“Sounds good to me. But before we go, we should talk.” I didn’t want to get into a public space and have Jules create a scene when I brought up Anna.

She made a face. “Conversations that start like that never go well.”

“I’m hoping this one will.”

Juliette sat up straighter in her chair. “Oh, God. She’s not pregnant, is she? Please tell me you’re at least wrapping it up.”

I stared at my sister, trying to figure out where this hatred and ugliness had come from. I’d seen her get vicious before when someone had truly wronged one of us. I’d seen it directed at the aunt and uncle who were supposed to care for us. At the first boy who had broken her heart. At the father Juliette had never known. But at the time, all of that anger had seemed justified.

Now, I wondered if I’d missed bigger signs. Her view of the world had always been black and white. People were either for us or against us. And if they weren’t on our side, she wrote them off. But I’d never seen this kind of anger directed at someone who hadn’t done anything to Jules.

“She is, isn’t she?” Juliette stood and began to pace. “Hell. You’re going to have to pay a ridiculous amount of child support and alimony now. But I know a P.I. we can put on it. I’m sure he’ll be able to find plenty of dirt on her. You’ll be able to get sole custody—”

“Juliette.” I kept my voice calm, even though it was the last thing I felt. “Anna isn’t pregnant, and I’m not divorcing her.” I hoped we’d never have to bring up the subject of ending our marriage. I wasn’t sure I could walk away anymore. Because as much as I’d been transfixed by Anna from afar—her strength and beauty and compassion—seeing it all up close, experiencing it firsthand…I was a goner.

Juliette’s cheeks reddened. “Has she hypnotized you or something? How can you not see everything about her is an act?” She pulled her bag off of her shoulder, setting it on my desk and riffling through it.

“You haven’t given her a chance, Jules. And I think you need to look closely at why that’s the case. I know that I’ve always made you the number-one priority in my life. But at some point, I was going to meet someone, get married, have a family. There’s room in my life for all of you.”

Her eyes filled. “You would put her before me? I’ve always had your back. ‘You and me against the world.’ That’s what you always said. So, what? Now that’s just done?”