The tension in Woods’ shoulders left and he sighed. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have talked to you like that. It’s just that you’re so damn determined to be independent. Let me make myself clear. Call me if you ever need a ride. I like to think we’re friends. I help my friends.”
I needed friends. “I like to think we’re friends too,” I replied.
He nodded. “Good. But as your boss I’m not letting you work today. I’ll have you in Rush’s house within the hour. I’ll drive you there.”
Before I could ask him how he had his phone to his ear.
“I’ve got her in my office. She’s locked out of the house.” He paused.
“No shit. She walked to Bethy’s last night. I’m going to take her there if you can get Rush’s housecleaner to go unlock the place.” He paused again.
“No problem. Happy to help. Keep me updated, I’m thinking about y’all.” He hung up and looked at me. “Grant’s having the housecleaner open the house. You go get something to eat from the kitchen and then we can head that way. He said to give her about twenty minutes.”
I wasn’t hungry but I nodded. “Okay.” I started for the door then stopped and turned to look back at him. “Thank you.”
Woods winked. “My pleasure.”
Rush
I hadn’t been able to close my eyes. I sat in the leather chair beside the hospital bed and stared at my little sister. She hadn’t opened her eyes. The monitors blinked and beeped telling me she was alive. Her still form on the bed with gauze wrapped around her head and needles in her arms made it feel as if she were gone. The last words I’d said to her had been hard. They seemed cruel now. I’d just wanted her to grow up. Now that might never happen.
The rage I’d felt when I arrived had been knocked out of me when I laid eyes on her. Just seeing her so broken and helpless was killing me. I couldn’t eat or sleep. I just needed her to open her eyes. I needed to tell her I loved her and I was sorry. I’d promised her that she’d always have me. No matter what. Then I’d jerked that away from her. Because she couldn’t accept Blaire.
My stomach knotted up thinking of how I’d left Blaire. Her eyes had been wide and terrified. I’d handled leaving her all wrong too but I’d been terrified myself. I couldn’t call her yet. Not while Nan was like this. I’d already put Blaire before Nan and look where that got me. This time Nan needed to come first. If she knew I was sitting here waiting on her she’d open her eyes. I knew she would.
The door opened and Grant stepped in. His eyes went instantly to Nan. The pain that flashed in them didn’t surprise me. Even though he acted like he didn’t like her I knew he cared for Nan. She had been the needy little brat that was impossible not to love when we were growing up. Those kinds of bonds are impossible to break.
“I just spoke with Woods. Blaire is okay. She was locked out of the house last night but she stayed at Bethy’s. I called Henrietta and she’s unlocking the house for her.” He spoke quietly as if he’d wake Nan or disturb her by talking about Blaire.
I’d left her standing in the driveway late at night alone. Thank God she had a phone. The idea of her being stranded in the dark was more than I could handle right now. “Is she upset?” What I really wanted to ask was if she was upset with me. How could she not be upset with me? I’d run out on her after screaming for her to get out of my car. When mom had told me about Nan something in me had switched and I’d lost it.
“He said he was going to look after her…” Grant trailed off. I knew what he was thinking. Leaving Woods to look after Blaire was dangerous. He was rich, successful and his family didn’t hate her. What if she realized I was a waste of her time?
“She’s pregnant,” I told him. I had to tell someone.
“She told me shortly after she came back.”
Grant covered his mouth and shook his head. That hadn’t been something he’d expected to hear. But then he didn’t know we were engaged either. He’d left Rosemary already when I’d proposed. I hadn’t told him.
“That’s why you proposed?” it wasn’t really a question. It was more of a statement.
“How’d you know about that?”
He shifted his eyes to Nan, “Nan told me.”
Nan had needed to vent I was sure. The fact she had chosen Grant to vent to was interesting. Normally those two were at each other’s throats. Rarely did they spend quality time together.
“She wasn’t happy about it,” I said.
“No, she wasn’t,” he agreed.
I looked over at her and wished to God I could trade places with her right now. I hated that she needed me and this was something I couldn’t fix for her. I’d been fixing her problems her entire life. And now when she needed me most all I could do was sit here and stare at her helplessly.
“She thinks you’ve lost your mind. If she knew about the baby she’d think you asked Blaire just because of the baby.”
“I didn’t ask her because of the baby. I asked her because I can’t live without her. I just need Nan to understand that. I’ve spent my life making Nan happy. Trying my damnedest to fix her problems. I was mother and father to her. And now that I have found what makes me happy she can’t accept it.” I felt my throat close up and I shook my head. I was not going to cry. “I just wanted her to accept that Blaire made me happy.”
Grant let out a deep sigh. “I think in time she will. Nan wants you happy too. She just thinks she knows what is best for you. Just like you think you know what is best for her.” The tone in his voice as he said that last part was off. He’d meant something deeper than what he was saying. Or I was just exhausted and I needed to take a nap.
“I hope so,” I replied, then laid my head back on the chair and closed my eyes. “I need a nap. I can’t keep this up. My head is getting fuzzy.”
