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“Pierce …”
“No.” Pierce’s voice was curt. “Don’t. Just walk away.”
Burville sniggered.
“Do as you’re told,Lucas. Be a good boy.”
Pierce swung around on him.
“And surely you’ve got better things to do, Burville,” he snapped. “You’re not helping the situation, and if you goad my friend any further, I might just step to one side and let him go at you. Trust me; I know he’ll win.”
Burville looked a little perplexed.
“He would attack me for that? Me telling him to go with someone else?”
“Maybe don’t sneer at him when you do it. You were raised to be a gentleman, weren’t you? How about finding those lessons in the recesses of your head.” Pierce turned his back on the man, focusing on Lucas. “Come with me. We’ll go for a walk.”
Lucas wanted to argue, but Pierce’s expression said he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Sighing, he nodded and started walking away from the beachy area most guests were using. He tried not to look back, but Lucas couldn’t help it.
And he saw Dorothy still watching him. She had barely moved, and although Burville was attempting to get her to walk, she didn’t appear to have noticed him. Burville shot a scowl over his shoulder at Lucas before tugging Dorothy away.
“Enough, Lucas,” Pierce muttered. “Just keep walking.”
“I wasn’t doing anything, Pierce.”
“I was watching you. Your body language said you were going to start a fight anytime soon. And you really were going to take a swing at Burville.” Pierce shook his head. “Honestly, Lucas, you couldn’t make it any more obvious if you tried that you’re jealous of him.”
“What? I’m not jealous!”
“You are sure a liar.”
Lucas wanted to keep protesting, but he was aware that his friend knew him too well. He could argue all he wanted, and Pierce wouldn’t believe him.
They were finally out of sight of Dorothy, moving into a small clearing surrounded by trees. Lucas pulled away from Pierce, running his hands through his hair.
“What do you expect me to do?” he demanded. “Carry on as normal and pretend that I’m not upset?”
“Upset? What are you upset about?”
“Do I need to spell it out?”
“I think I can guess.” Pierce reached up and held onto a low-hanging branch. “You’re just annoyed that your fiancee that you threw away in your tantrum is beautiful and better than you expected, and someone else has her attention.”
Lucas growled.
“You make it sound like I’m a child having a tantrum.”
“That’s what it looks like. You refused to marry her, and now you’ve met her, you’re beginning to regret it.”
“Of course, I’m beginning to regret it!” Lucas began to pace. “I know it’s my own fault, and I shouldn’t behave like this, but now I’ve met her, I’ve spent time with her …”
“When have you spent time with her? She’s kept away from you, especially once she found out who you were.”
Lucas knew he would have to tell his friend about his meetings alone with Dorothy. Sighing, he stopped pacing and closed his eyes, slowly counting to ten.
“Lucas?” Pierce sounded concerned. “What are you not telling me? What have you done?”
“I’m not entirely sure.” Lucas rubbed his hands over his face. “I honestly don’t know how much damage I’ve done.”
