“Good thing for you the universe sent you my way, then.”

“Speaking of those tea leaves,” Kaden said.

“What about them?” Irene asked.

“Are they always right?”

She shook her head. “Not always.”

“I don’t want to bring you sorrow, Irene.”

She smiled. “So, don’t.”

“Are you two going to come in, or what?” Clem shouted from the water below.

“What do you think?” Irene asked Kaden. The rope swing had been one of her favorite places since she was a kid, but it had been a few years since she’d come out here—especially without a bathing suit.

“If you’re going in, I’m going in,” Kaden said.

Irene gave his hand a squeeze, dropped it, and started unfastening her overalls. As they fell around her ankles, she glanced up to find Kaden looking anywhere but her legs. She grinned, feeling brave, but not quite brave enough to tug off her tank top, too.

She grabbed the rope, then plunged into the river. It hit her, cold and sharp. When she resurfaced, she found Clem and Taylor treading water, looking up at the sycamore, where Kaden was now stripping down to his boxers.

“I really thought you were going to kiss him,” Clem said.

Irene splashed her. “I might have if you hadn’t interrupted us.”

“There’s still time,” Taylor said with a wink.

Kaden came swinging over the edge, sending up a wave of water. He popped up and finger-combed his hair back, before swimming toward them, arm over arm. “You’re right,” he said when he reached them. “This is exactly what I needed.”

“Congratulations,” Clem said. “You’ve successfully passed your first test.”

“Following you blindly into a river?” Kaden asked.

“Realizing I’m right,” she said. “Because I’m always right.”

“Noted,” Kaden said.

With a laugh, Clem started back for the shore, and the rest of them followed. They continued swinging and swimming until the sun started to make its way across the sky.

Now, Kaden lay back on one of the towels on the riverbank. Sunlight fell through the leaves, making patterns on his bare skin. Irene grabbed one of the water bottles Taylor had packed, and sat next to him. The world spun a little at the edges. It felt like she was in a dream. Like she was just another single woman enjoying the summer with her friends and getting to know a guy.

Because, for the first time in a long time, that’s exactly what she was.

A monarch butterfly landed on the towel, its orange wings awash in the afternoon light. A yellow-and-black tiger swallowtail perched atop her still-damp shoulders. One with blue wings hovered over Kaden.

“Hello there,” he said, and held up a hand. It landed on his knuckles, and his light laughter had her lips tugging up.

“I’ve decided I like you, Kaden.” She edged a little closer to him, spooking the monarch into flight.