Kaden didn’t know much about readings, but he’d heard what Maura said before. He stood and offered Irene a hand up. She eyed it, warily, but ultimately, she accepted. She rubbed her thumb along his until it caught on his nail, then held tight as he pulled her to her feet.

Irene’s eyes held his for a few seconds.

Their readings had been exactly the same.

But he didn’t know whether he was the love or the sorrow.

Chapter 13

Addison

Addison knew full well she ran the risk of bumping into River when she went to drop off the crate of shadow garden rosemary, but instead of asking Quinn to handle the delivery, she’d decided to subject herself to that distinct possibility. The universe had put rosemary in her tea leaves for a reason. Maybe this was part of it.

She nestled her sunglasses on top of her head, threw back her shoulders, and stepped into the sunlight. Once she unstrapped the crate, she shouldered it toward the old barn the Bonners had converted into an event space.

She was hefting the crate a little higher as she reached for the door when she heard, “Let me help you with that.”

There it was, the universe coming through for her.

“Oh,” River said, as he saw her, “it’s you.”

“You don’t have to be a dick every time you see me,” she said.

“Things would be a lot easier if I didn’t have to see you at all.”

Addison shook her head and dropped the crate at his feet. “Your sister is dating my cousin. Our grandmothers are best friends. Avoiding each other isn’t going to work. There’s got to be another way.”

“For you, that means taking no responsibility for what you did,” River said.

“How?” Addison asked. “I tried to fix it, and I can’t. I’ve apologized a thousand times. What more do you want?”

“Don’t you get it?” River met her eyes. “Every time I see you, I’m reminded of what I lost. I’m reminded that if I’d just stayed there, if I’d decided to wake my grandfather up before it happened, he’d still be alive. I can’t get him back. I can’t get any of it back.”

“I…” She struggled for words. I feel the same way too, she wanted to say. I wish more than anything that I could undo it all.

Addison and River had known each other their whole lives, but they hadn’t started dating until after high school. When things ended, Addison lost more than a four-year relationship. She lost one of her closest friends.

“If you’re going to try to defend yourself—”

“I’m not,” she said, feeling even worse.

She looked away.

“If you have something to say, say it.”