“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.

     I snuggled closer to him as we danced to Ed Sheeran’s version of “Kiss Me” being performed by our live band. Dean had offered to get a “real band” but I hadn’t wanted that. I didn’t want our wedding to be more than a small intimate gathering. I didn’t want to make it a concert for the attending band. Rush had agreed with me and we’d found the best cover band that money could buy.

    “I wish we didn’t have a house full of people tonight,” I said against his chest.

    “Doesn’t matter. We won’t be there,” Rush replied.

     I pulled back and looked up at him. “What do you mean?”

     He smirked. “You really think I’m going to share a house with all those people on my wedding night? Hell no. We have the penthouse condo at the club waiting on us when we leave here.”

    I was glad he’d thought of that. I didn’t want to think about his dad and my dad in the same house as us tonight. “Good,” I replied.

    His chest vibrated from his laughter. I looked out over the other guests. All of our friends were here. Everyone we loved. Except his sister... and his mother. But they wouldn’t have approved. Both of them hated me. Still, I felt bad that they had missed this day for Rush’s sake. I just hoped one day that they would be a part of our lives for Rush. I knew even though he didn’t mention them that he missed them.

     “Where did you put that satin?” he asked.

     I grinned and bite down on my bottom lip.  “I didn’t have pockets,” I replied.

     “I know. So where is it?”

     “Tucked in my bra,” I admitted.

     “Guess it’ll have a new meaning for me from now on,” he said, teasing the bottom of my breasts with his thumbs.

      “Thank you for everything. The necklace, the anklet, the ring, and I’ll let you keep the satin. Although I loved having it there with us. Knowing she had touched both our lives. It was perfect.”

     Rush tightened his arms around me. “Yeah, it was.”  The moment his body went tense I felt it. Gazing up at him I saw his eyes focused on something over my shoulder. I glanced back to see Cain standing there watching us. “I should probably let him dance with you. I’m trying to talk myself into it,” Rush said, still holding me tightly.

     I smiled at him and his torn expression. “If you don’t want me to dance with Cain then I don’t want to. I do need to go speak to him and if you want to go with me and hold onto me when I do that then you can. Relax. I’m Blaire Finlay now. The girl he loved was Blaire Wynn.”

     At the use of my new name his entire body relaxed and he held me tighter. “Say that again. At least the part where you say your name,” he said in a husky voice.

     “Blaire Finlay,” I repeated.

    “Damn, that sounds good,” he said, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Go talk to him. But if you don’t mind... no dancing. I don’t want his hands on you.”

     “So no hugging either?” I asked before walking over to Cain.

     Rush frowned then shook his head. “Not if he wants to keep his arms attached to his body,” he replied, causing me to laugh. My possessive man.

     I walked over to Cain who stood there waiting on me with his hands stuffed in his pockets and a pained look on his face. This couldn’t be easy for him. In his mind we had been forever. He hadn’t really thought that Rush would be there for me in the end. He’d been wrong.

     “I’m glad you came,” I told him as I stopped a few feet away from him keeping enough distance to make Rush comfortable.