“I started this?” River asked. “You’re the one who fucked with my head.”

Quinn gripped Addison’s shoulder. “Something’s not right.”

“Clearly.” Addison nodded. “My heart feels like it’s breaking all over again.”

Maura grabbed Addison’s hand and tugged her up. “Come on, before Irene does something we’ll all regret.”

Chapter 19

Irene

Irene had always had what she considered to be an extraordinary constitution. She’d spent almost forty-six years turning compost and spreading mulch, and it took a lot to get her stomach to curl, but as she stood from her chair and started toward Kaden, the encroaching smell of vomit threatened to do her in.

With each step she took, cries rose around her. People wailed, pulled at their hair. Some rocked back and forth in their seats. Others started shouting. She sidestepped a fight that broke out in the center aisle.

Clem followed behind her, laughing so hard she was crying. “What the hell is happening?”

Irene shook her head. “I have no idea.”

She hoisted herself up over the edge of the stage. Kaden swayed as he offered her a hand.

“I thought I was just going to laugh,” he mumbled, gripping Irene like he was afraid she’d leave him up there alone.

“It’s okay,” Irene said. “Let’s get you out of here.”

He buried his head in her hair and whimpered softly.

“Well this is a surprise,” Sylvia said. “The two of you…?”

“Yeah,” Irene said. Kaden was a mess, but it didn’t change any of the affection she felt for him. “The two of us.”

“Now is not the time for this,” Nate said. “It’s been over twenty years. So I cheated on you. Big deal. Did you really think showing up here with my brother was going to get under my skin?”

His face had gone red with anger. Petunias bloomed in his aura so quickly it was a wonder the venue wasn’t full of them.

“This has nothing to do with you, but it looks like I got under your skin anyway,” Irene said.

He started to reply when Sylvia placed a hand on his arm. “Not the time or place, Nate.”

“I only came up here to help get Kaden off this stage,” Irene said.

“In case you forgot, we’re burying my father,” Nate spat at her.

“In case I forgot?” Irene threw out a hand at the room full of mourners.

As Sylvia shifted her focus from Kaden to the people before them, her eyes widened. She stepped up to the microphone.

“If everyone could please sit down.”

But her voice was lost in the din.

Clem’s laughter reached a peak.

Irene tried to blink away the haze, thinking all that bourbon earlier was messing with her head. She leaned toward Kaden. “Are you seeing this?”