Jenna sighed hard. “Not really. I feel bad about the necklace and about the way I handled the whole thing. I’m sorry, Soph. I didn’t know it meant so much to you—and I should have. I mean, you made me promise to take care of it, but I got so swept away with the wedding and honeymoon that I—I was selfish. I’m really sorry I lost the necklace, and I’m even sorrier I didn’t take it seriously.”

Sophie softened. She hadn’t realized how worried she’d been about her relationship with Jenna until this moment. “Thanks, honey. That means a lot to me.”

“I feel terrible. I wish I could replace it.”

“I know you do. But I don’t want to fight over a necklace. You mean too much to me.”

“So, we’re okay now? You’re not mad at me?”

“I’m not mad at you.” She steeled herself for the upcoming conversation. “But we do have to talk. I already spoke with Seth about this, but it’s harder with you, because you’re my little sister.”

“What is it?” A note of uncertainty rang in her tone.

Sophie covered the same ground she’d covered with Seth, going back from the time her mom became seriously ill to when their dad left and on to present day.

“I think I see where this is going,” Jenna said. “We’re not kids anymore, and we’ve been taking advantage of you.”

“I didn’t mind taking care of you both. I don’t want you to think I resent that. But you’re adults now, and it’s time for me to be your sister again. Because you’re a perfectly capable young woman. And because I really miss being your sister.”

“I’m sorry, Soph. I guess with Mom so ill and then when we lost her, I started seeing you as a mother figure. I keep forgetting you’re only three years older than me.”

“I like that we’re close, and I don’t want this conversation or the geographical distance to come between us.”

“Me neither. Will you answer me honestly about something?”

“Of course.”

“Did the favor I asked you for Monday have anything to do with Aiden leaving early?”

Sophie winced, not sure what to say. She didn’t want to lie, but she didn’t want to make her sister feel bad either.

“Oh, Soph, it did. I’m so sorry! I can call him and explain—I’ll apologize. You two are so right together, and you’d finally found your way back to each other.”

“No, don’t do that. If we’re right together, we’ll work it out.” And suddenly Sophie was more certain than ever that was the truth.

chapter thirty-nine