Page 55 of The Bad Boy Prince in Love

“Yes, you were,” Hallie said.“I was talking to you just before it happened.”

“You didn’t try to stop her from fighting?”their mama said.Apparently, she knew Terry all too well.

“Terry, you didn’t help your sister?”their father asked, his face clouding over in anger.

“The fight happened so quickly, and then they ran off!”Terry said.“What was I supposed to do?”

Vivian shook her head sadly.“I don’t know what’s the matter with you two, but I need this animosity to be over.As I’ve told you, your father and I are going to retire soon, and we wanted to leave the ranch to one or both of you, but with the way you’ve been acting lately, to be honest, I’m not sure that either of you is capable of taking over the responsibility of running this place.”

Terry gasped in horror.“What do you mean, mama?”

“If the two of you can’t get along as sisters, I’m not sure you’re mature enough to run a big ranch like this.We’ll have to give it to someone else who can handle it.”

Terry jumped up from her seat and hurried over to Hallie.Placing her hand on her heart, she said, “I’m sorry I wasn’t there for you today.Let’s declare peace from now on?”She opened her arms to invite a hug.

Stunned and speechless, Hallie hesitated then decided it was best to follow along.

“Or at least, a truce,” Terry whispered into her ear as she released the embrace.

“Okay,” Hallie said.“I guess it means you’ll stop saying I look like a fat Charlize Theron?”

“I never said that!”Terry declared in righteous indignation.

Hallie gasped at her audacity at denying it when Luke’s voice poured soothingly into her ear, “In my opinion, you’re much more beautiful than Charlize Theron.”

“Of course you’d say things like that.You’re her boyfriend,” Terry blurted out.

Hallie couldn’t decide what she was enjoying more, the compliment from Luke or the fact that Terry couldn’t stop herself from being mean.

“Terry!”their mother rebuked.

“Sorry.You’re like an even more beautiful Amanda Seyfried,” Terry said with a saccharine smile.

“Too much, Terry,” Hallie said.“Too much.”

Chapter 28: Not Ticklish?