If Kelly hadn’t been her best friend as well as her sister, Rori probably would have hated her. Instead, the two sisters, as different as they could be, had always been there for each other, always supporting and loving when needed. Without Kelly, Rori didn’t know if she’d have been able to get past her mother’s constant carping on her appearance.

Kelly hung up the last sweater and closed the closet. “Come on downstairs, then. The boys will be getting home from school soon and they’ve been talking about you nonstop since your announcement about moving back to town.”

Rori followed her sister downstairs.

“Today’s paper is on the table there. Why don’t you look through the ads for places to live if you’re determined that way.”

Rori hid her smirk and settled in at the breakfast nook in the sunny kitchen and caught up on gossip as they drank iced tea and looked through the ads for rentals.

“I hear the bus. Prepare yourself.” Kelly sipped her tea as they both angled their attention toward the front door.

Shane and Alex burst through the door and suddenly there was a jumble of arms and legs and backpacks as the boys jumped onto Rori, hugging her.

“My goodness, who are these handsome men? Wait, are these my nephews? These brawny dudes? It can’t be!” She greedily soaked up all the hugs, kisses and love. These boys were a huge part of the reason she’d come back to Oakley.

There was talk of baseball games and schedules, friends, school and other gossip they both needed to fill her in on until she tossed Alex her keys and told them presents awaited them in her trunk.

They scrambled out of the room and through the front door.

“You spoil them.” Kelly refilled the teas before getting up to move around the kitchen.

“Of course I do, it pays to have good-looking men who adore me. Your boys are true to me, it’s more than I’ve had recently.”

“Speaking of that, Jude is still single.” Kelly shot her a sly look.

Jude Callahan, the guy who’d been the star of every one of Rori’s girlhood fantasies. Despite his bad boy behavior, he’d always been nice to Rori. He’d flirted and stopped when they were at school to chat and catch up. He’d made her feel like an actual girl instead of a shy lump. He was also Max’s half brother.

“That so?” She smiled at Kelly, not even bothering to hide her interest. Jude had been that unattainable ideal. The boy whose name she’d written probably ten thousand times on countless sheets of notebook paper.

“Yep. He’s working with Max.”

She burst out laughing. “Jude Callahan is a cop?”

“Yep.”

“Hmm. I can only imagine what he looks like in a uniform.” Rori raised an eyebrow at her sister.

“Oh yeah.” Kelli nodded, fanning her face.

The boys came back into the house clutching their presents. Paper flew and she got more hugs and kisses in thanks. She could only understand one in every five words because they both spoke at the same time, but she got the gist.

“All right, boys, go and do your homework.” Kelly barely stifled a grin, her voice mock-stern. “It’s game night so we’re eating early. Daddy will be home in half an hour. Go on.”

They ran off up the stairs, still talking about the presents.

She shot Rori an annoyed look that was ruined by the slight curve at the corner of her mouth.

“Don’t begrudge me the only male attention I’ve had in six months.” Rori laughed at her sister’s put-upon face and brushed her hands off. “Now, let’s get dinner started shall we? I’m going to call these people about the ads.”

Rori called and made appointments for the next day to go out and look at two apartments and a small house. Afterward, she cut up tomatoes and other salad fixings while Kelly made a quick spaghetti sauce and boiled noodles. She also called her mother and made plans for a dinner at her condo on Sunday afternoon.

“I’m home.” Max’s deep voice sounded from the front hallway.

“Hey, Max, we’re back here. Dinner is just about ready. Grab the boys will you?”

He poked his head into the kitchen. “Hey, you.” He swept Rori into a hug, kissing her cheek. “Glad you made it in all right.”

Leaning forward, he gave his wife a far less platonic kiss than Rori had just received. The two of them always looked at each other as if no one else existed. “Mmm. I’m headed upstairs to change. I’ll deal with the boys and be back down shortly.”

Dinner was far more raucous than the last time she’d eaten with them. Both boys were a lot older and had plenty to tell their aunt about their lives. Competitive. Shane was so bold and vibrant, Alex the shyer of the two, but more intense. Each carried the best parts of their parents. She didn’t envy Kelly and Max’s job over the next years as the boys got into teenagerhood.

“You reconsidering moving back here yet?” Max helped clear the dishes. “I figure a few hours’ exposure to my sons and suddenly Paris is looking a lot better.”

“Ha! Your boys are a million times more appealing than Paris. Anyway, you two are raising some amazing kids. I’m in awe.”

Her brother-in-law ducked his head. “Thanks. It’s harder than I ever imagined it would be. Raising kids. I can’t take the credit though. It’s all your sister.”

“You know I think my sister is an awesome mom, but there’s a lot of you in them too. You’ve got a great house. Great kids and a fabulous wife. Not a bad life, eh?”

He gave her a one armed hug. “Not at all. I’m glad you’re back. Kelly needs you around and the boys are thrilled to have you back. Me too.”

* * *

When they got to the park, the boys scampered off to talk with friends and Rori took an appreciative look around. Things had changed in the time she’d been away.

“Dude, this place looks pretty posh compared to the old days when your ass would be flat and aching by the seventh inning stretch,” Rori told her sister as they moved into the bleachers to sit and watch the game.

“You’re making so many people’s day.” Kelly looked around. “They know you, but they don’t quite know you. Who is that new girl?” She laughed. “I bet you there’s a lot of texting and phone calling about you right now.”

“Gotta get used to that again.” Rori should have expected people would start recognizing her. It was a small town and anyone new automatically stuck out, especially at an event like this one.

“Oh my lands! Rori Simon? Is that you?”

Rori turned to catch sight of a small woman with bright red hair and blue eyes. “Becky! Hi, how are you?” Becky Helm had been a pretty good friend back in high school, but they’d lost touch when Rori had gone away to school.

“Oh you know, same old. I love what you’ve done with your hair. What are you doing in town? We should get together before you leave and catch up.”

“I’d love that. I’m actually here in Oakley for good now. I missed Kelly and the boys so much. I thought I’d try living back here. I’ve thought about you often and wondered how you were.”

“Are you staying at Kelly’s?”

“Yes, for now. I’m looking for a place of my own, though.”

“Well I have her number and I’ll call you. We should grab a drink, go dancing. I just got divorced and I need to kick up my heels.” Becky said this bluntly, with only a hint of sadness.

Rori didn’t know what to say. Divorce was an unimaginable sorrow to her, although she could identify with coming out of a long relationship. “Oh really? I’m sorry. I didn’t even know you got married.”

“Paul Prentice. The sorry, drinking, cheating jerk.”

Rori winced. “Ah. Well.” Paul Prentice was all of those things even back in high school.

“Yeah, I know, it’s not like that’s news.”

Maybe so, but it hurt like hell to be the person who got a big wallop of truth right to the heart. “Honey, if making perfect choices was a requirement for living I wouldn’t be here. I’ve just ejected my own sorry, cheating, jerk from my life. We’re better for it.”