Chapter 20

Georgie

 

It was six weeks since the barbeque in Landen’s house, and Georgie was finally feeling a little happier about everything. During the day, she took care of Macy, keeping her focus on the little girl, nothing else. At night, she spent time with Callum, and with every day that passed, she was falling more and more in love with him, but still there was something there, something in the back of her mind that was holding her back from giving herself to him completely. Probably the same thing that was stopping her from telling Macy about them. She just didn’t know what it was she was so afraid of.

Everything would have been perfect except for the fact Shane couldn’t seem to accept the fact it was over. He called her and texted her daily now, pleading with her to give him another chance. He left voice messages of him crying, telling her how much he loved her and how much he wanted her back.

But for Georgie, they were done. There was nothing he could say that would have ever convinced her to change her mind about them. She just hoped that eventually he would get the message, and let it go.

Georgie and Macy had just arrived home from Macy’s swimming lesson, and as always, Macy was completely exhausted, so Georgie put her down for a twenty-minute nap. Macy never really slept longer than that during the day.

Leaving Macy’s room, she pulled the door closed behind her before she walked back down to her room.

Callum was away for the night, so Georgie wanted to catch up on some bits and pieces she needed to do. She was just sorting through some laundry that Annie had left on her bed when her phone began to ring on her nightstand.

Georgie sighed when she picked it up and saw her mother’s name flashing on the screen. Looking at her watch, she saw it was just after one o’clock, which meant it was after eleven pm back home in Ireland.

She quickly answered the phone, thinking that something was very wrong.

“Mom!” Georgie exclaimed as she brought the phone to her ear. “Is something wrong? Is it Dad? Is he okay?”

“I was going to ask you the same question,” May Taylor said, surprising Georgie with her reply.

“I don’t know what you mean, Mom,” Georgie replied, but inside she was already panicking. She knew without her mother even replying that she knew about her and Shane breaking up.

“Well,” May said, as Georgie closed her eyes, waiting for what was to come next. “I’ve just had Shane on the phone for almost an hour, completely inconsolable. He said you left him, and now you won’t even return his calls. He said you’re shacked up with some other man, and that he is much older than you.”

“Did he now?” Georgie replied, her blood instantly boiling with anger. “And did Shane tell you why I walked out on him?”

“He said that you and he had some misunderstanding,” May explained as Georgie pushed up from the bed, angrily pacing up and down the bedroom. “He was heartbroken on the phone. He said you wouldn’t even talk to him.”

“Because there is nothing he has to say that I want to hear,” Georgie replied, thinking of ways she was going to make Shane suffer for pulling this stunt.

“Is what he said true?” May asked, and Georgie could hear the concern in her mother’s voice. “Are you living with an older man?”

“Not in the way he thinks,” Georgie replied, even though she knew that wasn’t strictly true, but right now she was not fuelling the bullshit fire Shane had lit under her life. “I got a job as a Nanny. I’m living with a man, his daughter, and their housekeeper.”

Georgie wasn’t really sure why she mentioned Annie, but she knew it sounded less sordid if it wasn’t just her and Callum.

“He has a four-year-old called Macy, whose mother passed away a few months ago,” Georgie continued. “Callum needed help with Macy; I needed somewhere to stay, and a job. And for the record, Callum is twenty-nine, making him just five years older than me, not that it matters.”

“But I thought you loved Shane?” May asked, still not backing down. “You left your home and your family to be with him.”

“I know I did,” Georgie snapped. “But that didn’t seem to stop him from shagging one of the waitresses from the club did it. I’m not the bad guy here, Mom, no matter what Shane said. He messed this up all on his own.”

The moment she had said the words, she regretted them instantly.

“Oh Georgina,” May said, but the pity in her voice just made Georgie feel worse. “Why didn’t you tell me, why didn’t you just come home?”

“Because I was embarrassed,” Georgie whispered, and to her horror, hot tears pooled in her eyes. The last thing she wanted was to get upset while talking to her mother.

“You’ve got nothing to be embarrassed about,” May insisted. “I’m sure if Gavin and Aidan knew about this, they…”

“I don’t want you to tell them,” Georgie insisted, quickly brushing the tears from her eyes. “I don’t need them getting involved in this mess too.”

“Then why don’t you just come home?” May asked, and Georgie sighed because she knew that was exactly what her mother was going to say. “I said going to America was a mistake, and I meant it. You’ve always been too headstrong and flighty. You never listen to me.”

“I like my job,” Georgie insisted as she rolled her eyes, knowing that her mother would not back down easily. “I love Macy, and Callum’s family are all so nice. I’m living in a penthouse overlooking San Francisco Bay. I’m happy, Mom.”

“And this man, this Callum,” May said with a trace of contempt, as Georgie held her breath. “What is it he does?”

“He’s the CEO of his family’s business,” Georgie replied. “You would like him. You would like all his family. Especially his mother. He has been so great since everything that happened with Shane. I am lucky to have met him.”

“Georgie, tell me that you haven’t fallen in love with this man!” May said suddenly, surprising Georgie. “This man had just lost his wife…”

“She wasn’t his wife,” Georgie said, feeling angry that her mother was still treating her like a little girl. “They weren’t together.”

“Still,” May sighed. “He has a child. Do you really want to get stuck with some other woman’s child?”

“And what if I do, Mom?” Georgie snapped, having heard enough. “What if I am falling in love with him? Callum is a good, kind man. He would never treat me like Shane did. He would never humiliate me…”

Suddenly she began to sob, but she didn’t know why.

“Ah, Georgina, Sweetheart,” May said, and Georgie could hear the tears in her mother’s voice too. “Please come home. This is where you belong, with your real family, not someone else’s.”

“But I’m happy here,” Georgie sighed, knowing that right at that moment, there was nothing she could say to make her mother understand. “I love living here with Callum and Macy. This is where I belong now.”

“Is there nothing I can say to make you change your mind?” May sighed. Georgie knew her mother wasn’t happy, and that this was far from over.

“I’m happy, Mom,” Georgie repeated with a sigh. “I just need you to trust me.”

“And Shane?” May asked, still not convinced.

“Shane and I are over,” Georgie sighed once more. “The sooner he gets that into his head, the better.”

“Well, I don’t know what your father and brothers are going to say about all of this,” May pouted, and Georgie knew her mother was not going to let this go.

“Maybe you could tell them that I’m a grown-up, and I know what I’m doing,” Georgie replied a little more abruptly than she had meant to. “Maybe you could tell them that I’m happy.”

“Just promise me,” May pleaded. “If you’re ever unhappy, or want to come home, you’ll call me. Your dad and I only want to see you happy.”

“I promise, Mom,” Georgie replied.

They both said their goodbyes before Georgie hung up the phone. Throwing it down onto the bed, she flopped back onto the bed and released a long, frustrated breath.

“I am going to kill Shane Burton,” she groaned to herself.

Suddenly, there was a soft tap on the door. Georgie instantly sat up, wiping her eyes.

“Come in,” she said as she patted down her hair nervously.

“Hi, Sweetie,” Annie said, as she opened the door, before stepped inside. “There is a young gentleman downstairs in reception. He said he is a friend of yours, and that it was important that he speak to you.”

“You have got to be kidding me,” Georgie groaned as she tried to calm her thumping heart. She just had no idea how he had found her, but he sure as hell was going to be sorry he did. “Did he give a name?”

“No,” Annie replied, shaking her head. “But he has an accent like you, so I assume he too is Irish.”

“Shit!” Georgie hissed, knowing this was the last thing she needed right at that exact moment.

“Should I tell him to come up?” Annie asked, giving her a questioning look.

“God, no,” Georgie replied as she pushed up from the bed. “I’ll go down to him. Can you listen out for Macy? I won’t be long.”

“Certainly,” Annie replied, giving her a warm smile. “And might I suggest you splash some water on your face before you go to talk to the young man.”

“I will,” Georgie replied, giving the woman a grateful smile. “Thanks, Annie.”

“Anytime, Sweetie,” Annie replied as she turned for the door. “I will let him know that you’ll be right down.”

When Annie pulled the door closed, Georgie ran to her bathroom. Looking in the mirror, she sighed when she saw the small amount of mascara she was wearing, smudged beneath her eyes from her tears. She quickly washed her face, then retouched her make-up. The last thing she wanted was for him to think she was falling apart because of him.

When she was ready, she hurried down the stairs, out to the elevator. The sooner she told Shane to go to hell, the sooner she could put him and his crap behind her.

As the elevator came to a stop, Georgie took a deep breath before the doors slowly opened. The moment they did, Georgie spotted Shane standing there in the lobby of the building.

“Georgie!” he exclaimed the second he saw her as he quickly hurried towards her. He leaned in to kiss her, but Georgie pulled back abruptly.

“What the hell are you doing?” She demanded, raising her hand to stop him, pinning him with a glare, stopping him instantly. “Why have you come here?”

“I came because I needed to talk to you,” Shane said like it was the most obvious answer in the world. “You’ve not been answering my calls…”

“Because I have nothing to say to you!” she snapped back, cutting him off. “Hence why I don’t answer the phone.”

“But we need to talk,” Shane replied, giving her a pleading look. “We can fix this if you would just let me explain…”

“Explain what, Shane?” Georgie asked with a sarcastic laughed. “That you’re a lying, cheating asshole. I think I’ve already got that one figured out, thanks. There is nothing you have to say, that I want to hear. Now, go to hell.”

“But I love you,” he replied, giving her a pleading look. “You’re the only one I want. The waitress was a mistake.”

“Like that even means something,” Georgie said with a laugh. “Go home, Shane, we’re done.”

“If I go home, it will be back to Ireland,” Shane said, but Georgie knew he was just saying it for a reaction. “I can’t live here without you.”

“Go back to Ireland,” she replied, almost laughing at him. She knew he was just trying to emotionally blackmail her. It was what he always did, tried to paint himself the victim so she would back down when they fought, but this time it wasn’t going to work. “I dare you. I’m sure Aidan and Gavin would be more than happy to welcome you home. I hope they beat the crap out of you.”

“I know you don’t mean that,” Shane insisted, but she knew by the look on his face that he was now worried.

“We’re done,” she sighed, shaking her head in disgust at the pathetic creature standing in front of her, wondering how she ever believed she loved him. She turned to walk back to the elevator.

“Is it because of him?” Shane asked, surprising her with his question. “This Callum guy. Do you love him now?”

“How do you know about Callum?” Georgie asked, suddenly remembering her call from her mother. Georgie was surprised by how much he actually knew, and she needed to know how he knew it.

“I went to see your friend, Erin,” he replied, as suddenly his face burned with embarrassment. “I told her that no one had heard from you in weeks and that I thought that you were in trouble. I told her that your father was sick. I knew she would never give me your address unless she thought it was serious.”

“So, you lied to her?” Georgie asked, stunned that he could be so sneaky. “About my dad!”

“I needed to see you,” he sighed, giving her a pleading look. “So do you? Love him I mean.”

“Who I do or don’t love, has nothing to do with you anymore!” Georgie exclaimed as she quickly closed the distance between her and Shane. She stopped in front of him, slamming her hands against his chest, pushing him backward. “You were supposed to love me. I gave up everything for you to fulfill your dreams, but you couldn’t keep your stupid cock in your pants, so don’t you dare put this on me. And furthermore, if you think running to my mom was going to help you, you’re wrong, I have told her what a lying, cheating scumbag you are. So, stay the hell away from my family, and stay the hell away from me.”

“Georgie, please, I love you,” Shane begged as Georgie stepped closer to him, looking up into his eyes.

“Well I don’t love you,” Georgie breathed out as she stepped back from him. “Now, get the hell out, and don’t ever come back. We are done.”

Without waiting for him to reply, she turned and hurried into the elevator. As the doors closed, Shane called out her name, but Georgie didn’t turn back to look at him.

Finally, when she was in the safety of the elevator, a sob came from deep inside her.

She wasn’t even sure why she was crying. She knew looking at Shane, that she had no feelings for him anymore. She didn’t even care enough to hate him. Still, she felt sad, and suddenly she wished Callum was home. That’s when it hit her, the reason she was crying, the reason that she was still holding back a little from Callum. She was afraid he would leave her too. She loved him more than she had ever loved anyone, and he had the power to destroy her.

As the elevator came to a stop, she wiped her eyes, before taking a deep breath. The last thing she wanted was for Annie to see her upset again.

She had just walked through the front door when Annie stepped out into the hallway holding the phone. She gave Georgie a sad smile before she held the phone out to her and mouthed the word, Callum.

Taking a deep breath, she took the phone.

“Hey,” Georgie said, trying her hardest to sound as normal as she could, but once more tears stung her eyes.

“Hey,” Callum replied, and instantly Georgie could hear the concern in his voice. “I tried calling your cell, but there was no answer.”

“I must have left it up in my room,” Georgie replied, her voice cracking ever so slightly.

“Are you okay?” Callum asked the worry in his voice unmissable now. “You sound upset.”

“I’m okay,” she lied, but she knew he was not buying it.

“No, you’re not,” Callum insisted. “Georgie, talk to me.”

“I just talked to my mom,” Georgie replied, unsure why she didn’t tell him about her visit from Shane. “She’s angry with me for not telling her that I left Shane, or that I’d moved in with you.”

“What did she say?” Callum asked, and Georgie knew he was worried.

“She said that I should go home,” Georgie replied, thinking back to her conversation with her mother. “She thinks that me coming to America was a mistake, that I’m too headstrong and don’t listen to her. She said I should be at home with my own family.”

“I see,” Callum sighed, and Georgie wished now she had lied about her mother too. “And do you want to go home?”

“What?” Georgie asked, surprised he would even think that. “Of course I don’t want to go home. Why would you even think that?”

“Because you’re upset,” Callum replied honestly.

“Well, talking to my mother has that effect on me,” Georgie explained, trying to force a smile on her face. “But I have no intentions of going home because I’m already home.”

“Good,” Callum whispered, but still she could hear the tiniest trace of uncertainty in his voice. “I’ve got to go to a meeting now, but I’ll call you tonight.”

“Okay,” Georgie replied.

“I love you, Georgie,” Callum said, as he tried to reassure her.

“I love you, too,” Georgie replied, meaning it from the bottom of her heart.

“Good,” Callum breathed, and Georgie could hear the smile in his voice. “Until later.”

“Until, later,” Georgie repeated before they both hung up the phone.

She stood there in the hallways for a moment, completely lost in thought.

“Are you okay, Sweetie,” Annie asked, appearing in the doorway once more.

“Yeah,” Georgie replied, but suddenly she began to sob. Annie instantly hurried to her side, wrapping her arms around her tightly.

“It’s okay, Angel,” Annie whispered, hugging her tighter. “I’ve got you. It’s all going to be okay.”

Georgie woke with a start and was surprised to find Callum sitting on the edge of her bed, smiling down at her.

“What time is it?” She asked, realising the room was still cloaked in darkness.

“It’s a little after 2 a.m,” Callum replied, still watching her closely.

“What are you doing here?” She asked, sitting up on the bed, so she was face to face with Callum.

“I needed to see you,” he whispered as he reached up, softly brushing her cheek with his fingertips. “I needed to know my girl was okay.”

“I’m okay,” Georgie replied with a sleepy smile. “Better now.”

“Why were you so upset?” Callum asked, looking into her eyes.

“Honestly,” Georgie replied knowing that wasn’t entirely true. “I don’t know.”

“But we’re good, right?” Callum asked, giving her a questioning look. “You’re still sure about us?”

“We’re good,” Georgie assured him with a smile. She leaned forward, kissing his lips.

“Good,” Callum breathed against her mouth, as he moved forward, pushing her back down onto her pillows. He leaned up and undid his tie, then removed his jacket. “And just so you know, I’m spending the night right here, with you in my arms.”

“But…” Georgie began to protest, but Callum stopped her.

“I will leave before Macy wakes,” he assured her. “I promise. But tonight, tonight I need to have you in my arms. I was so worried today. I thought that I might lose you. That’s why I came home. The moment my meeting was over, I headed back to the plane, and came straight home.”

“You will never lose me, Callum,” Georgie promised him, as she watched him undo his shirt, before he slipped it off, and threw it to the floor. Leaning back down over Georgie, he gave her a pleading look.

“Please tell me I can stay with you tonight?” Callum pleaded, looking down into Georgie’s eyes.

Georgie didn’t reply. Instead, she reached up and softly touched his face, before she kissed him harder, pulling him down to her. She wanted him to stay all night too. She wanted him, nothing else.