Georgia's Gamble [A Historical Fiction Novel; The Pratt Chronicles Book 1]

Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Georgia Pratt

The following morning, I threw myself into planning the social, determined to get through it without losing my mind. The invitations were sent, the menu finalized, and Mama's endless list of tasks loomed over me like a dark cloud. I'd been up since dawn, scurrying around like a headless chicken, trying to ensure everything would be perfect. My head pounded from the relentless pressure, and the dull ache in my chest from yesterday's conversation with Mama hadn't subsided. But I didn't have time to dwell on it. I had duties to attend to, and right now, that meant impressing Holden Beckett.

My stomach twisted at the thought, but I forced it down, focusing on arranging the seating chart. Just as I was about to decide who would sit next to Mrs. Davis—a particularly challenging woman who couldn't be placed near anyone with a fondness for loud conversation—the door to the sitting room burst open, nearly sending me out of my skin.

"What the hell, Georgia?"

I looked up, startled by the sudden intrusion and the sharpness in Benjamin's voice. He stood in the doorway of our sitting room, his usual calm demeanor replaced with a scowl that made my already frayed nerves snap.

"Benjamin," I said, trying to keep my voice steady. "What are you doing here?" How the hell did he get past my battalion of siblings?

"I've been looking for you all morning," he said, stepping into the room and closing the door behind him with a little too much force. "We were supposed to work with Arlo today. Remember?"

I blinked, the color draining from my face as I realized I'd completely forgotten. I had been so dedicated to keeping my mama happy that I forgot to meet him. "I'm sorry," I stammered. "I've been so busy with the social and everything. I didn't mean to—"

"You didn't mean to?" he interrupted, his tone laced with disbelief. "Georgia, we had a plan. We've been making real progress with Arlo, and you just blow it off because of some fancy party?"

His words struck a nerve. I could feel the heat rising in my chest, and the frustration of the past few days boiled over. "It's not just some fancy party," I snapped, throwing down the seating chart. "It's an important event, and Mama is counting on me to make sure everything goes perfectly-."

Benjamin's eyes narrowed as he crossed his arms over his chest. "So you're going to abandon everything else for this? What about Arlo? What about your responsibilities to the ranch? Or are you just going to drop everything for some rich dandies from Dallas?"

The accusation in his tone stung, and I felt my hands clench into fists. "You think this is easy for me?" I shot back, my voice rising with each word. "You think I enjoy this? Being pulled in a hundred different directions, trying to please everyone while ignoring what I really want? You don't have a clue, Benjamin."

He opened his mouth to argue, but I cut him off, my voice trembling with the force of my emotions. "You'll never understand the amount of responsibility I have. You get to do what you want, when you want. You don't have a mother breathing down your neck, pushing you towards a life you never asked for. You think I don't want to be out there with Arlo? With you?"

The moment the words left my mouth, I regretted them. My chest heaved with the weight of everything I had been holding back, and I saw the surprise flash across Benjamin's face as he took a step toward me.

"Georgia..." he began, his voice softer now, but I didn't want to hear it. I couldn't bear the pity I heard in his voice, the realization that he was finally seeing the cracks in the facade I'd worked so hard to maintain.

"I don't have time for this," I muttered, turning away from him as I felt the tears welling up again. "I have other duties to attend to."

"Georgia, wait—" Benjamin started, reaching out to grab my arm, but I jerked away from him, the tears spilling over despite my best efforts to keep them at bay.

"Just leave me alone, Benjamin," I choked out, trying to push past him, but he didn't let me go. His grip on my arm was firm but gentle, and when I looked up at him, I saw the concern etched into his features.

"Something's wrong," he said, his voice low and urgent. "Talk to me, Georgia. What's going on?"

I shook my head, trying to pull away, but he didn't let go. "You wouldn't understand," I whispered, my voice breaking. I didn't want to tell him, he'd think me a spoilt little girl for wanting to disobey my parents.

"Try me," he said, and there was something in his tone that made me stop struggling. Something that made me believe, just for a moment, that maybe he would understand.

I stared at him, my vision blurred with tears, and for the first time in a long time, I felt the walls I'd built around myself begin to crumble. The weight of everything—the expectations, the pressure, the fear of losing myself—pressed down on me until I could barely breathe.

"I don't want this life," I finally admitted, the words slipping out before I could stop them. "I don't want to marry some well-off heir or spend my days hosting socials. I want to teach, to do something meaningful with my life, but Mama won't listen. She thinks I'm throwing away my future, and I just...I don't know how to make her understand."

Benjamin's grip on my arm softened, and he stepped closer, his eyes never leaving mine. "Georgia, I had no idea. Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because it doesn't matter," I said, the defeat clear in my voice. "I'm just one girl. What difference does it make what I want?"

"It matters to me," he said, and there was a sincerity in his voice that made my heart ache. "And it should matter to you. You deserve to live the life you want, not the one someone else chooses for you."

His words were like a balm to my wounded soul, but the doubts still lingered. "But what if I fail?" I whispered, the fear I'd been holding inside finally surfacing. "What if I'm not strong enough?"

"Then you try again," Benjamin said, his voice steady and sure. "You're stronger than you think, Georgia. I've seen it. And you don't have to do it alone."

The tears were flowing freely now, but I didn't try to stop them. For the first time in a long time, I allowed myself to be vulnerable, to let someone else see the cracks in my armor.

Benjamin reached up, gently brushing a tear from my cheek, his touch warm and comforting. "You're not alone, Georgia," he murmured. "I'm here. And I'll help you, whatever you decide."

I looked up at him, my heart full of emotions I couldn't name, and for a moment, the weight on my shoulders felt a little lighter. Maybe, just maybe, I didn't have to face this battle alone.

"Thank you," I whispered, my voice barely audible, but I knew he heard me.

He nodded, his eyes full of understanding and something else—something that made my heart skip a beat. "You don't have to thank me," he said softly. "Just promise me you'll take care of yourself. Don't let anyone force you into something you don't want."

I nodded, and for the first time in what felt like forever, I allowed myself to hope. Maybe there was a way to find my own path, to live the life I wanted. And maybe, with Benjamin by my side, I could finally find the strength to fight for it.

As I stood there in the quiet room, with Benjamin's hand still resting gently on my arm, I felt a flicker of determination ignite within me. It wasn't much, but it was enough to keep going, to keep fighting for the future I wanted.

And that was something worth holding on to.