Page 148 of The Bad Boy Prince in Love

“Why are you sorry?I thought you got everything you wanted.”

“I just felt bad...You could have let Luke say his thing, and then I would have been in real trouble.But you didn’t; you stopped him.”

Hallie ceased her frantic packing.She finally felt like she had done something right, and someone even appreciated it.She was glad she wasn’t the kind of person who let her sister’s marriage be ruined.

“It was only a kiss after all,” she said, “It wasn’t worth mentioning.”

“Well, thanks.”Terry stepped further into the room and sat down on the bed.“I feel bad now about what I said.”

“It was all true,” Hallie replied, “The relationship was fake from the beginning.You spotted it.If anything, I should say, ‘well played’.”

“I knew it!”Terry cried, losing her uncharacteristic meekness for a moment.“Still, I’ve been totally mean to you, and I get why you came up with the fake relationship to get back at me.I would have done the same thing if I were you.Maybe I wouldn’t have chosen to run a ‘fake boyfriend’ scam but I definitely would have done something very nefarious.”

Hallie couldn’t help but chuckle.“I believe you would.”

Now that the whole thing was over, she felt almost relieved.Terry would get the ranch, which was only fair since she didn’t have anything else.Hallie still had her job, even if it was working for Luke.

“Remember when I tied you up in the barn?”Terry suddenly asked with a nostalgic smile.

“Yeah, how could I forget?It was one of the most traumatic experiences of my life.”

“I literally meant to kill you,” Terry admitted.“I just hadn’t decided how to do it.”

For some reason, this made Hallie burst into laughter.The whole thing happened so long ago that it didn’t seem to matter anymore.

Hallie had been five or six years old at the time.She recalled being genuinely scared when Terry snuck up and seized her in a way that felt even rougher than usual, wrapping her up in a blanket and tying her up.It was only because Hallie screamed at the top of her lungs and their mama found them that she was rescued.It now seemed highly amusing to think of young Terry plotting to murder her out of pure jealousy.

“And then mama gave you quite a spanking,” Hallie added through peals of laughter.

“I know,” Terry said, “Who spanks their kids in this day and age?”

“Terry, you’re a psychopath.”

“I’m not!Would a psychopath have feelings of wanting to be loved and included?”

“I wouldn’t know.I’m not a psychopath; you are.”

“Oh, shut up!”

They sat in comfortable silence.Despite their fights, they had always understood each other, sometimes better than anyone else.

“I’m sorry I wasn’t the kind of sister that you wanted,” Terry said, “You don’t know what it was like for me when everyone fawned over you like you were the cutest thing on earth, and here I was going, ‘what am I, chopped liver?’”

“What are you talking about?”Hallie cried.“You’re the one they focused on all the time.”

“Yeah, because I got bad grades at school.”

“Are you kidding?You’ve always been their favorite child.”

“Give me a break,” Terry grumbled.“You don’t know what it’s like to feel unnoticed.It just makes me want to give up.”

“The Terry I know would never give up,” Hallie said, giving her an encouraging smile.

“You’re right.And now that I’ve got the ranch, I’m going to try and manage it well, maybe make some extra income.”

Hallie was glad to hear it because she had dreaded leaving all the animals in Terry’s care.Somehow she felt she might be able to trust her sister at last.

“I’m glad,” she said, getting up to resume her packing.“I’ll miss taking care of the cows and horses, but I’m sure you’ll do very well.”