Page 47 of Georgia On My Mind (Southern Promises)

Katie’s brow furrowed in concern. “I’m sorry to hear that.”

“We went and grabbed coffee after Mitch’s party. Things kind of took off after that first night.”

“Wow. So, what’s she gonna do now that her studio is closing?”

Hart dragged his hand down his stubbly face. “Well, there’s a lot to do when you close up shop. That will keep her busy for a few weeks. And then there’s the moving-in-together piece—”

“Yes! How did that happen?” she interrupted.

There was a part of him that wanted to tell her every detail about Gia, but also a part of him that wanted to protect her and her privacy. He decided to keep it simple and tell her the truth.

“We love each other, and we want to be together. It’s time for me to find my own place anyway. I can’t be living with my little sister for the rest of my life.” He playfully poked her in the arm, making her laugh. “I thought it made sense to ask her to look for a new place with me. You know, so that we could be together full time.”

Katie shook her head. “Never in a million years did I ever think you would find ‘the one.’ I’m so happy for you!”

The back of Hart’s neck grew hot. “Thanks, baby girl. I’m so happy for you and Clay too. We both have a lot to be thankful for.”

“That’s for sure. What’s Gia’s family like? Have you met them?” The question caught him off guard, making him frown. He watched Katie’s expression pale. “What, Hart? Are they awful?”

He ran his tongue across his top lip, trying to figure out a way to explain Gia’s horrible upbringing. “I’m not sure if this is something she would want me talking about. Her childhood was pretty traumatic.”

Katie brought her hand up to her mouth with genuine concern. “Why? What happened?”

Hart shook his head and looked at his hands gripping his thighs. “There’s no other way to say it…her mother was a stripper, Katie. She died of a drug overdose when Gia was nine years old. She never knew her father.” When his eyes met his sister’s, he noticed her shocked expression. “I shouldn’t have told you that…”

“No, no. I’m glad you did. I had no idea. Poor Gia. I’m sure dancing has been an escape for her.”

Nodding in agreement, Hart sighed. “It was her late aunt’s studio and a safe place when she was a child. Her aunt got custody of her when her mother died. It was left to her in the will when her aunt died.”

“Wow,” Katie repeated, mulling over this information. “Makes you grateful for our committed parents and how we were raised, doesn’t it? I mean, even if you and Dad don’t get along all the time, aren’t you thankful for how we grew up?”

Snapshots immediately filled his mind of him and his sister’s idyllic childhood, growing up in the country club subdivision. He couldn’t recall ever going without anything he ever wanted. Sure, his mom and dad made him work for the frivolous stuff like the latest cell phone or designer tennis shoes. But for the most part, he was a spoiled rich kid saturated with unconditional love, living the high life without a care in the world. Guilt washed over him as he thought of Gia and her heinous childhood. “Yes, Katie. I’m very thankful.”

Grinning, she started to gather the remnants of their earlier champagne toast. “For what it’s worth, maybe you can be that knight-in-shining-armor and show her a life she could have only dreamed of.” She paused, holding flutes in her dainty hands. “She’s a lucky girl to have met the Hart of Dixie, that’s for sure.”

Hart watched his sister walk away into the galley kitchen. Sighing heavily, he thought about her comment about showing Gia a life she could have only dreamed of. As he lounged dreamily on the sofa, he felt his phone buzz in his pocket and reached for it, hoping it was Gia checking in.

Dude, how are you? How’s Gia?

It was a text message from his buddy, Mitch Montgomery. Images from the previous night instantly flooded his mind. How was he going to explain everything to his buddies? How were they going to react the next time they saw him with Gia? His hand trembled, texting a simple message back to his friend.

Everything good. Talk later.

Shoving the phone back in his pocket, he hoisted himself up. Katie was always the first person he talked to when something was heavy on his heart. Admittedly, he had pushed what had happened the previous night into the farthest crevice of his mind, not wanting to deal with the situation fully. But it was only a matter of time before it would rear its ugly head, causing a sort of post-traumatic-stress with flashbacks of what he had witnessed. The worst part was the “what if.” What if he hadn’t been there to stop her from going through with her performance? What if the entire audience had seen her naked and exposed in the spotlight? What if she were predestined to follow in her mother’s footsteps and make a career out of stripping in clubs?

“Hey,” he said softly, leaning his butt on the countertop and watching Katie hand-wash the champagne flutes.

“Hey,” she smiled back, oblivious to the turmoil that swirled in his head.

“So…about last night.”

She eyed him and pursed her lips in disappointment. “I get it that you were out clubbing with your buddies, Hart. I’m sure Clay is gonna have his own bachelor party at some point before we get married.” Drying her hands on a checkered towel, she turned toward him. “But can’t you keep your anger in check? Why did you get into it with a bouncer? Were you totally shit-faced?”

Looking at the floor in shame, he shook his head. He hated it that his sister assumed he was drunk. But why wouldn’t she? For the first few months after his embarrassing indiscretion in DC, he stayed inebriated most of that time. “The place we were at. It was a strip club.”

Her brow furrowed before her expression softened with what looked like recognition. “Oh, geez. You feel guilty for being there, and Gia doesn’t know yet, huh?”

“No. Gia…” Hart swallowed a lump in his throat the size of a Georgia peach trying to gather the courage to tell her. “Katie, Gia was one of the strippers last night.”

---