AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“No negative talk!” She holds up her finger. “Your mom says I’m very good at tarot. I’m an empath.”
She lifts her chin with so much exaggerated pride, I can’t help but shoot it down. “My mom would tell Aiden Stone he was an empath if it would get her free help.”
“Rude!” Cass pushes my arm, but I sip more wine, giggling at the thought of my mother calling Aiden Stone an empath.
“Speaking of Aiden Stone!” Jinx hops onto her knees, almost spilling her drink. “I got a hot tip you almost hit him with your truck this morning. Give me all the details.”
“Oh, God!” Exhaling a groan, I sit on the floor, leaning my back against the sofa. “You are not going to write it up in the paper. I’m completely humiliated, and on my first day back in town. I wasn’t even supposed to see him until tomorrow!”
“Traffic accidents are catnip for news readers.” Jinx’s eyebrow arches. “My octogenarian subscribers will have my hide if I don’t give them all the scoop. Now spill.”
“There’s nothing to spill. The brakes went out while I was driving into town.”
Cass’s eyes widen. “Like the minute you entered town? That could have significant spiritual connotations.”
“I don’t knowwhenit happened. All I know is I went to slow down, and nothing happened. It’s a good thing I’d been coasting for a while already.”
“The grandparents will blame it on your obsession with Shania Twain. You were probably blasting that fake country music and not watching the road.”
“I was watching the road all the way until I hit the light pole. It’s just a good thing Edward and I were wearing our seatbelts.”
“Where’s your truck now?” Cass sips her wine.
“Bud towed it to his garage. I’m not sure I can drive it.”
“It’s a good thing you can walk to work.” Jinx crosses her legs on the sofa, scrubbing her fingers along Edward’s neck. “I’ll try to downplay the reckless endangerment angle since you’re the newest member of law enforcement.”
“Jinx! I will murder you if you print that.”
“The Eureka crime wave intensifies with the newest arrival at the courthouse.” She waves her hands as if printing in the air, and I hit her with a pillow, which makes her laugh. “Don’t make me spill my wine! I’m just teasing. I’ll pass the buck to Greenville. Big city mechanics think they know everything, but they can’t even check the brakes during a routine service inspection. When was your last service?”
Chewing my lip, I look down. “I’ve been really busy.”
Jinx shakes her head and drinks more wine. “You’re just writing the story for me.”
“Blah blah blah, Jinx won’t throw you under the bus.” Cass hops onto her knees on the couch, shaking my shoulder. “I want to hear about Greenville! Did you meet any hot guys? Did you hook up with anybody? You were so quiet the whole time you were gone.”
“Sadly, the answer is no. And no. I was quiet because nothing happened, and then when it did, I was completely humiliated.”
“What does that mean?” Her brow lowers.
I proceed to tell them the story of the Greenville Ladies Club and how that all went down. I’m pretty sure I’m not exaggerating what I said or the response I received, and as I talk, Cass’s brown eyes grow even wider while Piper’s blue ones narrow.
“What a bunch of pampered—” Piper starts.
“I can tell you what happened,” Cass interrupts. “You were being your adorable Cancer self in a room full of Capricorns and Libras!”
“I don’t even know what that means.” I take a bigger gulp of wine, trying to drown the residual humiliation of that luncheon.
“You’re in the right place now. I happen to know Aiden Stone is a Taurus, and you know Taurus and Cancer are fire in the bedroom.”
My stomach flips, and I hold up both hands. “No—don’t even start with all that. I’m in astrology recovery.”
Some people get addicted to substances. I got to where I wouldn’t make friends with certain people. I started questioning every relationship… I wouldn’t even leave the house if my horoscope made a bad prediction. It was a sickness, and I had to stop cold turkey.
“That’s because you’re just a cute little crab hiding in that shell and trying to clip anyone who reaches out to you.” She makes little snipping-claw motions with her fingers like she’s about to pinch me, and I shove her with my foot.
“I lived my life that way too long.” I study my empty wine glass. “I’m turning over a new leaf—just the facts, ma’am. No astrology. No magic. No tarot cards predicting the future.”
