Page 56 of Georgia On My Mind (Southern Promises)

Hart shook his head while trying to find the words. “She was breathtaking to watch. Your choreography was amazing.”

“Thanks, man.” Ethan looked at the floor and shuffled his feet before looking Hart in the eye. “She had a hard time, you know.”

Hart swallowed, his shoulders slumping with this news. He and Gia had only reunited, and he still had so many questions about their time apart. “I’m sorry about that. It was hard for me too. I was only doing what she wanted, giving her space.”

Ethan nodded. “The show kept her mind off everything, for the most part. But some of those scenes were challenging. She comes across as strong, but she’s fragile, Hart. Please don’t hurt her.”

“Of course not.”

“I’ll see you later, Hart.” Ethan touched his arm and smiled.

“See ya.” Hart watched him disappear into the crowd.

Carefully carrying two drinks, one in his bandaged hand, Hart looked around for Gia and spotted her near the fireplace, chatting with Pete, surrounded by some of her castmates. He stayed where he was and watched her throw her head back and laugh.

Earlier in the car, she had read him a few social media posts on the City Springs Theatre website from folks who had been at opening night, including a reviewer from the Sandy Springs Post.

We can’t say no to this musical theater evening at the City Springs!

More than OK!

Its energy and honesty still exhilarate!

The three leads were excellent!

With each review tag read, Gia became more animated and excited, the Post review causing a tear to appear in Hart’s eye.

“Choreographer, Ethan Carmichael manages an homage to the dazzling ingenuity of the original choreographer, Agnes de Mille. The Out of My Dreams ballet featuring James Hood and Gia Bates dancing the roles of Curly and Laurey was a highlight. An exquisitely fluid and majestic sight to behold!”

Watching her now among her peers, Gia dipped her head in awkwardness as her surrounding friends hugged and touched her often. She was a star in their eyes—a force to be reckoned with. What did this mean for them as a couple? He knew what it meant to be a performer—Clay Watkins’ life was proof of that. Clay and his sister were barely home for a week before they had to head back out on the road, promoting his latest album. Life as an artist was hard; a lifestyle choice that came with many sacrifices. Katie had privately lamented that she sometimes wished they could settle down and live like an average couple. But she understood the decision she had made. Katie wanted to be with Clay because she loved him and couldn’t imagine her life without him. His career was in country music, and she understood the sacrifices it took to stay in the game. Gia was at a crossroads, whether she knew it or not, and had a window of opportunity to do something pretty remarkable. Without the weight of a failing business holding her down anymore, she could do anything she wanted now in hotspots like New York or Los Angeles. The sky was the limit.

Watching her beautiful face beaming with happiness, he knew he could never be the one to hold her back, no matter how much in love he was with her. She had reinvented herself and was thriving. They had just reunited, and the very thought of losing her again caused his hands to tremble. He had to set her glass of wine and his soda water on a table, shoving his hands in his pockets. A wave of sadness was creeping into his being, and he didn’t want to ruin the evening. His gaze wandered to a wall of windows, looking out onto a beautiful terrace. He decided to get some air.

The early summer evening was gorgeous, and so was Pete Martin’s backyard. Hart leaned over the sturdy stone ledge and looked out over a small pool glowing with dramatic underwater lighting. The back lot was heavily wooded, and he noticed lighted paths along perfectly trimmed boxwoods and azalea bushes. The soothing sound of water could be heard coming from a small fountain near a gazebo in the corner, and the peeping of late-night critters gearing up for their evening symphony in the woods. The sky was clear, and the stars were bright as he tilted his back taking it all in.

“Hey, you. What are you doing out here all by yourself? You’re missing out on the Alaska flambé,” Gia giggled, wrapping her arms around his middle.

He rested his chin on her head and sighed from her touch. They both looked out over the beautiful yard in silence.

“Thanks for being here with me tonight. It means a lot.”

Pulling back from her, his voice was gravelly as he used the pads of his thumbs to stroke her cheeks. “I wouldn’t have missed it for the world.” Even in the dark, her smile was radiant.

She cupped his chin with her hand and pulled him forward, kissing him lightly on the lips. He was frozen in place, intrinsically aware of even the slightest touch of her hands and lips as she worshipped his face. His eyes clamped shut, savoring the magical moment. It was just Gia and him, and he wanted it to stay that way, forever. “You have to know how proud I am of you,” he exhaled.

“Thank you.”

“Y’all are going to sell out this entire run.”

“Hmmm,” she hummed happily, squeezing him tight. “Take me home,” she whispered.

It felt like home when she was with him. It didn’t matter where they lived as long as they were together. Hart could handle a sold-out run. Hell, he could handle Gia Bates being a permanent dancer at the City Springs Theatre. But he was no fool. The light had shone down on her that night on stage, and as he held her under the starry sky, he knew it was only a matter of time before her career took off like a rocket.

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