“He’s got bigger things on his mind,” Josh muttered but dropped his gaze. “And mail takes longer to get there. Plus, we knew you were taking care of Morgan, and Paisley said she’s been…delicate.”

“Unbelievable,” Sam snapped.

“I should have told you.” Paisley’s voice dripped with regret.

“You should have told me he was dead!”

The whole world stilled.

In my peripheral vision, I saw Sawyer sneak away, motioning to Christina and her husband to do the same. It was just us—the Sunday dinner crew—and Jackson, who was silent and strong at my side.

“I don’t understand,” Paisley said softly.

“You never did,” I spat, shaking my head. “How did you find out Will was dead?”

Her lips parted. “The officers came to the door. I was with Ember, and they told us Will had been killed. Then they gave us the news that Jagger and Josh were both seriously injured.”

I nodded, processing the information. “I was in the jam aisle at Publix when Sam called.” I tried to swallow the lump of anxiety that formed in my throat, but it wouldn’t move. I arched my neck, but no matter how many times I worked my throat, it stuck there like a damned rock.

“What’s wrong?” Paisley asked, moving forward.

“Give her a second.” Sam stepped between us.

“Kitty,” Jackson whispered, pressing an opened bottle of water into my hand.

I chugged half the bottle, then took deep breaths and visualized the muscles relaxing. I’d told this story in Dr. Circe’s office for the last six weeks and listened to myself tell it every single morning. I could do this.

“Thank you.” I handed Jackson the bottle and threw him a fragile smile.

He winked and squeezed my hand as he took it back.

“I was in the jam aisle at Publix, and Sam called. That jar of jam slipped from my hands and shattered all over that tacky linoleum, red like blood as it splattered my feet. And she didn’t have the details. That was something only you got, since you were listed as his next of kin.”

Paisley’s hands fell to her sides.

“I don’t remember much about leaving the store, but slowly it’s coming back to me the more I hear myself tell the story. I left the buggy in the middle of the aisle, didn’t even tell the workers that I’d made a mess, and I stumbled to my car as Sam told me she was on her way to me. She was getting on a plane from Colorado. I sat in that parking lot for two hours, just staring out the windshield, and when I tried to call my very best friend, she didn’t answer.” I wrapped my arms around myself.

“I must have been on the plane already.” Her voice was soft. “Jagger’s father flew us straight to Germany.”