“Hello? Supporting your crush automatically means I’m on your side.”

“You should ask him out for a drink,” Addison said.

“He’s a Bonner.”

“He’s a recovering Bonner,” Addison said. “That’s what he told me, anyway.”

It was tempting, but Irene shook her head. “Can you imagine the emotional trauma he’s carrying? And the funeral is today. I’m not here to heal him.”

Clem raised her eyebrows and looked around their shop. “That’s literally what you’re here for.”

“You know what I mean,” Irene said.

“You saw a visitor in your leaves. That visitor is here,” Clem said. “Maybe a little excitement wouldn’t be so terrible. And if it’s not forever, who cares? You deserve to have a good time.”

Addison pointed at Clem. “Exactly.”

Irene dropped her head back with an exaggerated sigh.

“Look. From what I saw last night, I like him,” Clem said. “He’s honest.”

“So we think,” Irene said. “And I want to believe it. But… he’s a Bonner.”

“I ran into River when I dropped off the rosemary,” Addison said. “Kaden stopped when he saw me. I was, um… not at my best. He actually seemed to care. He gave me a bit of a pep talk.”

“Besides, if he tries to pull anything like what Nate did, we’ll stuff him in a barrel of bourbon and set it on fire,” Clem said.

“That sounds a little harsh,” Irene said.

Clem shrugged.

The bell over the door jingled, and Kaden walked into the shop. His hair hung limp, like he’d spent the last twenty minutes running his hands through it. Irene hadn’t known him long, but the look on his face said it all.

He crumpled onto the bench at the table and dropped his head into his hands. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I don’t know where else to go.”

The three women shared a look. Kaden was the brother of the man who’d cheated on Irene—the reason she’d given up on love. But he wasn’t here to be healed, and she didn’t know what to do with that.

She left the comfort of her armchair and moved to sit next to him on the bench.

“I went to see my mom,” he said.

“That bad?” she asked.

“Worse.”

When he didn’t elaborate, she said, “You want to talk about it?”

“I don’t know why I’m here,” Kaden said.

“The universe sent you,” Irene said. “Remember?”

He let out a choked laugh. “I’m not so sure about that anymore. I should go.”

“The offer’s still on the table,” she said. “I won’t charge you.”

Kaden shook his head. “I don’t want anyone to take anything away. I need to feel this.”

“It wouldn’t be forever,” Irene said. “Especially not with grief. It would just help you on your way to healing.”

But he shook his head.