“That was beautiful,” she said against my chest.
“Not as beautiful as you are,” I replied, holding her against me.
She let out a small laugh. “I didn’t know you could do that,” she said, pulling back to look up at me.
“I’m full of all kinds of exciting surprises,” I assured her and winked.
“Alright you two. Let me give the girl away first,” Abe said, reaching for Blaire’s arm and pulling her back to his side with an amused grin.
Abe kissed his daughter’s cheek then looked at me. “I’d tell you how special she is but you already know that. Because you do is the only reason I can hand her over to you. I asked you to be the man I couldn’t be, and you did as I asked. Not for me but for her. I couldn’t be prouder of the woman she’s become and the man she’s chosen to spend her life with.” He took Blaire’s hand and placed it in mine. Then he turned to take his seat.
I slipped her hand into the crook of my arm as we turned around to face the minister. She jumped beside me and looked down at her stomach with a smile. I slipped my arm around her waist and placed my hand on her stomach as our baby moved. This was mine.
HARLOW (yes , you read that right too.)
I could feel him looking at me again. I wished he would stop. Since he’d stalked off cursing a blue streak and left me standing in my hiding place at the rehearsal party, all he did was stare at me. I hated being stared at. I was ready to go home but I knew Dean was enjoying himself. I was going to see if I could get an earlier flight out. I didn’t want to stay until tomorrow.
I crossed my legs again and studied my hands. No one really spoke to me and I couldn’t blame them. I was boring. I never knew what to say. I was afraid to say anything. I always had been. I’d learned it was better to keep quiet than to say something stupid.
It was easier to blend into the background when guys who looked like Grant Carter didn’t stare at you constantly. I couldn’t figure out why he was staring at me. That was the craziest thing. I knew why he was upset. When you’re quiet people forget you’re around and they talk about stuff in front of you that really isn’t your business. I’d heard Nan talking on the phone to Grant several times. I also knew that as nice of a guy as Rush was his stepbrother wasn’t. Any guy who dated someone like Nan had to be equally screwed up.
I just wished he wasn’t so freaking hot. That was something I should have been prepared for. Nan was gorgeous and even though she was a raging bitch she attracted all men. Any guy that she was in a relationship with had to be equally beautiful. And oh my, was he. Very. Even the long hair that he had tucked behind his ears was attractive. Those blue eyes of his had been piercing.
It had taken two words from him and I’d become a blubbering mess. Which wasn’t hard to do. I did that often. The chair beside me scraped across the floor and I jerked my gaze up to see Grant sitting down entirely too close to me. Not good. So not good. What was his deal?
“I’m sorry about last night,” he snapped at me. I tensed and managed to nod my head.
Okay, so he was sorry. Fine. Now he could leave and stop looking at me.
“Come on, Harlow, say something. Give me more than a nod,” he said, sounding exasperated.
I wasn’t sure why I should exasperate him. I hadn’t done anything to him. I’d tried to stay away from him and ignore his constant staring. Even during the wedding he’d found me among the other guests and he hadn’t looked away from me the entire time.
“Is it just me or do you not talk to anyone? I haven’t seen you chatting it up with the other guests.”
Even though I didn’t like him and I sure didn’t like his choice in females, I also didn’t want him thinking I was an idiot. He’d go tell Nan and she’d have something else to make fun of me about. “I’m not good in crowds,” I explained.
He seemed to relax some when I spoke. “This bunch is overwhelming. Can’t say I blame you.”
I forced a smile. It wasn’t a big one but it was the best I could do. I didn’t do fake well. I never had.
“You don’t like me, do you?” He was obviously very observant too.
I could lie to be polite. I’d been taught by my grandmother that if I couldn’t say anything nice not to say anything at all. “I don’t like Nan,” I replied honestly. That wasn’t polite but it was true.
Instead of getting defensive, Grant burst out laughing. Not a quiet amused laugh but a fully belly laugh like I was a great comedian. I watched him and hated him all the more for being attractive when he laughed. It wasn’t fair. I didn’t want to think anything about him was attractive.
“I’m sorry,” he said, wiping his eyes and grinning at me. “But that was not what I was expecting to come out of that sweet mouth of yours. Damn, that was funny.”
I didn’t think it was funny at all. Did he think I was joking?
“I don’t think you’re alone in that, beautiful. Most people would agree with you. Especially the attendants at this wedding.”
I didn’t respond. He obviously liked her.
“Since you aren’t going to elaborate, I’m going to assume that you aren’t talking to me because I dated Nan and you don’t like her.”
I shrugged. Not exactly. It was more than that. Telling him was once again rude and I shouldn’t be rude. But it was either be rude or let him think I was a mute. I didn’t want him to make fun of me to Nan. I got enough of it from her.
“Anyone who dates Nan can’t have any redeeming qualities. Or any qualities that I’d be interested in getting to know better. I don’t like wasting my time with those I know I’ll never speak with again.” That had come out harsher than I meant for it to. Damn honesty.
Grant winced. I was acting like a bitch myself. I accused Nan of being one and I was behaving just as badly. I couldn’t do that. I didn’t want to be that. “Look, that didn’t come out right. I’m sorry. What I meant to say is that I don’t like Nan. At all. I can’t see why anyone who isn’t related to her would even put up with her. The fact you not only put up with her but dated her tells me that you and I would never be friends. I’m sorry. I don’t want to sound like a bitch because I’m really a nice person. I just try to stay away from mean people. Nan is the epitome of mean so that leads me to believe you are mean as well. Mean people stick together.” I stopped because I was making this worse. Standing up, I gave him an apologetic smile that didn’t have to be forced this time because I really did feel bad for spewing from the mouth just now. I tended to do that when I tried to talk too much. Before he could say anything else I bolted. I was going to go tell Rush and Blaire goodbye and go to the airport and wait to get on an earlier flight. I would just stay the night at the airport if I had to. At least this way Grant Carter couldn’t find me.
BLAIRE
“I still can’t get over you singing me a song and you played the guitar. Just wow, Rush. Wow.” I was still reeling from looking up at Rush and seeing him waiting on me with a guitar in his arms. Then instead of Jason Mraz playing over the speakers Rush had sung a song that he’d written for me. After the different gifts and letters sent to my room I’d thought he couldn’t top himself. I had been wrong.
“I stopped singing when I was in college. I decided that I was tired of girls being interested in me because of Dean. If I sang it only made my connection to Slacker Demon worse. So I just quit. But for you... I wanted you walking down the aisle to me with my voice singing words written for you. Not a generic song that is played in a million other weddings.” Rush kissed the spot just below my ear. “There are no other weddings like this one and there never will be,” he whispered in my ear.