“Here’s the thing, though.” She explained about how she’d discovered the photograph.

“Just say you saw her picture online. Hang on.” Anna Maria’s eyes scanned the screen, and Emilia realized she must be stalking Morgan on social media, something that she probably should have done herself a long time ago, too.

Anna Maria let out a whistle. “Damn. She’s hot.”

“Not helpful.”

“Sorry.”

“She keeps her engagement rings next to her photo.” She hadn’t wanted to mention that part of the story, but she couldn’t hold it in. Anna Maria’s eyes snapped back to hers, and she knew her sister had closed out of her social media apps.

“She still has the rings?”

“Yes. That’s weird, right?”

“Not necessarily. What would you do if you still had rings from your ex?”

“Toss them into Mount Doom.”

“Let me clarify. If you weren’t Frodo Baggins.”

“Pawn them? I don’t know, actually.”

“She might just not want to deal with them.”

“If she isn’t over Kate, I don’t want to bring her up. Especially since I’m not staying here.” Another lump filled her throat. “It will just make things awkward, and there’s no point. Can’t I just get a new real estate agent and not tell her?”

“I mean, you could.” Anna Maria sounded hesitant. “Not mentioning it won’t be weird for you?”

“Of course it will be weird. I just . . . I just don’t want to ruin things.”

“How far have things progressed since I was there?”

“Um.”

“How many nights a week do you see her?”

“A few.”

“How often do you talk to her?”

“I don’t know, often?”

“Every day, often?”

“Yes.”

“Hypothetically,” said Anna Maria, her expression carefully neutral, “how would you feel about all of this if you were staying?”

“It doesn’t matter.”

“Humor me.”

“I’d probably ask you to stalk Kate for me and then spend the next month comparing myself to her in every way.”

“But would you tell Morgan?”

Emilia didn’t answer. She didn’t have an answer. If she and Morgan were a couple, perhaps, she’d feel obligated, but they weren’t, and hypotheticals were extremely unhelpful in a situation that already had too many variables.

Anna Maria gave up waiting. “Fine, don’t tell her, but if it backfires don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“I just can’t deal with anything else right now.” Her tear ducts made a renewed attempt at flooding.

“Emmy.” Anna Maria brought the phone closer to her face. “I don’t even want to say this because I know how overwhelmed you are, but have you thought about staying?”

“Staying?”