Forever Too Far (17 page)

entire place faded away and all I could see was Blaire.

When you first looked at me

I forgot to breathe

that
moment marked my hardened heart

I vowed never to leave

And the touch of your skin

healed something deep within

that
left me wanting more of you

the
less I got the more it grew

Oh I couldn’t help from falling, falling for you

So I’m standing here, oh girl you know

After all that we’ve been through we couldn’t let it go

and
as long as I’m alive, in your eyes I’ll stare

holding
you so close I’ll solemnly swear

that
I have fallen too far

that
I have fallen too far, too far for you.

For you

When I finally found you

I finally found me

that
day I won’t soon forget

the
reason for it all

I’ll give you a new name

nothing
in life will be the same

the
story is now complete

our
life and love is all we need

‘Cause I couldn’t help from falling

falling
for you

So I’m standing here oh girl you know

After all we’ve been through we couldn’t let it go

and
as long as I’m alive, in your eyes I’ll stare

holding
you so close I’ll solemnly swear

that
I have fallen too far, that I have fallen too far

too
far for you

My heart is beating

begging
for you

this
night will be

a
dream come true

so
fall, fall, fall into my arms

So I’m standing here oh girl you know

After
all that we’ve been through we couldn’t let it go

That I have fallen
too far

That I have fallen too far

That I have fallen too far

too
far for you, yeah

For you...

(Fallen Too Far- the wedding song by Rush Finlay is available for purchase on iTunes.
)

When I played the last line I quickly pulled the guitar strap over my head and handed it to Grant.

Blaire didn’t wait for any direction from the minister before she threw herself in my arms with a sob.

“That was beautiful,” she said against my chest.

“Not as beautiful as you are,” I replied, holding her against me.

She let out a small laugh. “I didn’t know you could
do that
,” she said, pulling back to look up at me.

“I’m full of all kinds of exciting surprises,” I assured her and winked.

“Alright you two. Let me give the girl away first,” Abe said, reaching for Blaire’s arm and pulling her

back to his side with an amused grin.

Abe kissed his daughter’s cheek then looked at me. “I’d tell you how special she is but you already

know that. Because you do is the only reason I can hand her over to you. I asked you to be the man I

couldn’t be, and you did as I asked. Not for me but for her. I couldn’t be prouder of the woman she’s

become and the man she’s chosen to spend her life with.” He took Blaire’s hand and placed it in

mine. Then he turned to take his seat.

I slipped her hand into the crook of my arm as we turned around to face the minister. She jumped

beside me and looked down at her stomach with a smile. I slipped my arm around her waist and

placed my hand on her stomach as our baby moved. This was mine.

HARLOW (yes, you read that right too.)

I could feel him looking at me again. I wished he would stop. Since he’d stalked off cursing a blue

streak and left me standing in my hiding place at the rehearsal party, all he did was stare at me. I

hated being stared at. I was ready to go home but I knew Dean was enjoying himself. I was going to

see if I could get an earlier flight out. I didn’t want to stay until tomorrow.

I crossed my legs again and studied my hands. No one really spoke to me and I couldn’t blame them. I

was boring. I never knew what to say. I was afraid to say anything. I always had been. I’d learned it

was better to keep quiet than to say something stupid.

It was easier to blend into the background when guys who looked like Grant Carter didn’t stare at you

constantly. I couldn’t figure out why he was staring at me. That was the craziest thing. I knew why he

was upset. When you’re quiet people forget you’re around and they talk about stuff in front of you that

really isn’t your business. I’d heard Nan talking on the phone to Grant several times. I also knew that

as nice of a guy as Rush was his stepbrother wasn’t. Any guy who dated someone like Nan had to be

equally screwed up.

I just wished he wasn’t so freaking hot. That was something I should have been prepared for. Nan

was gorgeous and even though she was a raging bitch she attracted all men. Any guy that she was in a

relationship with had to be equally beautiful. And oh my, was he. Very. Even the long hair that he had

tucked behind his ears was attractive. Those blue eyes of his had been piercing.

It had taken two words from him and I’d become a blubbering mess. Which wasn’t hard to do. I did

that often. The chair beside me scraped across the floor and I jerked my gaze up to see Grant sitting

down entirely too close to me. Not good. So not good. What was his deal?

“I’m sorry about last night,” he snapped at me. I tensed and managed to nod my head.

Okay, so he was sorry. Fine. Now he could leave and stop looking at me.

“Come on, Harlow, say something. Give me more than a nod,” he said, sounding exasperated.

I wasn’t sure why I should exasperate him. I hadn’t done anything to him. I’d tried to stay away from

him and ignore his constant staring. Even during the wedding he’d found me among the other guests

and he hadn’t looked away from me the entire time.

“Is it just me or do you not talk to anyone? I haven’t seen you chatting it up with the other guests.”

Even though I didn’t like him and I sure didn’t like his choice in females, I also didn’t want him

thinking I was an idiot. He’d go tell Nan and she’d have something else to make fun of me about. “I’m

not good in crowds,” I explained.

He seemed to relax some when I spoke. “This bunch is overwhelming. Can’t say I blame you.”

I forced a smile. It wasn’t a big one but it was the best I could do. I didn’t do fake well. I never had.

“You don’t like me, do you?” He was obviously very observant too.

I could lie to be polite. I’d been taught by my grandmother that if I couldn’t say anything nice not to

say anything at all. “I don’t like Nan,” I replied honestly. That wasn’t polite but it was true.

Instead of getting defensive, Grant burst out laughing. Not a quiet amused laugh but a fully belly laugh like I was a great comedian. I watched him and hated him all the more for being attractive when he

laughed. It wasn’t fair. I didn’t want to think anything about him was attractive.

“I’m sorry,” he said, wiping his eyes and grinning at me. “But that was not what I was expecting to

come out of that sweet mouth of yours. Damn, that was funny.”

I didn’t think it was funny at all. Did he think I was joking?

“I don’t think you’re alone in that, beautiful. Most people would agree with you. Especially the

attendants at this wedding.”

I didn’t respond. He obviously liked her.

“Since you aren’t going to elaborate, I’m going to assume that you aren’t talking to me because I dated

Nan and you don’t like her.”

I shrugged. Not exactly. It was more than that. Telling him was once again rude and I shouldn’t be

rude. But it was either be rude or let him think I was a mute. I didn’t want him to make fun of me to

Nan. I got enough of it from her.

“Anyone who dates Nan can’t have any redeeming qualities. Or any qualities that I’d be interested in

getting to know better. I don’t like wasting my time with those I know I’ll never speak with again.”

That had come out harsher than I meant for it to. Damn honesty.

Grant winced. I was acting like a bitch myself. I accused Nan of being one and I was behaving just as

badly. I couldn’t do that. I didn’t want to be that. “Look, that didn’t come out right. I’m sorry. What I meant to say is that I don’t like Nan. At all. I can’t see why anyone who isn’t related to her would

even put up with her. The fact you not only put up with her but dated her tells me that you and I would

never be friends. I’m sorry. I don’t want to sound like a bitch because I’m really a nice person. I just try to stay away from mean people. Nan is the epitome of mean so that leads me to believe you are

mean as well. Mean people stick together.” I stopped because I was making this worse. Standing up, I

gave him an apologetic smile that didn’t have to be forced this time because I really did feel bad for

spewing from the mouth just now. I tended to do that when I tried to talk too much. Before he could

say anything else I bolted. I was going to go tell Rush and Blaire goodbye and go to the airport and

wait to get on an earlier flight. I would just stay the night at the airport if I had to. At least this way Grant Carter couldn’t find me.

“I still can’t get over you singing me a song and you played the guitar. Just wow, Rush. Wow.” I was

still reeling from looking up at Rush and seeing him waiting on me with a guitar in his arms. Then

instead of Jason Mraz playing over the speakers Rush had sung a song that he’d written for me. After

the different gifts and letters sent to my room I’d thought he couldn’t top himself. I had been wrong.

“I stopped singing when I was in college. I decided that I was tired of girls being interested in me

because of Dean. If I sang it only made my connection to Slacker Demon worse. So I just quit. But for

you... I wanted you walking down the aisle to me with my voice singing words written for you. Not a

generic song that is played in a million other weddings.” Rush kissed the spot just below my ear.

“There are no other weddings like this one and there never will be,” he whispered in my ear.

I snuggled closer to him as we danced to Ed Sheeran’s version of “Kiss Me” being performed by our

live band. Dean had offered to get a “real band” but I hadn’t wanted that. I didn’t want our wedding to

be more than a small intimate gathering. I didn’t want to make it a concert for the attending band. Rush had agreed with me and we’d found the best cover band that money could buy.

“I wish we didn’t have a house full of people tonight,” I said against his chest.

“Doesn’t matter. We won’t be there,” Rush replied.

I pulled back and looked up at him. “What do you mean?”

He smirked. “You really think I’m going to share a house with all those people on my wedding night?

Hell no. We have the penthouse condo at the club waiting on us when we leave here.”

I was glad he’d thought of that. I didn’t want to think about his dad and my dad in the same house as us tonight. “Good,” I replied.

His chest vibrated from his laughter. I looked out over the other guests. All of our friends were here.

Everyone we loved. Except his sister... and his mother. But they wouldn’t have approved. Both of

them hated me. Still, I felt bad that they had missed this day for Rush’s sake. I just hoped one day that they would be a part of our lives for Rush. I knew even though he didn’t mention them that he missed

them.

“Where did you put that satin?” he asked.

I grinned and bite down on my bottom lip. “I didn’t have pockets,” I replied.

“I know. So where is it?”

“Tucked in my bra,” I admitted.

“Guess it’ll have a new meaning for me from now on,” he said, teasing the bottom of my breasts with

his thumbs.

“Thank you for everything. The necklace, the anklet, the ring, and I’ll let you keep the satin. Although I loved having it there with us. Knowing she had touched both our lives. It was perfect.”

Rush tightened his arms around me. “Yeah, it was.” The moment his body went tense I felt it. Gazing

up at him I saw his eyes focused on something over my shoulder. I glanced back to see Cain standing

there watching us. “I should probably let him dance with you. I’m trying to talk myself into it,” Rush

said, still holding me tightly.

I smiled at him and his torn expression. “If you don’t want me to dance with Cain then I don’t want to.

I do need to go speak to him and if you want to go with me and hold onto me when I do that then you

can. Relax. I’m Blaire Finlay now. The girl he loved was Blaire Wynn.”

At the use of my new name his entire body relaxed and he held me tighter. “Say that again. At least the

part where you say your name,” he said in a husky voice.

“Blaire Finlay,” I repeated.

“Damn, that sounds good,” he said, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Go talk to him. But if you don’t

mind... no dancing. I don’t want his hands on you.”

“So no hugging either?” I asked before walking over to Cain.

Rush frowned then shook his head. “Not if he wants to keep his arms attached to his body,” he

replied, causing me to laugh. My possessive man.

I walked over to Cain who stood there waiting on me with his hands stuffed in his pockets and a

pained look on his face. This couldn’t be easy for him. In his mind we had been forever. He hadn’t