Dean reached over and squeezed my arm. “He’ll be back. Sometimes Nan just needs Rush. He knows that.”
Unfortunately, I knew that too.
Rush wasn’t back by the time dinner was over. Kiro was now completely groping the server’s bottom underneath her dress. Harlow was ignoring it and finishing her wine silently. Dean had his attention on the other server. I was more than positive the two women were on the menu for both men. The one Dean was looking at kept giggling and finding reasons to walk over to him. Luckily, he wasn’t going for any body parts yet. I was more than ready to get up and leave.
“I think it might be time for you and Blaire to go on up to bed,” Kiro said to Harlow without looking at her. He was focused on the server’s boobs and his hand was still up her skirt.
“I completely agree,” Harlow replied, standing up and looking over at me with an apologetic smile.
I stood up and started to thank Kiro and Dean for dinner when I noticed Dean’s hand was now between the other server’s legs. I decided to hurry out behind Harlow.
“I’m sorry you had to witness that. Dad’s drinking more now that Nan is raising hell. When he drinks he... uh... requires a lot of women.”
In other words, he screwed around more often. I nodded. However, what was Dean’s problem? Just a horny rock legend used to getting what he wanted, I guess.
“I thought Rush would be back by now,” I replied, wanting to change the subject.
Harlow nodded. “Yeah, me too. Nan can be a handful I’m realizing.”
Handful was a kind word for Nan. I was thinking more along the lines of “bitch”. “She hates me. I guess I need to accept it and learn to live with it. I just don’t like the spot it puts Rush in.”
A loud squeal and then a moan came from the dining room. Harlow made a gagging noise. “Ugh, come on. We can take the elevator instead of the stairs. It will drown out the noise.”
“Are they just... doing it in the dining room?” I asked, amazed at the lack of privacy and the fact the other catering staff could hear them in the kitchen.
“They will do it anywhere. Trust me. You don’t want to know what I’ve seen over the years. I think it’s the reason I’m still a virgin. Well, that and the fact I’m too shy around guys.”
It was a miracle that Harlow was as innocent as she was with this kind of behavior from her father. “I was a virgin until Rush. Sometimes it’s best to wait until the right guy comes along.”
Harlow smiled and nodded. “Yeah. But then there is the chance that will never happen. I don’t socialize much. My life here is very private. I’ve always hated sex because of what I’ve seen it do to my dad. But lately I wonder if maybe I just need to see it in a different light. You and Rush seem happy together.”
I felt sad for her. She’d apparently grown up very overprotected by her grandmother and then only seen the other side of the spectrum from Kiro’s life. She had to be very confused. “Did you date in South Carolina?” I asked.
She shrugged. “Not much. My Grandmama wasn’t a fan of me dating. She said it only led to sex. I was to wait until I got married to have sex. It said so in her Bible. But if I didn’t date how was I supposed to get married?” Harlow let out a soft laugh. “Didn’t matter though. I never could find my words when a guy I was attracted to was around me. I became embarrassingly shy and awkward. I’m getting better with age I think.”
Harlow was a classic beauty. She was elegant and perfect. It was hard to believe she hadn’t dated much.
“I’m going to go on up to my room. I have a book to finish. Recently I’ve found indie authors on my Kindle and I’m slightly addicted.”
“Indie?” I asked.
Harlow nodded. “Self-published ebooks. I’ve found some diamonds in the rough.”
I might need to get a Kindle. “Enjoy then,” I replied and headed up to Rush’s room.
RUSH
Nan was a sobbing mess. As mean as she was my heart broke for her. She was still my little sister and she had been done wrong. By both her parents. I had tried all my life to be the one person she could count on but I hadn’t been enough. She needed to feel loved and accepted by one of her lousy excuses for parents.
“She hates me,” Nan sniffed and hiccupped. “Right there in front of Kiro she made me look like a fool. She didn’t even care that I’m trying to find a way to get him to want me.”
I was sure that Nan had pushed Blaire to say the things that she did but I didn’t point that out. I was jut now, after an hour, getting Nan to calm down enough to talk to me. She needed someone right now and I was pretty sure I was the only person on the planet who cared about her problems.
“I know you love her but she’s mean. She’s cold and mean. You remember when she pointed that gun at me,” Nan sniffled and wiped at her tear soaked face.
“That was a little different. Mom and Abe had just ripped her world out from under her. She was upset and you were taunting her.”
Nan let out a hard laugh. “You will always take up for her. Even if she made fun of me and my need to have a parent who wants me right there in front of everyone. In front of Harlow. Dean. Kiro. She doesn’t care about my feelings.”