Straightening up, I didn't look back or turn around. He was too close. "What are you doing?" I asked quietly. I didn't want Nan or Grant to hear us.
"I miss you," was his simple response.
Closing my eyes tightly I took a deep breath and tried to calm the frenzy he was sending my heart into. I missed him too. But that didn't make the truth go away.
Telling him I missed him wasn't smart. I didn't need to let him believe things could go back to the way they were.
"Get your drink and come on," Nan snapped from behind him. That was enough to make me move. I wasn't up for a Nan verbal attack. Not today.
"Back off, Nan," Rush growled and I shoved the Corona at him and moved quickly back to the driver's seat. "Blaire, wait," Rush said, once again following me.
"Don't do this," I begged. "I can't handle her."
He winced and then nodded before backing away. I tore my eyes off him and put the cart in drive. Without looking back I headed to the next hole.
Chapter 17
Rush
"Do you not remember what I asked you the other day, Nan?" I snarled once Blaire and her cart were out of sight.
"You were being pathetic. I was trying to help you not look like a lovesick loser."
I turned around and stalked toward her. She was pushing me. I'd never had that all consuming rage most brothers have to physically harm their sisters when we were younger. But right now I was experiencing it.
Grant stepped in front of me putting a barrier between us. "Whoa. You need to back off and calm down."
I shifted my glare from Nan to Grant. What the f**k was he doing? He hated Nan. "Move. This is between me and my sister," I reminded him. He'd never claimed her before. Even when his father had been married to our mother he'd made sure we all understood he hated Nan. There had never been even a remote sibling attachment between those two.
"And you're gonna have to go through me to get to your sister," Grant replied taking a step in my direction. "'Cause right now you aren't thinking about anyone's feelings but Blaire's. Remember how Blaire's presence affects Nan. You cared about that once."
What the f**k! Was I hallucinating? When did Grant start defending Nan? "I know exactly how Blaire affects Nan. But what I'm trying to get through to her is that nothing was Blaire's fault. Nan has hated the wrong person for so damn long she can't let go. What the hell is wrong with you anyway? You already knew this! You were the one who championed Blaire when she first showed up here. You never believed this was her fault. You saw her innocence in this from the beginning."
Grant shifted uncomfortably and then glanced back at Nan whose eyes had gone as round as saucers. "You made her weak, Rush. All her life you protected her. She relied on you. Then you go and drop her and focus all your attention on Blaire and expect Nan to be okay. She may be an adult but she has been so codependent on you her whole life she doesn't know any other way. If you weren't so damn focused on getting Blaire back you'd see this."
I shoved Grant out of my way and leveled my gaze on my sister. I didn't need this lecture from him even if there was some truth to it. Deep down I was pleased that these two had finally found common ground. Maybe Grant cared for her afterall. We had lived in the same house for years. We'd been neglected together.
"I love you, Nan. You know that. But you can't ask me to choose. It's not fair."
Nan put both her hands on her hips. It was her defiant position. "You can't love us both. I'll never accept her. She held a gun on me, Rush! You saw her. She's insane. She was going to shoot me. How can you love her and love me? That makes no sense."
"She would have never shot you. She held a gun on Grant too. He got over it. And yes I can love you both. I love you differently."
Nan shifted her gaze to Grant and gave him a sad smile. That was even weirder. "He won't listen to me, Grant. I give up. He is choosing his love for her over me and my feelings."
"Nan, just listen to him. Come on. He has a point," Grant told her in a gentle tone I'd never heard him use with her. I was in the f**king Twilight Zone.
Nan stomped her foot. "No. I hate her. I can't stand to look at her. She is hurting him now and I hate her more for it," Nan screamed. I glanced around to see if anyone had heard her and saw Woods walking toward us. Shit.
Grant turned and followed my gaze. "Ah, hell," he muttered.
Woods stopped in front of us and looked from Nan, to Grant and then to me. "I overheard enough to know what this conversation is about," he said, keeping his focus locked on me. "Let me make myself very clear. We've all been friends most of our lives. I know the dynamic of your family." He shifted his gaze to Nan with a disgusted snarl of his lip then back to me. "If anyone has a problem with Blaire then they need to take it up with me. She has a job here as long as she wants one. The three of you may not like it but I personally don't give a flying f**k. So get over it. She doesn't need this shit right now. Back off. Are we understood?"
I studied him. What did he mean and why was he acting as Blaire's protector? I didn't like it. My blood started to boil and I fisted my hands at my sides. Did he think he could make his move now? Show up when she was weak and be the hero? Hell no. That wasn't happening. Blaire was mine.
Woods didn't wait for a response. He stalked off instead.
"Looks like you have competition," Nan drawled.
Grant walked over to her and put her behind him again. "That's enough, Nan," he whispered then he looked over at me.
I was done with this. I couldn't deal with the two of them right now. I threw my club down and went after Woods.