A face I might have loved if it weren’t forhim.
Nia and Nolan keep the conversation light, discussing the upcoming summer festivals and the new café opening on the other side of town near Madame Ella’s. Apparently, they specialize in fish. Not sure why anyone would want to go somewhere that offers only one type of food on the menu, but what do I know?
Trevor orders a pear and rhubarb tart, offering me half.
I don’t even want food but when the waitress drops off the plate, I force myself to eat so that I don’t have to join in the conversation. Bedtime cannot come soon enough.
Trevor dabs the crumbs from his lips with his serviette. “What news from The Divide, Nolan?”
Nia’s brow furrows as she glances at me, and then to the man holding her hand. “What is he talking about, dearest?”
I hate how much my ears perk up at the mention of the canyon. I try to appear nonchalant, but my knuckles have gone white where I grip my fork.
Nolan clears his throat, a flush creeping along his jaw as his gaze darts between my cousin and me. “This information does not leave this table,” he says quietly, his expression grim. Once we’ve all nodded, he continues. “One of the men on patrol last night was mauled to death by a wolf.”
But Everett said there were no wolves on our side of The Divide.
Had that been a lie?
No. Everett wouldn’t have lied. Not about this.
Maybe he wasn’t lying, but wrong.
Either way, a man is dead. Why would this be a secret though? If the people of Rosehill aren’t safe, shouldn’t they be told?
The three of them continue speaking in low whispers, but all I can do is sit back and stare into my milky tea, wondering if there really is a wolf loose in Rosehill.
* * *
I leave the restaurant without making plans to see Trevor again, ignoring the way his head hangs as he returns to the library to finish his shift.
Nia takes my hand as we stroll back to her parent’s house, plying me with question after question about why I was so dismissive of Trevor.
She’s so determined to find me a husband in Rosehill that she’s forgetting one very important thing: This is going to bemyhusband, not hers.
I cannot tie myself to someone so cowardly.
Nia’s skirt brushes mine as we walk, our hands swinging. “I still cannot believe a wolf killed one of our own. I never thought I’d say it but thank heavens for the curfew. I’m not sure I’ll go out at night ever again.”
It could have been me.
If I’d gone to The Divide last night, I could’ve been the wolf’s victim.
It could have been Everett.
I hope he made it home safely.
Her fingers grip mine a little tighter, her eyes pleading as she slows to a stop, forcing me to halt as well. “Kerris, please. I know you’re sad, but you didn’t honestly believe there could be a future for the two of you.”
That’s just it. Part of me did start to believe in us.
“I’m sorry, Nia. I will be back on track tomorrow. I promise.” And if I don’t, I’ll send a letter to Theo asking if he’d like some company in Applewood. Perhaps the men there won’t be such an overwhelming disappointment.
* * *
Inside the house, the tangy scent of lemons hangs in the air.
My aunt waits on the sofa, her apron spotted with flour and batter. When she sees us, she launches to her feet. “Oh, good. You’re back. Come in and have a seat.”