Page 62 of Too Hot to Sleep
Georgia fed more coins into the vending machine, albeit with shakier fingers. "That's right. I'm simply going to ignore him."
At least she would try.
Chapter 25
GEORGIA STAREDat the report in her hand, her official reprimand for "treating a canine in a human health facility." Her own signature looked timid next to Dr. Story's flourishing script.
"Destroy them," Dr. Story had said, handing her both the original that had been bound for her file and a copy. "Officer Medlock came by Saturday morning to explain the situation, and I realize I acted in haste."
She pursed her mouth. Ken's timing surprised her—before their closet encounter, and before she found out about his little "impersonation." Walking to the kitchen trash can, she tore the papers into several pieces before pitching them. She really didn't want to dwell on it too much, though, else she might start to think Ken Medlock was a good guy after all.
The phone rang, startling her. She was tempted to let it roll over, but decided she wasn't going to allow the possibility of the caller being Ken to influence her phone habits. The sooner her life got back to normal, the boring off she'd be. She frowned. Thebetteroff she'd be.Better.
Ignoring her Freudian slip, she picked up the handset. "Hello?"
She held her breath, and for a split second, God help her, she wanted it to be him.
"Hello, dear, it's Mother."
Shaking her head, she smiled at Arietta Adams's uncanny sense of timing. And absolutely no respect for the time difference from Denver to Birmingham. Not that it mattered, since Georgia couldn't sleep. "Hi, Mom." She dropped onto thecouch, no doubt bruising her backside. She wondered vaguely where Ken had gotten his big comfy couches.
"I called to see if you and Bob had fun at the wedding."
She sighed. "Actually, Mom, Bob didn't make it."
"Oh, that's too bad. Why not?"
"It doesn't matter, really. We broke up."
"Oh, honey, I'm sorry. What happened?"
"I realized... that I didn't care for him as much as I thought." She reached for the envelope of photos she'd had developed and pulled out one she'd taken at the park. Crash was the main focus, his head resting on the side of the wagon, but the lens had captured Ken in the top corner, leaning forward, his cheeks pushed up in a grand smile, his hair slightly ruffled in the wind. The darn viewfinder on the camera was obviously skewed.
"Well, as pretty as you are, you're bound to meet a wonderful man soon. Did you check out the groomsmen?"
She laughed. "No."
"Weddings are a good place to meet eligible men, Georgia."
That smile. She loved that smile. Georgia rubbed her forefinger over his face. Such a nice face. "Now that you mention it, Mom, I did meet someone at the wedding."
By the silence, she knew she had her mother's attention. "Who?"
"His name is Ken," she said before she could stop the words. "Ken Medlock. It's funny, because he reminds me a little of Daddy." Georgia remained stock still, wondering what her mother's reaction would be.
"That's wonderful, dear."
"Is it, Mom? Is it really?"
Her mother sighed, an earnest one, this time, and Georgia sensed a change in her. "Georgia, your father wasn't perfect, but I loved him. Do I wish things had been different? Of course I do. I wishIhad been different."
She didn't want to hear her mother accepting blame for her father's shenanigans. "Mom—"
"I loved your father and I loved being a mother, but I hated my bedroom duties as a wife."
She swallowed her words, and her eyes bugged. "Oh."
"It was inevitable that your father stray. The few times he did, I didn't like it, but I didn't blame him. And he never stopped loving me."
