Reggie went upstairs to unpack. Belle followed, glancing around anxiously, as if expecting Burt to burst out from around a corner and attack her.

“You’re fine. He’s zonked out by the recliner,” Reggie pointed out.

Belle’s worried expression didn’t relax.

Reggie led the way to her old bedroom. It had been updated the summer she’d come back from her first year of college. The pale blue walls were restful, and she’d packed up her high school memorabilia, leaving the shelves and surfaces mostly empty.

Belle walked over to the huge bolstered dog bed in the corner and sniffed.

“He hasn’t been on there,” Reggie told her. “Mom keeps the door closed.”

Belle didn’t look convinced and sniffed every inch before finally settling down. Reggie unpacked Belle’s things first. She stacked her dog’s coats, booties and scarves on the landing by the stairs and put her pajamas in a drawer in the larger dresser. She’d just put her own suitcase on the bed when she heard footsteps on the stairs and a familiar voice calling, “You made it.”

Belle leaped to her feet and hurried out to greet Dena. Her tail whacked Reggie in the thigh, causing her to jump and cry out.

“That’s going to leave a bruise,” she muttered, following her dog to greet her sister.

They hugged. Reggie looked at Dena’s pale face.

“How are you feeling?”

“Less barfy this second, which is always nice.”

“You don’t look pregnant.”

“Not yet,” Dena said, heading into Reggie’s room and collapsing in the chair by the small desk. “I was going to keep the whole thing a secret until I was three or four months along, but with me throwing up, I’ve had to tell people I’m pregnant, not sick. I hate it when my plans get messed up.”

“You can’t plan for a baby.”

Dena grinned. “You can if you try hard enough. So, you’re back. How does it feel?”

“It’s too soon to tell, but mostly good. I’ve decided I was being ridiculous thinking people would care about my personal life. It’s been a year and Jake’s gone and no one’s going to say anything.”

Dena glanced away, then back at her.

“What?” Reggie demanded as she opened her suitcase and picked up a stack of bikini panties.

“You’re right about Jake. No one’s going to care. But the thing is, I’m not sure they won’t still be chitchatting about you.”

Reggie slid the underwear into the drawer. “What are you talking about?”

“I didn’t want to mention this before—when you were dealing with the breakup. But Toby moved back to town about the time you and Jake ended things.”