Page 48 of Georgia On My Mind (Southern Promises)

Chapter Twenty-Five

Speckled light filtering through mature trees flitted in and out of the car window, making Gia squint and rummage in her purse for her sunglasses. It was a glorious day, and she was feeling better than ever. Thankfully, her last gig was behind her, and it was one she had booked herself. She was supposed to go through Franko’s business when she got a referral but had decided to skip that piece and go behind his back, booking the job on her own. It was an easy gig—an eighties-themed birthday party. Dressed in her outrageous Madonna costume, she was happy to entertain guests, showing them dance moves from the era that included the Moonwalk, the MC Hammer Dance, the Sprinkler and the Running Man. The best part of the night was no strip-tease, just dancing. She was a huge hit and her tip at the end of the night proved it. Glad to have these gigs behind her, she was more than ready to turn the page.

Clay and Katie were cozy in the backseat of Hart’s Mercedes as they drove through the suburbs together toward the Parker’s childhood home. Katie humored them with stories about life on the road during Clay’s first tour. Hart had told Gia early in their relationship his sister was dating a guy in the country music business. What he didn’t tell her was how famous the guy was. Gia looked him up online, shocked to learn Clay was a Grammy-award-winning songwriter and had only recently crossed over as a touring artist, no doubt his hit songs bringing in great bank. What a coincidence he had been dubbed “Georgia Clay” by his fans. She was a “Georgia” too.

As they pulled into the driveway of the Parker home, Gia marveled at the place where Hart and his sister grew up. The large, two-story structure looked like something out of a movie, the pretty black shutters against the pristine white siding perfect in every way. Beautiful rose bushes in a rainbow of colors edged the cobbled walkway that led up to the red front door. Before Katie could grasp the knob to turn it, Mr. and Mrs. Parker threw the door open wide, energetically ushering them in. She couldn’t help but watch the way Hart cautiously greeted his father, the two men awkwardly shaking hands in the foyer. Offering a polite handshake herself, Mrs. Parker saved the day by slipping her arm through Gia’s, pulling her into the great room that looked out onto a massive patio and kidney-bean shaped pool. The sun shimmered on top of the water, the entire backyard area beckoning everyone to hang outside.

Gia turned to Hart’s mother and presented her with a plate of homemade brownies she had made that morning. “Hope you like chocolate,” she said shyly.

“Oh, yes. These will be perfect with the homemade vanilla ice-cream later.”

The home was a buzz of conversation, the guys grabbing bottled beers out of the massive refrigerator while the women set out appetizers on the middle island. Katie squished her nose and shook her head, passing on the beer, opening up a large cupboard above the oven filled with several bottles of liquor. She pulled out a green bottle of English gin. “Would you rather have a gin and tonic?” she asked Gia.

“Sure.” While Katie made their cocktails, Gia looked around Hart’s childhood home. Everything was lovely and comfortable, from the overstuffed seating and throw pillows to the knick-knacks, and framed pictures of family spread throughout. She approached a side table and smiled as she looked down at a picture of Hart posing in his Lakeside High School football uniform. His young features were soft, but his expression was hard as if trying to convince the photographer he was a bad-ass.

“That’s Hart’s senior football picture. You should have seen him back in the day. Such fun times watching him from the stands.” Mrs. Parker’s smile was nostalgic as she stared back at the photo of her son.

“Well, I’ve seen that expression plenty of times. He can be so serious.” Gia giggled, making a mock-frown of her own.

“Who’s serious?” Hart came between the two women and draped his arms around them.

“You were, son. So serious about your football.” His mom tickled his ribs, making him buck.

“Hey. We had to be serious about winning.”

“Did you?” Gia teased.

He took a large swig of beer and winked back at her. “Sure did. Won the division championship that year.”

With cocktails in hand, the group dispersed to the outdoor patio, the early summer day exceptionally bright. Shaded by a large umbrella table, Mr. Parker apologized that the pool wasn’t quite ready for swimmers. “It was recently shocked, and now we’re just waiting for these warmer days to heat the water up. The next time you’re here, it will be good and ready.”

“Dad never bought a heater for the pool, no matter how much I begged as a teenager,” Katie explained to Gia and Clay. “That never stopped Hart. He’d jump in any time of year, especially if you offered him something he wanted.”

“Like what?” Clay laughed.

“Oh, I don’t know. Like the last cookie or a beer. He didn’t care if his nuts shriveled up into peas.”

“Katie Parker!” her mother chastised. The whole group burst out laughing except for Mr. Parker who shook his head.

“It’s true. I was fearless and would do anything on a dare,” Hart interjected.

“Hmmph.” Mr. Parker scowled in disgust, bringing a beer bottle up to his lips. Gia couldn’t help but notice Mrs. Parker shake her head slightly while patting his knee.

Clay cleared his throat and looked at Mr. Parker expectantly. The older man nodded his head and smiled. “Mrs. Parker. Your daughter has some news for you.”

“Oh?”

Katie turned to her mother and grasped her hands in her own. The look of happiness that crossed her face sent a pang of want to Gia’s heart. “Mom, I made Dad promise he wouldn’t tell you.”

“Tell me what, honey?” she asked nervously.

“Clay asked Daddy for my hand in marriage. We’re engaged!”

Gia watched Katie thrust herself into her mother’s open arms and wondered what it would be like to have a parent to tell news like that to. She would never know. She had been orphaned way before her own mother had died, fending for herself just trying to survive. Being around this all-American family in their immaculate house, celebrating a perfect engagement brought it all to the forefront. Would she ever experience this kind of happiness in her life? Was it in the cards for her? Was Hart really “the one”? Sliding her hand under her nose, she sniffled, aware that her emotions were dangerously close to surfacing, watching the Parker family congratulate the happy couple with hugs and laughter. She felt Hart’s lips press against her temple.

“Overwhelming, isn’t it?”

Could he read her mind? She exhaled and offered him a small smile before bringing her drink up to her lips and taking a large swig.

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