I wasn’t taking any chances.
“Imogen Warner.”
“Imogen,” she repeated, still smiling. “Nice to meet you. Is there something I can help you with?”
I couldn’t stop my eyes from darting to Cade again. He’d finally set down his mug. His arms were crossed over his broad chest and his head was tipped slightly to one side, evaluating me with the razor-sharp perception of a trained detective.
That did not bode well for me.
“Uh…” I swallowed hard and refocused on Gwen. Her warm, welcoming smile had not faded, but her eyes were plainly curious as they shifted from me to Cade and back. She’d noticed my wandering gaze.
Damn and blast.
I needed to stop looking at him.
“I’m…” I bit the inside of my cheek, hoping the pain would focus me. “Well, actually, I’m here about the job posting.”
“Oh!” Gwen exclaimed, brightening instantly. “The backup barista job? That’s fabulous!”
My mouth opened to retort, but she barreled on.
“We’re closed today but I assure you, usually it’s wall to wall customers in here. Especially this time of year.” She leaned forward a shade, like she was confiding a secret to a gal-pal, and the man at her side stiffened even further. “As it turns out, I’m looking for more than part-time if you’re in need of a full-time gig?—”
“No,” I cut her off before she could start rattling off job benefits. “Actually... I’m here about… the psychic position?”
I’d thought the air in the shop was tense before but, when I said that, the tension ratcheted up tenfold. Everyone shifted slightly, straightening in their seats, positioning themselves to get a better look at me.
I could feel the weight of their scrutiny from all sides — the twins’ inky eyes burning holes in the back of my head, Mr. Man Bun’s hazel stare heating my left side, the couple on the stools staring intently at my right. Somewhere behind Gwen, a certain detective was cataloguing my every blink.
Gwen, however, seemed impervious to the apprehension radiating around her shop like a shockwave. She was grinning at me so wide, it made me momentarily forget to be anxious.
“You’re a psychic?”
I shrugged. “Sometimes.”
“That’s so freaking cool!”
“Uh… thanks?”
“Don’t thank me! I should thankyou! You are the answer to my prayers!”
I blinked at her, startled. “Um…”
“Honest to goddess, I thought my customers might stage a full-on coup if I opened back up for business tomorrow without filling Madame Zelda’s position.” She glanced around her vacant shop. “Obviously it’s likeNight of the Living Deadaround here this afternoon. But, trust me, it’s never like this. Most of the time, we have a line out the door. There’ve been so many requests for readings, especially with Halloween so soon... Everyone is going to be so flipping excited I’ve hired someone.”
“The thing is—” I started.
She cut me off before I could explain I was only looking for a week or so of work, not opening a 401k and taking advantage of her healthcare plan. “Can you start right away?”
“Gwen,” her green-eyed hunk said warningly.
She ignored him, still grinning at me. “There’s this little private room in the back where you can do your readings?—”
“Gwen,” the hunk repeated, even more warningly.
“Come on,” Gwen reached out, as if to grab my hand. “I’ll show you!”
Thankfully, before the vivacious redhead could get her grip on me, the green-eyed hunk intervened. His patience had definitely expired — a fact he conveyed by tagging her around the shoulders and turning her to face him instead of me.