SHE & HIM
NOW
Georgia lookedup from her to-do list to the surrounding coffee shop. The tables were finally clearing, and there were no more waiting customers. Good Start had been full all day. Even with employees back from their Thanksgiving break, Georgia found little time to set the employee schedule, look at payroll, check her supply lists, or study the growing list of volunteer events filling up her calendar.
Sometimes she didn’t know how she’d get everything accomplished. It was overwhelming, of course, but Georgia thrived on busyness. She savored the feeling of running from place to place and event to event. She was exhausted, but in a satisfying way. In fact, she couldn’t remember a time when she hadn’t lived based off of a well-organized schedule. And December had always been a busy time of year for her, especially since taking over the coffee shop.
“Whatcha lookin’ at?” Ginny perched over the counter next to Georgia, who had begun to study her list again.
“To-do list,” she mumbled, barely acknowledging her sister.
“You have something every day this week! When do you have time for anything? A movie? A date? A life?!”
“It’s called responsibility, Ginny. I’ve got a lot of things on my plate, and I have to prioritize. I don’t have time for extracurriculars at the moment.”
“But…” Ginny threw her hand across the paper, forcing Georgia to look up at her. “Georgie, when do you do anything fun?”
Georgia rolled her eyes and looked down at her list, flicking her sister’s hand away like a pesky fly. She scanned the chart, labeled by day and hour, and pointed to one of the full squares. “Look! Right there! I’m hosting a cookie decorating contest in a couple of weeks here at the shop. We’ll bake a bunch of sugar cookies and get people excited for Christmas! That’s fun!”
“No,” Ginny flicked Georgia’s still pointed finger off the chart, “that’sWORK. That’s your job.”
“And don’tyouhave a job, Virginia?” Georgia eyed her sister with the implication. “One that you should be doing right now instead of nagging your—as you so nicely pointed out—very busy sister?”
“Actually, I have a date!” Ginny hugged her sister, and Georgia couldn’t help but pull her close. “You really shouldn’t work so hard, okay? Have a little fun now and then.”
Georgia kissed her cheek. “I will. Promise. Look, I have door decorating, a lock-in, a soup kitchen, and the Best in Snow Show… There’s lots of fun on this list.”
“Whatever you say. But you did forget one thing.”
Georgia grabbed the paper off the counter and pulled it to her face as if having it an inch away would make her missing task clearer.
“What? What did I miss?”
Her sister pointed to that evening and the empty hour Georgia had planned to spend in her loft, alone. Possibly decorating her own home, listening to Christmas music, and relaxing before diving head on into the busy month.
“Right there.” Ginny grinned and wiggled her eyebrows. “You’ve got a dinner date too. At Mom and Dad’s… with the Lovett boys. Such a shame I’m gonna miss out. I already asked Mama to save me some dessert.”
She patted Georgia on the back, took off her apron, and skipped out of Good Start, only offering her a, “HaveFUN!”on her way out the door.
When Georgia finally relented to the fact that she couldn't, in good conscience, avoid the dinner her mother had so graciously invited the Lovett brothers to, she left the coffee shop to her employees to close. She showered and changed, donning a knit sweater and jeans—that she’d probably sweat through by dessert. Then she made the short drive, slowly, to her parents’ home.
The long and winding driveway was lined in comforting pines, poplars which seemed to reach the sky, and towering oak trees that offered heavenly shade on sweltering summer days. They felt like old friends greeting her as she drove along the familiar curves, languidly guiding her home. Fallen leaves littered the driveway and its perimeter in an array of fall colors that would likely stick around until a January cold front swept them all away. The ranch-style home was a dark gray with cedar trimmed shutters and posts on the wrap around porch, where a crisp American flag proudly flew at the entrance.
It was the home Georgia’s parents had dreamed of in the many years of buying and selling while in the military. She loved the house too but had truthfully enjoyed her time away. Living independently in college, and then her short time in Atlanta, had felt like an adventure all her own. After the need to give that life up—to be here for her family—Georgia treasured living alone in the small loft above the coffee shop. She would be forever thankful she could make the short trip down that beautiful driveway to see her parents whenever she wanted.
“Georgia Snow! Is that finally you?” her mom hollered through the voices mingling in the living room.
“Yes, ma’am.” She slipped off her suede booties and joined the waiting group.
Georgia’s father jumped up from his recliner and greeted her in the doorway.
“There’s my girl.” He hugged her close before kissing her head. “We’ve been waitin’ on ya awhile.”
“Sorry. I almost forgot we were doing this.”
When her father released her, Georgia scanned the room. Dakota, Caroline, and Evan all offered quick nods and hellos as her father returned to his chair. When she didn’t see Lake, Georgia wondered if she’d done irrevocable damage with her callousnessthe last time they’d met. When she’d dismissed him so quickly before service on Sunday. Maybe he didn’t want to be friends again after all. As soon as the thought crossed her mind, and she recognized she might be saddened by his absence, the familiar scent of cinnamon and cedarwood drifted closely behind her.
“Hey, Georgia Snow,” Lake said from just behind her in the kitchen.
