Blaire

Without stage makeup and black leather clothing he looked like an older version of Rush. I had to move quickly to keep up with Rush who had my hand clasped tightly in his as he walked swiftly outside away from the other guests in the bar. His father led the way. I wasn’t sure if Rush was happy to see him or not. The only interaction they’d had was Rush nodding his head toward the door. He obviously hadn’t wanted this introduction to have an audience.

Dean Finlay, the world’s most notorious drummer, stopped several times on our way out to autograph items shoved in front of him. It wasn’t just females either. One guy had even stepped forward and asked him to sign a bar napkin. The threatening gleam in Rush’s eyes as he tried to get his father out of the bar kept the rest of them away. Instead, they all remained silent and watched as Slacker Demon’s drummer headed out the door.

The night breeze was cold now. I immediately shivered and Rush stopped and wrapped his arms around me. “We need to go to the house. I’m not going to make her stand out here and talk. It’s too damn cold,” Rush told his father.

Dean finally stopped walking and looked back at me. His eyes slowly took me in and I could see the moment he noticed my stomach.

“Dean, this is Blaire Wynn. My fiancée. Blaire, this is Dean Finlay, my father,” Rush said in a tight voice. He didn’t sound like he wanted to make this introduction.

“No one told me I was gonna be a grandpa,” he said in a slow drawl. I wasn’t sure how he felt about that because there was no emotion on his face.

“I’ve been busy,” was the only response Rush gave him. That was odd. Was he embarrassed to tell his dad? I felt sick at my stomach and started to ease away from him.

His arms tightened their hold on me and I could feel his attention focused completely on me. “What’s wrong?” he asked, turning his back on his father and bending down so he could look me directly in the eyes.

I didn’t want to have this conversation in front of Dean. I could feel his dad’s eyes on both of us. I shook my head but my body was still tense. I couldn’t help that. The fact he hadn’t told his father was bothering me.

“I’m taking her to the car. I’ll meet you back at the house,” Rush said over his shoulder but kept his eyes focused on mine. I dropped my gaze, wishing I hadn’t reacted now. I was making a scene. Dean was going to think I was a whiny princess.

I opened my mouth to argue when Rush wrapped his arm around my waist and led me to the Range Rover. He was anxious. He didn’t like me upset, which was something we needed to work on. I would get upset. He couldn’t control that.

Rush opened the passenger side door and lifted me up and put me in like I was five. When he thought I was upset he started treating me like a child. We really needed to work on that too.

He didn’t even have his door closed before he looked at me. “Something is wrong. I need to know so I can fix it.”

I sighed and sank back against the seat. I might as well get this over with even if I was being a little touchy. “Why haven’t you told your dad about the baby?”

Rush reached over and closed his hand over mine. “That’s what’s wrong? You’re upset because I haven’t told Dean?”

I nodded and kept my eyes on our hands resting on my leg.

“I haven’t taken time to track him down. And I knew he’d show up when I told him because he’d want to meet you. I wasn’t ready for company just yet. Especially him.”

I was being silly. Lately my emotions were on high alert. I lifted my eyes and met his concerned gaze. “Okay. I understand that.”

Rush leaned over and kissed my lips gently. “I’m sorry I upset you,” he whispered before pressing one more kiss to the corner of my lips and leaning back. It was moments like these that I became a swoony mess.

“He’s here now. So, let’s go see what brought him here before my mother finds out. I want you to myself. I don’t like having my fucked up family around.”

Rush didn’t let go of my hand as he cranked the engine and pulled out onto the road. I laid my head against the seat and turned it so I could look at him. His unshaven jaw made him look older and untamed. Very sexy. I wish he’d not shave more often. I liked the way it felt too. He had taken out his earring and hardly ever wore it anymore.

“Why do you think he’s here?” I asked

Rush glanced over at me. “I was hoping he was here to meet you. But I don’t think he knew about you yet. He looked surprised. So that means this very well could be about Nan.”

Nan. His sister hadn’t been back to Rosemary since her release from the hospital. Rush didn’t seem to be worried about it but he loved his sister. I hated being the reason she stayed away. Now that she knew who her real father was and that I had never taken anything away from her I’d hoped we could be friends for Rush’s sake. It didn’t look like that was going to happen.

“Do you think Nan has gone to see Kiro?” I asked.

Rush shrugged. “I don’t know. She seems different since her accident.”

The car came to a stop outside the large beach house that had been purchased for Rush by his father when he was just a kid. Rush squeezed my hand. “I love you, Blaire. I’m so damn proud of the fact you’re going to be the mother of my son. I want everyone to know. Never doubt that.”

My eyes stung with tears and I nodded before picking up his hand and kissing it. “I get emotional. You need to ignore me when I get like that.”

Rush shook his head. “I can’t ignore you. I want to reassure you.”

The passenger side door opened and I jerked my head around to see Dean Finlay standing there with a smirk on his face. “Let the woman out of the car, son. It’s time I met the mother of my grandchild.”

Dean held out his hand and I put mine in his not sure what else to do. His long fingers wrapped around my hand and he helped me down out of the Range Rover. Rush was there immediately taking my hand from his father’s and pulling me over to him. His dad chuckled and shook his head. “I’ll be damned.”

“Let’s get inside,” Rush replied.