Georgia On My Mind by Marie Force Page A

“It’s all set,” she lied. “They’re coming at seven.”
    “You’d better make it six,” Henry said. “We start early because no one can stay awake past ten.”
    “I’ll call them to make it earlier.”
    “Who’d you get?” Bad Gus asked. “That Big Band guy? We liked him.”
    Swallowing hard, Georgie said, “It’s a surprise.” She forced a smile for effect.
    Satisfied, they filed out of her office. The moment they were gone, Georgie pounced on the phone to call Cat.
    “Hey, grumpy,” Cat teased. “What’s up?”
    “Very funny.”
    “What I don’t get is what you’ve got to be grumpy about after getting a full oil and lube job this week.”
    “I never should’ve told you what happened with him.”
    “Probably not,” Cat chuckled. “So what’s up?”
    “I need a huge favor. Can you find me someone to play at the senior center tonight? Six to ten?”
    “Tall order on a Friday in July.”
    Georgie groaned. “ I’m so screwed . My mother told me to do it weeks ago, but I totally forgot.”
    “I’ll ask around and see what I can do. No promises, though.”
    “It’s for old people. Don’t forget that. No acid rock or anything that’ll shock them, okay?”
    Laughing, Cat said, “Gotcha. I’ll make some calls and get back to you.”
    “Thanks, Cat. I owe you one.”
    “No prob.”

Chapter 9
     
    Cat called back an hour later to tell Georgie she had found someone for the social. “He plays a lot of hokey folk music,” Cat said with disdain. “But based on the audience, I figured that was better than some of the other options.”
    “Sounds perfect. Tell him to be here by five to set up.”
    “Want his name or anything?”
    “Nope. As long as he has a pulse and a guitar, I couldn’t care less what his name is.”
    Cat laughed. “I’ll come by later to check him out. If he’s as good as I hear he is, maybe I’ll book him at the club, even though his kind of music doesn’t do it for me.”
    “Definitely come by. You can take a turn dancing with the dirty old men.”
    “No way, babe.”
    “No one is safe around them. They’ll go wild over you.”
    “ Great .”
    “Thanks again, Cat.”
    “Happy to help. So, hey, Georgie, is everything all right with you? I mean, other than the obvious?”
    Georgie wanted to tell Cat about the gene test, but since talking about it made it real, she chose evasion. “Nothing other than everything, but thanks for asking.”
    “I’m sorry you’re having such a rough time. If there’s anything I can do. . .”
    “You already have. I’ll see you tonight?”
    Cat groaned. “I’ll be there.”

    Georgie ran home at four to shower off the stink of steak tips and onions and to change into a sundress to keep her cool in the stifling center. Tess came in from work as Georgie headed back downstairs. “Oh good! Another warm body.”
    Tess eyed her warily. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
    “Big party at the center tonight. Come with me so I don’t have to dance with all of them the way I did last time.”
    “Thanks, but I’ll pass.”
    “Please? Pretty please? I’m desperate.”
    “Friendship only goes so far, Georgia Quinn.”
    “I’ll beg if I have to.”
    After a long pause, Tess poked a finger at her. “If one seventy-year-old paw wanders south of the border, I’m out of there. You got me?”
    “Deal,” Georgie said with relief. “Hurry up and get changed.”
    “Um, Georgie, did you hear the news? About Nathan and the teenaged girl they were looking for?”
    Georgie froze. “No,” she said, suddenly having trouble getting air to her lungs. “What?”
    “They found her in a hotel room on Connell Highway with some guy she met on the Internet.”
    “How do you know?”
    “They brought her—and Nathan—to the ER.”
    Georgie gripped the banister. “What happened to him?”
    “The guy who had her fired at the cops—”
    “Nathan was shot ?”
    “Grazed. On the arm. He’ll be sore, but he’s fine.”
    “Oh,”