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Jesse began to cry

Claire was torn While she sympathized with Jesse’s pain, she felt she waswith Nicole on this one Jesse had crossed the line too many times

"What did you think she would do?" Claire asked

"Yell atKeyes cakes on the Internet Yelling is usually reserved for things like violating curfew"

Jesse turned to look at her She brushed away her tears "How could I steal it if I’m a Keyes, too? Dad left half the bakery to me Isn’t that recipe half ot, you’re in serious trouble Where aave her the street address, which Claire plugged into the nav syste some money off the cakes So what? It’s not like I had a job after Nicole threw me out"

Claire couldn’t believe it "Did you expect Nicole to keep you at the bakery after what you did with Drew? Don’t you take responsibility for anything?"

"I have to take care of myself I’ve already told you, none of this is oing to be good enough I’ive me"

"That’s her decision, but even if it’s true, that doesn’t mean it’s okay for you to steal the cake and then sell it like that"

"I wasn’t stealing," Jesse repeated stubbornly "What was I supposed to do? She threwin a shitty little studio apart space fro until ten I bake cakes and yes, I’ deal Allfro from Nicole?"

Jesse looked out the side"Now you’re taking her side in this Figures"

"I’ anyone’s side There are no sides There’s only us--three sisters who can’t see That should be enough for you"

"I’ sides," she repeated Not exactly

"It seems like you are I don’t care I don’t need either of you"

Claire felt both sad and frustrated How could Jesse not see the proble with Drew, it was onlya bad situation worse

"Why do you want to keep hurting Nicole?" Claire asked "I thought you cared about her"

Jesse folded her arms across her chest "I do care about her But I don’t have any other choices"

"Not much of an excuse"

Jesse turned on her "You don’t know anything about h Matt found out about the whole Drew thing and he won’t listen, either I know I screwed up before, but this is different"

It didn’t sound all that different, Claire thought grimly "I know you’veyour best to avoid the consequences"

"Shut up You don’t know anything You have everything and I have nothing You don’t have any right to come back here and tell ot out Claire stopped the engine and followed her They hadn’t even left the police parking lot Couldn’t they at least go a couple of miles before a blowup?

"Jesse, don’t"

Jesse turned to her "Don’t what? Don’t get in the way? Don’t be a screwup? All my life I’ve created trouble for Nicole I’m the reason she couldn’t do what she wanted to do I’e or any of that stuff You think I don’t know that? You think ither?"

"I’o away" She started walking

"Wait I’ll take you home"

"I can take the bus I’ve done it before"

Jesse pulled her coat around her and walked across the street to the bus stop Claire returned to her car What was she supposed to do now? She had no experience with situations like this Should she deet in the car? It wasn’t as if she could force her

Before she could come up with a plan, a bus pulled up and Jesse cli how they’d all coht between the three of theht with us Friday," Nicole said at breakfast the next ellation"

"What are you talking about?" Claire asked"Every year, on the anniversary of Shanna leaving, he gets totally drunk and reminds hiuy thing, because it makes no sense to me Fortunately he doesn’t want Amy to see any part of the event, so I take her and when he’s sober, he coet her It’s becoht," Claire said "Why does he have to get drunk to deal with his past?"

"Not a clue"

Claire didn’t think she could ask Wyatt about that kind of thing yet, though they’d been out a couple more times and each date had been better than the one before She’d wondered why he hadn’t asked her out for this weekend and now she knehy But she didn’t kno much he still cared about Shanna or why he hadn’t told her about the annual night of drinking and solitude

"You don’t think he’s still in love with her, do you?" she asked

Nicole sipped her coffee "Not even for o This is more about what he thinks about hi line of men who screw up relationships Based on e to Drew, I’ out that Dreas only Wyatt’s stepbrother