Easy, man.
“About how the men on the ranch are . . . well, that they spank the women.”
Damn. It was hard to keep things that happened on the ranch completely quiet but he hadn’t realized anyone had discovered any details about how the people at Sanctuary lived.
“Also that one woman lives with two men. I didn’t really believe that. I mean, that doesn’t happen in real life, right?”
Oh, it did. Caley lived with the two docs and she was very happy with both of them. What she didn’t need, though, was to be gossiped about. She was a private person. They all were.
“Are you okay? Should I not have mentioned it?” she asked worriedly, staring up at him in concern.
“Did you tell anyone?” he asked sharply.
Her eyes widened. “What? No, of course not. Who would I tell? I wouldn’t say anything anyway,” she told him with a frown. “It’s none of my business. But they did say they’d gone to the sheriff about it.”
“What?” he snapped.
“Yeah. Oh, Ed is the sheriff, isn’t he? Huh, guess he’s not such a bad guy. For a cop, that is.”
“They went to Ed about a rumor they’d heard?”
“Yeah. But don’t worry, he told them to mind their own business and stop making up stories.”
Well, there was that at least. But Ed should have told him. Or Clint anyway. Maybe he hadn’t wanted to bother him while he was getting ready for his wedding. Linc would talk to Kent though, just to give him a heads up.
It wasn’t like any of them cared what some small-minded people thought. But none of them would allow the women on Sanctuary to be slighted or upset.
Maybe, for the foreseeable future, the women shouldn’t go into town without one of the men with them. It wasn’t like they often went in on their own so it shouldn’t be too much of a problem.
“Linc? I really didn’t believe it. I enjoyed going to Sanctuary and meeting everyone the other evening. And Eden is one of my best customers.”
Marisol looked worried as she stared up at him, chewing on her lip. Crap. He hadn’t reacted well. Of course she wouldn’t gossip, she wasn’t like those other women.
“Shh, it’s okay. Sorry if I was a bit harsh. I just don’t want any of the women on Sanctuary to be hurt by rumors.”
“That’s really sweet of you. I don’t want that either.”
“Mrs. Long and her friends can be kind of . . .”
“Judgmental? Mean?” she supplied.
“Yes.”
“Don’t worry, I’ve seen it. She’s narrow-minded about a lot of things.”
“Has she said something to you?” He frowned, not liking that.
She shrugged. “First time she came into the spa, she wanted to know if I had papers to work here legally.”
“That old bitch.” Anger flooded him. At least the women on Sanctuary had protection, but who did Marisol have? An aunt who frankly, seemed to be a complete bitch.
“It’s okay. I’ve met plenty of people like that.”
“That doesn’t make it all right. I don’t want you around that old bitch and her friends again.”
“Like I said, they’re Eileen’s customers. I don’t have to deal with them much.”
She shouldn’t have to deal with them at all. Linc glanced down at her, seeing her pale worried face. He needed to get her home. And talk to Kent.