“Tara liked her. They met that weekend Amelia went home with me and they’ve kept in touch.”

“I don’t understand why that would make her dislike me.”

I rub a hand over my jaw. “Tara thinks that you’re the reason Amelia and I broke up.”

“Why would she think that? You told her Amelia broke up with you, right? Wait, Amelia did break up with you, didn’t she?”

I hesitate.

“Tanner?” Sydney’s voice lifts and her brown eyes widen. “You told me Amelia broke up with you.”

“She did. That was true.”

“Because of me?” Her brown eyes press me for the truth.

“She said I was in love with you. Actually, first she said you were in love with me but then when I told her how you were trying to help me smooth things over she changed her mind and said I was the one in love with you.”

Sydney sits up on the raft and she regards me carefully. “And what did you say?”

“Nothing. I left.”

“So it really was my fault that you and Amelia broke up.” Sydney looks thrown by the new information and I scramble to console her.

“No, babe, it was mine. It’s on me, not you. Tara thinks I’m going to ruin every relationship because I cut and run at the first sign of conflict.”

“And I’m who you run back to.”

I nod.

“Do you think you could have worked things out with Amelia if you’d stayed and tried to talk it out?”

“Maybe.”

Sydney groans. “And we never would have gotten together.”

I take her hands in my lap. “Babe, this has been the best couple of weeks. I wouldn’t change it for anything.”

“Me either.” Even though she’s reaffirming how great a time we’ve been having, her tone isn’t nearly as excited.

When Jonah and Tara make it back, Corinne’s already red from the sun and complaining she needs a nap.

“What? No way. It’s still early,” Ollie whines.

“I need to go into town this afternoon for physical therapy anyway,” Sydney says, and I know she’s trying to make Corinne feel better for us all going back.

“Tomorrow let’s hook up the tube and have some fun,” Jonah suggests before we leave.

Corinne falls asleep on the ride back, Tara’s on her phone, and Sydney is quiet—very unlike her usual bubbly self. I know she’s stressing about my sister liking her.

My instinct is to ignore it and let them come together on their own. Sydney is impossible not to like when you get to know her, so I have no doubt my sister will come around eventually. But maybe a little push would help resolve things quicker.