Page 102 of The Game We Played

“What happened, big sis?” Beth asks.

“Yeah, big sis, what happened? The two of you were cozy as a mermaid and a smitten pirate when you cleaned the beach.”

I narrow my eyes on Anne. “How do you know? You weren’t there.”

She giggles. “You’re cute. You think you’re the only one on this island who knows the gossip.”

“We work at the hospital. We know everyone’s secrets,” Beth adds.

“Including who has a nasty case of chlamydia.”

“And it isn’t a koala.”

“You’re not supposed to tell anyone about your patients,” I remind them.

“We promise we won’t tell.” Anne crosses her heart. “If you tell us why Tanner broke your heart.”

“Why do you assume he broke my heart?” I try to sound indignant. Which is pretty hard when you’re wearing pajamas covered in pirates and mermaids kissing.

Beth snorts. “Are you serious? You’re the most loyal person I know.”

“Which isn’t saying much,” Anne mutters.

Beth ignores her twin. “You would never break up with Tanner.”

“Because you love him,” they sing in unison.

“Yeah, well, I was wrong. I’m not in love with Tanner. I’m in love with a mirage. The Tanner who I thought I knew doesn’t exist. The nice guy no one knows but me. Wrong.” I snort. “The nice guy doesn’t exist. It’s all a lie to get him what he wants. Once he has it, he’s gone.”

“Thus, the need for a revenge prank.” Beth flips her phone open. “I’ve got a few good ideas in here.”

I sigh. “I don’t want to prank him.”

Anne slaps her hand on my forehead. “Are you feeling okay?”

I shove her away. “Knock it off. I’m not the one who enjoys pulling pranks.”

“I wouldn’t say I enjoy them. But they are sometimes necessary.”

I lift my eyebrows. “When is it ever necessary to tie a rubber snake to a fishing line and attach it to a kayak so it appears to chase the kayak as it moves?”

Beth raises her hand. “I know. When the person paddling told everyone in high school you were being a bitch because you were on your period.”

Using my sisters’ reasoning, Tanner definitely deserves to be pranked. But pranking him won’t make my heart hurt any less. It won’t turn back the clock to when he was mine. It won’t change anything.

Anne squeezes my shoulder. “What happened?”

As much as I love my sisters, I can’t tell them about the video. People think I’m the nosiest person on the island. They have no idea how nosy my sisters are. Plus, they’re sneaky and believe boundaries apply to countries but not people.

If they knew about the video, they’d probably publish it all over the internet as a revenge prank. I can’t allow the video to be leaked. I won’t let Tanner think I’m the person he claimed Iwas. Let him live with knowing he was wrong. That’ll be my revenge.

“Sorry. I can’t tell you.”

Beth’s nose wrinkles. “Is it a weird sex thing? Don’t worry. We’ve seen it all.”

“After you’ve removed toy soldiers from a person’s rectum, you become immune to it.”

I blink. “Toy soldiers. As in more than one? I don’t understand one getting up there. But more than one? What’s the purpose?”