Full Exposure (Independence Falls 1)

“You came over here to set Eric up on a date?” Georgia walked into the kitchen. She glanced at Eric. “Nate’s in bed and sound asleep.”

“Good,” Eric said to Georgia before turning back to her brother. “And no, I’m not taking Caroline Smith to dinner. We’ll handle this through proper channels on Monday morning. We filed the correct paperwork and observed the regulations. We have nothing to hide, and we’re willing to pay what we owe.”

“Handle what?” Georgia asked.

Eric gave her a quick rundown of Liam’s not-so-good news. Her eyes widened as she listened.

“First the fire and now this. Liam, we’re not going to let you visit if you keep showing up with these doom-and-gloom reports.”

“Hey, I’m just the messenger, passing on what I heard,” Liam said, raising his hands in protest. “And Caroline wasn’t the only person I ran into last night. Chad Summers was at the bar. He was drunk and we got into it a bit. Before he left, Chad said Katie’s been hanging around here.”

“Babysitting. Georgia needed a night off,” Eric said quickly. The last thing he needed was Liam wondering if Eric was fooling around with Katie. He wasn’t sure if that was better or worse than telling his friend he’d been with his sister.

Liam nodded, turning to Georgia. “So what did you do on your night out? Hot date?”

“Very,” Georgia said.

Eric choked on his beer, covering it with a cough. So much for a discreet babysitter. And if the Summers brothers were talking, others in town would soon be too. There was no such thing as a secret in a small town. They needed to tell Liam. Soon.

He glanced at Georgia, but she was too busy staring her brother down.

Liam frowned, his grip tightening on his beer. “Who is he?”

“I don’t kiss and tell,” Georgia said with a smile.

And great, she was enjoying this, pushing her brother’s buttons. But Eric could tell from Liam’s stern expression, he didn’t find her game funny.

“Look, Georgie.” Liam spoke softly, but there were undercurrents of steel in his tone as he used her childhood nickname. “Eric and I have been talking, and we don’t think you’re ready to date. I don’t want some jerk taking advantage of you.”

“You’ve been talking to Eric about my love life behind my back?” Eric heard the warning in her voice. She wasn’t finding this amusing. Not anymore. But Liam appeared oblivious.

“We’re worried about you. You’ve only been back a few months. You need time to adjust,” her brother said. “So who is he?”

Georgia cocked her head. “What will you do if I tell you?”

“Have a conversation with him,” Liam said flatly.

“With your fists?”

Liam’s jaw tightened as if he was grinding his teeth. “If necessary. Has he done something that would make me want to hit him?”

Yes, Eric thought, closing his eyes and picturing Georgia in his hot tub.

“No,” she said. “But if he does, I’ll handle it. I’m a big girl, Liam. No one is going to take advantage of me. I can take care of myself. And I’m more than capable of choosing whom to date, which I’m sure you’ll be glad to hear is a big fat no one right now.”

“But—”

“Ask Eric,” she added. “I was with him the night Katie stayed with Nate.”

Liam turned and Eric braced for a punch. Part of him would welcome it because shit, he wanted Georgia’s words, big fat no one, to be a lie. He wanted her to be his. And he wanted to do this right, come clean to his friend and make her a part of his life.

“We went four-wheeling,” Georgia continued. “I’ve been a little stir-crazy, and since you two don’t approve of me running off to do things on my own, I brought Eric along.”

Eric nodded. He hated lying to his friend, but he’d promised Georgia. And if he wanted her trust, he couldn’t break his word.

Liam came over, resting his hand on Eric’s shoulder. “Thanks for looking out for her.”

“Always,” Eric said, looking straight at Georgia, hoping she heard the truth in that one word. “Always.”