Total pages in book: 63
Estimated words: 57407 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57407 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 191(@300wpm)
Unfortunately, she hadn’t seen him since the barbeque on Sunday. He’d spent the week putting in long hours negotiating a multi-million-dollar merger for a client, and she’d been equally busy at work handling a social media influencer campaign for Future Fast Track. But they’d managed to talk on the phone in the evenings and texted during the day. Light and flirty conversations, and even more serious, emotional ones that gave her deeper insight into the man.
As much as falling for Drew scared her because he’d still given her no promises, it was too late to stop the freefall because her heart was already one hundred percent involved. If she’d thought she’d been in love in the past, she now knew that feeling was nothing compared to the deep connection she had with Drew. One that allowed her to share her fears and insecurities because he’d already proven she could trust him with her deepest vulnerabilities.
There was no doubt in her mind that Drew cared for her, but she also felt him holding back, and all she could do was hope that eventually he’d give them the chance they deserved for a future. At least she had plans with him this coming Sunday, a fun date that she’d set up and a way for her to show how much she appreciated him.
Exhaling a deep breath, and ready to get this conversation over with, Georgia got out of her car and made her way inside her parents’ house. She found her mother sitting at the kitchen table, drinking a glass of wine, clearly waiting for her to arrive.
The rest of the house was quiet, and she realized she hadn’t seen her father’s car parked in the driveway.
“Where’s Dad?” she asked, setting her purse on the table and taking a seat across from her mother.
Her mother waved a hand in the air, her lips pursed in annoyance. “He was supposed to be here. I told him how important it was that we discussed your recent choices together, but a client flew in from Los Angeles last minute and wanted to take your father to dinner, so he won’t be home for a few hours.”
The resentment in her mother’s tone was unmistakable, and a part of Georgia wondered if her father had purposely found a way to avoid this meeting. Yes, he spoke highly of Elliott, but he’d never overtly pressured Georgia into dating the man—that had been her mother’s doing. As had been the guilt her mother had heaped upon Georgia when she’d made the decision not to go to law school and instead changed her major, then took a job at a non-profit.
Naturally, her father had been disappointed with her choice since he’d always wanted the firm to stay in the family, but her mother never let Georgia forget how much she’d let them down.
The more Georgia thought about things, the more she realized that the manipulation and blame had all come from her mother, even if she’d made it seem like her parents were a united front.
Georgia was beginning to realize that wasn’t the case.
“So, let’s just get to the point,” her mother said in a terse tone. “From what I heard, you embarrassed Elliott at the restaurant by refusing his gift and walking out on him. I didn’t raise you to be rude and insulting to someone who has been so nice to you.”
Georgia’s jaw nearly dropped at the accusation. As soon as her initial shock wore off, she folded her hands on the table and calmly addressed her mother, which took effort. “I refused his gift because it’s too personal and intimate, and I didn’t want that gift to come with any strings attached, or expectations.”
Her mother scoffed. “That’s ridiculous.”
“No, it’s not,” Georgia refuted firmly. “Elliott has been under the impression that he and I are more than acquaintances, which we are not, and never have been. We’ve never formally dated, and I made it clear to him that I’m not interested in him at all. You’re the one who’s been pushing us together and leading him to believe we’re such a great match, in hopes that I’ll just fall in line like I normally do. And you need to know and hear me this time, that is not going to happen.”
Her mother’s gaze narrowed, anger flickering in the depths of her eyes. “I don’t understand how you can be so ungrateful and selfish. We let you change your major, which upset your father so much he had a heart attack over the stress you put him through, and now this.”
Georgia shook her head and laughed, though the sound lacked any humor. “I refuse to allow you to make me feel responsible for Dad’s heart attack. I did not cause his health issues and blocked arteries because I made a decision that conflicted with your hopes and dreams. Ask his doctors if you don’t believe me.”