Chapter 29
CHAPTER
TWENTY-NINE
GEORGIA AND ELIJAH didn’t have a label, but the past month had suspiciously been very relationship-like.
And he liked it.
His phone vibrated, and it was his peach calling. He smiled when he answered.
“Hey!” Georgia’s voice was always refreshing to hear. Like even if he was having the worst day, if he spoke to her, it calmed him down. “Sophie canceled on me at the last minute, so I have no plans. I know you wanted to lay low tonight, but any chance you want to meet for dinner?”
Fuck yes. He grinned. Elijah had gotten into the routine: if he wasn’t on shift, he fell asleep with Georgia next to him. Tonight would have been the first time he’d miss her warm body next to his because she planned to hang out with Sophie.
“Of course. Want me to make something?”
“I got dressed up, so I want to go out.”
A zip of jealousy pulsed through him with her getting sexy for a night without him. He was irrational when it came to her.
“You still there?” Georgia asked.
“Yes.” Elijah shook his head like that would make him less of a psycho. “Sorry, we can go out. Are you still at home? I can pick you up?”
“I’m actually at The Gild now.”
He hated that she was alone. “I’ll be there in twenty.”
“You’re the best.”
When they got off the phone, Elijah quickly changed from his gym shorts into jeans and a black V-neck T-shirt. The Gild wasn’t far from him, so by the time he got into the car, he was at the restaurant ten minutes later.
Walking in, he immediately found Georgia sitting in a booth with the server, talking to her.
She had to be telling him a story because her hands were animatedly moving as she smiled.
Elijah wanted her attention, and not wasting another minute, he joined them at the table, sliding into the booth across from her.
“I thought your parents were going to kill me, but all they did was laugh,” she finished telling the server.
The guy was mesmerized by her, and all Elijah thought was join the club.
“Charlie, this is my friend Elijah,” she introduced them.
Fuck, she said friend?
That cut a little deep, but was he ready for a title change?
The server waved, and then scampered off, leaving them alone.
“Do I want to know why his parents were mad at you?” Elijah lifted a brow.
Georgia laughed. “I used to be his babysitter, and when I was in the bathroom, he ripped apart the garden. It was a mess, but I did my best to fix it.”
“You have a green thumb?”
“Not in the slightest, but they gave me an A for effort. How was your day?”
He relaxed in the booth. “Good. I always get all of my house chores and laundry done on my second day off shift, so I finished that and started a new book.”
Charlie came back with two waters and two glasses of wine. “Were you ready to order?”
“I’ll have what you suggested, the crab cakes and vegetable medley.” Georgia handed him back her menu.
“I’ll do the same,” Elijah added.
Their server jotted down their order and walked away.
“What book are you reading?” Georgia’s eyes sparkled.
“It’s a military action-thriller by James Patterson, Rocket’s Red Glare. So far, it’s good,” he shared with her. “What are you reading?”
Georgia pouted. “I need to make more time to read for pleasure and not work. Between my job, spending time with friends, and staying up to date on articles in the medical world, I haven’t read in a bit.”
Their food arrived, and they both jumped in to eat.
“What genre do you typically read?” Elijah kept the conversation flowing after he had a few bites. “And the crab cakes are delicious. Good call.”
She used her napkin to wipe away sauce from the side of her lip. “Right? Once Charlie mentioned they were on special, I had to have them. When it comes to books, I’ll read anything. It’s been a couple of months. Maybe I can read your book when you’re done?”
“I should be done in the next few days. How was work for you?”
Whenever she spoke of her job, her love of being a doctor was infectious. “Today was a double-booked kind of day, so I was insanely busy. Most of the appointments were annual exams, so nothing out of the ordinary. Ready for the weekend.”
“What are you doing tomorrow night?” Elijah sipped his wine while waiting for her answer.
Typically, she was quick to respond, but right now she was dragging her feet.
“Remember being anti-label and how we aren’t exclusive?” She peered up at him from under her long eyelashes.
“Yes, I’m aware we decided to take it slow.”
Though, by the guilty look on her face, he wasn’t sure if taking it slow was in his favor.
“Right. Well, my brother said he met someone, another doctor, and wanted to set me up.” Georgia informed him her brother, his best friend, was a complete asshole. Though she had no idea that was the conclusion he just came to.
Elijah wanted to scream.
How was it possible that when he finally found a woman where the idea of commitment didn’t make him spiral, she was going on a date with another man?
This was all his fault.
Fuck taking it slow, but the damage was done.
“Is this okay with you?” Georgia asked softly, her hand covering his from across the table.
He had no right to ask her to cancel, even if he wanted her to. He was living a nightmare with the continuous men getting dates with her. Elijah took a sip of wine, but it didn’t help. Maybe this was good. Perhaps he should see someone else too.
Despite it making his stomach turn.
“Yes, it’s fine. Where are you two going?”
Georgia gave him a pointed look, like she didn’t trust his politically correct response. And she was right. Elijah had ulterior motives.
“We’re going to Vivo Vino, the new restaurant up the street from Lighthouse.”
The rest of the dinner, Elijah did his best not to lose his shit over Georgia going on a date with another man. Even when they got back to his house, and they had sex in the kitchen, in the back of his head, he was screaming she is mine the entire time.
It wasn’t until about three in the morning, when Georgia was snuggled against him in her sleep, that he made a plan.
No fucking way was she dating someone else.
VIVO VINO WAS a small restaurant, with only ten tables and a few stools at the bar. With candlelit tables, soft music playing, and flowers on each, the atmosphere was romantic.
Georgia decided to meet Parker at the restaurant, as she typically did on first dates, so she could leave on her own terms. Plus, she wasn’t too keen on giving anyone her address.
Being the first to arrive at dinner, she smiled as she watched two other couples dine together.
There was clear comfort with both couples, so it wasn’t a first date like the one she was about to endure.
But she kept going back to last night. Elijah not saying a single word about her going out with another man was astounding.
Maybe this was worth it. Maybe Parker would actually give her more than just slow motion for commitment.
“Georgia?” a man questioned, causing her to stop staring at the other two tables. He held out his hand. “Parker Harrison.”
She stood to shake his hand and was only slightly relieved that the guy was handsome. Dark hair clipped short to his head, piercing blue eyes, and a few inches taller than her, Parker was good-looking.
But he was no Elijah.
They both sat down, and he gave her a lazy grin. “I met your brother in an unorthodox manner, but I am glad it turned into me meeting you.”
“Oh no,” she grumbled, dropping her head for a second. “How did you meet Nash?”
That was a detail she didn’t think to ask.
Parker chuckled. “At the hospital, we can sign up for carpooling, and I had to pick up another doctor. She was in a compromising position with your brother when I arrived a few minutes early.”
“Stop it!” Georgia laughed at how her brother still managed to surprise her with his shenanigans. “So he set this up as a blind date to forgive him?”
“I think it was more of a blind date for me to give him a ride since he didn’t have his car, and I ended up being late for work.”
“Should I be ashamed?”
“No, but we have a funny story of how we met,” he said as he reviewed the extensive wine list.
It wasn’t really the meet-cute she was looking for, but beggars couldn’t be choosers.
“How do you like working in the hospital?” She asked. “I love working in a small practice, but I can see the allure to a bigger setting.”
“I’m in the ER, so every day is different,” he told her. “And I have a shift schedule, so my sleep is perpetually a disaster, but I love it.”
Shift work. Just like the man she was trying to forget about.
Their server came over, and Parker ordered a gin and tonic. She stuck with a glass of Merlot.
“My shift ended yesterday. It was one of those times when everything was running smoothly, then we got an alert from the fire station that they were bringing in three burn victims. Chaos ensued because we were short-staffed and the team coming in to relieve us wasn’t there yet.”
Was the world trying to tell her something?
Once the word firefighter left Parker’s mouth, all she could think about was Elijah.
“Was everyone okay?” Georgia asked.
Her date went into detail about the medical diagnoses of the patients. This was right up her alley, but she wasn’t able to focus.
She swore she saw Elijah by the restaurant's front door.
THIS WAS INSANE.
Elijah whipped out his phone and called Nash, who answered instantly.
“Would you ever pull a fire alarm for a woman?” Elijah got right to the point.
Something dropped on the other line because he heard noise, and Nash mumbled, “Oh shit.”
“Actually, can you confirm the last time we did an audit at Vivo Vino?” Elijah was able to watch Georgia through the window. She was radiant with her hair pulled into a low bun, showcasing her neck. He wondered if she covered up the hickey he left on her throat.
“My head is spinning,” Nash came back to the phone. “In their file, they are due for another review in October, so this could be a head start, but what the hell are you thinking?”
Wasn’t that the million-dollar question?
“The woman I’m sleeping with is on a date with someone else. She was in my bed this morning.”
“Fuck,” Nash muttered. “Don’t do anything stupid.”
“Any chance you want to define stupid?”
“Where are you?” his friend demanded.
It didn’t matter. He was certain he was going to pull the alarm regardless.
“Are you at the restaurant? Elijah, go home!” Nash screamed at him.
The mystery man put his arm around Georgia’s shoulders. Fuck this.
“You can ignore the crisis call that will come through. I’m here to check if their alarm works.”
“Elijah, you aren’t on duty!” Nash yelled at him again before Elijah hung up.
In a moment of insanity, he did it.
Elijah set off the fire alarm.
As expected, everyone skirted around and evacuated through the front door. Elijah went over to the manager on duty, quickly informing her that the fire alarm was a routine check for the restaurant and that they passed for the year. He handed her his card for any questions.
Georgia came out of Vivo Vino, walking with the asshole Nash set her up with.
To add to his night of debauchery, he went over to her as if he had a choice. Whenever she was around, he always gravitated to her.
“Georgia, I need to escort you back to your home,” he told her, using his official lieutenant voice.
The guy next to her responded. “Who are you?”
Fair, he was in shorts and his Landmere Fire Station T-shirt, but he didn’t like the guy’s attitude.
“He’s my friend,” Georgia soothed the man. “He’s also Nash’s best friend. I’m positive there is a valid reason for all of this.”
The word friend grated on his last nerve.
Elijah glared at her date. “It’s a private matter.”
“Seems pretty public to me,” Georgia cheekily responded before turning back to the guy. “I’m sorry to cut tonight short, but let’s figure out another time to reschedule. Would that work?”
“Sure, you have my number. Text if you need me,” the asshole said before he wandered back into the restaurant with the other patrons.
They were alone, and she smacked his arm. “What was that about?”
Elijah put his hand on her lower back and pushed her to his car. “What part?”
“The fire alarm? Why did you end my date? How you were rude to Parker? He is just an innocent bystander in this.”
In front of his car, he boxed Georgia in against the passenger-side door.
“I pulled the fire alarm because I was insane with jealousy that last night we fucked, and this morning we cuddled, but tonight you were with another man. I ended your date because when it comes to you, I am obsessed and possessive. Fuck, I don’t want you dating someone else.
I was rude to him because the dickhead thought he had a chance with you and he doesn’t. ”
She stomped her foot. “How is this taking things slow?”
Elijah had to touch her. His hands cradled her neck. “Maybe we still go slow, but not as slow as we were going?”
“This behavior is unacceptable.” Georgia stared at him with a no-nonsense look. “You pulled a fire alarm!”
He ran a hand through his hair. “Not my finest moment, but they were up for a random audit either way. It’s fine.”
Rubbing under her jaw with his thumb, he told her, “I’m sorry. It was over the top.”
She crossed her arms. “Just tell me what you want.”
“I want to put a label on us. Let’s date. And not see other people.” He sounded like a teenager and was sure his next move was to write a handwritten note that said “circle yes or no.” “If you still want me.”
Thank fuck, he felt her soften against him. “Of course, I still want you. You’re all I think about. I want us to date, but you have to promise me, no more unwarranted fire alarms.”
“Agreed,” Elijah gave in easily.
His mouth pressed against her, sweet and soft before adding more pressure. She kissed him with as much enthusiasm. Her tongue slipped into his mouth. They were tangled together until someone screamed to get a room, which was his plan either way.
Their next stop was back to his house.