Later that evening, Kevin drove to the airport to wait for Carole and Harold. Their flight was due any moment, so he knew that he probably wouldn't be waiting that long.
A group of passengers from one flight exited through the gates and Kevin saw neither Carole nor Harold. A little while later, another group passed through, and Carole and Harold were in this crowd.
"How are you?" Carole softly asked as she walked up to Kevin.
"I'm fine," Kevin replied looking down at the bags. "Let me help you with that."
"It's okay," Carole assured him. "Any new news on Lalie today?"
"I'm afraid not," Kevin told her, glumly. "However, I have a lot of faith in Officer Adelyn Brady and I know that together we will find Lalie!"
"Are you sure that Lalie didn't mention just one place where she might have been going?" Harold asked Kevin in a hopeful tone.
"I know she didn't," Kevin replied. "Like I said, there are a few areas that we're checking out and, hopefully, something will come of that."
"We're going to help you look high and low, day and night," Carole said in a confident tone.
"That's right!" Harold chimed in.
"It means so much that you are here for Lalie but I don't want to put you in the way of danger," Kevin told them in a serious tone.
"Lalie's already in danger!" Carole yelled as she looked around, hoping no one heard that.
"Carole, don't say that," Kevin tried to calm her down.
"How can I not think that?" Carole rhetorically asked.
"Kevin, why don't we go back to the hotel now and we can discuss further," Harold suggested. "Is James waiting there?"
"Actually, James is out with Georgia tonight," Kevin told them.
"Georgia?" Carole asked, confused.
"Georgia Caldwell, to be exact," Kevin explained. "She's the daughter of the owner of the bank I work for, and she's moving to Philadelphia to overlook our local branch."
Carole and Harold impressively shook their heads and they headed off to the hotel.
"I had no idea you were going to pick me up like this," James told Georgia as he looked around the limousine and took a sip of his drink. He noticed the bar where Georgia got the drink from and the wraparound seats.
"My father insisted," Georgia replied as she rolled up the privacy window.
"I must say, this is one of the few times I've ever been in one of these," James admitted nervously.
Georgia laughed. "I prefer my own car. Are you as famished as I am?"
"Probably not," James joked. "What's on the menu for tonight?"
"Caviar, filet mignon," Georgia told him as she looked out the tinted windows.
"That sounds great," James told her, although caviar is not one of his common foods.
"I'm just happy that by the end of the night, everyone will know who I'm happily seeing," Georgia smiled as she gracefully slid over next to James and kissed him.
When they arrived at the large Caldwell home in Edina, Georgia and James stepped out of the limousine and walked up the path to the elegant doorway. A garden of roses surrounded the path. Georgia rang the doorbell and gave a comforting smile to James as they waited for someone to answer the door.
"Good evening," a man said as he opened the door.
"Mr. Caldwell," James said as he extended his hand. "James Neelan."
The man looked at Georgia with a confused expression.
"That's Dalton the butler," Georgia told James in an apologetic tone. "I'm sorry, I should have told you on the way here."
James looked embarrassed. "It's okay. I'm sorry, Dalton."
Dalton nodded at James and then turned to Georgia. "Ms. Caldwell, your family is in the parlor."
"Thank you, Dalton," Georgia told him as she gave an encouraging smile to James to come with her.
"Are you sure I look okay?" James whispered, uncomfortably, as he walked down the hall with diamond chandeliers on the ceiling and pictures on both sides of the walls.
"You look great!" Georgia assured him as they rounded the corner into the parlor.
"My dear!" Mr. Caldwell stood up and walked over to Georgia and James.
"Father," Georgia smiled as she kissed him on the cheek. "I'd like you to meet James Neelan."
Mr. Caldwell turned to James and looked him over. "I think he'd pass!" Mr. Caldwell said in a serious tone before laughing a bit. "So, you're seeing my heiress?"
"Heiress?" James asked, trying to feel more comfortable after Mr. Caldwell jokingly inspected him.
"Father!" Georgia called out. "Must you be so formal?"
"Don't deny your title, Georgia," Mr. Caldwell looked at her. "You know you're next in line to own the company."
"James, you'll have to forgive my father," Georgia told James. "Let's go somewhere and be alone before dinner."
"You can take him out to the courtyard," Mr. Caldwell suggested. "I'll have your mother awakened immediately."
"Has her fever subsided?" Georgia asked with concern.
"It was just a 24 hour virus," Mr. Caldwell replied. "She's been feeling better all day."
"That's good," Georgia replied as she turned to James. "Come on, James."
"I'm not sure that I fit in here," James told Georgia as they walked out into the courtyard.
"James, just be yourself," Georgia told him.
"I didn't know you were next in line to own the company," James admitted.
"So what?" Georgia asked rhetorically, putting her finger over his lips. "Just because I know what's in store for my future doesn't change who I am… and it certainly doesn't change my interest in you!"
"I'm glad to hear you say that," James told her, warmly.
Just as Georgia was about to lean in for a kiss, Dalton came to the door and said that was dinner on the table and the other family members were waiting.
Georgia and James headed back inside where the rest of her family was standing there.
"James, this is my mother, Marietta Polanski-Caldwell," Georgia introduced James to her mother.
"Hi, Mrs. Polanski-Caldwell," James said as Marietta looked at him.
"Don't be silly," Marietta started. "You can call me Mrs. Caldwell."
James nodded as Georgia introduced him to her sister.
"James, this is my sister, Savannah Caldwell," Georgia said.
"Pleased to meet you," James extended his hand.
"Charmed, I'm sure," Savannah replied as she headed over to the table.
Everyone sat down at the table as the main course was served.
James looked at the entrée and had no idea what it was. He reluctantly took his fork and slowly took a few bites.
"Is that foreign to you?" Savannah asked him as Georgia widened her eyes at her.
"No," James quickly replied. "This is delicious. Hats off to Dalton!"
"You mean, Gregory," Savannah corrected him. "He's the chef. Why would Dalton carry two servant duties?"
James looked at her with an embarrassed _expression on his face as Georgia stood up.
"Savannah, may I speak with you?" Georgia asked as she looked into her eyes.
"Go right ahead," Savannah replied.
"In private," Georgia replied. "As in, the other room?"
Savannah looked at Georgia. "Certainly," she answered, as she put her napkin down on the table, stood up and walked out of the dining room with Georgia.
Chapter 16
Non-Nsync {Fiction}
I'll Never Stop {Fiction}
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