“That man,” she muttered, meaning Paolo, “is going to drive me insane.”
“You like him,” I remarked before I could stop myself.
She froze.“Excuse me?”
“He only annoys you because he wants your attention.And you only yell at him because you like that he wants it.”
Her mouth opened, then closed, then opened again.Then she scowled at the table instead of at me.“You’re wrong.”
“You’re in denial,” I countered.
She grumbled under her breath and reached for her scarf, adjusting it even though it didn’t need adjusting.“He’s obnoxious.Loud.Pushy.Always trying to get a reaction out of me.”
“You’re impossible,” I muttered, sliding into the seat across from her.“Don’t you think he does all that because he’s interested in you?”
“Me?”She squeaked so loudly she startled herself.She shot me a look, but there was no real fire behind it, just embarrassment and something that looked almost like guilt for liking the attention.
She cleared her throat and stood abruptly, brushing off her skirt.“Anyway.Enough talk about me.I should read your cards.”
“No.”The word is instant, automatic.
“Yes.”
“No.”
She lifted her chin, stubborn.“You haven’t let me read for you in weeks.”
“Because nothing you’ve ever predicted has come true,” I pointed out.
“So what?”she argued.“What’s the harm?They’re just cards.If they’re wrong, nothing changes.If they’re right… well…”
“I don’t want to know,” I whispered.
Her expression softened.“Neve…”
“I don’t,” I repeated, firmer now.“I’m finally settling in to my life.I don’t want promises or warnings.They don’t matter.”
Zelda’s frown pulled her whole face into it, like even her freckles were worried.She leaned across the little round table, bangles clinking, dark eyes perceptive beneath all that kohl and mystery she liked to pretend was effortless.
“What happened to you, Neve… in your past?”
I lifted a brow at her, slow and lazy.“Wow.No hello, nohow are you, just straight to emotional excavation?”
“You’re sitting right here in front of me, looking perfectly fine.So…” Her gaze narrowed.“What happened?”
I tilted my head, letting a smile curl at the corner of my mouth.It wasn’t a nice one.I was definitely trying to be difficult on purpose.
“If you were actually good at your job,” I remarked sweetly, “you’d already know.”
Her lips twitched despite herself.“Oh, don’t start.”
“I’m serious,” I went on, tapping one finger against her tarot deck.“You’re the all-seeing oracle, remember?You’ve got cards for heartbreak, betrayal, and mysterious strangers with bad intentions.Somewhere in that mess of cardboard, there should be one that saysgirl gets her life wrecked in three easy steps.”
Zelda snorted.“You’re dodging.”
“Of course I’m dodging.Trauma is expensive.You don’t get it for free.”
She reached for the deck anyway, shuffling it with practiced hands.“Fine.Let’s see what the universe has to say.”