to know she’s been hurt by all this.”
He reached out and patted his mother on the shoulder. “I’m sorry too, Mama.”
Shame on him for not thinking things through. How could he not have considered how deeply Aidan's presence would affect Georgia? He shut his eyes, trying to block out the image of her crestfallen face. Georgia had always been an open book. Just like always, her expression this morning had revealed her utter devastation. It was devastating to realize that his cherub-faced son was the source of so much angst. Leaving Aidan back in New York with his nanny hadn't been an option. Ever since he was born, he and his son had been inseparable.
He just hadn't allowed himself to imagine Georgia meeting Aidan or how he would explain things. She was still as beautiful as ever, with her striking cheekbones and wide set hazel eyes. Her blonde hair had grown out so that it now hung to her shoulders. His feelings for her were strong, so much so that he almost didn’t want to examine them. He’d loved her for so long. Loving Georgia had always been effortless. For a moment he allowed himself to wonder what his life would be like now if he had married Georgia rather than run away from his feelings.
Perhaps they would be raising Aidan together now and awaiting the birth of another child. The thought made him smile. Years ago the idea of it would have terrified him. Life had shown Riley that sometimes the things you thought you needed the least were the ones that made your world a thing of beauty. Being Aidan’s father was the best role in his life. Bar none.
If only he could find a way to bridge the gap between him and Georgia. That, in itself, would be a huge blessing.