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“Five card. We want to knoweverything,” Austin says, nodding solemnly.
I shoot him a look. He smiles back, annoyingly handsome.
“Let us start with your past, then. Mmm. Four of Wands,” she murmurs. “You have built yourself a comfortable home and acted from a place of desiring safety.”
Well, damn. Suddenly, this feels like less of a joke. “Yep. Sounds familiar.”
“Your present-tense,” she says, gesturing at the center card, “is The Fool.”
“Oh, dear,” I mumble. Of course it is. This woman can’t know about Other Jennifer, right? “That can’t be good.”
“In fact it can be.” Madame Odette sweeps a hand between us, shooing away my concern. “The Fool can mean potential! Risk! The start of a journey, perhaps.”
I glance up at Austin, who gives me an encouraging smile.
“Future,” she says, flipping the third card. “Hmm.”
Without elaborating, she flips the last two as well. Her laugh rings out, high and twinkly as a chime.
“Am I going to die?” I ask, horrified.
“No, my dear. No. There are passionate readings, but yours is…” The teller blows out a breath. “Overpowering. There’s aravishingin your future, young lady.”
“Oh!” I squeak, shocked. I press one hand to my hot cheek. Is this woman simply reading the sexual tension rising off Austin and me like steam? I’m too embarrassed—and turned on—to meet his eyes. “Well. Um. Fantastic.”
“As will your lovemaking be,” she continues, bobbing her head. Apparently, this is not over. “My, my. What an exciting turn of the cards.”
“I…Well… Thank you?” I stammer out. “Is that it? Is there some kind of advice?”
She chuckles over the spread one last time, delighted. “Go with it. Exciting things happening for you, my dear. Be as adventurous in your bed as you have been in the recent changes to your life.”
Oh my God.
I scramble up, still refusing to look at Austin. “Thanks?” I mumble again. I pull out some money, and drop it in her basket, then stumble out of the tent, back into the sunset air.
I’m catching my breath when Austin saunters out. “Well, that was… Some reading.”
“Do you think she says that to everyone?” I ask, my cheeks still burning.
“I don’t know,” he says with a grin. “She seemed pretty enthusiastic.”
“As will your lovemaking be,” I quote, trying to joke right past my embarrassment. But I can’t say the words—can’t hear them—without imagining myself tangled up with Austin, breathing in gasps, begging for more.
Madame Odette is an agent of chaos. So much for all my boundaries and logic. Suddenly, all I can think about my boss ravishing me. We need to be around other people, immediately. I need to be reminded that this is a professional trip.
“We should probably go meet Lanie and Mac,” I declare loudly.
“Definitely,” he replies right away. Is it my imagination? Does he seem relieved?
“Lead the way.”
The sun sinks quicklybehind the mountains, and it’s dark by the time we reach the VIP section. It’s set back beside the main stage, with a bar and seating, and the whole place smells like expensive perfume and liquor. Lanie’s in—what else—a crochet crop top, showing off her flat stomach and a navel piercing. I appreciate that she can make the West Coast transformation so seamlessly.
“Oh my gosh, you made it!” she calls. The drink in her hand smells like coconut, with a clean, sharp hint of vodka. “Jenn, right? Mac was telling me you guys had a hang earlier.”
I nod. “It was a nice afternoon.”
“You want a drink?” she asks. “They’resogood.”
