"Hey, lady," a gruff voice cut through my thoughts. "We ain't got to order yet."

I turned my head to look over my shoulder. Two men and a woman sat in a booth. They stared at me. I blinked at them, then turned my head back around. I looked toward the pickup window as Sam slid their plates out. I must have put their order in without even taking it. That wouldn't be the first time today.

"Your order just came up. One moment." My voice sounded robotic, even to my ears.

I was trying so hard to keep my focus on The Peach, but I struggled to win against the steady stream of thoughts about Maddox. I couldn't wrap my head around the way he acted last night.

"What the hell is she on about?" the man said as I walked to the window. "Our order can't be up if we haven't ordered nothin'."

I fumbled for a serving tray and piled on their three plates without even really looking. Two orders of pancakes. One with peach jam, one with peanut butter. And an order of waffles. Plain, with unseasoned home fries on the side. I snapped out of my thoughts long enough to eye the plates. It was just weird enough. The last one seemed like a dry meal to me, but it was definitely what the woman at their table had planned to order.

They still grumbled among themselves when I walked over with the tray of food. I felt horrible because The Peach was my life and I wasn’t presenting these tourists with the best impression today. My distraction levels were off the charts and still climbing.

Hopefully, this particular table would be dazzled by their meals magically appearing without having even placed the order. And if I was lucky, they wouldn't ask questions either. My wishes disappeared into smoke the moment the woman saw me walk to the table with the tray. She scrunched up her nose in displeasure.

"Actually," she started, "I don't like things having much—"

"Seasoning or sauces, right?" I asked with a bright, cheerful smile. I could still salvage this if I could make myself focus for more than two seconds. I motioned toward her plate with a nod of my head as I set it down.

Her eyes widened slightly, betraying her shock before they quickly settled into something more suspicious. "Exactly."

"Hey, is there peanut butter on those pancakes?" one of the men at the table asked. "That must be for Emery here. He won't eat nothin' else on his pancakes."

"Just accept that it's the best way to eat 'em, George," the other man scoffed as he took the plate I held out for him. "We all know you do it when nobody's around."

"Do not," the man rebuffed. He looked genuinely insulted.

As I set down the last plate, George looked up at me with narrowed eyes and leaned toward me. "How'd you know what we wanted? Is this like that damned Candid Camera show? That's still around, ain't it?"

Emery shook his head. "Nah, I think it's all about them prank videos online now."

"Is this one of them, you think?" George asked, his eyes flitting between me and Emery as he searched for the conspiracy.

"You're both stupid," the woman interjected with a loud sigh. "This whole town has been creepy. She probably phoned our hotel and asked them what we ordered for room service or something."

I had to hide my shock. She made my job of trying to come up with an excuse a whole lot easier. I’d have to remember that for the future.

I nodded, my smile still firmly in place. "That's right. We like to treat visitors as best we can around here. Enjoy!"

Before I could incriminate myself any further, I quickly turned away from the table. I had only made it a few steps before I heard something that caught my interest.

"I told you this was a weird place to come huntin'," Emery said with a sigh.

Emery was right. This was a weird place to come hunting. We had people stop in now and then before heading up into the mountains, but it was quite the journey from here. There were so many places closer to the hunting areas to stay, especially if they're not looking for the sort of hospitality you would find in a tourist town like Fayoak.

Oh well, I was sure they would enjoy touring the orchards while they were in town. Mrs. Greenhaven's was beautiful this time of year. I smiled as I remembered the times Maddox and I had walked through there together.

The hours passed and the breakfast shift passed into the lunch rush. Again and again, my tables looked at me in surprise as I set down plates of food and drinks that they hadn't ordered. No matter how hard I tried to force myself to focus, I couldn't seem to get a handle on myself. My thoughts drifted back to Maddox no matter where I took them. I made jokes about seeing what customers were looking at on the menu and guessing, but I don’t think many bought it. The locals simply shrugged.

Somehow, I managed to focus long enough to take the deposit to the bank and got the needed change, but when I got back to The Peach my thoughts started their merry-go-round again. I had reached my breaking point, so distracted that I started to get flashes of random customer's futures, rapid fire, when Cassy suddenly appeared in front of me. It took me a moment to register that she was even there.

I knitted my brow together. "You're not on the schedule today, are you?"

She shook her head. "Y'know how you covered for me the other day?"

"Mhm," I replied simply and waited for her continue.

She let out a small puff of breath and gave me a hesitant smile. "Well, I know this is super annoying," she paused and grimaced slightly, "but I really need those hours. Could I take the rest of your shift today?"

I had been feeling a little tug from the future that told me I needed to go see Meghan, so I was more than happy to oblige. I knew Cassy needed the hours anyway.

"The rest of my shift is all yours," I replied with a reassuring smile.

I left work and got into my car. I pulled out my phone and realized I had left it off. I impatiently waited for it to come to life then made a quick call to Meghan to see if I could come over. She was thrilled at the thought of having someone there to fetch things for her so she wouldn't have to get up. I was equally thrilled to have a distraction from my thoughts.

After I hung up, my phone chimed. I glanced at the screen and saw I had a missed call and voicemail from Maddox. My feeling that I needed to go see Meghan intensified, and it felt like they might be related. I needed to see Meghan before I listened to his voice message. It would have to wait.

I tossed my phone into the passenger seat and drove away from The Peach. I rolled down the window and let the fresh air clear away the worries crowding my mind. I still had no idea what to do about Maddox, but I needed to give myself a break. It would be a brief reprieve, undoubtedly, but I was happy for now. I drove with my window down, the sun warm and the air cool on my skin. I could pretend like I wasn't going to have to find some way to gracefully lose the man that I had loved for years.

Reality threatened to tug me back to my moping and confusion as I finally stood in front of Meghan's front door. I made a mean face to scare away the thoughts before they ruined my relatively good mood, then I opened the door.

Immediately, I heard Meghan's voice shout from inside, "I'm not getting up. Meet me in the living room."

I closed the door with a laugh. I waited for the tug from the future to identify itself, but as usual, my gift was being its unreliable self. It always seemed that the more I wanted it to be clear, the more it hid away from me. Unfortunately, patience was the only answer when it did this.

As I made my way inside, I called out, "You were serious about this whole not moving thing, huh?"

"God, yes," Meghan said as I walked into the living room. Sprawled out on the couch in her house clothes, Meghan had her hair thrown up and wore no makeup. "I'm so ready for this baby to get out already."

"Surely it's not that bad, right?" I asked with another laugh.

She pressed her lips together and shook her head. "You just wait until you're the one who can't see her feet or even put on shoes without help." She sighed.

"For all my griping," she continued before I had a chance to reply, "I already know I'm not going to be able to put the baby down once it's here. I'll just be carrying the weight in a different place."

A smile so happy that it was infectious spread across her face. I hoped that someday I would know the feeling, too. The love she already had for her baby, despite the wear and tear on her body, had been wonderful to witness.

"You're going to be such a good mother," I said, my heart bursting with warmth.

She grinned. "And you'll be a great aunty."

I looked off to the side as I felt my face fall. I didn't want to ruin this moment. If only she knew how close I came to being an aunt for real, not just in spirit, so to speak. Meghan suddenly groaned from the couch and I looked back over in a panic, but she was okay. In fact, she gave me a very annoyed look.

"Rose, I love you, but you're being so dense," Meghan said as she threw her head against the back of the couch.

I frowned and moved to take a seat beside her. "What're you talking about?"

She rolled her eyes at me. "That frowny face just now?"

I stiffened slightly. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, please. You and Maddox." She sounded so exasperated, like I should know exactly what she was talking about, but I didn't even know she knew about us until this very moment. "When are you two going to figure this out already?"

My heart picked up speed as thoughts raced through my mind. This was going to make things very awkward for us when his mate showed up. It was okay when I thought only Maddox and I knew about our little thing, but now Meghan? Did that mean Joseph knew, too? It was my turn to flop my head back against the couch as I thought about all the repercussions.

My agonizing was interrupted as my phone rang. My heart leapt in my chest, hoping it was Maddox. I hadn’t listened to his voicemail yet because I didn't want to be rude, but if he called me I wouldn’t hesitate to answer. I pulled out my phone and glanced at the display, frowning when I saw it was Alex calling me.

"Hey, Alex," I answered with a hint of confusion.

"Rose, hey, quick question: Have you heard from Maddox today? He left some tools behind and he's not answering his phone. I've been trying on and off for a couple of hours."

"Um, no, actually," I said slowly. "I'll try to pass the message on though."

"Great, thanks." He sounded cheerful as he ended the call, but my mind was suddenly even more confused than it was this morning.

Alex calling me to check on Maddox's whereabouts was yet another reminder that apparently the whole town knew about us. I used to be so certain that it was under wraps, but now I was freaking out.

I didn't realize he and Alex were suddenly on friendly terms, either. That was weird. I could've sworn Maddox hated him from their first interaction. What were they doing together that involved Maddox’s toolbox?

It was also a little odd that Maddox wouldn't answer his phone. He was the sort of guy that was always easy to get in touch with. Concerned, I lifted my phone to call him again just in time to witness the blinking battery icon, then the screen went black.

"Hey, Meghan, can I use your phone?" I asked. "Mine just died on me."

Meghan's exasperation gave way to concern as she handed me her phone. "Something wrong with Maddox?"

"I don't think so, but I want to be sure." There was no use in worrying her over something that could very well be nothing. She didn't need any extra stress this far along in her pregnancy.

I scrolled through her contacts until I reached Maddox's name, then called. It rang and rang. I could see him not answering for Alex, but his sister? There was no way. She was due any day now. He wouldn't let a call from her go to voicemail. I was about to press the button to call him again when the phone vibrated and rang in my hand. I was so jumpy all of a sudden that I threw the phone at Meghan.

She caught it with a laugh. "Calm down."

Meghan answered her phone with a bright smile. "Hey, what're you and Dad up to—Wait, Mom, slow down, I can't—Maddox has been what?"

My heart slammed against my chest. She brought a hand to her mouth as a sob forced its way through her lips. I knew without even being told. I knew. This was why the future had called me here.

"He's . . ." I trailed off, my attention snapping to her for confirmation. Her expression told me everything. I saw her cat in her eyes. I saw the panic. I pressed a hand to my mouth to stifle a trembling sob.

Meghan and I rushed to the hospital as quickly as we could. I drove and she called Joseph at work so he could meet us there. Maddox's parents were waiting for us outside his room when we arrived. Joseph ran in moments after us.

"What happened?" Meghan asked with panic in her voice.

"Is he going to be okay?" I was so panicked I made her look calm.

Her father shook his head. "Maddox was shot. They managed to remove the bullet. They just moved him up to his room and we’re waiting for him to wake up."

"He's already had surgery?" Meghan asked as she glared at her parents. "When did it happen?"

They exchanged a look, then her mother replied, "Not that long ago. We called you the moment he was in recovery." "Not that long?" she seethed openly. "He had surgery, Mother. Surgery! He was shot! Why didn't you call me?"

Joseph rubbed Meghan’s shoulders. She leaned into him, but her glare was still firmly in place.

"Honey, you have to know we didn't want to worry you," her father said. "There was nothing you could do but wait in some uncomfortable chair anyway."

I saw Meghan’s eyes narrow and knew she wasn't done. Being this angry couldn’t be good for the kiddo, so I decided to jump in. "When can we go see him?" I asked.

"Now," her father replied. I rushed ahead planning to get the door for Meghan, but I barreled straight through. I hadn't even realized how badly I needed to see him. I froze the moment I was inside. He was pale and motionless. A tube ran from his arm to a bag on a stand.

"Thanks for the help . . ." Meghan's sarcasm faded away when she stepped in behind me.

Everyone stayed silent as we gathered around his bedside.

I heard his family talk softly, but didn’t listen to what they said. I couldn’t stand to see him like this. If I was distracted earlier today, there had to be another word invented to describe the way I felt when faced with this image. Before I knew it, I was back in the hallway. I sat in one of those hard chairs as a wave of nausea crashed over me. I wrapped my hands around my stomach and bent over.

Time passed. He didn’t wake. The nurses came in and checked on him. I could tell from their worried expressions as they left his room something wasn’t right. Knowing that he was just beyond the doors to my side made me want to burst through them, but I forced myself to sit there, no matter how much it felt like it was physically hurting me. I would fall apart if I had to stand there and just . . . look at him. I couldn't do it.

"Ms. Travis?"

I looked up when I heard the concerned voice of a doctor beside me. He was speaking to a young woman who had arrived only moments ago.

"I’m sorry it took me so long to get here. My sister and I are from out of town . . . I had trouble finding my way here." She took a deep breath. "Th-They told me my sister was here, but they won't give me a room number . . ."

The doctor walked over and took a seat beside her, his movements heavy and solemn.

"They told you about the accident?"

"Yeah. I told her that little car was a death trap. But she insisted on driving it here. I never actually thought . . ."

"I'm sorry, but she was killed on impact."

My heart went out to her as she sobbed.

"Come," the doctor said softly, "we have a grief counselor on staff."

The young woman continued to sob as the doctor led her away. I averted my eyes, not wanting to stare. My already tender heart ached for her, so much so that it felt like my chest was constricted, tight and suffocating.

The door to Maddox's room suddenly opened. His parents, Meghan, and Joseph came out. I was worried I'd be getting bad news of my own, but then Maddox's mother smiled weakly.

"We're so happy you're here, Rose," his mother said to me as she reached to take my hand in hers. "Are you holding up okay?"

I tore my eyes away from the door. I gave her hand a comforting squeeze and managed a weak smile. "I should be the one asking you that."

Her eyes swept upwards to her husband, then over to Meghan. They all shared a look.

"Go talk to him, Rose; we'll wait out here," Meghan said.

I started to protest, but they all shook their heads. I had no idea what was going on with them right now. It was bizarre. Why would they send me in there alone? They were his family. I saw the worry and kindness in their eyes. I swallowed my protest and nodded. Maybe this was what they needed from me. Someone to stand watch while they took a break. I would have to do it. For them, and for Maddox.

"Okay," I said calmly. "I'll go talk to him."

The moment I stepped inside the clean white room, my dried tears started to flow again. I rushed over to Maddox's bedside. I touched his hand, then his chest, then cupped his cheek. He looked terrible. I couldn't believe someone shot him. That didn't happen in Fayoak, it just didn't.

"Maddox," I said between quiet sobs, "please, wake up."

But there was no response. He continued to lie there, entirely cut off from the outside world. So, I started doing what I knew best. I rambled.

I told him about my customers today, and how I now was placing orders before the customers even arrived. It was nothing he hadn't heard before, but hearing about my clairvoyant screw-ups never failed to make him laugh.

"Weird, isn’t it?" I said. "I can't tell if I'm getting better or worse at this whole being able to see the future thing."

Nothing. His eyelids didn't so much as twitch in response. I moved my hand from his cheek and took a seat at his bedside, then wrapped both of my hands around his.

"What about Meghan? She'll be having her baby soon," I continued. "You'll feel like a real jerk if you miss out on that, won't you? You won’t be able to greet the new member of the family if you don’t wake up."

"Oh! You're supposed to find your mate soon," I suddenly said, then wrinkled my nose and frowned. "Or maybe you already have. I'm not really sure. But that's exciting, isn't it?" My voice trembled as I fought back my tears.

I certainly didn't think so, but I would do anything at this point for him to wake up. I would go find her myself if it meant Maddox would wake up. Tears trickled down my cheeks at the thought, but it was true.

"Oh my God," I heard from the doorway. "You're his mate, you scatterbrained dork."

I looked over my shoulder in shock as I swallowed my tears. "Meghan? What're you talking about?"

I wasn't his mate. That was impossible. I wasn't a shifter. Plus, if I was his mate, I would probably know. I could see the freaking future. Sometimes. Looking back, I had felt that he was going to find his mate for quite some time now. Even more so recently. I figured it never happened because my clairvoyance was wonky sometimes, or the future simply changed before what I saw came to be. I still thought that was a possibility, yet Meghan seemed so sure of herself.

"I can't deal with you two thinking you're being so sneaky anymore." Meghan sighed, her hand still on the open door. "It was cute at first, but I'm so over it. Talk to him like his damn mate, then maybe he'll wake up, got it?"

Despite my confusion, I nodded numbly as she walked back into the hallway. I turned my attention to Maddox. I wasn't his mate. There was no way. But it wouldn't hurt to try. I would deal with the shock of this later. I had to focus on him now. I had to get him to wake up.

"Maddox," I began, a hint of awkwardness in my voice, "I need you. I can't imagine life without you. You remember how you told me that shifters go deep into mourning when their mates die? I don't think I could ever recover if I lost you."

I lifted one of my hands from his to brush a hair away from his forehead. He was heart-achingly still. "If I lost you, Maddox, what I would feel wouldn't be mourning, it would be like a small death inside of me."

Although it was daunting at first, the words came easier and easier as I went on, to the point where I almost believed Meghan. I actually thought I could be his mate, maybe a clairvoyant could be the mate of a shifter. I came to believe that anything was possible during those moments while I tried to coax him from his catatonic slumber.

But he didn’t respond. No matter how much I spoke about how much I loved him, how much I needed him. I talked about what our future might look like. How many kids we should have. Where we would live. He still didn’t wake up. I should have known better than to get my hopes up. I wasn't his mate, but I still tried to be. Eventually, my words turned to murmurs and I rested my head on the side of his bed. I drifted off into a fitful sleep, still holding his hand in mine.