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Lane had turned in for the night since he had to be up before dawn to switch shifts with Cy Eame of cards with Evan’s mom and brother while her dad did his best to look down her shirt when he didn’t think anyone else was looking The other two men had also turned in early but both offered to help keep an eye on ca about the eager way they both see into whoe in plansthat set Cy’s jaw in a hard line and ly They had ulteriorto hide them anymore

Everyone else was occupied or distracted, which hy Evan thought she was safe in launching her verbal attack "That’s a pretty ugly thing to say to soht and low so that we didn’t draw attention to ourselves It was about tiht

"Everyone knohy you went into the woods with Cy You’ve known hi and totally slutty I would be so embarrassed if I were you" Her expression was defiant but there was hurt in her eyes that didn’t co rejected by a man completely inappropriate for her

I took another sip of the coffee that I was holding carefully in ood hand Without Cy’s particular style of distractionwith every beat ofand a few Advil had knocked the pain down to where it was bearable

"The thing is, I don’t think you’re upset at what’s happening between me and Cy, because you’re smart and observant so you know there is no way he would ever put hi around with a very young guest Even if she is very pretty" She looked away at the compliment, and for the umpteenth time I wanted to knock so overlooked and ignored by theattention to you I also think you’re bothered by the way he treats your orgeous and is als toward hi on at home than it is about us" I lifted lare at ht fists where they rested on top of her thighs "You want your mom to tell you to knock it off and your dad to swoop in and defend your honor You want them to join forces and actually parent you and your brother because that should be their pri it You want their attention because you spend most of your tiether, it’s obvious things aren’t working out so great for any of you"

Her bottom lip quivered and she turned away so that her hair covered her face I loweredon Boss’s discarded saddle as she whispered out, "You don’t know anything"

I laughed a little as"You would be surprised howa parent who’s oblivious to how bad they can hurt you, even if you don’t see theave her a tiny grin "My randparents and they raisedup I was so oblivious to how good I had it with them because all I could focus on hy she didn’t want me It made meup short so it made me overly careful and cautious I was no fun I’m still not most of the time"

Evan cocked her head to the side and consideredme this? Do you want me to feel sorry for you?"

I shook ain and reached out to pat the back of her hand I was silently thrilled when she didn’t pull away fro you because you have a ht for you if she has a reason to She spends sothe love that still surrounds her I did the saranddad passed away before I could tell hi he did for et back on the horse, literally and figuratively"

She wouldn’t knohat that meant but the way my voice twisted and the way it esture was "If your parents won’t focus on you, you focus on them Remind them of the love they still have even if the love they had for each other is no longer there Your mom needs someone on her side and you father needs a wakeup call Be better than they are"

"That’s a lot of responsibility" She sounded sad and lost so I put an arave her a little squeeze

"All you can do is try, and if it doesn’t do anything for the for you and for your brother Be someone you both can rely on If you do that you’re already e"

She nodded and I let her go as I clied her foot with the toe of o I would never have taken a shot at anything with a guy like Cy, because you’re right, I hardly know hi on That would have been such a waste" I lifted an eyebrow at her and told her, "The sisterhood needs strong, considerateWo them down"