“She’s going to be sick,” Heath said, as we stopped just outside the tent. I turned to him and saw Mary was gone now. The danger must also be gone. That gave me a slight sense of ease.

“Yep, but we did warn her,” I reminded him. I didn’t want to ask about Rathe and wished I could forget when he’d been with Leanne earlier, but I also needed to be sure he was safe. He was my friends’ guest. I had to protect them all. It was the right thing to do. Or that was what I was telling myself to feel better.

“Where’s Rathe?” I asked.

Heath frowned and glanced around. “Last I saw him he was with Leanne. They were going inside, I believe.”

He wasn’t in danger from the stranger; however, there was another danger he was dipping his toes into. My sister. She was an evil most men couldn’t resist. It hadn’t taken her long at all to get his attention. I was sure she’d give me all the details I didn’t want to hear about their alone time together. He would be under her spell, literally, and she’d crush him because I doubted he was wealthy enough for her to do more than play with for a moment.

“I’m sure they’re lost in the priceless editions of literature in my father’s library,” I suggested with sarcasm evident in my tone.

“Uh, I’m gonna doubt that,” Heath said and started to laugh, but something in my expression stopped him. I needed to do a better job of showing I didn’t care about Rathe and Leanne. “I told him your sisters were… bad news. Sorry,” he added with an unsure tone in his voice. It was possible he was taking my concern the wrong way while I was, in fact, jealous about Rathe being with Leanne. I couldn’t be jealous. I knew better to entertain the idea of jealousy. I had known he would be drawn in by Leanne. I’d prepared myself for it. The sting it caused was a reminder that I had no rights where Rathe was concerned. He wasn’t an option for me. He never could be. No one could be an option, though the sting didn’t ease because of it.

“You can warn them, but they all have to find out for themselves,” I said, forcing a smile and patting Heath’s arm as if there was nothing to be worried about.

He didn’t look convinced.

TEN: THE SERIOUS SHIT

Ten

The Serious Shit