Page 77 of Where She Belongs

Tate’s head snapped up and he found his sister leaning her shoulder against the entrance wall. Faith had always been the most level-headed of his sisters, but she’d never been this brash before. That was Lydia’s job. She liked to call it how she saw it.

But Faith eased into the uncomfortable conversations. That trait was probably what made her so good at her job. She watched him with narrowed eyes, her arms folded much like Jason’s had been. He scowled right back. Tate didn’t owe her anything. She’d been present when he’d mucked everything up, but he wasn’t going to give up the details without a fight.

She scoffed and pushed away from the wall. “You gonna tell me? Or do I need to get Rylee to talk?”

He shook his head. “You’re bluffing. If she wanted to talk, she would have told you then and there.”

Faith arched an unimpressed eyebrow. “Doesn’t mean I won’t get it out of her. But based on the way you ran from her place with your tail between your legs, I can only assume that you’re turning yourself into a martyr.”

Lip curling, he stalked toward her. “My priorities have always been with my family and you know that.”

“Don’t.” Faith’s voice cracked like a whip. “Don’t you dare hide behind us. Whatever that picture is, it’s got nothing to do with family. If it did, you’d have said so on the spot and looked noble doing it.” She came closer, arms still folded, studying him the way she’d been studying him since Rylee’s yard. “I saw your face when he handed it to you. You weren’t surprised, Tate. You knew that picture could exist before you ever touched it. So who is she?”

He said nothing. Faith had always been able to wait out a silence. It was Lydia who filled them.

“Fine.” Faith let out a breath. “Then here’s what I’ve got without you. Whatever’s in that picture, it isn’t a woman. You have never once in your life looked guilty about a woman.” She waited. He gave her nothing at all. “And whatever it is, you did it inside of a day, because I heard about that market by sundown and I heard about this by lunch.”

“Nothing happened.” The words came out sandpaper-rough.

“Then say that. Out loud. To her.” Faith spread her hands. “You won’t, though. I’ve known you my whole life and I still can’t tell you why, and that is the part that’s going to keep me up tonight.”

This time he removed his hat and threw it on the ground, his frustration boiling over. “She’s done with me, okay? There’s nothing I can do.”

“You don’t believe that,” she ground out. “You and I know nothing is forever. Not even a breakup has to last if you do things right.”

“And you know as good as anyone that sometimes you can’t fix what’s broken.” He moved over to a stool and slumped down, putting his head in his hands. “Honestly, it’s probably for the best.”

“Oh, enough already,” she all but yelled.

He startled and his head lifted. Faith never raised her voice. At least not with him.

She stormed toward him and poked him in the shoulder. Hard. “Anyone with eyes can tell that you care about her. And she cares about you.”

“Yeah, well, she’s got guys lining up to woo her, so I’m sure she’ll survive. This is for the best. I have too much on my plate and⁠—”

“You better be careful or the next time I poke you it’s not going to be with just one finger,” she warned.

He huffed out a miserable-sounding laugh.

“And that Alexander guy is a creep.”

This time when he laughed there was a little amusement in it. “Yeah, he kind of is.”

She put her hands on her hips. “And you’re just going to let Rylee consider him?”

He shrugged. “He won.”

Faith’s face blushed red with fury. “Tate,” she warned, “I meant what I said.”

He shot to his feet. “What do you want me to say? I know I messed up. There’s nothing I can do.” Tate rubbed at his chest. “The way I feel about that guy is probably related to my own insecurities. He clearly wants her as much as me if not more.”

“You can keep her from making the biggest mistake of her life! Rylee belongs here. She belongs with you. And if I get the ick from that guy, then I think it’s safe to say that he doesn’t deserve Rylee at all. Definitely not more than you.”

He stopped cold. Her words were sinking in.

Faith’s expression softened and she lowered her voice. “You love her, Tate.”

His throat closed up. He couldn’t even bring himself to deny her words. She’d be able to tell if he lied about his feelings. Apparently, he hadn’t done a very good job at keeping his attraction for Rylee to himself. So he said the only thing he could muster.