Page 52 of Georgia On My Mind (Southern Promises)

All of his texts and phone calls the first week they were apart were met with silence. It was hard to leave her be, but it was what she requested on that terrible night. Here it was two weeks later, and he still didn’t know anything about how the show rehearsals had gone, where she was staying, or how her students were reacting to her studio closing. There was so much he didn’t know, and it aggravated him. On more than one occasion he had to stop himself from going to her studio or the diner to find answers.

After his embarrassing breakdown in front of his sister and Clay, Hart promised Katie he would stop the drinking once and for all and immersed himself in work to keep his mind off things. It was the only diversion to his constant worry. That, and looking at property every night after work. The perfect condo was on a short list for him to buy, but he couldn’t quite make an offer—not yet. He vowed to wait for Gia’s approval, hoping she would come to her senses and move into the new space with him. He was desperate for her to love him again. Knowing he was going to see her on stage in a few hours was a relief, of sorts. She was either going to be very happy to see him or be cold and closed off, which would indicate there was no chance for a future together.

Hart sighed, leaning his head back on the seat. In a couple of hours, he’d leave the office and go straight to the theater. The wait was almost over, the dissipating throbbing of his healing hand a reminder of the chaos coming to an end. He’d have his answers tonight, but first, he was going to show his support and watch her dance in front of hundreds of people. What a stark contrast to the last time he saw her perform.

***

“Fifteen minutes,” the stage manager said outside the door of Gia’s dressing room.

“Thank you, fifteen,” she yelled back. Because she was a “guest” performer, and a celebrity of sorts because of her stint on So You Think You Can Dance, Gia was given special treatment and had her own dressing room. Bouquets of colorful flowers filled the space on opening night, many from her students who were also coming to see her. She smiled, pulling a card out of an envelope tucked into a bright assortment of Shasta daisies, a gift from her friend Angel.

“Do your thang. Love, Angel,” she read out loud, smiling broadly. Angel had been a real angel-in-disguise, helping her navigate the last two weeks without Hartford Parker by her side. She was a couch guest in Angel and her boyfriend’s apartment, where she drew much-needed strength from her friend during her darkest hours. The daunting task of learning the dream ballet choreographed by her incredibly talented friend and instructor Ethan kept her mind off the continuous ache in her heart. She poured herself into the work, pushing harder and harder, wanting her Atlanta theater debut to be a success. Ethan was ecstatic with her dedication and attention to detail, allowing her to take certain liberties with the deeply emotional scenes. Several times during private rehearsals with him, she broke down, the intense drama of the story almost too realistic, mirroring her own life. She was playing the lead character, Laurey, a pretty farm girl struggling with her feelings about two men who were complete opposites. The comparison between her old life and new life was uncanny as it mirrored the musical story, and she had to remind herself she was only playing a character.

Straightening the violet bow on her long, curled wig, she looked at herself in the lighted mirror and breathed deeply, hoping Hart would be in the audience. He had texted and left a few messages the first week they were apart. When she didn’t respond to any of them, they stopped altogether. She chalked it up to him being a gentleman, finally conceding to her request for time apart.

There was a light knock on the door. “Come in,” she said, bringing lipstick up to her lips and applying it. She could see Ethan enter in the reflection of the mirror. “Hey! How does the house look? Anyone showing up?” she teased.

Ethan smiled and pulled up a chair to sit next to her.

“What is it?” she asked tentatively.

“I have something for you. It was delivered to the box office. I wasn’t sure if I should give it to you now or afterward. I don’t want it to upset you on opening night.”

“What is it, Ethan? You’re scaring me.” She watched him pull a small velvet bag out of his suit pocket.

“There’s no card, but you should know it’s from Hart.” He reached for her hand and tenderly placed the satchel in her palm. “I’ll give you a minute.”

She looked at the velvet bag and back at Ethan as he exited the room, her heart starting to pound in her chest. Pulling on the gold cord, she emptied the contents into her palm, her Aunt Caroline’s ring winking at her in the light. Immediately, she slapped her hand over her mouth and held her breath. Tears of joy seeped out of the corners of her eyes.

Too embarrassed to go back to the pawn shop to let the owner know she didn’t have the money to get her ring back, she had to let it go, knowing it would never be in her possession again. For Hart to have tracked the guy down and purchase the one item that meant so much to her was unbelievable. This one item had caused so much worry, grief, and angst and now, because of Hartford Parker’s selfless generosity, the ring was back in her possession, filling her heart with happiness. For a brief second, she thought about texting him to thank him profusely; to tell him what it meant to her. The surge of love to her heart was exhilarating.

“Places,” she heard the stage manager say. Wiping her eyes with a tissue, she smiled back at her reflection, knowing he was in the audience—she could feel him. Putting the ring into her purse, she stood and palmed the white dress that was her costume, confident and ready to make her debut.

Chapter Twenty-Eight

Hart had spared no expense when purchasing his ticket, wanting the best view of the stage as possible. As he sat in the orchestra section of the theater, he thumbed through the glossy program and landed on Gia’s bio. He had never seen her headshot before and was taken aback by her piercing blue eyes staring back at him. The colored photo must have been taken before they met because her dark hair was long and curled over her shoulders. Her smile was reserved, the entire photograph drop-dead gorgeous. The bio highlighted her time on the television show, So You Think You Can Dance and her many accomplishments as an award-winning dance instructor. At the end of the paragraph, she thanked her friends and students for their amazing support and for Ethan Carmichael for giving her a chance. There was no mention of him.

The lights dimmed in the auditorium, and people quickly found their way to their seats. The orchestra swelled, and the curtain opened. Hart remembered seeing the movie version of the musical, Oklahoma, on television when he was just a kid. His mother loved the old musicals, many of them gifted to her over the years for her own DVD musical library. My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof, and The Sound of Music were just a few favorites she had collected over the years. When he and his sister went in together and bought tickets to the musical touring show of Cats at the Fox Theatre, you would have thought she had died and gone to heaven. As the Oklahoma story played out in front of him, he found himself growing anxious, wondering when Gia would take the stage. Toward the end of Act One, he didn’t have to wait any longer.

Gia finally entered from stage right, causing Hart to sit perfectly erect in the theater seat, holding his breath. Every cell in his being was on high alert, and he was fixated, watching her every move from the slightest bend of her supple hands and wrists to her flexing leg muscles under the flowing, white skirt. The ballet was a dream sequence, and Gia was the leading lady for the next fifteen minutes, showing the world what she had been created to do. The elaborate staging and effects were breathtakingly beautiful, the orchestral music adding to the drama. The symbolism and foreshadowing in the piece weren’t lost on Hart. When the sinister character, Jud, threw her roughly over his shoulder, stealing her away from her true love, he couldn’t help but tense, thinking back to that night at the seedy club, wanting to jump up on the stage and save her. The scantily clothed can-can girls reminded him of the modern-day strippers from the club—Gia standing out in her white costume, purely innocent in the scene.

She was innocent, a stark realization hitting Hart over the head like a ton of bricks. She had never belonged in that world, her beauty and talent shining brightly like the pure white costume she wore in the stunning spotlight. With Katie and Clay’s help, Hart’s father learned the truth after the fact and actually apologized to him, trying to make amends. Mr. Parker was adamant that he speak with Gia and apologize to her too. When he learned she had left Hart on that fateful night, he was remorseful and felt terrible guilt. It was going to take some time for Hart and his father to repair their broken relationship. Perhaps time could heal their wounds.

A very tense and engaging fight scene ensued, and Hart had to use his jacket sleeve to wipe tears from his eyes as he watched Gia anxiously crawl along the floor to her dead leading man, her dreams of a happily-ever-after shattered. Her performance was brilliant, and as the curtain closed for intermission, he was on his feet clapping as hard as he could along with the rest of the audience.

The house lights came on, and he could hear people chatting as they milled about.

“Who was that girl in the dream ballet?” He heard one woman ask.

“God, that was so intense!” Said another.

Clenching his jaw, he couldn’t help the pride that blossomed in his chest. He had to see her. He had to let her know their love wasn’t dead—it was just the beginning.

*

The sound of the applause was music to Gia’s ears as she remained in her final, dramatic position lying across her leading man, waiting for the curtain to close. When they were in the clear, he helped her to her feet, and the entire cast rushed the stage, crowding around them. Ethan wedged his way into the circle, rewarding her with a bear hug.

“Holy shit! That was epic! How do you feel?”

---