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Georgia had outlined her life long ago—play professional volleyball until she no longer could, coach as long as it interested her, and dwell in a city with museums, nightclubs, and taxicabs. She’d live with a cosmopolitan man who didn’t want children and buy a beach house on the Outer Banks, and maybe learn French.
Never did her plan for life include Texas, Holly Hills, or Reed McCormick.
“I don’t remember what I wished for,” Claire said.
“Yeah, you do,” Georgia said, giving her friend as sweet of a smile as she could manage with a broken heart.
A broken heart?
Was that why she felt like total crap? No. A girl didn’t fall in love in the span of a week.
“You wanted Tyler Holly. You would just never say so,” Georgia said.
Mary Catherine turned her head and reached over to link her fingers though Claire’s. “I’m so happy for you. I can’t think of a better woman to love Ty.”
Claire squeezed Mary Catherine’s fingers, and the girls fell silent, each caught up in her own thoughts.
After several moments, Georgia cleared her throat. “If a person picks a path for herself and then backtracks, is she a complete dumbass?”
“What do you mean?” Mary Catherine said, straightening.
“I mean, what if the plan you have for your life is wrong? What if you’re missing the opportunity for happy ever after because you’re forcing yourself to be content with what you thought you wanted?”
“Enough, Georgia,” Mary Catherine said, her voice low and filled with pain. “I’m marrying Brad. Stop trying to make me think I’m missing out on something with Jax.”
Georgia shook her head. “I’m not talking about you.”
Claire shifted toward Georgia. “Taking a chance on love is risky... actually it’s really scary.”
Georgia didn’t say anything. Claire put a hand on her shoulder.
“What are you talking about, George?” Mary Catherine asked, the aggravation in her voice fading, concern taking over.
“I had this idea of who I wanted to be. Y’all know how I grew up. I hated that powerless, pathetic girl.”
“You weren’t powerless or pathetic,” Claire said, pushing her shoulder, knocking her back a bit. “I’ve never seen another girl like you. You stuck out your chin and refused to be beaten at anything you tried. Loser isn’t in your vocabulary. I’ve never seen anyone so bold, so not afraid of being who she is. Remember the student council race?”
Mary Catherine’s soft chuckle felt like a balm. “You really shouldn’t have made Big Louie cry.”
Georgia laughed, swiping away the moisture gathering on her lashes. “He deserved everything he got.”
“A comeuppance from the toughest girl in Texas,” Claire said. “And he cried like such a girl.”
“See? You can do anything you set your mind to,” Mary Catherine said, “but I think this isn’t about your mind—it’s your heart.”
“Yeah,” Georgia said, plucking another piece of grass from the clump beside her. “I lost my job.”
“What?” Claire’s mouth dropped.
“That whole mess with Harley and the cheating scandal. I didn’t address the situation with the press, and it blew into a scandal and the school was embarrassed. The athletic director asked, very nicely I might add, for me to step down. I submitted my letter of resignation yesterday.”
“I’m sorry,” Mary Catherine whispered.
“Yeah, and then there’s Reed. I sorta fell for him.”
“In less than two weeks?” Mary Catherine asked.
Exactly. It wasn’t long enough to be sure. To know that what a person felt was love. But damn if it didn’t feel like it.
