"Who is it?" Blaire asked.
"Not sure but they're determined."
Blaire stopped touching me. "Answer it. I'll be good for a few minutes."
I pressed answer. I needed to get rid of them and get my girl inside. But before I could say hello my mother started talking and my world was jerked out from under my feet.
Chapter 36
Blaire
Rush's face went pale. I grabbed his hand but he didn't react. He sat there listening to the person on the other line without speaking. The more they talked the whiter he got. My heart was racing. Something terrible had happened. I kept waiting for him to say something. Anything. But he didn't.
"I'm on my way," he said in a flat voice before dropping his phone to his lap and moving his hand from my grasp to grip the steering wheel.
"What's wrong, Rush?" I asked more scared now than I had been while he was on the phone.
"Go inside the house, Blaire. I have to go. Nan's been in an accident. Some damn sailboat." He closed his eyes tightly and muttered a curse. "I just need you to get out of the car and go inside. I'll call you when I can but I have to go, now."
"Is she hurt? Can't I go with you?"
"NO!" he roared, still looking straight ahead. "You can't go with me. Why would you even ask that? My sister is in ICU and unresponsive. I need to go to her and I need you to get out of the car."
He was hurting and scared. I understood that. But I wanted to be there for him. I loved him and I didn't want him hurting alone. "Rush, please let me go with you - "
"GET OUT OF THE CAR!" he yelled so loudly my ears stung. I fumbled for the door handle and grabbed my purse.
He revved the engine and continued to stare straight ahead while his knuckles turned as white as his face from gripping the steering wheel so tightly. I wanted to say more but he was so upset I was scared of what he would do. He didn't want to hear me speak nor did he want to look at me.
I didn't want to cry in front of him. That wasn't what he needed right now. I got out of the car as quickly as I could. Before I could get the door fully closed he threw the car in reverse and spun out of the drive. I just stood there and watched as he drove away. I couldn't help him. I wasn't wanted.
Tears ran down my face freely now. He was hurting. My heart broke for him. Once he got there and saw her he would call me. I had to believe that. I wanted to call him and make him talk to me but my ears still rang and my heart still hurt from his words.
I finally turned to look back at the house. It was large, sprawling and dark. Nothing was welcoming about it without Rush. I didn't want to stay here alone but I didn't have a car to drive to Bethy's either. I shouldn't have moved from Bethy's. It had been too soon. Everything with Rush had moved so fast. Now, it was all about to be tested. I wasn't sure I was ready for that test. Not yet.
Calling Bethy and telling her I needed a ride to work and that Rush had left wasn't something I was up for tonight. She would find something wrong with this and make me feel even worse. I understood Rush's fear and the way he reacted and left but Bethy wouldn't. At least I didn't think she would. Rush had won some points in his favor when he put the ring on my finger in her eyes and I wanted to keep it that way.
I opened my purse to get out the keys when I realized I hadn't brought them. Rush had taken me to work. I hadn't thought I needed them. Looking back up at the dark house I was almost relieved I wouldn't have to be staying there alone tonight.
The club was only three miles from here. I could walk that. Then Bethy's was just a short walk from the club. The evening breeze had cooled things down and it wasn't so bad. I slipped my purse back over my shoulder and started walking down the brick paved driveway toward the road.
It took about an hour and fifteen minutes to get to Bethy's. Her car wasn't in the parking lot. There was a good chance she was staying with Jace tonight. I guess I should have thought about that. I stopped and looked at the door to the condo. I didn't have the energy to walk back. My stubbornness not to call for a ride was biting me in the butt.
I bent down and lifted the mat. There on the cement slab was the spare key. She must have put it back out after I moved. She'd only stopped hiding it there because I had asked her to. Tonight it came in extremely handy. I doubted she was coming home until tomorrow anyway. I didn't have to tell her about all this tonight.
I carried the key inside with me and then headed back to my bathroom to take a shower. Rush had insisted she keep the bed he'd bought in the second bedroom instead of taking it when I moved out. Something else I could be thankful for tonight.
I managed to get to work without Bethy ever knowing I'd needed to crash at her place last night. It wasn't that I thought she'd care but I wasn't ready to answer her questions or hear her opinions.
After changing into a clean uniform from the supply room I made my way to the kitchen. Just before I reached the door Woods stepped out and leveled his gaze on me.
"I was looking for you," he said and nodded his head toward the hallway that led to his office. "We need to talk."
He more than likely knew about Nan. I was sure everyone in their circle did by now. Was he going to ask me about her? I really hoped he wasn't. Admitting that I knew nothing made me sound like I didn't care. Did Rush think I didn't care? Was it my responsibility to call him? He was the one hurting. His reaction last night had scared me but if he needed me I had to get over that.
"Did you sleep at all?" Woods asked looking back at me.
I nodded. I hadn't really slept well but I had gotten some sleep. The three-mile walk had helped exhaust me to the point that I couldn't keep my eyes open once I lay down.