“We don’t have much of a relationship.” Jayden poured herself a cup of coffee and joined him. “But I’ll do what’s best for the camp and the girls.”

“You two might not have been close as kids or even as adults, but you are blood kin. Like that old song says, ‘Love Can Build a Bridge,’ and it doesn’t have to be talking about between a man and a woman. It can be between sisters,” he said.

“I hope so. I really do.”

“Mary always says that everything works out for the best, but once y’all talk, if you’ve got any misgivings, I won’t hire her. Nothing has been signed,” Elijah said.

“Thank you, but again, we have to think of the girls, not me.” Jayden picked up her cup and carried it to the kitchen. “It’s not like it’s forever. Six more weeks and this session will be over. If I can live with her for fifteen years, I can make it through that short time.”

“Thanks go to you for caring more about the kids than yourself.” He pushed back his chair and stood up at the same time the siren went off. “See you at breakfast.”

“Bring a healthy appetite,” she told him.

“Always do.” He smiled as he left the building.

Jayden wasn’t sure what time to expect Skyler, and every time the dining hall door opened, she jerked her head around, expecting to see her sister toting in suitcases. By midafternoon she’d almost given up on Skyler even showing up and was coming out of the pantry with a bag of sugar in her hands when she saw her sister standing on the other side of the buffet line. Her long blonde hair framed her delicate face, and her makeup was flawless. She wore white capris, a red T-shirt, and matching red sandals.

“Surprise!” Skyler said.

“I’ve been looking for you all day,” Jayden said. “Did you already put your suitcases in the cabin?”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Skyler said. “I’m not staying.”

“Didn’t you get the message from Elijah offering you a job? Henry and Mary have retired. I’ve taken over the cooking, and Elijah needs some help.” Jayden set the sugar down and poured two glasses of sweet tea.

“I didn’t even check my messages, and FYI, I definitely do not want a job here for the rest of the summer,” Skyler said. “David and I are on our way to Brownsville to spend a few days with his grandmother, and I thought I’d stop by and”—she held out her left hand and wiggled her fingers—“show you this and see Novalene and Diana. Seemed the right thing to do since we’re in the area.”

Jayden stared at the sparkling diamond—the thing had to be at least three carats—in an antique setting. “It’s gorgeous. Is this David you’re talking about the lucky guy?”

“Remember? I told you that he’s the music director at Glory Bound. I sent you a selfie of us from the trip.” Skyler couldn’t take her eyes off the ring. “He dropped me off, but he’ll be back for me in an hour, unless I call him to come back sooner. Where are Novalene and Diana? I want to show them my ring.”

Jayden carried the two glasses of tea to the table and motioned for Skyler to sit down. “David must be rolling in money to afford a ring like that.”

“David isn’t rich himself. His grandmother has all the money in the family, and he’s an only grandson, so it will all go to him someday.” Skyler sat in the folding chair, but she pushed the tea back. “I don’t drink anything with sugar in it. I’m dieting so I can get into a size two wedding dress.” She cut her eyes around at Jayden and drew her perfectly arched brows down. “Have you gained a few pounds since you got here?”

“Maybe,” Jayden answered. “If my jeans fit, then I don’t worry about that too much. Did you just come by to show me your ring?”

“Pretty much. I want to talk to you about something else while I’m here, but before I do . . . since you’re my sister, I should ask you to be part of the wedding party, but”—she pursed her lips and frowned—“you’d be uncomfortable since you’re taller than even the groom and his party, and all my bridesmaids are tiny like me. I’m thinking of you.”

“Yeah, right,” Jayden said.

“Don’t get all pissy about it,” Skyler said. “I might let you help serve the cake or maybe you can sit at the guest book.” She held up her hand and flipped it around so the gem would catch the sunrays pouring in from the window. “David’s great-grandfather had this designed for his bride and it was passed down to his grandmother and now she’s let David give it to me. I’m such a lucky woman.”

“You said you had something to talk to me about?” Jayden prodded. Better to cut this short.

“David and I won’t live in Texas this next year. We’ll be running our own little private school in Mexico for the children of diplomats and folks who need our services. His grandmother is setting it all in motion, and we’ll be very busy with his side of the family and with Daddy when we do get to come back to the States for a short visit.”

“Does that mean you won’t be wasting your time coming to see me?” Jayden asked.

“Our wedding has to be in late August, so we don’t have much time to plan for it, and I sure won’t have time to come see you.” Skyler sighed. “I’ll have to buy a dress off the rack instead of having a designer make it special for me, but”—another long sigh—“at least I can get a nice one. I won’t have time to save up the money for my dream wedding, and with all his family’s doing for us, I can’t possibly let them pay for the wedding.” Skyler pulled out her little package of tissues.

“With what you got from the sale of Mama’s house, you should have plenty of money to pay for a wedding.” Jayden thought again of their childhood home occupied by another family.

A single trained tear dropped from Skyler’s eyelash. “That money has been gone for years. It wasn’t all that much anyway after I paid off the mortgage she still owed, and I really needed a new car. I know that she left you what she had in savings . . .” Another tear made its way out to the end of her eyelash.

“You took three-fourths of the profit from the house and all of the money from the sale of the contents. You didn’t even ask me if I wanted to have some of the smaller things that meant a lot to me, like Mama’s old teapots. Are you asking me to give you the little I got after you divided the money?” Jayden asked.

“Yes, I am.” Skyler dabbed at her eyes. “I should have the wedding of my dreams—some cheap little thing would be an embarrassment to this gorgeous ring. You don’t need that money, and you’ll probably never get married anyway.”

“No,” Jayden said.

“As in no, you do plan to get married?” Skyler asked.

“I’m not giving you my money.” Jayden could feel guilt floating out of the sky like a big black cloud and settling in her heart. Refusing her sister was so tough that it put a lump in her throat. Her mother would be disappointed, and her father would hate her even more.

Skyler’s chin quivered. “I’ll let you go with me to pick out the dress.”