Georgia sat in the beach chair and watched the waves as they crashed on the shore. The past six months had been an escape for her. When she had left London she had gone to her aunt's home in New York where she had spent a few weeks moping around. After the third week when she wouldn't tell her aunt what was wrong and she refused to change her despondent attitude, her aunt told her to leave.
Georgia couldn't help but smile at the memory. Her aunt had always been about the tough love. She hadn't been sent out without a plan though. Her aunt had insisted that she go to the beach cottage, which was a fine idea in her aunt's mind since she had no clue about the weeks that Georgia had spent there with Ewan. It had been strange at first to be there without him, but at least she could mope and Aunt Priscilla wouldn't have to watch her.
Sighing, she stretched, enjoying the way the sunshine felt on her skin. Her aunt had seen her at her worst both times she had lost her loves. This time she hadn't had the never ending tears like she had when her husband had died but the depression had been deeper.
It was harder to know that Ewan was out there, in the world, living his life, and she was unable to see him or talk to him. With her husband she had understood that he was gone and there was no bringing him back. There had been no need for hope then. Now,, there would always be a part of her that would hope to hear Ewan's voice, catch his smell or catch the sight of him.
Georgia had purposely avoided all media. It was rare for him to be mentioned in anything other than the gossip columns but she didn't want to take the chance, she was still too raw.
The sun was slowly dipping below the dunes and houses behind her, casting long shadows along the beach. The season was just beginning and now she no longer had the beach to herself. The first few months of her stay there had been no one just herself until Reggie Carlisle had arrived to stay in his family's mansion across the water. It was all very 'Great Gatsby' except that Reggie had hopes of an affair not a romantic relationship between them.
He was a handsome man, a few years her junior, who had a sense of the ridiculous about him. He was the antithesis of Ewan. Where Ewan was dark and foreboding Reggie was lighthearted and friendly, and Georgia had taken to him right away.
As if on cue Georgia felt a shadow fall across her and she looked up into Reggie's friendly blue eyes.
"Hey beautiful, did you miss me this afternoon?" He plopped down next to her, his blond streaked hair in disarray from the wind. He had most likely drove his convertible with the top down.
"I cried all day long," Georgia said seriously.
"I know, I'm like an addiction. If you don't get your daily hit then you get the shakes." He stretched his legs out in front of him and leaned back on his elbows.
"More like a decadent dessert." Georgia shook her head.
"Right, sweet and irresistible." He grinned.
"No, more like one bite goes a long way and too many will make you a little queasy."
"Why you little..." He reached for her and pushed her from her low chair, tickling her.
"Stop Reggie....I....hate... to...be ...tickled." She squirmed and panted out the words between breaths. She really did hate to be tickled, to her it was a form of unnecessary torture.
"Fine, I'll stop if you give me a kiss."
"No Reggie."
He tickled her harder.
"O.K., O.K.," she shrieked. After he stopped she offered him her cheek and pointed to it. "On the cheek like a good boy."
He gave a dramatic sigh as he leaned over and gave her a brief peck. "When are you going to give into my irresistible charm and fall for me? You're fighting a losing battle you know."
Georgia started to gather her stuff, suddenly chilled as the sun dipped behind the clouds one last time. "That's what I admire most about you Reggie, you unwavering determination and limitless self-confidence."
"Admiration is a strong place to start." He jumped up and brushed off his shorts before reaching for Georgia's hand and pulling her up and out of her chair. "What are we doing for dinner this evening?" He folded her chair and tucked it under his arm as he followed her up the walk.
"I don't know what you're doing, but I was going to grill a steak and add some vegetables." Georgia was walking with her back towards him so he couldn't see her smile. She knew what was coming next.
"You know steaks are my favorite food."
"Are they?" Georgia remained stubbornly silent.
"Come on Georgia, I promise to make you laugh at least once."
"Fine. You're lucky I bought two."
He threw his arm around her shoulders and gave her a squeeze. "Yes, I am."
They continued up the path and as they crested the dunes there was a lone figure sitting in one of the rocking chairs on her back porch.
"I don't suppose you have three steaks?" Reggie asked and Georgia felt his body tense.
"No, I don't." As they grew closer Georgia could see that it was an older woman who seemed relaxed and unconcerned with their slowed pace.
Reggie sighed as they stopped at the base of the steps leading up to the porch. "Grandmother."
Georgia was able to hide her shock well and even though she appeared calm and unconcerned on the surface, her guard went up. Why was this woman here?
"Reginald my dear." She stood as they climbed the steps. "Won't you introduce me to your friend?"
"Why are you here Grandmother?" He threw himself down in a pout on one of the chairs ignoring her question.
"I thought I would go for a drive. I haven't been out for a few days. When I saw your car I thought I would stop and meet your new friend." The woman turned towards Georgia with a warm smile on her face.
She was a graceful woman whose bearing screamed wealth and breeding. She was tall and lean, almost as stall as Georgia, and she had snow white hair with deeper gray highlights. It was cut short and styled close to her head. Her eyes were a soft grey and very similar to Reggie's. Her face had, what some would call character. Lines bracketed her mouth and eyes saying she was fond of laughing and smiling.
Georgia returned her smile as they waited for Reggie to make the introductions.
"I'm Georgia Dawson." Georgia held out her hand to the woman when Reggie remained stubbornly silent.
"Sylvia Carlisle."
"Reggie why don't you run up the road to the store and get another steak so that your Grandmother can join us for dinner." Georgia turned to Sylvia. "That's if you would like to join us."
"I would love to. It's been awhile since I've had dinner out."
They both turned to Reggie and waited until he rose and moved off towards his car then they each took a rocking chair as they heard his car roar to life and then drive away.
"Reginald seems to be quite taken with you." Sylvia turned to look at her, taking in her appearance. She knew she was not at her best since she had been on the beach all afternoon.
Georgia smiled, choosing not to comment on Sylvia's statement. She honestly wasn't sure what she should say. Reggie might be taken with her but she was not taken with him. Was that why this woman was here, to feel her out and see if there was more going on than a causal relationship?
"This is the Purcell's property. Are you a Purcell?"
"My great aunt is," Georgia rose, "would like something to drink?"
"That would be lovely, anything cold will do."
Georgia entered the old house with Sylvia hot on her heels. "I haven't been in here since I was a child."
Georgia moved to the kitchen and poured two glasses of homemade lemonade as she watched the woman look around the old cottage. "It's good to see this place active again. We had some good times in this room. How is Priscilla?"
Georgia smiled at her aunt's name. "She was fine when I talked to her last week."
As she started to pull out the makings for dinner Sylvia moved to the kitchen table and sat in a ladder back chair, watching her as she worked.
"My Grandson talks about you all of the time," she said after a few minutes.
"I can't imagine why." Georgia shook her head. She thought she had made it clear to him that she only wanted friendship and that she had no interest in a romantic involvement. If he was talking to his family about her what did that mean? Was he making their relationship into something he shouldn't? He joked around about her falling for him but she thought that he understood that it was all a joke.
"You're beautiful, young, and a challenge. Reginald has always liked a challenge. Things come too easily for him so challenges are few and far between." Sylvia looked out of the window as she sipped her lemonade.
Georgia started to chop the vegetables as she replayed all of her and Reggie's interactions in the past.
They had met on the beach about a month after she had arrived and she had played it politely distant for the first few months, until he had asked her out to dinner one night and lonely and feeling sorry for herself she had accepted. After that he was always around.
At first she had welcomed the company and then he had just become part of the vacation package for her. She had always been honest about her lack of interest. "I have always been honest with him about my feelings," she said aloud, almost to herself.
"And what are those feelings? If you don't mind my asking."
Georgia jerked, startled by Sylivia's voice, not having realized she had spoken aloud. "I'm only interested in friendship. I don't want a romantic relationship of any kind."
Georgia watched as Sylvia visibly relaxed.
"Good, although part of me wants to demand that you tell me what's wrong with my Grandson, a larger part of me is just relieved." Sylvia laughed at Georgia's opened mouth expression. "No child, it's not you. I did put my foot in it didn't I?"
"Yes, you did." She nodded. Sylvia had made it sound as if she wasn't good enough for Reggie.
"I'm sure that you would be good for my Grandson but my Grandson wouldn't be good for anyone just yet. He needs to mature just a little bit more before he commits to the family life."
This Georgia got. Reggie didn't seem to take things very seriously but... "Do you mind if I'm blunt?" What the hell Georgia thought. She probably wouldn't see this woman or Reggie after this evening so she might as well speak her mind.
"Please." Sylvia settled back into her chair.
Georgia pulled out the steaks and started to season them. "Reggie needs a challenge but not on a social level. He and I have had a few discussions where he has expressed frustration at 'the family's' lack of inclusion of him in the business dealings. His degree is in business and he wants to use it. He has shared a few ideas with me and they seem sound and reasonable. Granted, I don't have a degree in business but I have worked with one or two successful business men and know the basics."
Sylvia looked at her considering what she said as the backdoor opened and Reggie entered looking from one to the other.
"What did I miss?" He put the extra steaks on the counter.
"Your Grandmother was agreeing with me. She says I'm too good for you." Georgia wrinkled her nose at him to let him know that she was joking.
"Ms. Carlisle, how would you like your steak?"
"Please, call me Sylvia."
After that things relaxed and dinner turned out to be amusing and fun, and with the wine flowing she was even able to get Reggie to share some of his business ideas.
"What do you do for a living Georgia?" Sylvia asked after a heated discussion about China's hold on the world market.
"Nothing right now, I'm in between jobs." She sipped her wine and thought of Ewan.
"Well, what did you do?" Sylvia pressed.
"I was a Personal Assistant or Social Secretary as some people say." Georgia set her wine glass down on the table.
"What happened, why aren't you working now?" Sylvia was watching her closely.
"I was working in another country and felt it was time to return home. I had been gone too long." She rose and started to gather the dishes. She had always been uncomfortable lying, but she couldn't very well say that she had kissed her boss in public and his sister had fired her. A small smile played around her lips at the thought that Ewan would have enjoyed this predicament and he would have enjoyed watching her wiggle out of it.
"That's a bittersweet smile." Reggie noted leaning back in his chair. "Who did you work for? Maybe we know them?"
"I'm afraid I signed a non-disclosure agreement so I can't talk about it."
"The smile intrigues me." He sipped his wine.
"That's because you're bored Reggie."
"I know..." Reggie sat up on the edge of his chair all of the sudden. "Why don't you hire her Grandmother? Isn't Becca leaving in a few weeks on maternity leave?"
"Are you looking for work dear?" Sylvia asked watching her.
"Yes, but I'm afraid I can't give you any references." Georgia shook her head knowing that it would rule her out for almost any job.
"I never check references anyway. It's not as if you would give me a reference for someone who thinks poorly of you. No one would."
The two women eyed each other. Could this work? Georgia felt her heart leap in excitement. To work again would be wonderful it would keep her mind occupied. "I would very much like to be working again."
This time there was an unspoken moment of complete understanding between them.
Sylvia rose and stretched. "You are a delightful cook my dear. I have not had a steak that good in years. Why don't you come by the house tomorrow morning and we'll talk about this some more." She moved towards the door. "I need go before it gets dark." She gave Reggie a brief kiss on the cheek and then headed towards the door. "I'll see you both tomorrow." And then she was gone, leaving her and Reggie alone.
Reggie helped her clear as the awkwardness between them grew.
"Georgia?"
She stopped and turned towards him. He grabbed her face with his hands and started to kiss her and her hands were full of dishes so she couldn't push him away. The best she could do was not respond. When he traced her lips with his tongue she kept them firmly closed.
Georgia didn't even bother to close her eyes, a fact he noticed as he pulled away. When he released her she turned towards the sink and placed her dishes gently in the bottom, taking a deep breath before turning to get the rest of the dishes, but she made the mistake of looking at Reggie who looked crestfallen.
She placed her hand on his arm gently. "Let's go for a walk." Linking her arm through his, she grabbed her jacket and made her way towards the door. They were silent as walked towards the beach. Everything was quiet except for the sound of the surf as it rolled up on the shore.
Georgia knew she should be thinking about Reggie and what had just happened, but all she could think of was Ewan. Where he was, how he was, if he was content, and as usual she let the memories wrap around her and the sadness overwhelmed her.
"Sometimes, on evenings like these, you seem so sad," Reggie said as he placed his hand on hers where it rested in the crook of his arm.
"I am sad Reggie. I have already given my heart away twice and I don't dare do it again."
"Surely if you have loved twice then you can love a third time," he insisted quietly.
"No Reggie, I was married," she felt him tense, "I lost him, he died very young and it took me time to open my heart again."
"And?" Reggie asked quietly.
"He still lives and as long as he does, my heart is his. I'm nothing if not loyal." The last part came out sounding disparaging.
"Why isn't he here with you now? Excuse me for saying this but he seems like a fool if you were mine..."
"I'm not yours Reggie, I'm his and I always will be, but as I am loyal with love I am also loyal with friends and I do consider you a friend. You're one of my closest friends and you've made these last months bearable. I can't give you what you want but can you accept what I can give you, friendship?"
"It sounds..."
"Corny, trite, passé."
"Yes, all of those things but unbelievably sad. How can you choose to love someone who can't or won't be with you? It seems like such a waste." He stopped and turned towards her looking down at her. "I'll be your friend but I don't promise that I won't keep trying."
"And I won't promise to fall for you."
He smiled. "Fair enough, now about you working for my Grandmother..."