CHAPTER 16
GEORGIA
The nurses came the next day. They were both quite attractive, which probably contributed further to Gramps’s much better condition. I passed on the medication to them but still tried to check on him as much as possible throughout the day.
A few more days came and went. I was still there. Drake was still there. We weren’t talking about going back to Windfield City, back to our reality.
It all felt like a dream, but I knew it was time to wake up. I had a ton of backlog to take care of, and Alice was already panicking because the other doctor who had taken my place in the hospital wasn’t as competent. Some of the high profile patients were starting to complain.
As much as I wanted to forget about my career and just live like a princess in a faraway land, it wasn’t reality. Besides, my parents had been wondering where I was. I still had to move to my own apartment, work on my essay for a grant I was applying for in Europe, and so on.
Over breakfast, I told Drake as much. He listened attentively, but then began teasing and joking around. It was fascinating to see how he’d come out of his shell in such a short period of time. He was certainly more fun and far from the mysterious, uptight person he seemed to be before.
“Let’s talk more about it after we shower,” he said meaningfully into my ear, making my blood rush and my body temperature shoot up. He led me to the bathroom and began undressing me, making me lose my focus once more.
We made love on the bathroom countertop and again inside the shower. Then he told me of his plans to go biking and fishing. He’d even booked a helicopter ride for us to see the entire mountain region. It was all so amazing, and yet I reminded myself that this was all only temporary. It wasn’t how I wanted to live.
“Drake, listen,” I said after we’d dressed up. “I need to get back home ASAP.”
“Why?” he said, frowning. “Aren’t you happy here with me? There’s no stress at all here.”
“Yeah, which is great for a short time, for vacation,” I explained. “But it’s not what I want, not really…”
He began kissing my ears and neck, attempting to distract me again. “You don’t really mean that,” he whispered.
I gently pushed him away, which obviously irritated him. “I do, Drake,” I said firmly. This time I stood my ground. “I need to go back to my job. And you also have a business to take care of.”
“Oh, Dad’s happy doing it all, anyway,” he said. “And I get to do my part from here just as well.”
“No, it’s not the same.”
“Okay, fine,” he finally gave in, sighing. “When do you want to go? Right now?”
“Well, you already planned all these activities for the day so… maybe late in the afternoon?” I suggested. I didn’t want to completely disappoint or annoy him. I also didn’t want to seem ungrateful.
To my relief, he nodded and smiled. We went on with our fun activities, bonding even more and setting aside our differences in the meantime. We didn’t talk about it anymore but just dwelled in every moment. It was very tempting to just live like that and not worry about a single thing anymore, but I had other goals I needed to get back to.
I’d never been on a helicopter before, so I was kind of nervous about it. Drake sat beside me and placed a comforting arm around my shoulders. He held me closely, rubbing my arms and shoulders and whispering assuring words into my ear.
As the aircraft climbed higher up in the air, I was astounded by the 360-degree view of the entire mountain. He pointed out a waterfall to me as we passed over it. I quickly lost my jitters and forgot about my worries. It was a very enjoyable, unforgettable experience.
The moment we were back on land, I couldn’t help but hug him tightly. “Thank you for everything, Drake,” I said. “This was amazing. You were just so amazing this past week. Thank you.”
“I’m just happy to have you with me, Georgia,” he answered, giving me a kiss on the forehead. He gently caressed my hair as he embraced me tighter. “If only we could spend more time together… But I get it, we both have lives to live back in Windfield. But I’m hoping you’re still going to allow me into your life when we get back…”
I laughed. “Of course, you silly.”
He laughed too. “I was afraid this was just because we’re here.”
As we made our way back to the mansion, I could feel myself falling hard for him. It was both nerve-racking and exciting. There were so many questions in my mind and heart, and yet I was also looking forward to making more wonderful memories with the man who’d captured my heart completely.
Back in Windfield, he dropped me off at my parents’ house and I actually contemplated on inviting him in. But then, I decided it might not be a good idea to surprise them like that, especially since they would surely recognize him. I just didn’t want to get into details right now of how I ended up spending a week with the prom date I had despised for years.
“Honey, darling!” Mom exclaimed when she saw me. “I missed you terribly. How was your convention?”
“It was great, Mom,” I said. “I learned a lot and I’m eager to put them to use. I’ll have to research more, though…”
“Alice has called several times, asking if you were back already,” she said.
I groaned. “Sometimes that woman’s just too proficient at what she does.”
“You bet,” Mom agreed, laughing. She brought me to the kitchen and offered me a sandwich. “So tell me about this friend you met at the convention, who has a home up in the mountains too? Must be really wealthy…”
“Yeah, he’s filthy rich,” I said, grinning.
“A he?” Mom echoed, a knowing look on her face. “Now you really have to tell me more.”
“Mom, I’m not a teenager anymore,” I said. “And don’t worry, I’m going to introduce him to you soon.”
“So you guys are dating now? He’s your boyfriend?” she asked excitedly.
I didn’t want to burst her bubble so I nodded mysteriously. “My lips are sealed for now, Mom,” I said, making her frown. I almost laughed. “I promise I’ll tell you more in the coming days.”
“Why not now?” she complained like a child.
I couldn’t answer. In my head, I was agreeing with her. Yeah, why not now? What was the point of delaying it?
Mom suddenly clapped a hand over her mouth. “Oh, my gosh! It’s someone I know, isn’t it?”
She was really perceptive, though. I bit my lower lip as I nodded, suddenly eager to spill the beans. Besides, it has been a week and I was dying to tell someone about this new love of my life.
Her eyebrows furrowed as she appeared to be concentrating, murmuring names. Then she looked at me blankly and shrugged her shoulders. “I can’t think of anyone I know who would go to a medical convention and who owns an estate in the mountains…”
I laughed. “Well, keep on guessing…”
“You’re killing me, Georgia!” she whined. I was beginning to enjoy this.
“Come on, who is it?” she pressed. Then her eyes widened. “Don’t tell me it’s an old man! That’s why you don’t want to tell me!”
“Mom, he’s not old old, okay? He’s about my age.”
She threw her hands up in the air. “I give up. Just tell me.”
I bit my lip, hesitating for a few seconds. Then I took a deep breath and said, “It’s Drake Walton.”
“Holy—!” Mom exclaimed. “The only son of Roger Walton? The prom date who, for some reason, did not bring you home and caused you to cry your eyes out for a whole week?!”
“Yeah, him,” I said. I couldn’t tell her that I’d cried for years, not just a week. I never did give her the details about what had really happened at the prom. I just said we weren’t compatible.
“Wow,” was all Mom could say. “Drake Walton, the football player… really?”
I nodded. “He’s not playing football now, though. He decided to give in to his father’s wishes and give the business a try. And he’s actually good at it.”
“Okay…” she said slowly, waiting for me to go on.
I gave her a few details and just said we were taking things slow.
“I see,” she said, not seeming to believe me. “Well, people change. And he seems like a nice enough guy on TV.”
“He is too in real life,” I said. “I mean, it’s not like we’re getting married soon or something…”
“Do you love him?” she suddenly blurted out. I was stumped by the question. I opened my mouth but nothing came out.
“You definitely love him,” she said before I could say anything. “Double wow.”
I was even more speechless.
“Don’t worry, honey,” she assured me, giving me a hug. “Things will work out fine. I trust you and I know there must be a good reason for you to like him and to fall in love with him. But just remember, you don’t have to get pressured into a serious relationship immediately. I mean, you’re not exactly experienced in this arena, so just be careful, alright?”
“Yeah, we’re taking things slow, as I said,” I told her, finally finding my voice again. At least my mother was being supportive. I wondered if Dad would react the same way.
The next few days was a whirlwind. I found myself still spending a lot of time with Drake who always had surprises up his sleeve. We were becoming more serious with each other, but I wasn’t sure if it was the right path for me at present. I noticed I was slacking off at work and missing appointments. My backlog was growing, and I wasn’t able to put in extra readings anymore.
“Are you happy?” my best friend Lauren asked me outright when we got together for coffee. I had confided everything to her.
The question caught me off-guard. I nodded without thinking. “Yes, I am. I’m happy.”
“Great!” she responded. “Then there shouldn’t be any problem…”
“There is,” I countered. “I’m happy for now, but if I let my other goals just pass me by, I might not be happy and contented in the future.”
Lauren sighed, and then laughed. “You are so you, Georgia! I wouldn’t want to be in Drake’s place right now.”
“Am I being a difficult girlfriend?” I asked, frowning.
“Well, he doesn’t know it so don’t worry about it,” she said. “You have to relax. If he really loves you, then he’ll understand your personal needs and your career goals. He will support you no matter what.”
“I guess you’re right,” I said, taking a sip from my coffee.
She leaned forward excitedly. “So tell me again how you two ended up like this?” she said eagerly. “I just can’t get over it. After all these years, your first serious boyfriend turns out to be the person who first broke your heart in high school!”
“Sshh…” I said, laughing while looking around. Drake and I haven’t exactly made our relationship public yet, though we’ve already been dating for six months.
“Well, can I at least tell Jordan?” Lauren begged. “I want to see him fall out of his chair!”
I laughed. “Then I want to be there when you tell him.”
“Deal!” she said, making us both grin with anticipation.
“Then we can set up our double date,” Lauren added. She had an excited glint in her eye. “Oh, this will be so much fun! I hope you two get married, too!”
“Let’s not jump to that yet, okay,” I said, making her straighten up and do the motion of zipping her lips. But she still looked giddy.