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good.”
    “Okay, baby.” A pause before adding something he’d never before said in this relationship. “I love you.”
    When she exited the deli and stepped outside, her smile had returned and was shining as bright as the sun.
     
    Nate ended the call with Jessica and immediately tapped another number. “Sherri, it’s me.”
    “Hey, Brother.”
    “So . . . I did what you asked.”
    “What’s that?”
    “I did a background check on Jessica.”
    “And . . .”
    “And I’m happy to say that everything she’s ever told me checked out: her marriage, divorce, where she once worked in San Francisco . . . everything!”
    “Jessica was married?”
    “Yes, when she was very young. It was an abusive relationship that ended a year ago.”
    “How old is she?”
    Nathan told her. She asked a few more questions. He answered those, too.
    “So can you call off your deputy named Renee and turn in your own detective badge?”
    “I haven’t been investigating!”
    “You’ve never put Jessica’s name into a search engine.”
    “Maybe once,” she mumbled.
    They laughed.
    “It’s all good, Sis. The work schedule is crazy right now. I’m looking forward to chilling on the island.”
    “Me too, Nate. It’s going to be a wonderful time.”
    That night Nathan and Jessica made quick work of their Thai-food dinner before returning to Nathan’s loft. The night was short. Love was sweet. The next morning they left each other feeling happy and excited about the upcoming holidays. One big happy family. For now.

CHAPTER 8
    S he almost didn’t take the call. The week had been wonderful. It was TGIF. Nathan had been busy with work, but they’d talked every day. Tonight they’d decided to stay in again—takeout and a movie. Tomorrow’s plan was a club where a friend of Nathan’s was performing. On Sunday, they’d watch football together at their favorite sports bar.And in less than a week—the Bahamas. In spite of the nefarious reason they were together, she enjoyed being with him. Given the situation he and his family had put her sister in, however, Jessica felt selfish for the thought.
    “Hello, Sissy. How are you?”
    “I’ve been better.”
    “I know.”
    “I got your letters.”
    “Then why haven’t you answered my questions? From what I know so far, this situation doesn’t make sense!”
    “Does that mean you won’t help me?”
    “I said I would and I will, one way or another. But I need answers. And how I do it and when is up to me. Period.”
    “Listen to little Jessie, all grown-up. I apologize for not responding. You deserve to have your questions answered, and they will be, and the timeline should be up to you. You’re there. I’m not. You know what’s going on. I can only speculate and wait for your updates.” Her acquiescence left Jessica no less conflicted. The silence was loud. “Hey, remember when I used to comb your hair and put it in ponytails? You were my doll.”
    Jessica sat on the couch and folded her legs beneath her, glad the topic had changed. “As I’ve often told you, I don’t remember much.”
    “That’s understandable. You were barely five years old when . . . everything happened.”
    “And you saved my life, right?”
    “Twice.You don’t remember them, or what happened at all?”
    “Our parents?”
    “If you can call them that.”
    “No, I don’t.”
    “Trust me, that’s a good thing.”
    “Maybe I’ve subconsciously blocked out the bad memories. Though I do seem to remember an old, gray-haired woman and . . .” Her brows scrunched with the will to remember. “. . . Being carried through clouds of smoke in someone’s arms.”
    “The woman you remember is Mrs. Hurley. She seemed ancient but in actuality she just grayed early and was only in her late thirties, early forties when we were kids. I saw her a couple years ago.”
    “She’s still alive?”
    Her sister laughed. “Yes.”
    “Wow, I don’t remember Mama and Dada but I remember her.” Tears