“Miss Erma predicted my soul mate. My Eddie and I have been together for thirty-five years next month. She’s never been wrong, dontcha know?”

I clench my teeth harder and my jaw tightens. My paperback bends in my hand and I quickly loosen my grip on it.

“I’m sure she’s been wrong at least once or twice.”

The woman clicks her tongue again. “Oh no. Never. She’s never been wrong. She’s successfully predicted hundreds of matches.”

I nod. What a crock, who would believe this garbage? Except…Jessie, and from what I hear, the entire town. Including Jessie’s friend Veronica and her husband Sam.

On his mission to bring back the “fun me,” Gavin and I went rock climbing this morning. We ran into Veronica and her husband Sam, and decided to climb together. Well, everyone else climbed, I mostly fell, since I’ve never been climbing before. The entire time, Sam kept giving Gavin and I speculative looks, and Veronica flat out took me aside and told me if I messed up Jessie’s chances at love, she would tie me up and drop me in a cave so dark and deep no one would ever find my body. Her husband Sam overheard the threat. Instead of being concerned, he laughed, kissed her and asked if she’d tie him up and throw him in a cave.

Insane.

Then Sam took me aside and asked about hiring a few project management consultants out of my New York City office. The whole time Veronica gave me the side-eye and as I left she gave me the “I’m watching you” gesture.

Don’t mess things up for Jessie and Gavin, she’d said. Which meant, this white-haired librarian, Jessie, Veronica, Sam, and apparently hundreds of couples believe in this soul mate psychic baloney.

The hollow space in my chest aches again. Maybe she isn’t wrong. But I said it once and I’ll say it again. I. Don’t. Care.

When I was eight, I fell for Jessie. Maybe the psychic says there’s someone else for her, but there’s no one else for me. I found Jessie before I stopped being able to care and I never was able to let her go.

I decided after rock climbing that I need to finally step off the path I’ve been walking. I’m going to be who I’ve always wanted to be around Jessie. Gavin’s right, I’ve been what my dad made me into for too long.

“Will Jessie be back before you close?” I ask the librarian.

She clicks her tongue. “She’s already here. She’s teaching the seniors’ computer skills class in the community room.” She points to a pair of wooden double doors near the children’s area.

“Thank you.”