“His only option was to somehow make it up to you. When it came time for you to spread your wings, he wanted you to have a safe landing, so he brought in Barbara.”
“But isn’t that controlling and manipulative?” Georgia asked.
Stephanie sighed. “Only if he told you he’d brought Barbara in especially for you and expected you’d take the job offer no matter what it was, because refusing it would ruin their friendship, and he’d gone to all the trouble for you, so you’d better fall in line.
“But he didn’t tell you he’d set it up, probably because you’d refuse a great opportunity on principle. Yes, you scored the interview because of him, but you scored the job on your own. And sweetie, you’re really naïve if you think that type of nepotism doesn’t happen all the time, in every corner of business.”
“What about this summer rodeo gig? He basically set that up too.”
Stephanie rolled her eyes. “Yes, you’re having such a lousy time in Wyoming. Not stuck in a stuffy office. Reconnecting with old friends. Proving yourself in sales and event management. Having fun. Acting your age for a change.” She leaned closer. “Need I point out that you’ve fallen in love with Tell McKay?”
“No. It’s scary, these feeling I have for him. But whatever he might’ve felt for me? I destroyed by lying to him. I saw it on his face, Stephanie. Distrust, disbelief and disgust.” Georgia briefly closed her eyes, trying to blink away that image. “Him washing his hands of me is probably for the best.”
“The best for who? You’re the happiest you’ve ever been—or you were up until today. You can just snap your fingers and forget all that, like it never was?”
Georgia shrank back in the booth. “God no.”
“But you expect Tell can forget it? And he will?”
“That’s not a fair comparison.”
“It is fair, because it’s true. Tell loves you. I could see it that night at the reunion regardless if he was ready to admit it yet. You’re so worried about everyone making decisions for you that you don’t realize by walking away you’re doing the same thing to him.”
That stunned her. “What am I supposed to do?”
“Take control of your life. Nothing is predestined, Georgia. People make major changes in their lives every day.”
“But my job is in Dallas. My life is there.”
Stephanie smacked her hand on the table. “Can you please admit that you only really started living your life when you returned to Wyoming?”
That stung, but didn’t make it any less true. She’d been going through the motions in Dallas. Work. Sleep. Weekends that she largely spent by herself. Living in limbo. Waiting for…what?
A man like Tell to come into her life?
No. She didn’t need a man to make her complete.
If that was true, why had she felt so hollow? So incomplete? Didn’t she have what every college grad wanted—a job, a decent place to live and a little money in the bank?
Yes. Wasn’t that enough?
No. It never had been. Just like being Deck’s wife hadn’t been enough.
Being with Tell gave her something she’d never had from any person or place or job—a feeling of home. An intimate bond that grew stronger every day. The kind of connection she had been too afraid to forge, fearful she’d lose it once she found it.
That’s when Georgia knew she’d do whatever it took to keep the happiness she’d found here. Taking such a scary leap made her stomach roil, but if she didn’t have faith in her ability to choose her own path, she still was letting everyone else pull the strings. And she was done with that. Starting now. At least if she fell flat on her face this time, she’d know exactly who tripped her up.
She glanced up and saw Stephanie grinning at her.
“I knew you’d make the right choice. I’m here for you, whatever you need. Now go get your man and start your happily ever after.” Stephanie hugged her and left.
As Georgia headed toward the door, she caught a glimpse of a black-haired man on the outskirts of the dance floor. Her heart skipped a beat. Had Tell shown up looking for her after all?
But after watching the guy, she realized he was a McKay, just not her McKay.
It was Dalton. A drunk Dalton. He’d sway one way, catch himself, and snap his body straight. He was trying to pay attention to a slender brunette giving him the mother of all lectures.
He reached out to stroke the woman’s hair and she dodged his hand. When that motion sent him falling forward, she grabbed the front of his shirt and jerked him upright.
That’s when everything went to hell. Dalton trapped the brunette’s face in his hands and kissed her. Not a gentle peck, but a tonsil-scratching kiss.
She broke his hold and pushed him. Dalton’s arms flailed and he landed hard on his ass. She stepped over him before stomping away. A couple bar patrons helped Dalton to his feet, but he angrily waved them off and staggered down the hallway to the back door.
Concerned, Georgia followed him outside.
Dalton wasn’t leaning against the building or lying in a heap on the ground. And in the state he was in, he couldn’t have gotten far. She saw him standing beside a white pickup.
Surely he didn’t intend to drive home?
Despite three-inch heels, she ran. He had the driver’s-side door open by the time she reached him, but he’d dropped the keys on the ground.
She swooped down and plucked them up. “Looking for these?”
“Yeah. They musta fallen outta my hand.” He swayed and kept one eye shut as he looked at her. “Georgia! Hey. It’s the hot chick banging my brother, that lucky bastard.”
“So nice of you to point it out,” she retorted.
“You still got my keys?”
“Yep. But I’m keeping them because you are not driving.”
“Fuck that. I’m fine ta drive.”
“Bullshit.”
He loomed over her. “Gimme my goddamn keys.”
She lost her mind on him. She shoved him against the cab and stood on her toes to get in his face. “You don’t get to do this. It would destroy your brothers if something happened to you. You’re a f**king idiot to even think about getting behind the goddamn wheel when you’re drunk.” She stepped back, her breath coming in hot, angry bursts. One fist clenched around the keys, one fist ready to knock him the f**k out if he made a move for them.
“Shit.” Dalton’s belligerent stance vanished. He dropped his chin to his chest, probably to hide his embarrassment. “Sorry. I don’t know what I was thinkin’. I’d never…”