She crosses her arms. “No. Not until you hear me out.”
I tug my hat down. “Heather, I don’t have time for this.”
“Why? You chasing the tail of that little girl that ran away? She doesn’t look like she’d survive more than two minutes in this place.”
“You’d be wrong. She’s been here for over twenty-four hours.”
Heather rolls her eyes. “Wow. So long. Sterling, baby, you’ve not been around women most of your life, so you don’t know what goes on in their heads. That girl doesn’t want to be here. She’s delicate. She belongs in the city, surrounded by silks and velvet. She’s not a hardy Texas girl.”
It’s not like I don’t have those same concerns, but I’m not sharing that with Heather Murphy. “Thanks for your concern. I’ll let her know that you were thinking of her.” I pick up the phone. “Sully, can you come to the barn? Heather Murphy is here, and she’s going to eat lunch. I’ve got to get to the main house to see to our guest.”
“I’m out on Thunder right now but can be back at the barn in about fifteen,” he replies.
Fifteen? Every second more that I spend with Heather is taking a year off the end of my life span.
“Wait.” Heather scrambles to her feet, gathering up her soup and the blanket. “Here. It’s all picked up. Let’s go.”
“Go where?”
“To the main house, dummy. You can introduce me to your friend. Is that why you had to cancel the bonfire? Because she arrived? I’ll make her comfortable and then we can put the party back on.”
I don’t think putting Heather anywhere near Princess is a good idea, but I can’t leave Heather in the barn with the horses. Tucker and Blake would kill me, and Sully’s just taking too damn long. “Fine. Let’s go.” I hurriedly fold the blanket and stuff it on the shelf before hauling ass toward the main house. Heather trails behind, whining all the way.
I bang open the back door and yell, “Where’s everyone?”
Birdie appears in the entry. “Why are you yelling? Oh, hello, Heather. We were just about to call you. Why don’t you go to the work room and get undressed.”
“Of course. I’ll be happy to.” Heather hands over the chicken noodle soup. “My nana made this for y’all. I tried to give it to Sterling, but he wanted to throw it out.” She sniffs and flounces away toward Birdie’s work room.
“What’s that all about?” Birdie wonders.
“Nothing. Where’s Maria?”
“In the workroom helping Mrs. Murphy pick out embellishments for Heather’s dress for the Children’s Charity Ball.”
I grimace. The last thing I need is Heather talking up Birdie’s ear about how she’s in line to be the next Mrs. Justice. I spring forward, chasing Heather down. “Hold up, Heather,” I call, trying to buy some time.
She grinds to a halt, a smile stretching across her face. When I reach her, she slips an arm around mine. “I didn’t know you were interested in my dress, Sterling,” she coos.
“I’m not.” I try to extricate myself, but at that precise moment, Maria appears. Her eyes grow wide at the sight of Heather and me looking like we’re holding hands. “It’s not what you think,” I say, but Heather plasters herself to my side and presses a kiss on my cheek.
“Sterling’s here to help me pick out a dress! He’s so interested in everything I’m doing. Baby, you’ll have to turn around, though. I can’t have you peeking at me while I’m in my undies.” She giggles. Maria turns ghost white. I curse.
How’d this promising day turn so dark, so fast, dammit!
CHAPTER 14
MARIA
I should have known better. All my life my papa has told me boys only want one thing, and they’ll say and do whatever they have to get it. I partly believed him, but a bit of hope had lived inside of me thinking that maybe, just maybe, not all men are that way. I was so wrong.
I’m so stupid. I mean, come on, Maria! He tricked you into his bed by trying to scare you with ghosts and it worked. He even told me the things we were doing were mistakes we could make. Gah, I’m so naïve.
My papa is partly to blame for this. He may have warned me, but he kept me so sheltered for most of my life that I never got to experience things for myself. If I’d had more interactions with men, then I would have been able to handle myself better. Even as I think those words, I know there would have been no resisting Sterling.
“I don’t know, it seems a bit plain.” Heather scrunches her nose as she stares into the full-length mirror.
She has on a pure black dress. It actually looks amazing on her. I try not to hate on her for being with Sterling. It’s not her fault he’s a liar. If anything, I feel guilty, even though I didn’t know they were together. I hadn’t even bothered to ask if he was with anyone, to be honest. I should have been more cautious, especially after everything that recently went down with my sister’s husband.
“It brings out your natural beauty,” I tell her honestly. I’ve always been of the mindset that women should lift other women up.
I peek over to my left where Sterling has been looming in the doorway. He’s staring at me. I know he’s trying to corner me, but I’ve kept myself tucked over in the corner and around people so I don't have to be alone with him. I’m not ready to hear whatever lie he’s going to try to feed me.
It’s clear he and Heather have something going on. It might not be super current, but it’s at least something that’s been on and off again. As rude as she can be, I would never try to take another girl's man. Even if that man has already stolen a few pieces of my heart that I don’t think I’ll ever get back.
“Natural beauty?” Heather laughs. “This nose is a work of art. So are a few other things.” She openly adjusts her breasts inside her dress. “I’ll give you my doctor's number.”
I drop my head to look down at my breasts. She’s now the second person after my stepsister to suggest I need to get a boob job. I pull my shoulders forward, shrinking back into myself. I think the whole idea of killing someone with kindness is going to end up killing me instead.
“Her tits are perfect,” Sterling drawls. Heat rushes to my face. He should know. His mouth was all over them last night.
“Sterling!” Birdie snaps at him, her eyes wide.
“They are. In fact, let's get you into one of the dresses to prove it.” Cam grabs the white dress I was fawning over earlier.
“You can never have too much cleavage, Sterling. Don’t act like you don’t enjoy curves.” Heather smirks over at him. I wish a hole would open and swallow me up right now. How is this starting to feel worse than the other day with my sister?
“Try it.” Cam pushes the dress into my arms.
I take it from her, not wanting to be rude. Birdie designed it. But honestly, the last thing I want to do is come stand beside Heather in a dress.
I slip behind the divider to get some privacy while I put the dress on. “Let me. The zipper is hidden in the back.” Birdie steps in behind me to help me into it. I have to ditch my bra. “Yes, I knew this one would be good for your shape.” She leans in next to my ear. “Your ass looks killer in this.”