Take a Chance(18)

Rush smirked. “Not a bad idea.”

“How’s Blaire and the Nate?” I asked.

A glow touched his face and his smirk transformed into a smile. The genuine kind that you knew went deep. “They’re perfect.”

He never was a man of many words. “I’d like to come see them.”

“Blaire would like that. As soon as I tell her you’re here, she’ll be hunting you down.”

That made me smile. I really liked Blaire. She was the kind of person you couldn’t help but be drawn to. “Good. I look forward to her finding me.”

Rush glanced up and then back down at me. “I’ll let you enjoy your lunch. Don’t let Nan take control. Stiffen your spine.”

He didn’t say any more; he just walked off. I turned to see Adam walking back into the room. He and Rush greeted each other in passing. Adam set the menu in front of me before sitting down across from me and glancing back at the door.

When he turned back to me he looked like he was thinking about something. I decided to wait and let him build up the courage to ask me. Opening my menu, I studied the selections of salads and sandwiches.

“So you’re friends with Rush but not Grant. Aren’t they close or brothers or something?”

Ah. He was finally going to ask about the scene Grant and I had caused earlier. I wasn’t ready to give him details. We’d just met, and what had happened with Grant was too personal.

“Rush is a friend. He has been since we were kids. Grant is someone I met a few months ago and made the mistake of trusting. That’s about it.”

Adam nodded and then turned his attention to his menu. He was going to be satisfied with that explanation. Good. I wasn’t going to tell him more.





Grant


I had started for my truck when I noticed Rush’s Range Rover. He was here. I turned around and headed back inside while calling him to find out exactly where he was.

“Yeah,” Rush said.

“I see your truck. Where are you?”

“Inside. Are you outside?”

“Yeah.”

“Wait out there. I’ll come outside.”

Then he hung up. What the hell? He had been in the dining room. I could hear familiar sounds in the background. Why was he leaving to come see me? Unless . . . Harlow was in there. What did he think I was going to do? Make a scene? Hell, I’d already done that on the tennis court. I needed a game plan. Not another train wreck.

I waited on him. He was there fast. Rush walked out the door and glanced over at me with a concerned look on his face.

“Did I beat you here?” he asked, as if he weren’t at all suspicious.

I decided to ease his mind. “I know Harlow’s in town. I know she’s living with Nan and we’ve already had our first encounter . . . and second, actually.”

Rush let out a relieved sigh. “Good. After your last drunk-ass rant I was worried this was going to be an issue.”

“My only issue is she won’t let me explain. She hates me. I need advice, man. I fucked up. That’s why I wanted to talk to you. But I think . . . I think I may need to talk to Blaire.”

Rush’s eyebrows drew together. “How’d you fuck up? Kiro was keeping her from you. That was it. Harlow is a sweet girl. I can’t imagine her hating anyone.”

“There’s more to it than that,” I said, running my hand through my hair. I didn’t want to tell Rush that I’d been sleeping with Nan again. She was his sister, and even though she was selfish and mean as a snake, he loved her. I wasn’t sure how he’d react to me using her.

“What more is there?”

I thought about that. I wished he would just let me talk to Blaire. I didn’t need help from him.

“Tell me you didn’t screw around with Nan,” he said with an exasperated sigh.

He knew. He always figured shit out. “Yeah, some.”

Rush shook his head and let out a hard laugh. “You’re fucked. I said Harlow doesn’t hate people, but Nan is as close as it gets for her. You need to let the Harlow thing go and move on. Ain’t no way you’re fixing that shit.”

I wanted her to understand. I wanted her forgiveness, and I wanted her to know I cherished what she had given me. No one or nothing would ever be that special for me again. I would never forget it. Maybe it was best for both of us if that was all she was willing to do. That night when I had been inside of her, I had been shown something much deeper than I ever imagined. It scared the hell out of me.

To love someone the way Rush loved Blaire . . . that was intense. It was controlling and it had the power to destroy you. I had seen so much heartache and pain in my life. My father had been in love more than once, and each time it had ended painfully, not only for him but for me. Love forever wasn’t something I believed in. Harlow was dangerous for me. She was the first person I had ever allowed myself to picture forever with. What if she stopped loving me one day . . . or what if I lost her? I saw the vacant look in Bethy’s eyes. The pain deep inside her. She had to wake up every day and live with it.