Her chin tingles. She goes to scratch it only to feel moisture on her fingertips. She looks at her fingers, surprised to find herself crying. Her tears catch her off guard but she doesn’t try to stop them from falling. She wipes away the moisture, then eyes the dime in her palm. One coin left.

She squeezes the dime, kisses her fist, and whispers her last hate.

“I hate that we never said goodbye.”

She gently underhands the dime. It drops into the water.

“That’s ten,” Taryn says quietly.

“That’s ten,” she echoes. She wipes her damp chin on her shoulder, then turns to her friend.

Taryn stares at her. Her eyes shimmer. “Jo-Jo . . . are you sure you don’t want to see him again? He sounds—”

“Wonderful, I know. I guess I do love him. But I hate more how unfair I’ve been to Mark and our marriage.” She’s kept more than one part of herself from him: Judy’s sister and the woman questioning whether she did the right thing at JFK.

“Want to catch a cab somewhere?” Joy could use a drink.

“Think we can get into Mr. Purple this late without a reservation?” Taryn asks.

“Not sure, but it’s worth a try.” She links her arm through Taryn’s. “I’ll tell you my plans for my new business on the ride over.”

Taryn shoots her a look. “Your new what?”

“Didn’t I tell you? I’m going to make soap.”

Taryn laughs and squeezes her hard. “You are my least dull friend, ever.”

CHAPTER 25

CHAPTER 25

BEFORE

Joy

Litchfield, Illinois

“Last room left.” Dylan showed her the key cards to their room at an economy motel just off the highway.

Thank God they got one. Cold and scared, Joy clenched her teeth to stop the chattering. She’d gone from perspiring in the heat and humidity and singing with Dylan as they drove toward Chicago to dancing with him in the rain alongside the highway, then on to soaked and shivering and seeking shelter from a freak storm.

Okay, it wasn’t freakish to the locals. But for a gal who avoided driving when it rained in SoCal? The weather was unreal, and she didn’t want to be in a soft-top convertible while it was hailing bigger than the size of her fingernails.

He gave her one of the cards to their room.

Was it even safe to be in the hotel? Weren’t they supposed to go underground? Did the hotel have a basement? Doubtful. Given the condition of the hotel, she was surprised it was still standing. She was surprised any of the buildings around them hadn’t been flattened during a previous tornado.

Why did people even live here?

Get a grip, Joy.

She took a calming breath.