Chapter 33
CHAPTER
THIRTY-THREE
LIFE WAS AMAZING.
Since Georgia moved back to Landmere, she had been thriving at the Landmere Medical practice as a doctor, loved being with her friends, and had the best boyfriend.
As if it needed mentioning, she was no longer a virgin.
And that was fantastic.
“Are you heading out soon?” Dr. Collins asked as he tapped gently on her door.
Georgia took a peek at her computer, still having to finish her notes. “Almost. I saw two walk-ins, so I need to update our system with my diagnosis for both. I’ll probably be leaving in about an hour. Is there anything I can help with?”
He shook his head no. “You are doing great, such a good team player. The nurses and staff love you. I just wanted to let you know we’re happy to have you.”
At the compliment, she blushed. “Thank you. I love being here as well.”
When he walked away, she did a little dance in her chair.
Once she finished her notes, she planned to surprise Elijah at work with pizza for him and his crew. This was a first for her, but since everyone was aware they were dating, she was ready to see him at the station.
It was after seven when she left work, stopped at Luigi’s Pizza for five large pizzas and some wings, and then headed on her way to the station.
She was giddy to see Elijah and whoever else was at the station.
Turning into the parking lot, she parked her car next to Nash’s, happy he was on shift too.
With an extra pep in her step, she got out of her car, holding all of the food, and walked to the door of the station, kicking it with her foot since her hands were full.
Benny was the firefighter who answered. He propped the door open with his hip and put his hands together as if he was praying. “You brought food! Did Nash call you?”
“No, why?”
From behind her, Benny said, “You just saved your brother because he forgot it was his turn to feed us. Everyone is mad, stomping around the kitchen and searching for something to eat.”
With that piece of information, she strolled down the hall into the kitchen and living room area.
“Nash, you lucky fuck, your sister saved your ass and brought dinner!” Benny yelled out, taking the food from her.
Her brother came over to her, lifting her in a hug and spinning her around. “I know you didn’t do this to bail me out, but I owe you.”
“Why else would she have brought food?” Scarlett asked, opening the box of wings.
Georgia’s eyes darted around to find Elijah. She was startled that his colleagues, his damn friends, had no idea why she would show up. He didn’t move, holding the refrigerator door open, his back to the group.
Benny shrugged. “No clue, but Nash didn’t call her.”
Elijah slammed the fridge shut and turned to face everyone.
“Does it matter why one of the doctors in our community came to bring us food?”
Ouch, she winced at his word choice.
Nash had to have seen the look on her face or how she deflated like a balloon at Elijah’s attitude because he glared at his friend. “Why don’t you discuss this with George in your office?”
“Good idea.” Elijah tersely responded.
He stormed past her brother, Benny, and Scarlett to his office. Georgia was tripping over her feet to catch up with him. Once they were in his office, he slammed the door shut.
This was not the reaction to the surprise visit she was expecting.
Elijah put space between them when he sat in his office chair, not the couch or the two chairs in front of his desk.
Something was wrong.
“What’s going on?” Georgia sat down on the chair, hating how her hands were shaking.
“Why are you here?”
Part of her heart cracked at his accusatory tone. But she wasn’t going to feel bad. She did nothing wrong. “I brought you dinner, which you should be grateful for since my brother forgot.”
He huffed, not giving a response.
“What I’d love to learn,” she wasn’t backing down, “is why you’re mad at me. Or why we’ve been dating for a month and outside of my brother and Anna, none of your friends know we’re together.”
“Did you assume I’d pin the news on the bulletin board?” Elijah snapped.
“What is happening right now?” She fought hard not to let any of the tears building up spill over. “Yesterday we had sex before you left, and today you’re annoyed I’m here?”
His hands grabbed his hair, a tell he was frustrated. “This is my place of employment, not happy hour.”
“What does that have to do with other people knowing we’re dating?”
Damn it, her voice cracked.
“I’m not ready,” he said barely above a whisper.
She stood, her hands in fists. “I love you, and you’re not willing to tell your friends we’re together?”
“Can we just slow down?”
Throwing her hands in the air, she stared at him. “Slow down? We’ve been sleeping together for months!”
And why wasn’t she enough for him?
FUCK, HE WAS making a mess of his brand-new relationship.
But ever since he arrived at work, it’s been one thing after another illustrating his peach deserved better.
First it was Benny talking about his parents’ fiftieth wedding anniversary.
He was throwing them a party, and the entire station was invited.
It was like analysis paralysis took over for Elijah because his past screamed at him as a reminder of how he was shit at commitment.
He was playing with fire because Georgia was ready to settle down with the first man she fucked.
His anxiety triggered that she only wanted him because he was all she knew.
Next, Scarlett asked if she could bring a date, and, of course, Benny said, “The more the merrier.” But then he looked at Elijah and Nash and told them they, of course, could not bring some random fuck who was going to mean nothing to them the next day.
Benny didn’t want some one-night stand in his family photos.
Understandable, but it left Elijah with a sour taste in his mouth.
The people who knew him best, his fucking fire team who had his back in life-and-death situations, thought the only date Elijah could manage was a random woman.
He didn’t want Georgia’s reputation tied to his.
Nash gave him a look, urging him to tell the station how Elijah was, in fact, dating someone.
But he clammed up. It had nothing to do with who he was or his past, but it was about Georgia.
The gossip would be attached to her, and everyone would think of how she deserved better.
She’d eventually realize he wasn’t good enough and his peach would leave him.
He didn’t say shit because his brain was like rapid fire, and he needed time to pick apart what the hell was making him panic. Naturally, that was when she showed up.
“I can’t believe I thought you were sincere when you wanted to date.
You’re so full of it!” Georgia apparently did not care that they were in his office, not a soundproof room, as she yelled at him.
“Your whole song and dance about being together had nothing to do with actually being in a relationship. It was your egotistical brain going caveman because you took my virginity.”
Elijah pushed out his chair. He needed space in this small-as-hell office.
“I knew this was going to happen!” He slammed his hands on his desk.
She flipped her hair over her shoulder like she was disgusted with him and the conversation. “What were you so clairvoyant about that you knew this was going to happen?”
“That you would expect more!” Elijah, frustrated, threw his hands in the air.
The laugh trickling out of her wasn’t humorous.
No.
This was more like she was done.
She pointed at him. “Yes, I did expect more.”
“Of course,” he muttered because she finally admitted it.
“I expected you to be honest with me. I expected you to treat me with respect. I expected you to communicate with me. When you date someone, the goal is to see if you’re a match to grow old together, not run hot and cold whenever it suits you.”
“Grow old together?” Fear overtook him, a fear he thought he was rid of.
She glared at him, but this time around, she had water in her eyes. “Yes, Elijah. You are thirty-eight years old. Being a commitment-phobe has aged out.”
“My job is dangerous. How can you build a dream of longevity when something could happen to me?” he snapped.
Georgia picked up her purse. “I realize my mistake.”
Holy fuck, this was it. Elijah was certain his heart was going to explode into a million pieces he’d never be able to put back together.
“What was your mistake?” he whispered.
“That all I expected was the bare minimum, and I deserve more.”
He hung his head. “That’s what I was telling you.”
Keeping her head held high, Georgia marched to his door and flung it open. “We’re done. Over. Elijah, you need to realize your job doesn’t define our relationship. And I can’t promise that when it happens, I’ll still be waiting.”
Georgia took the high road and didn’t slam his door. It didn’t matter because his heart was crushed regardless.