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For a second I didn’t knohat he was talking about, but then I realized water was up pastthe heri in the back seat of Clover" We dropped hands, and I skiers across the water’s icy surface Rowan’s turn "What about you? What’s the hardest thing you’ve survived?"

"This year" No hesitation And no eye contact Which forme, I had to at least try the knob "This year, because of your breakup?"

He exhaled, then wiggled his shoulder like he was trying to shake off his h your own heartache; I don’t want to burden you withthe truth I liked that he felt like he could talk to irlfriend’s nairlfriend? Boyfriend?" I shouldn’t assuoldfish," he said seriously "We dated for a whole year, but every few hours she forgot who I was and we had to start over"

"Oh," I said, adopting his serious tone "That sounds challenging Did the goldfish have a name?"

He hesitated for a second and his setting divorced"

"Oh" I didn’t knohat to say His ansas not what I was expecting, but it shouldn’t have surprised me so much Heartache came in all sorts of flavors "I’ave et past their issues, I think they’d actually be pretty great together, but" He trailed off, shivering violently I suddenly becaavemine "I think I’m about to succumb to hypothermia"

"That means we have to stand here for onethis moment of discomfort? Have there been other ht you couldn’t survive and yet you did?

"Now!" I said, turning back to shore We ran My legs were so frozen, I could barely feel the the water to white, but Rowan’s warm hand found its way back tosensation I had back at the Burren

It was possible that Guidebook Lady was onto sohtlife at the Rainbow’s End Music blared froht blazed More people than I’d seen on the entire peninsula were crowded onto the porch and steps Soe can, and flaes of the htlife," Rowan said, skidding to a stop The way back had taken us twice as long since we had to pedal uphill, and n of Ian?"

"No, but there’s our host" Bradley sat holding court in an ane lawn chair He’d paired a too-s Jesus on a surfboard Bradley caught sight ofdramatically to the seat next to him

The seat of honor Part ofI’d carried back fro his hands excitedly atet over there We don’t want to keep the king waiting"

As I made my way over to Bradley, Ian suddenly appeared aton to led than usual "Where have you been?" he asked urgently

I shook him off "Inch Beach Didn’t Rowan tell you?"

"I didn’t think it would be all day"