Too Far 02 - Never Too Far

didn’t want to hear the answer. It was going to hurt like a motherfucker.
    “Not ashamed exactly. I just… I just thought well, I don’t fit into your world. I know that. Just because I’m pregnant with our baby doesn’t mean you have to claim me in any way. You’re just being supportive—”
    “Blaire. Please. Stop now. I can’t listen to any more.” I closed the distance I’d put between us. “You’re my world. I want everyone to know. I don’t know how to date so I never even thought of taking you on a date. But I can promise you right now; I will be taking you on so many damn dates that there won’t be a person in this town that doesn’t know I worship the ground you walk on,” I swore before reaching out and taking her hand. “Forgive me for being an idiot.”
    Blaire blinked back tears and nodded. I wondered how many more times I was going to screw up before I ever got this right.

Blaire

    The cell phone Rush had bought for me was sitting on the kitchen bar when I walked out of my room. This was the third time this week he’d left it somewhere for me to find. This time it had a note attached.
    I picked it up.
    Think about the baby. You need this for emergencies .

    That was a low blow. Smiling I picked the phone up and put it in my pocket. He wasn’t going to give up until I accepted it. Today was my second doctor’s appointment. I’d told Rush about it on our third date Monday night. He’d been very determined to take me on dates all week. Last night I’d begged him to just stay in and watch a movie. He had made his point. Everyone in town had seen us together. I was sure they were all sick of seeing us together by now. The thought made me smile even bigger.
    I slipped the phone back out of my pocket. I had forgotten to remind Rush about today’s appointment last night. Now I had a phone so I could call him. His name was the first one on my contacts list under favorites. I wasn’t surprised.
    It rang three times before he answered.
    “Hey, I need to call you back,” Rush’s voice said in an annoyed tone.
    “Okay but…” I started to say when he muffled the phone to talk to someone else. What was going on?
    “Are you okay?” he snapped.
    “Yeah, I’m fine but—”
    “Then I gotta call you back,” he interrupted me before I could finish then he ended the call.
    I sat there and stared at the phone. What had just happened? Maybe I should have asked if he was okay. When he didn’t call back in the next ten minutes I decided I’d better get dressed for my appointment. Surely he would call back before it was time to leave.

    An hour later and he still hadn’t called back. I debated on calling him or not. Maybe he had forgotten that I’d called. I could always borrow Bethy’s car and go to my appointment. On Monday when I’d told him about it he’d seemed excited about going. I couldn’t just leave him.
    I pressed his number again. It rang four times this time.
    “What?” Nan’s voice startled me. Was he at Nan’s?
    “Uh, um…” I wasn’t sure what to say to her. I couldn’t tell her about my appointment. “Is Rush there?” I asked nervously.
    Nan let out a hard laugh. “Unbelievable. He told you he’d call you back. Why don’t you give him some breathing room? Rush doesn’t do needy. He’s visiting with his family. My mom and dad are here and we’re getting ready to go have a family lunch. When he is ready to talk to you he will.” Then she hung up.
    I sank down onto the bed. He was having a family lunch with his sister, mother and my father. That was why he hung up on me? He didn’t want me to know he was with them. His family lunch came before me and the baby. This was what I’d expected but then he’d been so sweet and protective. Was I being needy? I wasn’t a needy person but I had turned into one. Hadn’t I?
    Standing up, I laid the phone down on the bed. I didn’t want it anymore. Nan’s hateful voice as she told me they were eating with her father taunted me. I grabbed my purse. I had time to walk down to the offices and borrow Bethy’s car.

    I was sweating by the time I made it to the course offices. So much for looking nice for my appointment. That didn’t matter really. It was the least of my problems. I walked up the steps and Darla met me as she was coming out of the door.
    “You don’t work today,” she stated when she saw me.
    “I know. I need to borrow Bethy’s car. I have a doctor’s appointment in Destin that I… uh