Will reaches into his pocket and holds his out to me. There’s a bitter twist to his lips. I take it from his hand. He’s careful not to touch me.

Erma picks up on the second ring. I don’t waste time.

“Hi. Miss Erma, it’s Jessie. Yesterday when you came by the Williams’ house did you tell Gavin he was my soul mate?”

“Hmm? I didn’t go by the Williams’ house. I’m on a trip to NYC, I’m seeing the Rockettes with Wanda.” I hear car horns honking from her end of the line. She’s in New York City?

“What did the lady look like?” I ask Gavin.

He frowns. “Well, there were two of them. Looked like sisters, about eighty, one liked to joke, the other didn’t.”

Ohhh. It was Petunia and Gladiola. The meddling old birds. I knew this was a misunderstanding. Erma can clear it up and confirm that Will is mine. And then, Gavin can go and try to fix this mess with Lacey. And I can go hold Will.

“Miss Erma?”

“Yes?”

“Can you please tell me exactly what you saw when you had the vision of my soul mate?”

Will folds his arms over his chest and looks out the window. The sun streaks through the glass and falls across his shoulders. I want to reach out and hold him. Go back to last night and the warmth of his arms.

“Of course I can. I saw you as a little girl, you were sitting in an oak tree.”

“Yes,” I say, and my breath hitches.

Will turns back and watches my expression. His face is neutral, but I can feel all his attention laser focused on me and my reaction to what Erma says. Across the kitchen, Gavin watches tensely. He has no idea that this means more to Will than a failed business merger.

“And in the tree with you is a little boy. He gives you a hanky and you give him a flower. That boy is your soul mate.”

My stomach plummets. Will’s eyes are locked on mine and he sees her answer in my expression.

“Thank you,” I whisper. I disconnect the call. My throat is tight and aching.

Will nods, and in his nod I see a finality. He’s cutting off what we had. He’s cutting the connection between us.

“Well?” Gavin asks.

I lick my dry lips, unable to look away from Will.

“What did she say?” Gavin says.

I swallow, unable to answer. I search Will’s eyes for the man I know is there, but I don’t see him. I see the stranger I thought he was.

Will can read my expression, he knows what Erma said. Before he said he didn’t care, but now, for some reason, he does. He turns and walks out of the kitchen.

“What?” asks Gavin.