Abbi Glines - Take a Chance

I wasn’t dredging up my past and talking about my childhood like that was a good excuse. And none of us wanted to bring up Jace. That was still too fresh. “I’m not ready for that. I would eventually hurt Harlow, and I can’t do that. I just want to get her to listen to my explanation and walk away from this as friends. She’s sweet and special and I can’t stand the idea of her thinking I used her.” Friends. That word sounded flat. If Harlow forgave me, could I live with just being friends? How was I supposed to look at her and not remember how good she felt in my arms? Was I asking for something impossible? I didn’t want to leave Rosemary. Hell, I couldn’t leave Rosemary. Someone needed to make sure Harlow survived with Nan.

Blaire tucked a strand of her long white-blond hair behind her ear and pierced me with her steady gaze. “You don’t want her but you want her to know that what y’all did was special to you. I can understand that. It’s typical you. You don’t like hurting people.”

“Can you tell me what to do? She hates me right now.”

Nate reached over and tugged at Blaire’s hair and giggled happily.

“Don’t pull Momma’s hair. We’ve gone over this, dude,” Rush said, saving Blaire from another hard tug.

Blaire thanked Rush and pressed a kiss to Nate’s head then turned back to me.

“Let me talk to her. Then I’ll let you know when you can talk to her. Until then, stay out of Nan’s bed, especially now that Harlow’s living there.”

“Not going there again. I’m hanging up the whiskey, too.”

“Good, I’m tired of picking up your sorry ass from the bar,” Rush said.

“Language,” Blaire reminded Rush.

“Sorry,” he replied quickly.

Blaire sighed. “Nate’s first word is going to be a four-letter one, I just know it.”

“ ‘Ass’ only has three letters,” I replied.

“The gun, man. Remember the gun. My woman comes armed,” Rush warned.

Blaire stood up and let out a frustrated growl. “You two. I swear,” she said, reaching for Nate. “I need to go feed this guy and then it’s his naptime. I’ll call you, Grant.”

I watched her walk out of the room.

“Eyes off my wife’s ass,” Rush warned.

It was the first time I’d felt like laughing all day.

Lunch had been painless.

But I wasn’t sure I was doing it again anytime soon. I just wasn’t ready to trust anyone right now. This was temporary, and as appealing as having a friend sounded, I didn’t see Adam wanting friendship. He would eventually want more.

I left the club and headed to my car. I wasn’t in the mood for golf. I just wanted to read and escape this mess Dad had left me in. I needed to get out of Rosemary and find some public park where I could sit under a tree and read. I had two books on my e-reader I couldn’t wait to read.

Then I spotted him. Long dark hair with just enough curl to make it look messy pulled back in a ponytail. Cowboy hat perched on his head. Blue plaid shirt pulled tightly against his broad shoulders and back as he leaned against my car with his arms crossed over his chest. Excitement bubbled up inside me, even as I wondered why he was here. I started running.

The sound of my footsteps caught his attention and he turned toward me. A slow, easy grin spread across his handsome face. I saw so much of our father in him. I often wondered if this was what Daddy would have looked like if he hadn’t let sex, drugs, and rock and roll take over his life. Mase was healthy and strong.

I threw my arms around him as he opened his. “What are you doing here?” I asked, holding on to him tightly. Tears stung my eyes. I hadn’t realized how alone I’d felt until this moment. Just having Mase here. Someone who loved me. It was a relief.

“Heard our dear ol’ dad threw you to the wolves and wanted to make sure you were okay,” he drawled in his Texas twang that always made me smile.

I couldn’t respond just yet. If he saw the emotion in my eyes or heard it in my voice he would pack me up and take me to Texas. I swallowed the lump in my throat.

“It isn’t so bad. I’ve had a good day.”

Mase grunted and pulled back to look down at me. “From what Dad’s told me, she’s a raging bitch. The next thing I hear he sends you off to live with her. I’m finding it all a little hard to swallow.”

“She hates me. She’ll hate you, too, just because she can. But Rush and his wife, Blaire, are here. You’ll like her. She’s very nice. I’m not completely alone.”

Mase frowned and the dimple in his left cheek disappeared. “Rush got married? Damn, I’m behind on family shit.”

“Yeah. He has a baby, too. Nate. He’s adorable, but then Rush is, well . . . Rush and Blaire are stunning.”

“Well, I’ll be damned. The heartthrob got married. Haven’t seen him in forever, but didn’t expect that.”

“People change. Rush has changed.”

Mase nodded. “Yeah, they do.”

Reading no longer sounded appealing. I wanted to spend time with Mase. “How long are you here?”

Mase cocked an eyebrow and rubbed his stubbled chin. “As long as you need me, little sister.”

I needed him for nine months, but I wasn’t going to tell him that.

“Where are you staying?”

Mase let out a chuckle. “I’m staying at that big, nice house my father paid for.”

My jaw dropped. Surely he knew Nan lived there. She wouldn’t just let him move in. “But Nan won’t . . .” I trailed off.

Mase winked and leaned closer to me. “I called Kiro. He knows I’m here. And he said if the bitch gave me problems to have her call him. He’d handle it.” He smirked. “Not that I needed him to handle her. I’ll move my shit in there and pick my own room. Ain’t one damn thing she can do to stop me.”

I thought about her reaction and knew this wasn’t going to be good. “She’s going to go crazy. She is crazy.”

Mase threw his arm over my shoulders. “Good. I need some entertainment. Now, why don’t you show me how to get to this house and you can help me settle in. Then we’re going to find ourselves a decent bar to get a couple beers and play some pool. One with no damn polo shirts and luxury cars.” He looked around the parking lot with a disgusted expression.

He might be the only son of the most infamous rocker in the world, but he was a country boy. His big black Dodge truck had mud on the tires and dirty work boots in the back. He wasn’t one for pretenses.

“Okay. Want me to drive and you follow?”

“Yeah. We need to get your car to the house before we head out tonight.”

I opened my door and glanced back to see him walk over to his truck and climb in.

My brother was here. He was moving in with us. All three of Kiro’s kids living in one house. This was going to be . . . a disaster.

“I need you to come here now! Right fucking now!” Nan screamed into the phone. I held it away from my head to keep her from breaking my eardrums.

“Stop yelling in my damn ear,” I barked.

“He won’t leave! I need help. I can’t get my sorry-ass father on the phone. I need you. Please. Help me!”

“Who?”

“Just get here!” She screeched and hung up the phone.

Shit. I didn’t want to go anywhere near Nan. But Harlow . . . if “he” was upsetting Nan this much, could this person hurt Harlow? Had Nan brought someone home she didn’t know? Was he dangerous? Fuck! I ran and grabbed my truck keys and headed outside. I’d go over there, but this wasn’t for Nan. I was doing this for Harlow.

A black Dodge truck with an extended cab that looked like it had been mud-riding was parked beside Harlow’s car. Who the hell did Nan bring home this time? The idea of Harlow being in danger made the anger inside me start to boil. Fucking Nan wasn’t safe enough for Harlow. She needed a safe place to live, and Nan made dumbass choices like this Dodge truck.

I stalked up the steps and opened the door without knocking. Nan’s high-pitched screaming was easy to follow. I walked up the stairs to the first bedroom on the second floor.

“You are NOT living in my fucking house! Pack your damn bags and leave now! This is not the agreement I had with Kiro.” Nan was red in the face when I walked into the room. Her wild eyes found mine and she lunged for me and wrapped her arms around me. “You came. Thank you, thank you. I need your help.”

My eyes found Harlow’s. They were wide with a mix of emotions. The only one that mattered to me was the hurt. I took Nan’s arms off my body and moved her away from me without looking away from Harlow. I didn’t want her to think I was here for Nan.

“You called your boyfriend? That’s pretty damn funny.” The deep drawl caught my attention. I shifted my gaze to the guy standing beside Harlow. His tone sounded relaxed, but the way he was standing slightly in front of Harlow and the stiff posture told me he felt as if he was protecting her.

“Who are you?” I asked, stepping past Nan and closer to Harlow. I didn’t know who this guy was trying to protect, but damned if I was gonna let him get any closer to Harlow.

“He thinks he’s moving into this room! Tell him he’s not,” Nan demanded.

He thought what?

I watched Harlow take a step toward him and wrap her small hand around the guy’s bicep. I didn’t like that. Not at all. I glared at her hand on his arm then I moved my gaze to hers. Was he hers? Had she moved on? “Who is he, Harlow?” I asked. I needed to hear her tell me this.

Harlow looked up at the guy then back at me. I could see the indecision on her face. She didn’t trust me. I fucking hated that. I’d worked so hard to get her to trust me. Now she was holding on to this other guy like he was part of the damn cavalry.

“I don’t believe this? You come over here and you ask her who he is? What the hell is wrong with you? He’s in my house and I want him out. Now.” Nan grabbed my arm and jerked it, trying to get my attention. I just ignored her. I kept my focus on Harlow.

“Grant, this is my brother, Mase Colt-Manning. Mase, this is Grant Carter. He’s Rush’s best friend and Nan’s boyfriend.”

All I heard was “my brother” and my entire body relaxed. He was her brother. The tightness in my chest was gone and I could breathe again. Nothing else she said mattered. Mase Colt-Manning. The only son of Kiro Manning. I wondered if I had just breathed that sigh of relief too loudly.

Mase took a step toward me and held out his hand. “Nice to meet you,” he said in his thick Texas accent.

I shook his hand. His grip was more like a warning than a greeting. “You, too,” I replied. The silent threat in his eyes wasn’t unmissed. He had noticed my attention to Harlow. The message he was getting in this room was wrong, and I wanted to fucking correct it but not for his sake. For Harlow’s.

“For fucking real? You’re shaking his hand? He’s moving into my house! Uninvited!” Nan screeched.

I stepped back and looked at Nan for the first time since I’d walked into the room. “It’s Kiro’s house, Nan. If he wants to move another one of his kids in, he can. I don’t see how you can stop it.”

Nan’s face went from red to bright red as she stamped her foot and let out a loud noise that sounded like a five-year-old’s temper tantrum.

“Not that it’s my business, but how do you put up with that?” Mase asked.

“I don’t. She isn’t my girlfriend. Harlow has misunderstood some things that she won’t let me clarify,” I replied, looking over at her. She ducked her head and stared down at her feet.

“I see,” Mase replied, and I had an idea that he did see. A lot more than Harlow did. He was a guy and it was all over my face. I just wanted her to forgive me, and I had no use for Nan. Not anymore.

“Leave,” Nan demanded, pointing to the door. The angry gleam in her eyes was directed at me. “Now. Get out of my fucking house. You are someone I can throw out. So just go. I shouldn’t have called you.”

“I’d tell you to stay, but Harlow and I got plans. I’m sure we’ll see each other around,” Mase said. “You can leave my room now, Nan.”

The infuriated scowl on her face as she turned and stalked out of the room almost made me laugh. Mase wasn’t going to let her get away with anything. Was that why he was here? Was he here for Harlow? The way he kept his body slightly in front of her as if he was ready to pounce on anyone who got too close told me that it was exactly why he was here.

“Thanks,” I replied before turning to leave.

“You’re welcome, but what are you thanking me for?” he asked.