already going after Hazel. She’s getting a bald spot on her neck. Maybe we should bring her in for a while.”
“Poor thing. I’ll go out and get her in a minute.”
The water turned off in the bathroom, and Mack strode in. Rosie let out a little sigh. “Look who’s back.”
Mack milked it. “Rosie, you’re looking beautiful this morning.”
“Oh God.” Liv gagged.
“Are you hungry?” Rosie asked. “I have muffins, and there’s a quiche in the oven.”
“I’d love one of your muffins.” He winked.
Liv looked at him and rolled her eyes. “Is there anyone you don’t flirt with?”
Rosie set a muffin on a plate and handed it to Mack. “So what do you two have planned for today?”
Mack took a quick bite before answering. “Cloak-and-dagger stuff.”
“You never did tell me why you’re here,” Liv said.
“I have some things to discuss with you.”
Before he could say more, though, the back door suddenly banged open and shut. The sound of twin voices filled the house. “Aunt Livvie!”
Amelia ran in, followed quickly by Ava, followed immediately by Thea.
The girls seemed happy to see Mack.
Thea did not.
“Interesting that you’re here, Mack,” Thea said.
Mack turned a paler shade of oh shit. “Hey, Thea—”
“I need to talk to my sister alone.”
Mack set down the muffin. “I’ll, um, I’ll take the girls outside to play.”
Rosie hovered nervously for a moment before deciding the safest bet was to go with them.
Liv faced her sister. “God, Thea, what the hell is wrong?”
Thea planted her hands on her hips. “When were you going to tell me the truth about why you got fired?”
Oh. Shit.
Ten minutes later, Thea paced the length of Rosie’s living room. “I can’t believe you lied to me.”
“Technically, I just left out some information,” Liv said.
Thea didn’t appreciate the distinction, judging by the red splotches on her cheeks and the wild anger in her eyes. Liv swallowed and shut up.
“I swear to God, I don’t understand you, Liv. Why do you keep things like this from me?”
“I didn’t want to drag you into this.”
“You’re my sister. Your problems are my problems.”
“Correction. Your problems are usually because of my problems.”
Thea threw her arms in the air with a frustrated noise. “Where the hell does that come from, Liv? I don’t understand you!”
“I have been a burden on people my entire life. Mom. Dad. Gran Gran. You.”
“That is not true. Why the hell do you believe that?”
Liv stood up and waved her hands to ward off further argument and before she revealed something she really didn’t want to. “It is what it is. You know the whole story now. And now you’re going to go home and worry and fret, as if you need one more thing on your plate.”
Thea gave her another one of those looks. “I’m your sister. It’s my job to worry about you.”
Liv pushed her hair off her face. “The fact that you think that is exactly why I didn’t tell you.”
“But did you honestly think I wouldn’t find out?”
“Eventually, I guess! I didn’t think that far out. I was trying to deal with it my way. Wait—how did you find out?”
“How do you think? Mack told Gavin and the rest of the guys this morning.”
Liv’s muscles spasmed. “He did what?”
The tension inside the house had followed Mack and Rosie outside. Even the hens were pissed. When Randy went after Hazel, she squawked and pecked at him until he backed off.
“Should we go back in?” Mack asked Rosie, who was helping the girls feed the goats.
“I think they’ll come out when they’re ready.”
Hop ambled over. “Rosie, I need to drive over to the feed store. You want to ride with me?”
Rosie stiffened. “Come on, girls,” she said. “Let’s go check on some of my seeds.”
“That was obvious,” Mack said when Rosie was out of earshot. “What’d you do?”
Hop sucked his teeth. “She’s been like that with me since I made that crack about the Equal Rights Amendment. She can’t take a joke.”
“Maybe it wasn’t funny.”
“See, that’s the problem these days. No one has a sense of humor anymore. Offended at every damn thing.”
Mack shook his head. “Dude, some shit was always offensive.”
“No one minded in my day.”
“Women did. You just decided their opinions didn’t count.”
Hop rolled his eyes, but there was a notable chink in his armor.
“So how long does that have to go on before you realize that the problem isn’t her lack of a sense of humor but the fact that you need to find some better fucking material?”