“What about family first?” She choked out.

“Don’t go there. You and I both know I’ve put you first all my life. You needed me and I was there. But we are adults now, Nan.”

She wiped the tears that had leaked out of her eyes and stood back up. I could never tell if her tears were real or fake. She could turn them on and off at whim. “Fine. Maybe I’ll go back to school early. You don’t want me here anyway. You’ve chosen her.”

“I’ll always want you around, Nan. But this time I want you to play nice. Think about someone else for a change. You have a heart. I’ve seen it. Now it is time to use it.”

Nan’s spine stiffened. “If we’re done here could you please leave yourcondo?”

I nodded. “Yeah I’m done,” I replied and walked back inside. Without another word I headed out the front door. Time would now tell if I had to follow through on my threats to teach my sister a lesson. I really hoped I didn’t.

Blaire

I needed my things and I needed to sell my truck. It would never make it this far again. Cain had checked it out for me last week after it broke down and said he could temporarily fix it. The cost to fix everything that was wrong with it would cost more than I could afford to spend. Calling and asking Granny Q or Cain to ship my things and sell my truck seemed wrong. They deserved an explanation… or at least Granny Q did. She’d given me a roof, a bed and fed me for three weeks. I was going to have to go back to Sumit to get my stuff and say goodbye to Granny Q. Woods had given me a few days to get settled in before I started back to work.

Bethy had taken off yesterday to take me to apply for Medicaid. It was time I saw a doctor but I would require insurance first. Today I had overheard her tell Jace she looked forward to their date tonight. I’d been monopolizing all her time since she came and got me. I was beginning to feel like a lot of work. I hated that feeling. I could take a bus. It would be affordable and I wouldn’t be a burden on Bethy. I opened Bethy’s laptop to google the bus schedule.

A knock on the door interrupted my thoughts. I stopped my search for a bus station and went to open the door. Rush standing there with his hands tucked into the front of his jeans and one of his tight tee shirts on was not what I’d been expecting. He reached up and pulled off his aviator sunglasses. I wished he’d kept them on. The silver color of his eyes in the sunshine was even more breathtaking than I remembered.

“Hey, I saw Bethy at the clubhouse. She said you were here,” Rush explained. He was nervous. I’d never seen Rush nervous.

“Yeah… um Woods gave me a couple of days to get my things from Sumit before I start back to work.”

“You’ve got to go get your things?”

I nodded. “Yeah. I left them there. I just brought an overnight bag with me. I hadn’t exactly been planning on staying.”

Rush frowned. “So how are you going to get there? I don’t see your truck.”

“I was just about to google bus stations and see where the closest one to here is.”

Rush’s frown deepened. “It’s forty minutes away. All the way in Fort Walton Beach.”

That wasn’t as bad as I’d feared.

“A bus isn’t safe Blaire. I don’t like the idea of you taking a bus. Let me take you. Please. I’ll get you there faster and I it’s free. You could save your money.”

Ride with him? All the way to Sumit and back? Was that a good idea?

“I don’t know…” I trailed off because honestly I didn’t know. My heart wasn’t ready for that much Rush.

“We don’t even have to talk… or we can if you want. I’ll let you choose the music and I won’t complain.”

If I went back with Rush, then Cain wouldn’t put up a fight. Or then again maybe he would. He could tell Rush about the pregnancy. But would he? I’d never confirmed to Cain that I was pregnant.

“I know you can’t forgive the lies and the hurt. I’m not asking you to. You know I’m sorry and if I could go back and change things I would. Please, Blaire, just as a friend who wants to help and keep you safe from crazy men who could hurt you on a bus, let me drive you.”

I thought of how very unlikely it was that I’d get hurt on the bus. And then I thought about the fact I wasn’t just keeping myself safe anymore. I had another life inside of me to protect.

“Okay. Yes. I’d like a ride.”

~*~

Jace was sprawled out in the large stuffed blue chair that sat in Bethy’s living room with his feet propped up on the ottoman and Bethy curled up in his lap. I was on the sofa feeling like a science experiment as they both stared at me in confusion.

“So you’re fine with Rush taking you to Sumit tomorrow to get your things? I mean you don’t feel weird or...” Bethy trailed off.

It would be strange. It would also hurt just being near him but I needed a ride. Bethy needed to work, not to take another day off to help me this week. “He offered. I needed a ride so I said yes.”

“And it was that easy? Why am I not buying it?” Bethy asked.

“Because she’s leaving out the parts where he begged and pleaded,” Jace said with a chuckle.

I pulled the afghan up over my shoulders. I was cold. I was cold a lot lately which was odd because it was summertime in Florida. “He didn’t beg,” I replied, feeling an urge to defend Rush. Even if he did actually beg, it wasn’t Jace’s business.

“Yeah, right. If you say so.” Jace took a drink of the sweet tea Bethy had fixed him.

“It isn’t our business. Leave her alone, Jace. We need to decide on what to do about the lease on this place ending in a week.”

I wouldn’t be here long. I’d told her that. Moving into the more expensive condo wasn’t a good idea. My half of the rent wouldn’t be covered after I left and she’d be left with all of it.

Jacekissed Bethy’s hand and grinned at her. “I told you I’d take care of things. If you’d just let me.” He winked at her and I turned my head away. I didn’t want to watch them. Rush and I had never been like that. Our relationship had been short. Intense and brief. I wondered what it would have felt like to have the freedom to curl up in Rush’s arms anytime I wanted. To know I was safe and that he loved me. We’d never had that chance.

“And I told you I’m not going to let you pay my rent. Sorry. New plan. Oh, Blaire, why don’t we go apartment hunting tomorrow?”

A knock on the door interrupted me before I could agree. Then Grant opened the door and walked in.

“You did not just walk into my girl’s apartment without permission. She could’ve been naked,” Jace snarled at Grant.

Grant rolled his eyes then flashed a smile in my direction. “I saw your car here, jackass. Calm down. I’m here to see if I can convince Blaire to take a walk with me.”

“You trying to get your ass kicked?” Jace asked

Grant smirked and then shook his head before looking back at me. “Come on Blaire, let’s go take a walk and play catch up.”

Had Grant been in on the lie? Surely he had known about it. I couldn’t tell him no. Even if he had known he had also been the first nice person I’d met here. He’d filled my tank up with gas. He’d worried about me sleeping under the stairs. I nodded and stood up. “These two need some alone time anyway,” I replied, glancing back at Bethy. She was studying me closely. I gave her a reassuring smile and she appeared to relax.

“Don’t leave on our account. We need to decide on where we’re gonna live in a week,” Bethy said as I walked to the door.

“Y’all can talk about that later, Beth Ann. Blaire’s been gone for almost a month. You have to share,” Grant replied, opening the door for me to walk outside.

“Rush is gonna go apeshit,” Jace called out right before Grant closed the door muffling whatever it was Bethy had started to say.

We walked down the stairs in silence. Once we were on the sidewalk I looked over at Grant. “Did you just miss me or is there something you want to say to me?” I asked.