Page 37 of A Fortunes of Texas Christmas (Fortunes of Texas)

“And yet you didn’t take my advice.”

“Oh,” she said with emphasis. “That was advice? I thought it was you being a bossy older brother and telling me how to live my life.”

“I’m not gonna apologize for being concerned about you.”

Irritated, Robin turned and glared at him. “What exactly do you think Amersen is going to do, Evan?”

“Break your heart,” he said flatly.

“My heart is fine,” she assured him. “We’re friends, that’s all. And he’s leaving tomorrow, so you have nothing more to worry about.”

“Good,” he said. “I’m glad. I don’t like him.”

She made an exasperated sound. “You’re such an idiot. You don’t know him.”

“And you do?”

“Yes,” she said hotly. “I do. He’s not what you think. And this conversation is over. Again.”

“Why are you being so stubborn about this, Rob?” he asked, using the shortened version of her name as he’d done since she was a child. “The guy is bad news, and it looks like you’re the only one who can’t see it.”

Robin’s temper kindled. “How about you sort out your own love life before you start interfering in mine.”

Her brother threw his hands up in the air. “What? You’re in love with him now?”

She let out an exasperated sigh. “That’s not what I said. I like him, okay. That’s all. We’re the same age, we like a lot of the same things, he’s interesting and smart and easy on the eyes. Not that I have to explain myself to you or anyone else. I like Amersen Beaudin!” she exclaimed and ran the brush over Butterfly’s neck. “There...I said it. I like him and he likes me. We’re adults, so it’s allowed. I don’t need to ask your permission to like him, to see him or to even have crazy wild sex with him if I want to. So, just mind your own damn business already!”

Evan look predictably uncomfortable at the idea of his baby sister doing any such thing. But she was tired of the interference, tired of being told what to do. It wasn’t as though Amersen was some kind of ogre taking advantage of her. In fact, he’d been nothing but respectful and considerate. Her family, and Evan in particular, were out of line.

“I’m only trying to—”

“You’re trying to control me,” she cut him off. “And I won’t stand for it, Evan. I didn’t see all this concern when Trey was cheating on me with—”

“I didn’t want to hurt you,” he said quickly and then clammed up when he realized what he’d said.

Robin’s gaze narrowed tightly. “You knew?”

He shrugged. “I...I...”

“You knew he was cheating and you didn’t tell me?” she demanded as betrayal seeped through her blood and into her bones. “How could you?”

“I was trying to protect you,” he said quickly. “We both were.”

Her suspicions soared. “Reece knew, too?”

Evan nodded. “We were out one night at that new honky-tonk place off the highway,” he explained and let out a long breath. “We saw him there, with this girl, and it looked...well, I guess you know how it looked. Afterward, we thought it best not to say anything. We talked to Trey...he said it was a onetime thing. Reece threatened to knock his teeth out if he did it again, and we really thought he would come to his senses and stop behaving like such an ass.”

“He didn’t.”

He shrugged again. “I know, I’m sorry.”

“Me, too,” she said, feeling so hurt she could barely breathe. “It would have been easier hearing it from you than seeing it with my own eyes. Go home, Evan. I’ll tell the folks you dropped by.”

Long after her brother left, Robin was still in the stables, brushing Butterfly and thinking about how she was so coddled by her family that her brothers thought it was okay to lie to her about the man she’d believed she would marry one day. But it wasn’t okay. It was brutal. It was gut-wrenching.

Since she’d caught Trey cheating in such a humiliating way, Robin had become a hermit, staying home, refusing invitations to go out, saying no to anything that would make her seem available. Because she was hurt and betrayed and had lost faith in people. In men. And now even her brothers had proved her right. She used to enjoy parties and company and socializing...now her weekly highlight was having dinner with her parents.

Until Amersen.

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