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-over-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.”