Page 51 of Not Over You (Prosperity Ranch 3)

“I didn’t know what to do,” Natalie said. “I was shocked and scared, I guess. More scared. And I know that we haven’t ever really been the best of friends, Jana. But I do love you, and I guess I was petrified for you. Remember Maggie—my friend in high school who had to drop out when she got pregnant?”

Jana didn’t move, didn’t answer.

She heard Natalie rise and shift a chair. “I should have asked you. Been a better big sister and warned you about getting too close to a boy. About having a boyfriend. How to have a healthy relationship that wouldn’t result in a teen pregnancy.”

Jana closed her eyes. Her parents had never talked to her about that stuff. It wasn’t their fault she’d fallen so hard for Knox, but he’d been the first person she’d ever felt truly knew her and listened to her and cared about her. Sure, she knew her family loved her—because they had to. And maybe that had messed with her psyche, but that didn’t mean Natalie should have done what she did.

Natalie moved closer. “Dad told me he’d take care of it and not to say a word to you or Mom.”

“Why did you tell Dad, not Mom?” Jana asked, her voice raw. But she knew. Mom couldn’t handle conflict. Family fights sent her to her room for days. Dad was the enforcer. Dad was the disciplinarian. Dad set down the rules.

“Dad would have found out anyway if I told Mom,” Natalie said, her tone subdued. “I didn’t know it would… go so far.”

Jana turned then and eyed her sister. “What do you mean?”

“I was still awake the night Dad came home from talking to Rex Prosper.” Natalie folded her arms, blinking back new tears. “Dad was banging things around in the kitchen, and I’m surprised he didn’t wake the entire household. He told me that Rex Prosper was just as much of a bastard as his son, and no one in our family was ever to have anything to do with any member of the Prosper family.”

Jana swallowed against the painful lump in her throat.

Natalie lowered her gaze. “He said that payback would be hell. Dad didn’t know how or what yet, but it would happen.”

“So it’s come down to the grant thing for the rehabilitation project?”

Natalie’s hesitation put Jana on alert.

“What?” Jana demanded. “What else has Dad done?”

Natalie moved back to the table and sat down with a heavy sigh. Panic shot through Jana when her sister dropped her head in her hands. “There’s more.”

Jana froze. She’d never seen her brilliant, smart sister look so defeated. “Tell me, Natalie.”

“Dad has thwarted other things with Prosperity Ranch,” Natalie said.

Jana wanted to run from the condo screaming. Instead, she held very still and listened.

“Dad put in some calls that resulted in lost training opportunities for Prosperity Ranch,” Natalie said. “You know how things in the ranching world can be word of mouth. People recommending each other’s services.”

Yes, Jana did know.

“It didn’t take much to tarnish the reputation of Prosperity Ranch to the larger equestrian world out there.”

“Wow” was an understatement. “Wasn’t one thing enough? Why does Dad have to continue holding this grudge? I was a dumb teenager, and so was Knox. It’s not like we were the first teenagers in the world to make poor decisions.”

Natalie rubbed the back of her neck. “I agree. And I see that now. Back then, it was about me proving to Dad that I was the good daughter, the smart sister. I got a weird trip out of it, and that was wrong of me. I’ve felt guilty about it for years, and that guilt has stopped me from reaching out to you. Because if you’d learned what I’d done, I thought you’d hate me forever.”

Jana stared at Natalie. This all explained so much, but it was also completely dysfunctional. “I do hate you, but I also love you. I mean, I hate what you did.” She sighed. “You were a teenager, too, so I don’t totally blame it on you. Dad’s reaction was completely out of line.”

Natalie nodded. “That’s what I told him on the drive over here.”

“You did?” Jana couldn’t explain the relief that filled her. Out of this entire mess, she and her sister finally saw eye-to-eye on something.

Natalie stood again and walked around the table. Placing a tentative hand on Jana’s shoulder, she said, “Jana, I’m so sorry for what I did years ago. Please forgive me. And you have to know that I told Dad he needs to bury the hatchet. The past is behind us, and… him threatening you about Prosperity Ranch is also wrong. I also told Dad that your relationship with Knox is no one else’s business. You’re grown adults and can make your own decisions.”

Jana saw the sincerity in her sister’s eyes. “You said that to Dad?”

“I did.”

Jana rose and hugged her sister. “Thank you.” Then she drew away, feeling the trembling start in her limbs. “I broke up with Knox this morning.”

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