Zoe ended the call and tossed her phone on the sofa with a moan.

“That bad?” September asked from the door.

“Why can’t family call just to say hi? Why is it always drama?”

September started to laugh. “Friends call to say hi. Family call when they need something.”

“I feel guilty,” Zoe moaned.

“Because you’re living your life?” Mel asked after getting the scoop on the Zanya situation.

“Because I’m not there keeping my baby sister from making more mistakes.”

“You’re talented, Zoe, but stopping your sister from having sex isn’t a skill you have.”

Zoe rested her head in her hands as she spoke on the phone. “I haven’t been there for her. My mom isn’t exactly the perfect role model, and we both know Zane can hardly take care of himself, let alone be a big brother for more than ten minutes at a time.”

“You’re her sister, not her mother. You can open the communication door, but she needs to walk through it to make it happen.”

Zoe knew her friend was right. “Still feel guilty.”

“I’ll talk to her. Make sure she knows I’m here to listen. Being a single mom is hard. It’s easy to fall into the trap of sticking with the wrong man to make it easier.”

If anyone knew that, it was Mel. Her eight-year-old daughter was born before Mel turned twenty. The baby daddy was a piece of shit, rest in peace.

As the words rolled around in Zoe’s head, she pictured Hope’s father the last time she’d seen him alive. Nathan had tried to gain custody of Hope for all the wrong reasons. Went so far as to hire thugs to make Mel look like a bad mom. Everything backfired on the man, and one of the thugs he’d hired did a hell of a lot more than set Mel up for an unwinnable court battle.

“You didn’t stick with Nathan for long.”

“No, but it wasn’t easy on my own. I can’t say I wouldn’t have caved if he’d lost his selfish gene and stepped up early on.”

“It would never have been good with that man.”

“Don’t I know it. If I knew men like Wyatt were out there, I wouldn’t have ever slept with Nathan to begin with.”

“Yeah, but then you wouldn’t have Hope. And you wouldn’t have made it back to River Bend and met the love of your life.”

“Who knew you were such the romantic?” Mel teased.

“I’m not.”

“Speaking of Wyatt . . . has he called you?”

Zoe felt a smile on her lips. He hadn’t, but she knew why Mel was asking.

“Nope, why?”

“Oh, I don’t know . . . ask you my ring size, maybe.”

Zoe giggled. “I don’t know your ring size.”

“Six. We’ve talked about this.”

“I must have forgotten.” Wyatt was working up the right time to pop the question. The question everyone already knew the answer to.

“You’re just as frustrating as Jo. Maybe I should put my ring size on the box of condoms.”

“I’d hope you’re on the pill by now,” she teased.

“I am, but I’ve forgotten to take the damn things twice now. We need backup.”

“How is it you’ve forgotten something as important as a pill?” Mel was the smart one, or so Zoe always thought.

“I kept them on the bathroom counter. Someone moved them, and I forgot to take it. I remembered the next day.”

“Where did you find them?”

“In my makeup bag. I never put them in there.”

“How did that happen? I can’t imagine Wyatt doing it.” Mel worked alongside Miss Gina at her bed-and-breakfast. She had the caretaker’s room and a private bath that wasn’t cleaned by the staff brought in on busy weekends. For the most part, the large Victorian home held only Miss Gina, Mel, and Hope. Plus the occasional overnight guest otherwise known as Wyatt. Though Wyatt had his own place just outside of town.

“You’re probably just being blonde.”

“Ha-ha! Very funny.” Melanie was as blonde as Zoe was dark haired. “So when are you coming to visit us again?”

Considering Zoe had spent more time in River Bend in the past six months than she had in ten years, the question should have felt out of place. It didn’t. Still, returning home always tore a piece out of her heart. Well, returning didn’t so much as leaving again.

“I’m actually in the process of buying my own place.”

“Really? You’re buying a house?”

Zoe had a hard time stretching the truth. “I haven’t found what I want yet. So my weekends off are busy with open houses and such.”

Mel paused. “Oh . . . is that right?”

“It is. Production this week hasn’t gone well. I’ll be on set most of the month.”

“Huh.” Mel didn’t sound convinced.

“You should come visit me.”

Laughter met Zoe’s suggestion. “And pull Hope out of school? Not to mention I’m barely on my feet again. I’ve just about saved enough to buy a beater.”

“Do you even need to buy a car?”

“I can’t keep asking Miss Gina for hers.”

Zoe nodded even though her friend couldn’t see her. “I get it. Now’s not a good time for me to fly in.”

“I get it. But you have to promise me something.”