Rush Too Far (Rosemary Beach #4)(54)

She sniffed and nodded stiffly. “OK. Thank you,” she said, then bent to pick up the bag she had thrown down. “After you have coffee and are less mean, could you please bring my other bags up?” she asked as she continued up the steps.

She didn’t need me to answer. She knew I would do it. I went to the kitchen. I had to get my anger under control. Going to this thing tonight mad wasn’t fair to Nan. It was just one night. I would explain it to Blaire. She would understand, because she was . . . Blaire. She didn’t expect me to do anything. She didn’t require anything from me. She was the first person in my life to just want me for me. Not for favors.

My chest tightened. She would probably be asleep by the time I got home. I wanted her in my bed. I didn’t want her going to sleep in the other bedroom. I wasn’t sleeping without her.

I poured my coffee and downed it, then poured another cup, before heading back to the foyer to pick up all the shit Nan had brought in. She was coming down the stairs when I started up.

“Do you have the combination to Mom’s jewelry box? I want to wear her sapphire necklace that she bought at Tiffany’s that Christmas.”

“I’ll unlock it for you.” I wasn’t going to tell her to call Mom. There was a good chance Mom would say no, and then Nan would break down, and I would have to clean that mess up, too.

Nan grinned. “Thank you! I’m going to wear one of the Marc Jacobs dresses, and that necklace will go perfectly. I think she bought those earrings that go so well with them, too. Or she borrowed them.” Nan waved a hand as if it didn’t matter. “No biggie. The necklace will go with the diamond teardrops.”

I left her prattling about jewelry, took the bags to Mom’s room, and dropped them on the bed. I had several tuxes here; I would just pick one. What I was wearing wasn’t an issue. But I needed to talk to Blaire first. Let her know where I would be tonight.

It turned out she’d be working. My calls had gone straight to her voice mail, which meant her phone had been off or dead, which wasn’t surprising, knowing Blaire and the importance she put on having a cell phone. When I had called the club, I had gotten Woods on the phone. He’d informed me that Blaire was busy. They were slammed getting ready for tonight. Then he’d told me Blaire would be working and warned me that if Nan said one thing to Blaire, he would have her escorted out. Then he’d hung up on me.

Fucker.

I was arriving at the club in a tux and with my sister on my arm, dressed like a princess. Dealing with the fact that Blaire would be serving tonight while I stood there dressed like this, highlighting our differences, was screwing with my head. I f**king hated this. I wanted Blaire in a dress that I’d paid a ridiculous amount of money for and smiling with excitement. I wanted the world to see that she was mine. That she was with me. But tonight was about my sister. If I could just get through it, then I would never be in this position again. Blaire would never serve at another event that I was attending. She’d be on my f**king arm, where she belonged.

“Remember what I said about Blaire. You do not speak to her unless you are going to say something nice. Woods will have you escorted out, and I will help him. Do you get me? I’m not blowing smoke, Nan.”

Nan nodded stiffly. “I won’t say a thing to her. I swear. Now, could you please stop making this about her and let me enjoy my night? You haven’t even said anything about the way I look.”

She was beautiful, but she was always beautiful. Nan had an elegant beauty that was impossible to hide. “You look gorgeous. No one will compare,” I assured her.

She beamed at me, and I felt guilty for not thinking about the fact that I hadn’t mentioned how she looked earlier. I had been so focused on Blaire that I hadn’t thought about it. Nan needed me tonight. I had to think about her. For a few hours. This was for Nan. “Thank you,” she said, smiling like the princess she knew she was.

“Let’s go,” I said, holding out my elbow for her to take. We walked up to the entrance, and a man in a tux smiled at us and nodded. He announced our names as we stepped into the room. All eyes turned to us. This was Nan’s moment. She wanted to blow the other girls out of the water on first impression, and she did. I had no doubt.

When Nan saw one of her friends, she squeezed my arm and went to join her. If only that was it. I had three more hours of this shit.

“You spoke to her?” Woods said, stopping beside me.

I nodded. “She’ll be on her best behavior. If she says one thing, I will help you escort her out. She knows that.”

Woods looked over the room and nodded. He started to leave but stopped and fidgeted with his cuff links before looking at me. “I hope you know what you’re doing,” he said simply, then walked off to greet some of the older members standing nearby. Woods was here as a host tonight. He wasn’t with anyone.

I didn’t let his words bother me. He was bitter, because I had been the one Blaire chose. I wouldn’t let his comments get to me. I had to prepare myself to see Blaire working. Serving these pompous ass**les and their spoiled daughters.

I made my way over to the farthest wall and hoped I wouldn’t have to talk to too many of these people. Several stopped and spoke to me, and I nodded, forcing a smile. Glancing at my phone, I realized I had two hours and forty- five minutes left.

Then I saw her. She walked into the room, holding champagne flutes and with a smile on her face. The entire room seemed to light up with her presence. The members either ignored her and took a drink or spoke to her with a friendly smile. I realized most of the older golfers wanted to speak to her. She was popular with them, no doubt. Their wives even smiled fondly at her.