Forever Too Far (Too Far, #3)(32)

Dad sat down on a faded rainbow colored lawn chair. “Boy loves you more. He will always love you more. Anyone can see that, baby girl. You just have to learn not to let Nan intimidate you.”

“I’m trying. But then when she needs him he is there. Most of the time at the expense of my needs. She always wins. I know that sounds silly and I’m being selfish but I need him to pick me. I need him to pick me and our baby over everyone else. I don’t... I don’t know if he’ll ever do that.” Saying the words aloud caused my throat to constrict. Admitting your worst fear was hard. But I needed someone to listen to me.

“You deserve to be number one. You’ve been through too much shit, thanks to me, and it’s time a man made you feel like you’re the most important person in his world. It isn’t selfish. It’s normal. That sister of his uses the fact she was deprived of a father as her excuse to be a raging spoiled bitch. You were handed an even shittier deal. You lost your sister, your father, and your mother. You’ve had more pain than that girl could ever understand yet you still love. You still forgive and you’re strong. You’ll be an incredible mother and wife.” Dad let out a heavy sigh. “All Rush’s life he’s thought of Nan as his child. He’s raised her. She’s an adult now and it’s time he let go. He’s figuring out how to do that and I think he’ll find it. He loves you. I know he does. Any fool can see it all over his face.”

I hoped he was right. “I love him enough that I’m afraid even if he always chooses her I will always forgive him.”

Dad nodded and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees. “I reckon if that happens then I’ll have to fly back to Rosemary to beat the shit outta the boy. You just call me. I’ll always come get you.”

I smiled at the sincere look on his face as he threatened to beat up Rush for me. This was the man I’d grown up loving. This was the man who’d threatened Cain with his hunting rifle on our first date. I walked over to him and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I love you,” I whispered.

“Love you too, Blaire bear.”

A loud cough startled me and I glanced back to see the guy from earlier, once again standing in his boat watching us. He was beginning to give me the creeps. At least this time he was wearing a shirt, even if it was unbuttoned and hanging open.

“Evening, Captain,” Dad called out and the guy raised his beer in a greeting.

“Evening,” he replied. But he didn’t leave. He just stood there.

“This is Blaire. My daughter,” Dad said.

“We met earlier today,” he told Abe and winked at me again. I immediately felt uncomfortable. Rush wouldn’t like him winking at me. Maybe we shouldn’t stay a few days. I was pregnant. Couldn’t he see that? Why would he be flirting with a pregnant woman?

“Ah, well then, good. Glad y’all met,” Dad sounded nervous. Something was off. Was this guy dangerous?

The door to the cabin opened and a sleep ruffled Rush walked outside. This time he was shirtless and his jeans were unbuttoned. I doubted he’d even put on his underwear. He looked like he’d just woken up and realized I was missing and jerked on his jeans to come and find me. His eyes shifted from me to Captain and back. The angry snarl on his face surprised me. He hadn’t seen the man wink at me, had he?

“Hello, Abe,” he said in a sleepy voice as he walked over and pulled me against him. Yes, he was definitely asserting his ownership. Why would he feel threatened? Did the man not understand that I was completely obsessed with him?

“Rush. Even though I was real happy to see Blaire I’m glad you were smart enough to come get her,” Abe replied. The warning in his tone was unmistakable. He was letting Rush know he didn’t like me feeling second.

Rush nodded and pressed his lips to my head. “It won’t happen again,” he told my father.

Dad nodded. “Good. Next time I won’t be so understanding,” he told him.

“Newlyweds?” Captain asked, still standing there watching us.

Rush tensed and I eased closer to him to calm him down. He wanted to be a newlywed. Having another guy question our relationship bothered him.

“They’re engaged,” Dad explained.

Captain pointed the beer toward me as if he was pointing at my stomach. “Got things a little backwards, don’t you?” The accusation in his voice caused Rush to move before I could stop him. Immediately, he was around me and moving across the boat. I reached out and grabbed Rush’s arm just as his foot hit the step leading out.

“Alright, hold it,” Dad said in a loud commanding voice I wasn’t used to hearing him use. “I was gonna wait and explain this to Blaire without a damn audience but it looks like I need to do it now. Since you’ve done gone and pissed Rush off.” He was shooting Captain an annoyed look.

What was he talking about? What kind of explanation?

Rush stopped moving and glared back at my father. “No one talks to Blaire like that. I don’t give a f*ck who he is.”

“Wasn’t talking to Blaire. I was talking to you,” Captain drawled in a bored tone and took another swig of his beer.

I wrapped both hands around Rush’s arm and held on tight.

“That’s enough, boy,” Dad snapped at Captain. I would like to argue that he wasn’t a boy but a man who could very likely hurt my dad without breaking a sweat. I preferred that he stayed friendly with his neighbors.