Page 34 of Taming Georgia

In the back of my mind, I’m mildly aware of a warm blanket covering me up, but I’m already gone, halfway between sleep and reality.

In my dreams, I see him as he was when I was young and hopeful—before the kiss and the harsh words.

I just spent an entire evening with Hope as she brought adorable bundles of life into the world. And despite my better judgment, hope blooms within me, filling me with ideas of more.

More of what? I’m not sure.

9

“Cooper saved me in more ways than one.”

—Wyatt Gates

“Come on, E!” I shake my head with a laugh.

Ethel shrugs, a smirk plastered across her face. She feigns a sudden understanding as she peers down at her shirt. “Don’t you love it?”

“It’s the most ludicrous thing I’ve ever seen.” I roll my eyes.

Ethel sports a sweatshirt of the galaxy. Atop the colorful Milky Way is a giant cat head with two paws, one holding a taco and the other a piece of pepperoni pizza. The cat’s tongue is out as it licks the pizza.

She ignores my comment. “I know; it’s great. You know this exquisite thing just popped up in my Facebook feed with the link and everything. It’s like my phone knew I needed a new cat shirt.”

“Because you don’t have enough,” I scoff.

“I was just talking about my cat shirts with Georgia, and the next day, I had these links on my Facebook. Sometimes, I think my phone is listening in on me. It’s creepy, but at the same time, it saved me the effort of searching, you know?”

“I know that you look ridiculous.”

“Thank you. I love it, too.”

I just shake my head and walk over to the desk to read my messages.

“All of the care packages are ready?” I ask without lifting my eyes from the desk.

“They sure are. Georgia and I finished them last night. You should take her with you. She’d love that.”

“No.”

“Wyatt.” She sounds disappointed, but I don’t care.

“I said, no.”

“Well, I said, yes.” Ethel’s voice is stern, a complete one-eighty from the way she usually sounds.

I snap my head up to find her glaring at me.

“Jeez, E. Okay. Didn’t know it was that important to you. Fine.” I throw my hands up.

“I just don’t understand why you have such disdain for her. She works her butt off here, going above and beyond what any other volunteer has ever done for us. She lives to help others, and you’re an idiot if you don’t see that. She’s not here to bother you. She’s here for herself. It would fill her soul to go with you today. She deserves that.”

“It’s not my job to fill her fucking soul,” I huff.

“Language.” She frowns at me. “And it is your job to be a decent human being. I don’t care what she has or hasn’t done in the past. I only know the girl here now, and she’s pretty fantastic, if you ask me.”

“Well, I’m not asking you,” I grumble.

“You need to forgive her. Whatever she did…you need to forgive her.”

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