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Chapter no 31

The Things We Leave Unfinished

Noah

Jameson,

I swear, I felt my heart break into a million pieces the second I watched you leave, and yet every tiny shard of that broken heart loves you. I canโ€™t fathom that youโ€™re so far away, not when youโ€™re everywhere I look here. Youโ€™re standing beneath the tree, inviting me to fly. Youโ€™re tucked into the corner booth at the pub, holding my hand beneath the table. Youโ€™re standing on the pavement, waiting for me when my watch is done. I feel you everywhere. I know youโ€™re training the new pilots in Eagle Squadron, not flying combat missions, but please be careful. Stay safe for me, my love. Weโ€™ll figure this out. We have to.

All my love,

Scarlett

โ€œI didnโ€™t think youโ€™d come,โ€ Adam said as we hovered on the edges of the charity event, just beyond the crush.

โ€œI almost didnโ€™t,โ€ I admitted, nodding at an acquaintance across the floor. My brow furrowed slightly, thinking of how small and intimate Georgiaโ€™s party had been, compared to the see-and-be-seen of all this. โ€œYou havenโ€™t responded to my email.โ€

Adam sighed. โ€œYou spent a month avoiding all mine. Consider it payback.โ€ He rolled his neck and tugged at his bow tie.

โ€œSheโ€™s not going to change her mind.โ€ My eyes continued to scan the crowd, seeking the one person Iโ€™d come to see.

โ€œMake her.โ€ Adam raised his brows.

โ€œNo.โ€ My eyes narrowed as I spotted the indie film crowd to the left.

โ€œBesides, she wonโ€™t answer my calls. Itโ€™s been two weeks, so thereโ€™s a chance itโ€™s intentional at this point,โ€ I said with a self-deprecating smirk.

โ€œYou really want to go down as the guy who let his own ego get in the way of Scarlett Stantonโ€™s happy ending?โ€

โ€œThatโ€™s not what happened.โ€ Nope, he wasnโ€™t there, either. I turned toward Adam, but looked over his shoulder, continuing my search.

โ€œWell, thatโ€™s what it looks like, and thatโ€™s what all the reviews are going to say.โ€ He sighed.

โ€œIs it badly written?โ€ I challenged.

โ€œOf course not, itโ€™s you.โ€ He shook his head in frustration.

โ€œThen it stands. Copy edits are supposed to be back in a few days, right?โ€ I folded my arms across my chest.

โ€œYep. And let me tell you just how pleased the copy editor was to have to doย bothย versions because you hadnโ€™t picked one. Spoiler alert, she was pissed.โ€

โ€œThank you again for accommodating me.โ€ I meant every word. โ€œShe also said the happy one is better,โ€ he tossed back.

โ€œOn that, we agree.โ€ A flash of red caught my eye, and I smiled. Paige Parker. That meant Damian was here somewhere.

โ€œThen why the hell are youโ€”โ€

โ€œNoah Harrison!โ€ someone called out from behind me. I looked over my shoulder.ย Bingo.

โ€œDamian Ellsworth,โ€ I said in greeting.ย Keep it civil. You need information.ย This wasnโ€™t exactly something I could ask Georgia aboutโ€”not anymore.

โ€œImagine seeing you here.โ€ He slapped my shoulder and moved to join us. Georgiaโ€™s ex was just shy of six feet, giving me a good four inches on him as he smiled up at me with teeth so white, they were nearly blue.

โ€œI could say the same, seeing that you have a new baby at home.โ€ I forced a smile as bile rose in my throat. This was the man who had ruined the woman I loved, who had told her time and again that she wasnโ€™t enough to keep him satisfied.

What a fucking tool.

โ€œThatโ€™s what nannies are for,โ€ he answered with a shrug. โ€œSo, how is my wife?โ€ He lifted his drink and took a long sip.

I refrained from shoving it down his throat. Barely.

โ€œI wasnโ€™t aware that you had a wife.โ€ I blinked in mock confusion. Adam sputtered on his own drink.

โ€œHa. Touchรฉ.โ€ He glanced over me with obvious assessment. โ€œTell me, does that old grandfather clock still keep time? The one in the sitting room?โ€

โ€œSure does.โ€ I lifted a brow at the transparent reminder of his past role in Georgiaโ€™s life. โ€œYou know, that reminds me. You knew Scarlett pretty well, didnโ€™t you?โ€

Adamโ€™s eyes bounced between us like a ping-pong match, but he stayed silent.

โ€œSure did. Thatโ€™s why I have ten of her books optioned.โ€ He smirked. โ€œThatโ€™s right,โ€ I said like Iโ€™d actually managed to forget that fact. What

the hell had Georgia ever seen in this off-brand Nick Nolte? โ€œThen you arrived just in time, because my editor and I were discussing the end of the new book.โ€

โ€œThe book no one is supposed to know about?โ€ He half winked, which was just weird.

โ€œThe same one.โ€

โ€œGuys. Keep it down. Weโ€™re going for the whole surprise announcement angle, remember?โ€ Adam warned.

โ€œRight. Of course.โ€ I could have kissed him for playing along. โ€œAnyway, Adam and I were discussing the end ofโ€ฆScarlettโ€™s story, and there was one piece of the puzzle I didnโ€™t quite get out of Georgia while I was in Colorado.โ€ I exaggerated a wince. โ€œWell, you know better than most how open she isnโ€™t.โ€

Damian laughed, and my fists clenched, but I kept my arms crossed. โ€œYeah, sheโ€™s a prickly one, my Georgia.โ€ He smiled wistfully.

Myย Georgia, asshole.

Adam lifted his brows and took a long drink.

โ€œRight. Anyway, I was wonderingโ€”for the sake of the storyโ€”did Scarlett ever tell you why she waited so long to have Jameson declaredโ€ฆโ€ The word died on my tongue. In my head, the two had lived on, deliriously happy.

โ€œDead?โ€ he suggested, taking another drink. โ€œYeah.โ€

โ€œIsnโ€™t it obvious?โ€ He looked at me like I was a moron. โ€œShe never gave up hope. Ever. That woman was hard as nails, but man was she a romantic. She checked the mail at the same time every day, hoping there had been some word, some discovery, and that was long after Brian passed on.โ€

โ€œBrian. Right.โ€ I nodded. โ€œI guess meeting him finally gave her the push she needed to move on and live for herself. Makes sense. Should have thought of that.โ€ My lips curved upward in what I hoped looked like a grateful smile.

Adam choked on his drink, then cleared his throat to cover the sound. That was exactly how Iโ€™d written the ending, putting the pieces together from what little Georgia knew about that part of Scarlettโ€™s life.

โ€œI wouldnโ€™t sayย meetingย him. Scarlett knew Brian for years, actually.โ€ Damianโ€™s beady little eyes narrowed slightly in thought. โ€œThey never talked about it, but he moved into that tiny cottage in the mid-fifties. Now that you mention it, she told me once that she couldnโ€™t marry Brian that first decade because it felt like her first marriage wasnโ€™t over.โ€ He shrugged. โ€œGuess she finally realized it was. I mean, I think waiting forty years is long enough, donโ€™t you?โ€

My stomach sank.

โ€œHey, baby.โ€ Paige Parker hooked her elbow through his. โ€œYou about ready to sit down?โ€

โ€œIโ€™m chatting business,โ€ he told her, then leaned down to whisper in her ear when she pouted.

The blonde was pretty, but she wasnโ€™t Georgia. She didnโ€™t have Georgiaโ€™s eyes, either, or her wit, or strength. In fact, Paige couldnโ€™t even

hold a candle to Georgia.

โ€œAre you thinking what I am?โ€ Adam asked quietly.

โ€œDepends on what youโ€™re thinking,โ€ I answered, spotting my sister and Carmen on their way back from the ladies room. Perfect timing. Iโ€™d gotten what Iโ€™d come here for.

โ€œSomehow Scarlett knew for certain in 1973 that Jameson wasnโ€™t coming home,โ€ he whispered. โ€œShe knew, and she didnโ€™t tell anyone.โ€

โ€œLetโ€™s keep that thought between you and me.โ€ Even the implication would crush Georgia.

Adam nodded as Paige walked off without so much as an introduction from her husband.ย Class act, Ellsworth.

โ€œSpeaking of Scarlettโ€™sโ€ฆlife,โ€ Damian continued. โ€œWhen do I get to read the manuscript?โ€ He sipped at his drink casually.

โ€œIt releases in March.โ€ I was done playing nice.

โ€œYouโ€™re really going to make me wait until release?โ€ He laughed it off. โ€œImagine if we announced the movie at the same time as the book. The sales would be astronomical.โ€

โ€œGeorgiaโ€™s never going to let you make the movie.โ€ I grinned.

โ€œOf course she is. Sheโ€™s just pissed about Paige. Sheโ€™ll come around.

Trust me.โ€

โ€œTrust you. Thatโ€™s funny.โ€ I nodded to Adrienne, and her steps quickened as she saw who I was standing next to. โ€œYou can trustย me, Ellsworth. Itโ€™s not going to happen.โ€

His expression changed, dropping all pretense of humor. โ€œWhat would it take for you to cough up that manuscript? Maybe lean my way so Georgia does the same? From what Ava tells me, you two areโ€ฆclose.โ€

โ€œIโ€™m in love with her,โ€ I corrected him.

โ€œAnd?โ€ He tilted his head, zero emotion in his eyes. โ€œMy offer stands.

Happy to kick something back for you, too.โ€

โ€œIโ€™d rather die.โ€ I held out my hand to Adrienne. โ€œYou ready to go?โ€ โ€œIf you are,โ€ she replied.

โ€œI am. Damian Ellsworth, meet my sister, Adrienne. Adrienne, meet

Georgiaโ€™s piece-of-shit ex.โ€ I turned away from his beet-red face. โ€œAdam. Carmen. It was great to see you.โ€ Pivoting with a smile, I walked away with Adrienne at my side.

โ€œEmotions have no place in business, Harrison,โ€ Damian sneered. โ€œEventually Ava will wear her down. She always does. How do you think I own the other ten options?โ€

I paused. Heโ€™d made five movies and still had five to go. Iโ€™d seen the way she dug her heels in for Scarlettโ€™s wishes, so then why did she give upโ€ฆย Sometimes the only way to keep what you need is to let go of what you want.ย Her words from that day at the creek.

โ€œDo you now?โ€ My smile widened. What if sheโ€™d been referring to something else entirely?ย Clever woman.

โ€œWhat the hell is that supposed to mean?โ€ he snapped.

โ€œIt means I know Georgia better than you do.โ€ I didnโ€™t bother to wait for his response. โ€œSorry we arenโ€™t staying for dinner,โ€ I said to Adrienne, walking her to the door.

โ€œI only came for the show,โ€ she said with a shrug. โ€œDid you get what you needed?โ€

I nodded, moving us through the crowd. โ€œYou donโ€™t look pleased.โ€

โ€œGeorgia has trust issues.โ€ I nodded at another acquaintance as we approached the coat check.

โ€œObviously.โ€ Adrienne blinked up at me.

โ€œWhat would you do if you knew the only person in the world Georgia trusted completely had lied to her for her entire life?โ€

โ€œAre you certain?โ€ She paled, her eyes widening. โ€œAbout ninety percent.โ€ Give or take.

โ€œYou have to be a hundred, and then you have to tell her.โ€

I cursed. โ€œThatโ€™s what I figured.โ€ Getting Georgia back just became a lot more complicated.

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