“It means that she’s quiet and shy. She doesn’t date. She doesn’t do anything but go to school. Nothing from Kiro’s world has touched her. She’s polite and never wants to ruffle feathers. Even with Nan screaming at her and calling her names that aren’t true she quietly takes it and walks away. She just isn’t your type. You might have a thing for her mouth but dude she wouldn’t know how to use it the way you want her to. Nor would she ever want to. She just isn’t like that.”
Blaire finished her dance with her dad and her eyes instantly went to my empty seat. She was looking for me. I had to go. I slapped Grant on the back. “Go find some pu**y here tonight that isn’t more virginal than a nun,” I ordered and headed back to Blaire.
She spotted me and smiled while I made my way to her. The music changed and Bruno Mars’ song “I Will Wait For You” started playing over the speakers. I pulled her to me and grinned. I loved this song. I understood every word of it because it was exactly how I felt. I’d never sung for Blaire before and I was tempted to sing along in her ear but I wanted to wait. Not yet. I’d sing to her... but not yet.
“Did you enjoy dancing with your dad?” I asked her, just so I could hear her voice.
“Yes. We talked about Momma. She’d have loved to be here. She’d have loved you. She always told me that Cain wasn’t the one for me. He was too weak. That one day someone would fight for me and he’d want me more than anything else. You would have made her very happy.”
My chest felt tight. I’d never been told by a female that their mother would love me. To know that Blaire felt like her mother would approve of me meant more than she knew. I remembered her mom. Not clearly but I did remember her. I remembered her smile and her laugh. She used to make me feel happy as a little boy. The smell of her pancakes made me feel safe. Knowing my son was gonna have a mother like that brought tears to my eyes. He’d have what I didn’t. Something I’d only had a taste of.
“What did I say?” Blaire asked pausing as she noticed the unshed tears in my eyes I couldn’t seem to control. Dammit.
“I was just thinking that my son was going to have the mother that I never got a chance to have. Your mom was special enough that her memory stuck with me,” I admitted.
Blaire’s eyes filled up with tears and she grabbed my face and kissed me. Her soft lips opened and her tongue slid into my mouth hungrily. Right here in front of everyone. This wasn’t like her but I would take it. I started to kiss her back just as passionately when she pulled back enough so that she could look at me. Her hands still held my face. “I love you, Rush Finlay. You are going to be the best husband and father the world has ever known. One day our son’s wife will be thankful that her husband will have had you for a role model. She’ll be lucky because of you. Because you will have raised our son to be the man that you are. He’ll love her completely because he’ll know how.” She choked on a sob and pressed her lips to mine again and I cradled her in my arms as I enjoyed having her so determined to reassure me that I was a good man. Nothing in life was as precious as this woman. It never would be. I’d found my happiness.
BLAIRE
Bethy kissed me on the cheek then pulled something out from behind her back. A small silver package with Rush’s familiar scrawl on the note was being held out to me. “Rush wanted to provide you with your something old,” she explained.
I hadn’t tried to get any of those things. I had forgotten about that tradition. Smiling, I took the package and opened it. Inside was a very expensive looking pearl ring. The silver band it was on was elegant and engraved. I held it up to see the engraving. It said, “My love” in it. That too was old. Not something Rush had done.
A small note lay tucked beside it. I picked it up and opened it.
Blaire,
This was my grandmother’s. My father’s mother. She came to visit me before she passed away. I have fond memories of her visits and when she passed on she left this ring to me. In her will I was told to give it to the woman who completes me. She said it was given to her by my grandfather who passed away when my dad was just a baby but that she’d never loved another the way she’d loved him. He was her heart. You are mine.
This is your something old.
I love you,
Rush
I sniffed and Bethy did too. I glanced over at her and she was beside me reading the note. “Damn, who knew Rush Finlay could be so romantic,” she said and sniffed again.
I knew. He’d shown me that more than once. I slipped the ring on my right hand and it fit perfectly. I figured this was not a coincidence. Smiling, I looked over at Bethy. “Thank you for everything,” I told her.
She hugged me and nodded. “I should be thanking you. You’re the best friend I’ve ever had.” Before I could say more she ducked out of the room with a final wave.
I turned to look into the mirror to study myself. The pearl colored satin gathered over my br**sts stayed up without straps thanks to my pregnant cup size. The waistline was high and right under my br**sts and was covered in a million tiny pearls. Over the satin was a layer of chiffon that hung loosely in an A line until it hit a few inches above my knees. I’d chosen to go barefoot since I had to walk on the sand. My toenails had been painted a pale pink to match the rose petals scattered on the aisle.
A knock on the door startled me and I turned to see Harlow step into the room. She was holding a small box. “You look like a princess,” she said, smiling.
“Thank you,” I replied. I felt like one.
“I have something from Rush. He wanted to be the one to supply your something new,” she said and handed me the small gift. “I’d leave but I think you’ll need my help.”
I took the box and opened it quickly, excited to see what it was he had sent up here to me this time. Nestled inside was a delicate gold chain with several diamonds cut in the exact shape of my ring but much smaller. I held the anklet up and the sun coming through the windows caught the diamonds and danced around the room.
“I’ll put it on you,” Harlow said and I laid the anklet in her hand then she fastened it around my ankle.
I’d told Rush that I felt like I needed something on my feet but that I couldn’t imagine walking across the sand in shoes. This was his answer to that. I smiled and thanked Harlow.
“You’re welcome. It’s beautiful on you,” she said before leaving the room just as quietly as she had entered.
I looked down at my ankle in the mirror to admire it when another knock on the door came. A familiar face that I hadn’t been expecting at all smiled at me and I rushed over to hug Granny Q. I hadn’t invited Granny Q because I was worried that Rush would be upset about Cain being here. I knew he’d be the one to drive his grandmother and I couldn’t not invite Cain too. Tears stung my eyes as she squeezed me.