Page 76 of Taming Georgia

“They are, and I’m glad I can help, but now, Kylie needs me.”

Wyatt drags his palms down his cheeks. “I need you. I need you, Peaches. Please.”

Wyatt isn’t one to ask for anything, and I realize how much he wants me to stay, but I can’t live my life for him. I have to live my life for me.

“I’m sorry.” I cautiously step toward him. I place my hands against his chest, over his heart, and he lets me. “I’m not doing this to hurt you. I love you.”

“You can’t save everyone in the world,” he says. His beautiful blues beg me to see reason. “You can’t. It’s an impossible task, and you’re always going to be searching for purpose, but you’ll never find it. You’re one person.”

“I can try.” I raise my shoulders in a shrug.

“You can’t save the world, Georgia.” His eyes glisten with unshed tears. “You can’t save the world,” he repeats and lets out a sigh. “But you can save me. Stay. Save me.”

Standing before me is no longer the strong Wyatt that I know now, but instead, I see the boy who felt unwanted. I see Wyatt, young and scared, and it breaks my heart. I don’t want to hurt him. I don’t. But I can’t stay for him.

Standing on my tiptoes, I press my lips to his. The kiss is short, only lasting a moment, but I hope he feels my love for him. I hope he trusts that I’ll come back. Maybe it’s unfair for me to ask, but I want him to wait for me.

“I’m so sorry.” I kiss him again. “So sorry.” Holding his cheeks in my palms, I run my thumbs across his face. The short, sexy stubble that resides there tickles my skin.

I’m going to miss this face. So very much.

“I love you,” I tell him honestly because I really do.

Maybe me leaving isn’t the best way to show him that. Yet having to do something for myself doesn’t take away what I feel for him. I’ve never, ever felt for anyone the way I feel for Wyatt.

He doesn’t respond, so I say it again, “I love you, Wyatt.”

“When do you fly out?” His voice is so low; it’s almost a whisper.

“Tomorrow.” Regret taints my answer.

He grabs my wrists and calmly pushes me backward, allowing himself enough space to step away from me. He snaps his fingers, and Cooper is immediately by his side. The two of them walk toward the back door. He snatches his truck keys from the counter as he leaves.

Right after he opens the door, he turns to me and says, “Have a nice flight.” Then, he slams the door behind him.

Grief overwhelms me, and I have an awful feeling that I’m never going to see Wyatt again. Yet my resolve to leave remains.

There’s a part of me that hates myself and questions everything. But then there’s that part that knows I’ll go anyway. There’s a big part of me that misses Wyatt so desperately that it hurts even though I’ve only been away from him for mere seconds.

There’s a part of me that knows I’ll never forgive myself if I lose him forever. Then, there’s a part that recognizes that I will never love anyone the way I love him. And as I drop to my knees and cry on Wyatt’s kitchen floor, that’s the part that hurts the most.

21

“Traveling the world has always been my therapy.”

—Georgia Wright

“I can’t believe you’re really going,” Paige says, standing in my room as she holds Mila.

I’m checking over my suitcase, making sure I have everything that I need. Not knowing how long I’ll be there or what exactly I’ll be doing makes packing hard. Yet, traveling as much as I have, I know the must-have items. Most things I can buy, but some things are only found in the United States, like my favorite deodorant. I pick up the deodorant in my toiletry bag and check it.

Crap, it’s almost out.

I rush to the bathroom to see if I have a new one in the drawers.

“Success!” I cheer, holding the white container of deodorant over my head like a trophy before tossing it into my suitcase.

“Are you sure about this?” she questions again for the hundredth time.

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