“Oh no. Maybe I should have shielded Liv’s mind before she went in. Did you think of that, Beren?”
He shook his head and shrugged. “She’ll be okay, plus she’ll think it’s good when he can tell her some of the things she’s worried about will be fine.”
I was glad he was okay with it, but that was lying. The guy might know what she was worried about—I mean, I knew she was worried about Beren liking her, her weight thanks to stupid Kate—but how could he accurately predict how those things would play out? Even I couldn’t guarantee things would go how she wanted. No one could.
Will kissed my forehead. “Don’t worry, Lily. Enjoy Liv’s birthday. It’s all a bit of fun.”
Was I being a stick in the mud? I supposed I was. Right. Time to enjoy myself and stop worrying. There was always so much to stress about, and I was probably just in the habit of thinking the worst. “I have been overthinking things lately. Sorry.”
Will quirked his mouth up on one side in a half smile. “Hey, you care. There’s nothing wrong with that. But there’s a time to worry, and a time to enjoy yourself. Tonight is definitely the latter.”
I flagged the waiter over and grabbed another drink. If I was going to have fun, I was going to do it properly. After twenty minutes, Olivia emerged from the tent, her expression bemused. As she reached us, Kate went into the tent. Wow, I wondered what thoughts he’d pick up from her. He’d better be careful, or he’d be traumatised.
Olivia had a definite spring in her step when she reached us. I grinned. “I take it the reading went well.”
She nodded, her eyes wide. “Yes. And he was spot on with everything. It was unbelievable. No wonder he charges the big bucks.”
I didn’t think it was rude to ask since she brought it up, but even it was, I needed to know. “How expensive is he, exactly?”
“For parties, somewhere between ten and fifteen thousand quid.”
My mouth dropped open. I was about to ask Will why all witches didn’t just do this for a living, but then I realised it would burst Liv’s bubble, so I, believe it or not, kept my mouth shut. Maybe that could be considered a Christmas miracle. “Um, wow.”
“And in the interests of making the most of it, I expect you guys will all get your fortunes read too.” Liv grinned.
I didn’t believe in it, and I knew the guy couldn’t read our minds, so it would probably be a bust, but tonight was about making Liv happy. “You know I’m a huge sceptic, but I’ll give it a go.” An Ed Sheeran song came on. “Let’s dance, Liv. This is a celebration of your awesomeness, after all.”
She grinned and took Beren’s hand. I stood, grabbed Will, and we all made our way into the middle of the room. Once we were there having fun, a few more partygoers joined us. Eventually, Liv pushed me towards the oracle’s booth. Owen’s guys stood on either side of the entry flap. I took a breath. One of the men opened the flap for me, and I went in. Do not roll your eyes. Do not make faces.
It was warm in the confined space, and a hint of cinnamon and rosemary laced the air. I preferred the garlic-bread fragrance from when we arrived, but you couldn’t have everything. Saliva exploded in my mouth. I was going to grab some of that garlic bread when I left, and I’d get Will to eat some too, so he wouldn’t realise how bad my breath was later.
“Hello? Would you like to sit?” Oops, daydreaming strikes again. Owen the Oracle looked up at me, an intense look in his dark eyes. Telling fortunes was obviously his passion, or he was just creepy, and no one picked up on it because they expected their fortune teller to be weird.
I sat, my knees pushing against the requisite black fabric that draped over the table to the floor. An actual crystal ball hovered above the table, milky swirls shifting within its cold confines. Maybe that’s what he used his magic for? Nice touch that wasn’t too freaky. His clients might assume he had some kind of magician’s trick going on to make it look like it was floating. I had to say, the cliché factor was high. If I was going to pretend to tell the future, I’d go understated. I clearly wasn’t dramatic enough, so I’d probably fail if I tried. Best to stick to being able to see the past through my camera.
“Hi,” I said.
He didn’t smile—probably part of the act. “Welcome. Let’s start with your name.”
“I’m Lily.”
“Lovely to meet you, Lily. Is there any specific area of your life you’d like me to look at?”
If he was so good, why did he need to ask? Obviously, if there was something I wanted to know, it was because things weren’t going well. Massive clue for him. Oh well, why not put him to the test? My mind-shield was up, so he wasn’t getting anything from me. If he got anything right, it was either because he had a special talent, or he was a good guesser.
“I’d like to know about my current romantic relationship. Will it last?”
“Okay. Please put your hands on the crystal ball.”
“I thought that was your job. You’re making me do all the work.” I laughed because I was joking… kind of.
He looked at me, nothing but serious written across his face. Where was his sense of humour? “Once your hands are on the ball, I’ll place mine on yours. Have no fear: Owen the Oracle wouldn’t dream of slacking.” Not another person who spoke about themselves in the third person. Didn’t he know that was the domain of royalty?
I rested my palms on the cool glass, or was it really crystal, surface. “Is this glass or really crystal?” What? It was a legitimate question.
He blinked, and his top lip twitched, probably in annoyance. “It’s crystal.”
“Nice to know. Thanks.” My enthusiasm was waning. He was taking all the fun out of this with his “I’m an important and mysterious fortune teller” demeanour.
Once my hands had settled, he placed his warm, damp hands on top of mine and shut his eyes. I pulled a face that I’m pretty sure distinctly conveyed the “ew” factor of the situation. Sweaty stranger’s palms. Gross. He’d better have some good stuff to tell me. And to think, Liv’s parents had paid thousands for this. I was sure I could think of much more entertaining ways to spend that. Think of all the trips to Costa that would buy, or how many romantic five-star-hotel stays. Yep, that would be way better than sitting in a tent with a guy who spoke of himself in the third person and had damp palms. I shuddered.
“It’s okay, Lily. Many ladies are excited by being so close to Owen the Oracle—you’re not the first, and you won’t be the last. But don’t worry; I would never take advantage.”
My mouth dropped open. His eyes were still shut. Should I say something in my defence? I mean, I didn’t want him thinking I liked him, but then what would I say? Sorry, you creep me out? I bit my tongue and swallowed my pride. I’d endure the awkwardness for my best friend’s sake.
A gentle tingle caressed the back of my neck. It was for such a brief moment that I couldn’t be sure whether it was magic or just me reacting to the situation. The milky swirls within the ball took on a hue like a fiery sunset, then coalesced into a picture of something, which I couldn’t see clearly since my hands were covering half of it. I leaned to the side for a better look. My eyes widened. That looked a lot like Will in the clothes he was wearing tonight, at least the body did, and yep, that body close to him was Kate. What was that supposed to mean?
“Ah, now I see,” Owen’s voice was low and provocatively knowing. I hated when people did that. Just get off your high horse and tell me already. I so wanted to ask, but I kept my mouth shut. The picture confined in crystal morphed again. Will and I holding hands, a ghostly image standing behind us. I peered closer and wrinkled my forehead. That looked suspiciously like Kate. But what did it mean? “Yes, yes. Oh, yes.” Owen’s breathy outburst had me imagining what he would sound like during sex, and now the awkward factor just went up by one thousand. Why did my stupid brain have to go there?
I couldn’t help it; my hands had a mind of their own. I pulled them away and wiped them on my jeans. “Sorry. My hands were itchy.” If he
couldn’t tell me anything after all that, bad luck. I loved Liv, but there was only so much ickiness I could take.
He opened his eyes and smiled, showing too much teeth. “No matter. I have some interesting things to impart.” He paused, probably for dramatic effect. I glanced at the tent door and sighed. So close, yet so far. He cleared his throat, so I looked back at him. “So, there is a woman you’re worried about. I’m happy to tell you that although it may seem rocky at the moment, your boyfriend cares for you, and that other woman will soon be just a painful memory. You needn’t worry yourself, Lily. I see you and your boyfriend going from strength to strength.” Another tingle hit my nape, making my tiny hairs jump upright. I shivered. Owen’s eyes narrowed just a fraction, but it was enough to clue me in that he knew something was going on with me. He would know I was a witch, but maybe he didn’t expect me to pick up on the little bursts of power, if that’s what they were.
“Is there anything else you can tell me?”
“No, Lily. That’s it. I’d give you more of my time, but others are waiting. Thank you for stopping by to see me. I look forward to seeing you again one day.” He smiled, and his chin tipped up. A dismissal?
“Thanks, Owen. It’s been… interesting.” I stood and left, eager to find out what he’d told Liv. As I made my way over, it was clear she was glaring at someone. I turned to see that someone glaring back at her. I’m sure you don’t need two guesses. Yep, Kate. I hurried the rest of the way and stood in front of Liv, blocking her eye line to her least favourite person. “Hey. What’s up?” Before she could answer, Beren arrived next to me holding one wine glass and one cocktail glass.
“Here you go, birthday girl.” He handed her the cocktail.
“How was your fortune-telling session,” Will asked, sliding his hands around my waist from behind.
I leaned into him. “Um, interesting, but not too interesting. No news to report. I’m keen to hear how Liv’s went.” I grinned at my friend.
She grinned back. “Mine was interesting too. But I’m not going to talk about it, just in case it’s like when you make a wish—if you tell anyone, it won’t come true.”
“I don’t think that applies here.” I wasn’t going to let her off that easily.
“Okay.” She smirked. “I’ll tell you mine if you tell me yours.”
Hmm, I would tell her because it wasn’t that secret, but not in front of Will and Beren. My insecurities were embarrassing, plus asking about a relationship was the safest option. I was pretty sure Will and I were fine and would continue to be, and if we weren’t, well, there was nothing I could do about it. If being myself wasn’t good enough, he didn’t deserve me, but I happened to know he did like me, craziness and coffee addiction included. He was a keeper.
“You’ve got me there. Maybe we can chat about it later.” I waggled my brows.
“Sounds good.” She laughed.
Beren turned to Will. “Why do we miss out on the good stuff? You just know it’s about us.”
“Of course it is,” he said, his voice revealing his smirk. “We’re their favourite topic of conversation.”
I snorted. “You wish. You’re in the top ten, but you’re not as interesting as coffee, chocolate, work, and football.”
“Football! But you don’t even watch football.” Will’s voice was in faux-wounded territory.
“I know. Now do you see?” I snorted. He slid his hands from my waist and started tickling me. I jerked around, trying to escape and push his hands off, but he was too strong. “All right. All right! I surrender. All we do is talk about you and Beren. All day.” I was heavy breathing as if I’d just sprinted a mile. He relented and dropped his hands. Thank God.
“Right answer.”
I rolled my eyes, since he was behind me and couldn’t see. Beren and Liv both laughed. Will’s phone rang. Damn. I wouldn’t say I was psychic, but a bad feeling washed over me. Well, it was rarely a good thing when his phone rang because it was more often than not work related. I would bet Angelica was on the other end of the line. Will covered his other ear and spoke loudly. “Hello, yes. Hang on.” Will left our group and wandered into the room we’d first entered, no doubt so he could hear what was being said.
Liv and I shared a worried look, but then I shrugged. “Come on, drink up, and then we’ll dance. It’s not every day your parents throw you an awesome party.”
Will returned, a look I knew all too well on his face. “I’m sorry, Liv, but Angelica needs me at work. She’s called me in rather than Beren so you two can enjoy tonight.” He wrapped me in a hug. “Sorry, Lil. I’ve gotta go, but I should be home around two.”
“Is that a.m. or p.m.?”
He chuckled. “A.m., I hope. Who knows, you might still be here partying.”
I laughed. “You never know. A few more cocktails could lead to anything.”
He gave me a quick kiss on the mouth. “Happy birthday again, Liv. Oh, and bring me home a piece of cake.”
She smiled. “Will do, and stay safe. Thanks for coming.” She gave him a quick hug, and he left.
Even as Liv, Beren, and I took to the dance floor, stupid Kate shooting her dagger gaze at us from the sidelines, a bucket of dread splashed over me. I shook it off because I was probably being silly, and I was determined to help Liv celebrate her birthday, but something bad was coming.
I just knew it.
Chapter 4
I yawned and took another sip of coffee. After what turned out to be a late night for Liv’s birthday, I finally crawled out of bed at eleven thirty. Liv was already in the kitchen when I went down, and Will had gone back to work. The PIB was swamped again, and, as usual, it had come out of the blue.
Liv and I sat next to each other at the kitchen table. I gave her a sober look because this was serious. “So, tell me what Owen said last night. And don’t leave anything out.”
She smiled, happiness radiating too brightly for the morning after, or should that be lunchtime? “Well, he said Beren and I would have a hurdle to navigate, but once that’s done, we’ll be good. He also said I have scars from my past, but that I would achieve what I wanted and have closure.”
“Ah, that’s kind of generic information. Did he give any specifics?”
Her smile fell. “He knew I’d had a hard time at school. He brought it up. He said he could see I’d struggled at school with bullying, and that I carried that baggage, but he said not to worry, that I’d soon put it behind me.”
I raised my brows. She must have been thinking about that last night because of stupid Kate. “Why did your mother ask Kate anyway? Doesn’t she know you hate her?”
She shook her head. “I didn’t want to burden Mum with that. She went out of her way to make it nice, and I never told her about the bullying at school. I mentioned something once, and she and Dad said not to worry, all kids go through it, that it’s worse to make a big deal out of it. I figured there was no point telling them anything after that.”
I frowned as sadness trickled through me. “That’s terrible. I’m sorry. If I’d gone to your school, I would’ve definitely been your friend because you’re awesome.” I smiled. “You know it says more about them than you, right? And I think we’ve had this conversation.” I chuckled. “In any case, you have me, Beren, Will, and Imani now, and we all adore you.”
She smiled. “Thanks, Lily. I know, but it’s hard to move on altogether. I’m okay most of the time, but every now and then something will remind me, and it’s like I’m back to being fifteen again where everyone is saying cruel things, and I’m at home hating how fat I am but unable to stop eating. I worked so hard to shift that weight, and then seeing Kate again….” She sighed. “And I never really got to my goal. I’d like to lose another stone.”
I sat up straight. “Don’t be ridiculous! You’re gorgeous just the way you are. If you lost a stone, you’d lose your boobs, and I’m not sure that’s a healthy weight. You look slim but muscular, and you have a tiny waist. I don’t want you disappea
ring on me.”
She quirked one side of her mouth up and shrugged. “Well, I was good last night. I only had one piece of cake, but all those cocktails weren’t good. I’m going to hit the gym later.”
“That’s fine, but just don’t worry about your weight. You’re on the slim side already. I think you’re wasting valuable brain space on stressing about it. There are better things to think about, like chocolate and Beren.” I grinned.
Her smile returned, for which I was grateful. “I suppose you’re right. So, what are you doing tonight? Beren has to work. I was thinking maybe you, Imani, and I can catch a movie.”
“Sounds good to me. Will’s working today, so who knows what time he’ll be finished, and then he’ll be tired.”
“Great. I mean, not that Will’s working, but that we can catch up.” She drank the last bit of her tea and stood. “I’m going to get ready and head out. I’ll text you the movie and time. Any preferences?”
“Why don’t you surprise me?”
Her mouth dropped open. “But you hate surprises.”
“Yeah, I know, but I’m too tired to think right now.”
“Fine, but don’t complain if you don’t like what we see.”
“Promise. Besides, I’ll have Maltesers and popcorn to keep me quiet.” I grinned.
She laughed. “Fine. I’ll text you later. Bye.” We each waved, and she left to get changed. But she was right; I hated surprises, and there was a reason for that. Surprises, in the majority of cases, in my experience, ended up being yucky rather than pleasant. I crossed my fingers that the universe was in a happy mood and granted my wish. And yes, the optimist in me was strong—which was good, because sometimes she was all that kept me going.
* * *
***
* * *
Post junk-food regret engulfed me as I sat on the toilet in the movie theatre’s bathroom. The fact that Imani was in the stall next to me didn’t bode well for our food choices. The movie, a cheesy remake of a remake of a remake, had been terrible, and Imani and I had stomach aches. We’d not minded walking out early, something I’d never done before. What a waste of money. “That’s the last time I let you choose the movie,” I called from my stall to Liv, who was waiting in the hand-washing area, sans stomach ache. Lucky duck.
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