Draven spoke up, distracting Rhys. “You were looking for feedback from me for The Laughing Elf?”
Rhys sat up and nodded. He pulled out a mini notebook and pen, and looked adorably ready to learn all the things.
Draven flicked his eyes toward the pixie. “Hire her to run your bar, and pay her at least double what she’s making here, plus tips.”
The pixie shifted, looking interested. Heck, I would be too if I were in her position. She clearly didn’t fit in with the business she currently worked for. Maybe Rhys’ club would be a better fit for her?
“What’s your name, angel?” Rhys asked, eying her speculatively now, like she was a rare piece of chocolate that must be acquired at all costs. I could see it in his eyes. Draven, the business guru, had spoken, and thus it was. I held in an inappropriate snicker. It was just so adorable.
“Paradise, but I go by Dice.”
“Dice is such a cool name! Wanna hang out sometime? I’m new in town and have no friends.” I said, butting in to their conversation. I pointedly ignored Rhys’ protests at my ‘no friends’ comment.
Dice had really cool vibes. She was kinda like a biker pixie? At least that was the vibe she gave off. I wanted to hang out with her for that reason alone, and because she was so chill with Rhys and just in general. But I was worried about the level of fear I was getting off of her. I didn’t know why she was afraid—I sensed it wasn’t us or anyone in the shop—but my protective instincts were kicking into high gear and I wanted to make sure she stayed safe.
Draven and Rhys laughed at my abruptness, but Dice nodded. Her eyes warmed, and I sensed she was grateful for my invitation. She seemed lonely. “I would love to. I’ll give you my number on your receipt.”
I formed a heart with my fingers and held it up to my chest. She laughed, and I grinned in victory. I loved making people laugh. It was one more thing that was new to me in this town. I couldn’t remember ever making someone laugh before. How sad was that? It was like I’d been chained by invisible chains before, and now I’d been set free.
“Are you interested?” Rhys asked again, getting back to his earlier question.
She pondered him for a few minutes. “You’re the owner of The Laughing Elf?”
He nodded, clasping his hands together on the table and leaning back in his seat. “I’d love to hire you, if you’re interested. I’ll at least double your salary from here, and it comes with benefits.”
Dice glanced at all of us, and then back at Rhys. “I’ve never been to the club. Can I come and see it before I decide?”
Rhys nodded. “Of course, angel.” He reached into his leather jacket and pulled out a card. “Call me when you want to come in. I’ll set it up.”
Dice nodded and tucked the card away. “I’ll just go put your orders in.”
“Thanks,” I said brightly.
She smiled and left.
I looked at the guys. “She and I are going to be besties,” I announced. I knew I sounded like I was twelve, but I couldn’t help it. I liked Dice. She was my kind of people, and I felt the teensiest bit protective of her since I’d realized that she was afraid of someone.
They busted up laughing, and I leaned back in my chair. Sadly, they thought I was joking. As I’d discovered with Rhys, Mesmer, and from my perspective, Draven, having friends was all kinds of amazing. I was still me, the empath with a serious social problem, but I was learning that friendship with people who didn’t give off chaotic vibes, and who were fun and easy for me to be around, was something I could do. In fact, I was starting to cherish the friendships I had. They got me through the tough days where nothing seemed to go right and made me laugh. And they were there on the good days as well. And best of all, I wasn’t alone anymore. I’d been so lonely before that I was ready to take in a feral cat or a rabid wolf. And bonus! I got to drag them with me to new and interesting places!
Exhibit A: Dragging them to the tea shop with me. So far, it had been both funandeducational!
Draven grew serious, getting back to his recommendation. “She has to have some sort of connection with the needs of people.”
I paused, trying to find the right words. “She feels…a little like me? She’s not really an empath, though. It’s like she can discern what someone needs physically? She’s not tapped into emotions, that I can tell.”
Draven nodded. “She gave us recommendations based on what’s going on with each of us physically.”
Dice came and delivered our orders and then disappeared into the back, leaving The Tea Hobbit mostly empty. It was just us and one other customer over along the back wall.
He nodded at his tea. “Mine has valerian root. I’ve been...struggling with stress lately.” He looked at me almost guiltily, and I sat up straight. Wait. Was the stress because of me? Why? Before I could go back mentally over our interactions for the last few weeks, Draven continued. “She picked up on that, and gave me not only something to help with that, but made sure it was coupled with other flavors that I’d like as well.”
Rhys stirred his tea, taking a sip. “And she knew I was getting a cold, hence the extra shot of rosehips in mine.”
I sipped mine and hummed in enjoyment. It was amazing! “And she knew I loved chocolate and peppermint,” I added, and the guys nodded. “And we all know a girlneedsher chocolate. Huh, that’s really impressive. So her magical gift is being able to read people physically? Wait, does that mean she can see things like more serious illnesses in someone? Like cancer?”
Draven pursed his lips and blew on his valerian blend. “Unfortunately, my guess is that she does see all of that. It must be difficult.”
I stared at the swinging door she’d disappeared behind in horror. It was hard enough for me to deal with people’s emotions. I could sense battery victims, hurt children, grief over the loss of a loved one, greed, lust, anger, etc. But to feel the physicality of all of those? To physically feel people suffering from various illnesses and diseases? Wow, she really needed a friend! I wasn’t naive enough to believe that I would be the perfect friend to her, but I could at least empathize with what she was going through. And I didn’t know why she was afraid, but I’d also been afraid in my life, and in hiding. I could empathize with that as well.
