Rivals In Love (Love In Montana Book 4)

Georgia stared at him, looking indecisive. What if Brian sees her climbing into Ryan's car? She looked around to check. No, there was no sign of Brian anywhere. A drop of cold raindrop fell on her nose and she shivered a little. 

"Hop in. You'll get drenched and then fall sick," urged Ryan, staring at her impatiently. Was she crazy? What was there to think so much about? Any other girl in her place would have felt honored that Ryan Wilson was actually offering her a lift. He was used to the attention he received from the girls in his college but it seemed like Georgia was different from them. She was the first one who wanted him to stay away from her! He had no idea what made him offer her a lift. He never ever offered anyone before. He hated driving. With Ryder gone to his friend Caleb's house, he was forced to drive himself home. 

Another big fat drop fell on Georgia's face and she rushed towards the passenger door and climbed into Ryan's car. "Thanks for the lift," she said nervously. Ryan grinned and started to drive. 

"Don't you have a car of your own but?" Asked Ryan with surprise. Georgia shook her head. 

"I don't have one here," she told him. Ryan waited for her to elaborate further but she didn't. 

"Oh, then where?" He asked, unable to stop himself. He wanted to know more about her. 

"Wyoming, at my aunt's place where I used to live before coming here," she told him. 

"Now I know why I haven't seen you before in Fordsville, " said Ryan. 

"I just came since mom wasn't well," she said, looking out of the window. The rain had started pouring down over them and nothing was visible at all. Ryan steered away from the road in front of a small cafe. 

"We can wait till the rain stops," he said and Georgia nodded. She scanned the place to see if she could find a known face who would report her to her brothers. Ensuring that there wasn't anyone, she relaxed a little.

"Why are you so scared of your brothers?" Asked Ryan, observing her minutely. He had noticed her many times looking around for her brothers. It seemed like she was traumatized by them. 

"They'll torture me and mom if they find out that I've talked to you," said Georgia. "They can murder you too, " she added in a low voice. Ryan looked at her with disbelief.

"Are you serious? It's not so easy to murder someone, Georgia. You're too naive," said Ryan with a chuckle. Georgia grasped his hand.

"I mean it Ryan. They've killed people before without leaving a single clue. I don't want anything to happen to you because of me," she told him earnestly but Ryan couldn't pay any attention to her words. His body had already started reacting to her touch like before. A 1000 volts of electric current shot up and down his body and he just stared at her like a statue. 

"Are you listening to me?" Asked Georgia, seeing his blank face. She had no idea what was happening to him. She felt maybe her words made him frightened too. "Don't be scared, I'll not let them harm you. After the rain stops, I'll take a cab and go home," she said, releasing his hand. Ryan came to his senses and realized what she had just told him.

"I'm not afraid of anyone. I do what I think is right," he told her. "You don't need to take a cab. I'll drop you home, " he said with determination.  Georgia did get have any answer to that. She realized that Ryan wasn't what she had thought him to be. He was different. Maybe he was different from all the other Wilsons whom her family hated. 

"I don't see the rain stopping anytime soon. You might be getting late, " said Georgia. Ryan shook his head.

"I'm not in any hurry. Are you?" He asked her. She looked at her hands knowing what was in store for her at home if she was late. 

"Dad doesn't like it when I return late," she told him. Her phone buzzed with an incoming call from Brian. Georgia panicked. 

"Brian's calling me. What should I say?" She asked, looking at him first help. 

"Tell him that you're on your way in a cab," said Ryan with a shrug. Georgia accepted the call reluctantly. 

"Where the hell are you, Georgia?" He growled into the phone. "I'm waiting for you in front of your college for five minutes," he added, making Georgia's eyes go wide with horror. 

"I took a cab but it started to rain and he refused to drive further. So I'm stranded at a cafe waiting for the rain to stop," she told him. 

"Share your location. I'll come down and pick you up," said Brian, calming down a little. 

"Okay, " said Georgia, disconnecting the call. She turned to Ryan who looked a little disappointed. 

"Thanks for the help, Ryan. I have to go inside the cafe. Brian's coming to pick me up," she told him. Ryan nodded.

"See you tomorrow," he said. Georgia climbed out and dashed into the cafe while Ryan drove off. Georgia shared her location with her brother and waited patiently.  He came in five minutes to pick her up. 

Ryan wanted to talk to her more and muttered curses at Brian for arriving just to disturb them. The rain had stopped when he reached home. Parking his truck, he strode into his house in a frustrated mood. 

"What's up, Ryan? Why the long face?" Asked Rhett, his cousin who was six years older than him. Rhett, his twin Rex and their sister Rihanna who was two years younger were their uncle Keith and his wife Ruth Wilson's children. Their uncle Keith was younger to their uncle Kevin but older to uncle Kendrick who was Ryan's dad. Their youngest uncle was Kennedy Wilson who was married to Charlotte Wilson whose children Raine and Ronald studied at a boarding school in Helena.  

"Nothing bro. I hate driving that too when it's raining," he shrugged. "You didn't go to work today?" He asked his older brother. Rhett was never home at this hour since he was always busy handling their businesses. 

"I came back early. I have something important to attend to," he shrugged. Ryan knew that his brother being the oldest at home actively helped with everything. He was like the backbone of the family and everyone depended upon him. In fact they all helped with the businesses. 

With their joint efforts today they were the biggest dairy producers in the vicinity. They were also into horse rearing and sales. Rex, Rhett along with their dad, Keith Wilson trained the horses thoroughly before selling. Their uncle Kevin Wilson had just retired from the manual work and preferred the accounts work instead. Ryan's dad and his uncle Kennedy looked into the animal husbandry part of their business as well as into the packaging of dairy products. Ryan's mom was a vet and she kept a check upon all the animals on their farm and ranch. 

Uncle Kennedy managed their flagship hotel, The Imperial in Las Vegas for which he and Ryan's dad traveled a lot to Las Vegas. Russell and Rowland who had permanently shifted there helped them. Uncle Kennedy's wife, aunt Charlotte was a fashion designer and ran a small boutique at the Fordsville market place. 

"Come and have your lunch, boys," called their granny. They walked over to the table and sat with the rest of the family to have their lunch together. Ryan's thoughts were on Georgia. If her brother hadn't arrived, he would have taken her to the cafe. He wondered if what she told him was true. 

"Last week, one of McLean's employees had been caught stealing their company's produce," said Rhett. Ryan looked at him with interest. 

"Oh, isn't he dead yet?" Asked granny. Ryan's eyes widened at granny's question. In fact everyone was shocked to hear it. 

"How do you know granny?" Asked Rhett, looking puzzled. 

"They don't take such things lightly. They brutally punish people without leaving a single clue, " said granny. 

"Yes, you're right. Today, the sheriff found the man's dead body in his backyard," said Rhett. Ryan's jaws dropped at his words. 

"There you go. They've murdered him, for sure," said granny. 

"How can they just kill people?" Asked Rihanna with disbelief. 

"Those McLean men can. They don't treat their women well. Allen's wife is a poor woman who's been unwell for so long but they don't care. She's like furniture for them! Use and throw away when old," said granny. 

The others discussed the McLeans while Ryan's thought went to Georgia. Maybe her family didn't treat her well either. Maybe that was the reason why she never smiled. If her brother could murder that employee so easily, could he murder him too? A shiver ran down his body. He didn't want to know. It was better that he stayed away from Georgia.