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“What the heck, Mer?” He breathed out in a huff.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to compare you to him.”
He made a sudden clicking noise with his mouth and gave his horse a little kick, moving quickly ahead to catch up with Skylar and his mom.
“Gus, wait up.” She didn’t dare try clicking or kicking out of fear that her horse might take off, so she kept riding slowly, falling behind the rest, feeling horrible for hurting his feelings when she knew how hard it had been for him to grow up in the shadow of his perfect brother.
When Merritt returned from the ride after everyone else, Sebastian was waiting at the stable to take care of the horse for her, but Gus was nowhere in sight. The fact that he’d ditched her was irritating, but she felt awful for what she’d said, so she decided to give him time to cool off and talk to him later.
She wandered to the house and spotted some of the family standing outside next to a newly arrived vehicle. Franky Middlebury stood there with a tall blonde beauty at his side. Merritt could only assume this was Ivy, the woman he had mentioned when they were in Michigan.
As Merritt approached, she noticed an unhappy Skylar and walked over to stand beside her. Putting an arm around her did little to turn her frown upside down.
Franky made his way around the group, greeting everyone with hugs.
“Nice to see you again, Merritt.”
“You too.”
“Keeping our boy in line, I hope.”
She laughed. “Of course.” She scanned the group, but Gus was not there.
Franky wrapped Skylar up in a bear hug next and lifted her off the ground. “Why didn’t you call me back?” Merritt heard him ask her quietly.
“Things were crazy at work.”
“Since when does that keep you from calling me?”
“Sorry.”
He turned back and held his hand out toward the blonde. “Skylar Schultz, this is Ivy Prescott. Ivy, this is Skylar.”
Ivy smiled sweetly. “It’s so nice to finally meet you. Francis has told me so much about you.”
“Nice to meet you too.” Skylar smiled politely, but Merritt could tell she was dying inside.
“Are you all right?” Merritt asked Skylar when Franky and Ivy were out of earshot.
Skylar pressed her lips together. “She’s so pretty.”
“So are you, Sky.”
She rolled her eyes and continued watching them. “I have to get over this before it ruins our friendship. He can already tell something’s up with me.”
“Don’t freak out. It’s only been a month, right? It probably won’t last.”
“Maybe. He doesn’t have a good track record for long term relationships.”
“See, there ya go.”
Skylar sighed. “I wish I knew what you did to get my brother to fall for you and become a one-woman man.”
Merritt chewed on the inside of her cheek. “I guess we came into each other’s lives at the right time.” She didn’t know what else to say since he hadn’t actually fallen for her.
“Well, I’ve been right here in Franky’s life for years, and it’s not working.”
“Don’t lose hope. You don’t know what might happen in the future.”