Chapter 22

Georgie

 

“I’m not sure about this,” Georgie said, looking at herself in the full-length mirror of the changing room, the following Friday.

“Come out and show us,” Nikki pleaded through the dressing room curtain. “I bet you look sensational.”

Georgie looked at the dress she was wearing once more. It was possibly the most stunning dress she had ever seen, but it was everything she wasn’t. She didn’t know if she could pull it off. She closed her eyes and wished that she was a million miles away from where she was, right at that moment.

When Amelia called to arrange for them to go shopping, Georgie was nervous but excited. She had no idea what she should wear to a charity ball, but Amelia assured her that they would figure it out.

However, when Amelia arrived with Emmy and Nikki, Landen’s assistant, Georgie’s gut instinct was to back out of it. Sure, she liked Emmy a lot, and Nikki seemed lovely too, but she didn’t know if she would fit in with these girls. A feeling of dread settled in Georgie’s tummy.

Still, she knew there was no way she was getting out of it. Nell had taken Macy and Henry for the day, giving the girls as long as they needed on their shopping trip, but still, Georgie wondered if all this was a mistake.

Amelia insisted that she would be in good hands with Nikki, saying if anyone knew what someone should wear, it was her, but Georgie still felt uncertain.

She tried on several dresses, all very beautiful, stunning evening gowns, but nothing seemed right for Georgie and she was beginning to freak out. That was until she tried on this dress, and something just felt right. Still, liking the dress and stepping out in front of the other girls in it, were two very different things entirely.

“Georgie,” Emmy said softly, pulling Georgie back from her thoughts. “I know this is new for you, I have been there, as has Amelia, but I promise we won’t make you wear anything you’re not comfortable in.”

“Okay,” Georgie sighed, knowing that like it or not, she was doing this. Taking a deep breath, she turned, pushing back the curtain, before she stepped out of the dressing room.

“OH, MY GOD!” Nikki exclaimed, “Sweetie, what are you worrying about, you’re stunning.”

“Really?” Georgie asked as she looked at Amelia and Emmy.

“Really,” Emmy replied, as Amelia nodded and smiled.

“Trust me,” Nikki said as she circled her. “Callum is going to expire when he sees you in this dress, I guarantee it.”

“But isn’t it too, I don’t know,” Georgie said as she turned and looked in the mirror once more, trying to find the word she wanted, but nothing came to mind. “Not me?”

She had to admit the dress was stunning. It was silver, with a love heart neckline, beneath an embroidered tulle bodice, and full tulle skirt. It was finished off with a satin ribbon around the waistline. It was elegant without being too revealing; classy but yet simple. Georgie loved it.

“Sweetie,” Nikki said, moving behind her, meeting her gaze in the mirror. “You look a million bucks.”

Georgie nervously bit her lip, but then a smile slowly spread across her face.

“And you think Callum will like it?” She asked, giving Nikki a questioning look.

“He is going to love it,” Nikki assured her, smiling at her before her gaze fell to Georgie’s hair. “What about your hair? What way are you thinking of wearing that?”

“Actually,” Georgie said, turning to look at the girls. “I was thinking about that. Is it too late for me to go to a salon?”

“Yes,” Nikki said with a grin. “But you’re with me, so I can make a call. We’ve got this.”

“Thanks,” Georgie said, giving Nikki a grateful smile.

Nikki pulled her phone from her pocket and made a call as she walked out of the changing room. As she did, Emmy came over to Georgie.

“Are you doing okay?” She asked, giving Georgie a questioning look.

“Yeah,” Georgie replied, but even she knew she was less than convincing. “It’s just; all this is so new to me.”

“I know, Sweetie,” Emmy said, giving her a smile. “I get it, and so does Amelia. But you love Callum, right?”

“Yes,” Georgie replied honestly.

“Then trust him,” Emmy sighed, then smiled once more. “I know that the Murphy men can be, well terrifying at times, but I promise you they are good men. Callum will never hurt you. Nor will he let anyone else hurt you. He will be by your side tonight, and everything will be okay.”

“I know,” Georgie replied, giving Emmy another smile before Nikki returned.

“I’ve managed to get us all in,” Nikki said triumphantly. “But we’ve gotta be there ASAP.”

“Okay,” Georgie replied, with a happy smile, finally feeling herself relax.

“So,” Nikki said, giving Georgie a questioning look. “Is it a yes on the dress?”

“I guess so,” Georgie replied, giving Nikki a nervous smile. “I think this is the one.”

“Then go take it off, Sweetie,” Amelia said, stepping forward. “I’ll go pay for them, the shoes too, and the other bits and pieces.”

“I’ll pay myself,” Georgie insisted, knowing there was no way she was going to let Amelia pay for her clothes.

“I’m only doing what Callum instructed,” Amelia replied with a smile, as she held up a platinum card. “He said everything was to be charged to this, and that I was not to let you talk me around.”

“But I have my own money,” Georgie insisted, but Amelia just smiled.

“He wants to do this for you,” Amelia replied, giving Georgie a pleading look. “Let him.”

Georgie stared at Amelia for a moment, knowing in her heart that it was wrong to let Callum pay. But she knew there was no way Amelia was going to back down. She had made a promise to Callum, and she seemed determined to keep it.

“Okay,” Georgie agreed reluctantly. “But only if I can pay for my own hair. I mean, he didn’t know I was having it done, so he didn’t tell you to pay for that.”

“I know, but…” Amelia began to argue, but Georgie stopped her.

“Please,” Georgie pleaded.

“Fine,” Amelia said with a grin. “But if Callum asks, I tried.”

“Okay,” Georgie grinned before she turned and hurried back to the changing room.

An hour later, the four girls were sitting in front of mirrored workstations in the salon, waiting for their individual stylists to begin their makeovers.

“Hi,” A pretty redhead said suddenly from behind Georgie. “I’m Lou, what can I do for you today.”

“Well,” Georgie said, giving the girl a nervous smile. “I’m going to a charity ball tonight, and I have no idea how I want to wear my hair. But I do know, I want all the pink gone.”

“Are you sure?” Lou asked, pulling the hair tie from Georgie's hair. “But it’s so cool.”

“I don’t need it anymore,” Georgie said, knowing she was doing the right thing. She reached up and took the extra studs from her ears, and handed them to the girl too. “Can you throw those out, too.”

“Don’t you want them anymore?” The girl asked, giving her a strange look.

“Like I said,” Georgie replied with a smile. “I don’t need them.”

The girl took them and gave her a bright smile. Georgie smiled too, knowing that for the first time, she was exactly where she belonged, and there was no need for her to hide behind her mask anymore.

Almost two hours later, the four girls stepped out of the salon, each looking pretty amazing.

Georgie couldn’t stop smiling. She felt happy and confident; more than she ever had in her entire life.

“I can’t believe you cut your hair,” Emmy said, giving Georgie a bright smile. “But you look so beautiful, Sweetie. Wait till Callum sees you, he is going to die.”

“It was only a couple of inches,” Georgie replied still smiling brightly. “It was time for the pink to go. It’s not who I am anymore.”

“Good,” Emmy said, giving her a bright smile. “It’s good to see you so happy.”

“Georgie,” a voice said suddenly from behind her. Instantly she recognised that it was Shane’s voice. She gave Emmy a terrified look before she turned to face him. “Wow, you look… you cut your hair. You look so different. You look even more beautiful, and I didn’t think that was possible.”

“What do you want, Shane?” Georgie asked, wishing she was anywhere but right there, at that exact moment. She knew the other girls were watching her, so she needed to deal with this quickly.

“I was just passing, and I saw you,” Shane said, giving her a pleading look. “And I think you know what I want …”

“Shane,” Georgie said, her heart hammering in her chest. “There is nothing left to say…”

“There is everything to say,” he insisted, grabbing hold of her arm. “You love me. I know you do. You can’t just turn off your feeling like that.”

“Hey, Buddy,” Nikki said, instantly appearing next to Georgie. “If you like using that hand, I suggest you take it off her right now. You know, before I have to break your damn fingers.”

“What’s it to you?” Shane asked, giving Nikki a look of annoyance, but his grip on Georgie arm didn’t loosen.

“She’s my friend,” Nikki replied, giving him a look that said she meant business. “And she said she is done with you. Now, move your hand, before I make you.”

He stared at Nikki for a moment, then released Georgie’s arm.

“This isn’t over,” he snarled, turning back to look at Georgie once more. “I am not letting you just walk away from me like this.”

He turned, hurrying away from the four girls, as Georgie just stood there, staring at him as he did.

What did he mean, this wasn’t over? What was it he wanted from her? Georgie’s mind raced, as her heart hammered in her chest.

“Are you okay, Sweetie?” Nikki asked, pulling Georgie back from her thoughts.

“Yeah,” Georgie lied, knowing she needed to keep her calm right at that moment. “Shane is just being a jerk. He doesn’t mean it. Really, it’s nothing.”

“I know,” Amelia said, giving Georgie a worried look. “But maybe we should tell Callum, just to be on the safe side.”

“NO!” Georgie exclaimed as she gave Amelia a pleading look. “I mean, I will tell him, just not today. He is so excited about tonight, and I don’t want Shane to ruin that. Please.”

Amelia gave her a worried look, and Georgie knew she was thinking about what she said.

“Please, Amelia,” Georgie pushed her. “Don’t let Shane ruin tonight.”

“Okay,” Amelia said, but Georgie could see she wasn’t happy. “But you need to tell him. Before nothing turns into something. Believe me, I’ve been there, so I know how these things can go.”

“I will,” Georgie promise, giving Amelia a reassuring smile that she didn’t quite feel. “I promise. Just not tonight.”

Georgie looked at herself in the mirror and smiled. Despite all her reservations about getting the dress, and even going to the ball, she felt good. In fact, she was actually looking forward to tonight. When she got home, Callum was still not home from the office. Macy wasn’t there either. Stella, his parent’s housekeeper had agreed to take care of Macy and Henry for the night.

Georgie had gone straight to her room and begun getting ready for her night with Callum.

When he did arrive home an hour later, he knocked on her door, but Georgie didn’t unlock it. She wanted him to see her new look when she was all dressed up.

“Are you okay?” He asked through the door. “How did the shopping trip go?”

Georgie knew that Callum had known she wasn’t really that thrilled about going shopping with all the girls, and he had been worried about her. He had texted her several times to check on her, and though she had assured him she was, in fact, fine; he was still worried.

“It went awesome,” she replied, unable to stop the smile that spread across her face. “I’m getting dressed.”

“Can I come in to see you?” Callum asked, and Georgie couldn’t help but giggle.

“No,” she replied, her smile widening. “I want you to see me when I’m completely ready.”

“But I want to see you now,” Callum groaned, and Georgie could actually hear the pout in his voice, and she just giggled more.

“I won’t be long,” she assured him. “You’ll just have to be patient.”

“Okay,” he sighed, and once more Georgie smiled. “But you’re okay?”

“I am,” she replied, knowing that he was still worried about her. “I’m better than okay.”

“Good,” he replied, this time she could hear the smile in his voice. “I love you.”

“Love you, too,” Georgie replied, as an overwhelming feeling of love wrapped itself around her heart. She waited for him to talk again, but he didn’t. Instead, she could hear his footsteps move along the hallway, down towards his own room.

Georgie turned back, looking towards her dress, with a smile. Sometimes, she almost felt like this was all a dream. Like she was Cinderella and Callum was her Prince Charming.

She sometimes had to pinch herself when she remembered where she was. She had no idea how she had gotten from her parent’s three bedroomed, semi-detached house in Dublin to living in a penthouse apartment, in San Francisco, with the most gorgeous, amazing man in the world. Sometimes Georgie worried that this was all too good to be true, and that thought scared her.

Slipping off her dressing gown, she slipped into the beautiful new underwear that Nikki insisted she buy to go with the dress. Then she carefully put on the dress, before she put on the one pair of diamond earrings she had. When she was finally finished getting dressed, she walked to the full-length mirror next to her wardrobe and looked at her reflection.

Georgie almost didn’t recognise herself. She had to admit, that she looked beautiful.

“I guess it’s time to go, Cinderella,” she whispered to herself, smiling at her reflection. She turned, picking up the matching clutch and wrap from the bed, not wanting to keep Callum waiting any longer.

Just as she reached the door, her phone beeped in her clutch. She pulled it out, checking to see who the message was from.

Georgie sighed when she saw Shane’s name on the screen. She considered not even reading it, but something told her she needed to.

She pressed down on the screen, opening the message up.

Georgie, this is stupid. I know this is not what you want. I made a mistake, and I’m sorry. I know you love me. I know you’re just punishing me for what I did, I get it. I can’t believe you cut your hair. You looked so different today, almost not like you. Are you changing for him? If he loved you as I do, he wouldn’t expect you to change, he would love you as you are, as I love you. Please. Give me a chance. X.

Georgie stared at the message for a moment and considered what he said.

Was she changing to please Callum? She turned and looked at her reflection in the mirror once more and sighed. She couldn’t deny that she was changing. But she wasn’t changing to become someone she wasn’t. She was changing because she was finally discovering who she was. Callum gave her the confidence to be who she truly wanted to be; something Shane never did.

Turning back to the door, she threw her phone on her bed. She was not going to reply to Shane. There was nothing more to say. They were done. She loved Callum now.

She hurried out of the room, towards the stairs. When she reached the top of them, she stopped, taking a deep breath.

Suddenly Callum appeared at the bottom; looking so handsome in his tuxedo. He had never looked more gorgeous.

Georgie knew without a doubt, right at that moment, she never had, nor could she ever love anyone more than she loved Callum Murphy.