Chapter 84
“Thanks,” JT muttered as he took them from Mr. Jack, leaned against him, and put them back on. “What about the girls?”
“We’ve got ‘em.” Becca held hers up by the delicate straps.
Jan did the same. She didn’t look overjoyed to have to leave while the reception was still in full swing, but she wouldn’t side with anyone over them.
Mopp came up to them, grinning in spite of a split lip and the swelling that was starting around his eye. “Are we leaving?”
JT groaned. “What happened?”
He shrugged. “One of those…” He glanced at Jan, then gestured back toward the cluster of men at the bar. They were bending over a man who was sprawled on the floor, apparently out cold. “He said something a…a gentleman shouldn’t say. I’ll tell you later, okay, JT?”
“Okay.”
Oh God. Rush couldn’t blame Mopp if that man had said something disparaging about Jan, but things were really going from bad to worse. “May we go, please?” He felt as if he were at the end of his tether.
“Sure, babe.” They walked out of the room, and then Tad slung an arm over his shoulders.
Rush leaned into him. “I’m sorry. I’m such a—”
“Don’t say it.”
“You don’t even know what I’m going to say.”
“It doesn’t matter. You deserve better than—”
“You’re not leaving yet, are you, Becks?” Emmett stood in front of them, grinning and blocking their exit. Rush had never been so embarrassed by his brother’s actions. The only reason why Emmett hadn’t made a bigger pest of himself all evening was because Jan had intercepted him, flirting for all she was worth and dragging him off, sometimes to the dance floor, but more often to one of the corridors outside the ballroom. Rush was sorry she seemed attracted to his brother. Even if Emmett wasn’t engaged, he wouldn’t have seen Jan as anything more than a temporary diversion to be dropped as soon as another girl caught his eye.
“Where the heck did he come from?” Tad groused. He dropped his arm from Rush’s shoulders, and Rush felt a flash of resentment toward his brother at the loss.
“The men’s room.” Rush knew the facilities were just down the hall.
Meanwhile, Emmett rocked back and forth on his heels, and ran the backs of his fingers over Becca’s cheek.
“Don’t hit him, Jack!” JT ordered sharply.
“Why not? So you can have the pleasure?”
“No, so I can.” Becca drove her fist into Emmett’s stomach, and he collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath. “I told you I despise that nickname. Don’t ever call me that again.”
“Again? So you want to see me again? I’ll give you my number.”
“Don’t bother. I was raised better than to date a man who’s engaged.” She turned on her heel and stalked down the hallway toward the entrance doors.
“A…a girl with…with fire. I like that!” he called after her.
Jan sulked. “Ihave fire.”
Becca slid an arm around Jan’s waist. “Never mind. He isn’t worth it. Sorry, Rush.”
“No, you’re right, but I’msor—”
“Don’t you say it, Rush.” His boyfriend had an arm around his shoulder, and he gave Rush a shake. “Don’t you dare say you’re sorry. None of this was your fault.”
“Thank you. And thank you all for coming with me. I’m just sorry—Well, I am,” he responded to Tad’s growl. “I wish you could have had a better time.”
“What makes you think we didn’t have a good time?” Mr. Jack handed the chit to the valet parking attendant, and they waited for the Hummer to be brought around.
“It can’t have been much fun to be thrown out of Anderson-Cumming.”
“Are you kidding?” JT rubbed Rush’s shoulder. “That was the highlight of the evening. Well, except for Rebecca punching that little—” Mr. Jack poked him in the ribs, and he cleared his throat. “Your brother. You didn’t hurt your hand, did you, Rebecca?”
“No, Daddy Tom.” She flexed her fingers and grinned. “I’m fine.”
“There you go. We ate, we danced, we had a mini-brawl.”
Mr. Jack grinned. “And as the saying goes, a good time was had by all.”
“Did you intend to rhyme?” JT demanded.
“Of course I did.”
JT leaned close and whispered something into Mr. Jack’s ear, and the big man flushed.
What a wonderful family, Rush thought, so much better than the family he’d been born into. And best of all, they had welcomed him into it with no reservations.
Just then, the Hummer pulled up, and the attendant got out. “Thank you, sir.” He grinned broadly at the size of the tip Mr. Jack handed him.