The Summer Proposal by Vi Keeland

Georgia was slouched on the couch in the middle of a yawn when I walked back in.

“Why don’t you have a little soup, and I’ll put on one of the movies I bought so you can rest, and I’ll get going.”

“Will you have some soup with me?”

I hadn’t eaten anything before I left the party, so I nodded. “Sure.”

Georgia went to stand. I put my hand up. “Stay there. I’ll bring it to you.”

“Thank you.”

In the kitchen, I rummaged through her cabinets until I found the bowls. Then I searched some more to see if she had any saltines. She didn’t, and I noticed her food stock was pretty sparse overall.

“I take it you don’t cook much?” I passed her a bowl of soup and a spoon and sat down with my own on the couch next to her. “Your cabinets are pretty bleak.”

“Yeah, not really. I work late a lot, and it sort of sucks to cook for one person.”

“Are you hinting that you’d like to make dinner for me? Because if you are, I accept.”

She laughed. “What about you? Do you cook?”

“Now you want me to cook for you? Make up your mind, woman.”

Her smile widened. I could sit here all night breathing in her germs if she kept that smile on her face. Even her pale skin and puffy eyes didn’t stop me from wanting to kiss her. I had to force my eyes back to my soup.

When we were done, I took the bowls to the sink and washed them. Then I pulled out one of the movies and looked around.

“Do you have a DVD player?”

She pointed to the cabinet under the TV and nodded. “In there.”

“I’m glad you have one. I’m not sure why I assumed you did when I bought these. I don’t have one. I just rent stuff on TV if I want to watch something.”

“They don’t put too many of the really old movies on the streaming services. I have to order them on DVD.”

The cabinet under the television was jam-packed with videos and books. On top were a few framed pictures I hadn’t noticed before. I crouched down and picked up one of her and Maggie—from Maggie’s wedding, I assumed, since she was dressed in a wedding gown.

“You look beautiful here.”

Georgia smirked. “As opposed to what I look like now?”

“Nah. You still look good. You can pull off snot on your face like a champ.”

Her eyes bulged, and she wiped at her cheek.

I grinned. “I’m kidding.”

She squinted and shook her head.

I checked out the other framed photos. There was one of her dressed in a cap and gown with her mom at her college graduation, one that she said was her grandmother, and another of Georgia cutting a ribbon with big scissors, which she said was at the opening of her first distribution center. But the one at the very end was face down. I eyed it and looked over at Georgia.

“Did this one fall?”

She shook her head. “It’s of Gabriel and me. I laid it face down before he left after an argument we had, and I guess I forgot it was even there.”

Considering she’d said he left eight months ago and there wasn’t dust on the frame, I wasn’t sure she’d actually forgotten at all. But I was curious about the guy, so I put my hand on the photo and caught Georgia’s eye.

“Mind if I take a look?”

She shook her head, so I turned it over. I don’t think I had a picture of her ex in my mind, yet he looked exactly like I would’ve expected. Tall, thin, good-looking enough… He wore horn-rimmed glasses that made him look like the English professor he was, and he was dressed in a button-down shirt with a cardigan sweater over it and slacks. Georgia was turned to the side and looking up at him with a revered smile on her face. Jealousy coursed through me.

When I looked over at Georgia, I found her watching me. Rather than set the frame back down where it had been, I tucked it inside the cabinet between some books. Turning back, I winked. “I put it away for you.”

She smiled. “You’re so helpful.”

After I finished setting up the DVD player, I grabbed the remote and went back over to the couch. Georgia looked better, so I felt her head.

“I think your fever broke.”

“I actually feel a little better. The soup and Motrin must’ve done it. Thank you.”

Four was stretched out on her lap snoring while she ran her fingers through his fur. I shook my head. “He’s such a ham.”

During the movie, we sat side by side. Georgia rested her head on my shoulder, and at one point, I realized it was no longer only Four snoring. She had conked out, too. So I turned off the TV and attempted to extricate myself without waking her. But when I stood, Four started to dance around on her lap and woke her up.

I lifted him into my arms. “Go back to sleep. Me and furball are going to get going.”

She rubbed her eyes. “Oh, okay.”

“Do you want me to carry you to your room?”

“I think I’m just going to sleep here.”

I picked up a throw pillow that had fallen to the floor and laid it at one end of the couch. Then I lifted her legs and guided her to turn and lie down.

She tucked her hands between her cheek and the pillow and brought her legs up into the fetal position.

I leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Goodnight, sweetheart. Feel better.”