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most of them considered her a freak.
    They might chat with her in the supermarket, or strike up friendly conversations at the local bar, but their minds were always on her abilities. Wondering if she’d seen something terrible happen to them, thinking of a way to ask her about their future without looking like that’s al they wanted.
    Only a few people seemed to genuinely care about her, visions or not. Paula Durtz was one of them. Wil was another.
    An ache seized her chest at the thought of Wil .
    Helicopter falling from the sky…
    “Mackenzie? Honey, you okay?”
    Paula’s voice sliced through her painful thoughts.
    Tears stung her eyelids, and she turned away from the other woman’s concerned gaze, instead pretending to focus on a few fat pigeons sitting on the large fountain in the middle of the town square.
    It was a gorgeous day, the sun high in the blue, cloudless sky, a warm breeze floating through the town. You’d never think a fierce storm had passed through here less than a week ago, but it had, and along with turning Mackenzie’s entire world upside down, she’d heard the town had suffered some damage too. Lightning had struck one of the shops lining idyl ic Main Street, and apparently a tree cracked in two and smashed into the roof of the bowling al ey. When Mac had gone into town the next day, a few people even had the audacity to ask her why she hadn’t seen the storm coming. Ha. Like her visions could be control ed.
    “Don’t be angry with me, hon.”
    She nearly fel off the bench they were sitting on when she felt Paula’s warm hand on her knee. With a strained smile, she said, “I’m not angry with you. I was just thinking about the storm last weekend.” Paula smiled knowingly. “Wil was in town then, wasn’t he?”
    Mackenzie wasn’t surprised that the other woman knew about Wil ’s visit. Paula owned the one and only general store in town, and she knew everything and anything that went on in Hunter Ridge. Ever since Paula’s husband died two years ago, the woman had thrown herself into that store, and she rarely closed shop before two in the morning. Since Wil would’ve had to drive through Main Street when he got to town, Paula would have noticed his car. She noticed everything.
    “Yeah, he was here,” Mac admitted.
    “Did you two have a nice visit?”
    “Not real y.” She shrugged. “We fought.” Paula raised her eyebrows. “Now, I don’t believe that. You and Wil have been inseparable since high school. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you so much as raise your voices at one another.”
    Another shrug. “There’s a first time for everything, I guess.”
    Oh, yeah, definitely a first time for everything—like having mind-blowing sex with her best friend.
    “But you made up, right?”
    “Actual y, I haven’t seen or spoken to him since,” Mac said evenly.
    She wished the bitterness in her voice wasn’t so obvious, but she couldn’t help it. Yes, Wil ’s stony departure had been her fault. She’d refused to open her heart to him, to give him what he wanted, and she didn’t blame him for being mad. But not even a phone cal since he’d left.

    She knew he wasn’t out of the country, since he always cal ed or texted her when he left on assignment, so the silence on his part bothered her.
    “This is sil y. Cal him up, Mackenzie!” Paula ordered, her curly brown hair bouncing on her forehead as she shook her head in earnest. “You and Wil love each other.”
    That’s the problem.
    She didn’t voice the thought, just offered a tense smile and said, “Can I ask you something?”
    “Of course, anything.”
    She hesitated. “If I saw…if I told you I’d seen something dark in your future, would you want to know?”
    Paula’s face went pale. “You saw my death?” she choked out.
    Mac quickly touched the other woman’s arm. “No, not at al . I promise. This is strictly hypothetical.” Paula visibly relaxed, and then her features softened. “Wait, you’re