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River’s voice brings me back to reality.

“Are you okay? You’ve been sitting there for the last five minutes holding that shoe but not putting it on.”

I look at my hands and down at my feet, and sure enough, I have one pink and gray sneaker on but not the other. I put my shoe on and lace it.

“Yeah, I’m fine. Just thinking.”

“Uh-oh. Everything okay with Logan? You didn’t have a fight, did you?”

Just hearing his name puts a goofy smile on my face.

“No, not at all. We’ve never had a fight. Not even an argument. It's really easy being with him.”

“Somebody’s inlove,” River teases me.

“I think I am, River.”

I stand up, and she stands next to me and pulls me into a hug.

“I’m so happy for you, Sis. Logan is a great guy, and you deserve to be with a great guy.”

“Thank you. And you do too, River. Why aren’t you dating anyone? You haven’t talked about meeting any cute guys in months.”

She steps away and turns to the door.

“Eh, nothing out there. I’m not interested in dating right now.”

I can’t see her face, but there’s a strain in her voice. It’s so brief and nonchalant that someone else may have never noticed it. But I know my sister and how very protective of her feelings she is. She hates showing any kind of weakness. I don’t know what it will take to break through her walls. All I can do is keep trying.

“River?”

“We gotta get going if we want to be on time for the first class. Got everything you need?”

She’s already opening the door, not looking at me. I follow her outside, and just as I’m about to try again, she beats me to it. River is a master of deflection.

“So, what were you thinking about before? You’re so out of it. I called your name three times.”

Had she? I hadn’t heard her.

“Nothing, really. I was thinking about Bruno. Logan’s working tonight, so Bruno’s coming over for dinner at six. We’re making pizza from scratch. Are you staying in?”

River goes to the passenger door of our car, unlocks it, and tosses the keys over. I usually drive us to Riggins in the morning. I always get lucky finding parking spots. It doesn’t work if River is driving, only if I am.

“I have a study group tonight, but I should be back by nine-thirty, ten at the latest. Save me some?”

“Of course.”

We could have walked. It’s just about a ten-minute walk to campus, but it’s November and cold. Never mind that I'm Vermont born and raised. The cold and I are not friends.

“So, what’s the deal with you and Bruno?”

This again?

“You know the deal, River. He’s a friend. Just a friend. Nothing more. Guys and girls can be platonic friends. When will you believe me?”

“I believe you, kind of. In my experience, guys and girls can try to be platonic friends, but one of them ends up wanting more. Every guy friend I’ve ever had, since seventh or eighth grade, has at some point made a pass at me. So maybe you have no interest in Bruno, but I find it hard to believe that with the amount of time you two spend together, there’s nothing on his side.”

We pull into the RU student parking lot.