The Naughty List Bundle - Kylie Adams [299]
Ruth shook her head. “Or how lonely you’ve been?”
She started to deny that, but Ruth took her coffee cup and set it aside, then clasped both of Georgia’s hands and squeezed them. “Georgia, it’s okay to admit it, you know.” Her mother met her gaze squarely and stated, “It’s also okay to want a man.”
“Mother!” Georgia felt a hot blush begin creeping up her neck.
“Oh, don’t give me that tone.” Ruth paid no heed to her daughter’s embarrassment. “I’m older, not dead. I know how it is. And Jordan is…well, he’s a potent male. Personally I think you’re downright foolish to keep putting him off.”
Georgia thought she might fall through the floor with her mother’s words. “He is potent, and that’s what scares me.” In a softer voice, she admitted, “It’d be so easy to love him.”
“So?” Ruth sounded totally unconcerned with her plight. “The kids and I love him, so you might as well, too.”
Georgia shook her head. “It isn’t that easy, Mom. I thought I loved Dennis—”
“You did love Dennis. And I think he honestly loved you. He was just young, Georgia. Young and foolish.” Ruth hesitated, then said, “Let’s sit down. I want to tell you something.”
Georgia agreed, but she also snatched back her coffee cup. No way could she handle all this without some caffeine. Luckily the kids were still sleeping soundly, giving them some quiet time alone.
As Georgia refilled her cup, she looked around her home. Everything was in order now. Oh, there were still plenty of repairs to be made, but nothing crucial. She could finally see the end of the tunnel. And beyond the material things, her children were more lively than they’d ever been. They’d flourished under all the added attention from Jordan and his family.
Morgan had dubbed them “official deputies” and given them both badges to wear. Casey took them swimming and boating and taught them both how to fish. Saywer had let them listen to their own heartbeats with his stethoscope. The women had praised Lisa for helping with the babies and had convinced Adam that he was the handsomest guy in Buckhorn, even more so than Gabe—which made her shy son start strutting.
And Jordan…Georgia sighed just thinking about him. It amazed her that one man could truly be so wonderful. He’d gone with them to find salamanders in the woods behind the house. One day he had even paid them to help him at his office, though Georgia knew they’d been in the way more than not. Still, he never seemed to mind. They started the day talking about him, and often wanted to call him in the evening to tell him good-night.
“Georgia?”
She hadn’t realized that she’d stopped in the middle of the floor and was just standing there. She looked at her mother, saw her caring and love and acceptance, and she burst into tears.
Ruth didn’t cry with her. As she got out of her seat to embrace her daughter, she gave a sympathetic chuckle. “Love is the damndest thing, isn’t it?”
Georgia tried to mop her eyes and hold on to her coffee at the same time. “I don’t know what I’m going to do.”
“You’re going to tell him.” Ruth held her away so she could see her face, and nodded when Georgia shook her head. “Sweetheart, don’t make the same mistakes I made. Don’t waste your time being afraid. Sometimes you just have to take a few chances, and I think Jordan’s worth the risk, don’t you?”
With a shuddering breath, Georgia reached for a napkin off the counter and blew her nose. She whispered, “He’s never said anything about loving me.”
“So? Your father dutifully told me every night that he loved me. But it would have meant so much more if he’d shown me instead. If he’d cared when I was tired or sick. If he’d held me when I was upset.”
Georgia stared at her mother. If he’d given her foot rubs and held her when she was afraid and loved her children…. Her father had never really loved her, not the way she loved Adam and Lisa.
As if she’d read her thoughts, Ruth nodded. “Jordan has shown you that he cares in more ways than I can count.”
“Oh, God.” Her mother was right. From the moment she’d met Jordan, she’d known he