She wasn’t excited about going to work to earn money to produce her own album. She didn’t look forward to counting her tips and putting aside lunch money for next week. After a few minutes of thought on the slow elevator, she realized why.
There may not be lunches next week and if there were, they wouldn’t be with Emma, who would probably no longer be her friend. She’d done exactly what Emma said she would and turned against her. And what happened if Candace’s tea didn’t lift the curse before she lost her scholarship? No amount of tip money would let her stay in the exclusive academy. If she couldn’t sing, she couldn’t produce an album or have Christie help her prepare for an audition for a conservatory. She felt like she was about to lose everything that mattered in her life. She’d end up broken and poor, like her daddy, or crazy and poor, like her mama.
The elevator doors opened, and she froze.
Jayden was in the lobby. He turned at the elevator’s ding.
The doors started to close. Adrienne crossed her arms and walked out, afraid to know why he was there.
“Um, you want a ride?” he asked, shifting feet nervously. He wore chinos and a polo that skimmed his muscular form. He held her gaze.
Adrienne shook her head.
“It’s raining.”
She glanced past him out the door. He was right. Her walk to the bus stop would be miserable, but he hated magic. If he didn’t run away from her after yesterday, he would when he saw where she worked.
If he does, I’ll know we just ain’t meant to be.
“Please.”
“All right,” she murmured.
He opened the door for her. “Wait here. I can get the car.”
Adrienne walked past him, breathing in his fresh, masculine scent. She almost objected about not melting in the rain but stopped. She was still angry, and the idea of him getting wet made her feel a little better.
Jayden trotted out of sight and reappeared a few minutes at the wheel of his car.
She got into the passenger side and closed the door.
“You work at Madame Estelle’s?” he asked.
She nodded. They fell into quiet for a moment.
“What’re you doing here, Jayden?” she asked.
“Driving you to work.”
“No. Really.”
He glanced at her. “I wanted to see you.”
Adrienne refused to take his words seriously. He’d been part of her set up. Maybe he was taking pity on her or maybe, he felt guilty and wanted her to make him feel better.
She wasn’t going to, though.
“You not talking to me now?” he asked.
“Should I be?”
“Look, Adrienne, I’m sorry. I don’t know what else to say.”
“How ‘bout explaining why you didn’t give me no warning? Or maybe you can tell me how far you went to set me up for such an epic fall.”
“What? I –”
“We’re here. Thanks for the ride.” She opened the door and got out, not listening to him. Instead, she trotted into the small shop.
Adrienne’s plain, dark room fit her mood today. A clean tablecloth was on the table, and she sat, leaning down to put her purse in the box under the table. She closed it then spread out the maroon tablecloth and then set her cards on top.
Rattled, yet thrilled by the idea that Jayden went out of his way to seek her out, she drew several deep breaths before stepping out of her room to see if he’d left.
Jayden was the only person seated in the small waiting area. He smiled when she emerged from the back.
“So, um, why do you work here?” he asked, glancing around. While uneasy, he gave no indication he was in a hurry to leave.
“Not many people can read cards like I can,” she said with some pride. “I know you don’t believe in no magic, but I am good at what I do.”
“I believe that without a doubt,” he replied. “Is it … um, real?”
“Yeah. The cards tell a story. It ain’t always easy to understand the story, though. Like each card can mean something different to each person.”
“Interesting.” He didn’t seem to know what to say for a minute. “On TV they always get the death card. Seems … weird.”
“The Death card means change,” she said with a small smile. “It’s a good card in the right context.”
“We won last night,” he said, returning the smile. “You weren’t there.”
How could he bring up such a sore topic? Adrienne started to say something then stopped. The door jingled and someone walked in. By the slightly lost look, she assumed it was the woman’s first reading.
Adrienne shifted her attention to the client then led her back to one of the psychic’s rooms.
When she returned, three more people were standing in a line, waiting to be seen.
Jayden had picked up a Psychics Today magazine and was reading, one eyebrow quirked up skeptically.
The sight made her want to laugh. Was he trying to understand her world or just trying to figure out why he was there?
She took her client back for a reading. They lasted thirty minutes, and as soon as she was finished, the psychic sent over another client.
Adrienne had a steady flow of clients for a few hours before she decided to take a break. Assuming Jayden had gotten tired of being ignored, she was surprised when she went to the front and saw him seated where he had been earlier, talking to a couple of the regulars who came every Saturday since she began reading cards there.
When he saw her, he flashed a smile at the two and stood, crossing to the counter.
“Got you a coffee.” He placed it on the counter. “Not sure what you liked, so I got a mocha.”
“Thank you,” she murmured. “You’re still here.”
“I’ll wait ‘til you have time to talk or until you’re done working.”
Adrienne felt badly. She wanted to despise him and think the worst after yesterday. Gazing at him, she found it hard to deny what her heart told her. She’d been half in love with him since he almost knocked her over in the cafeteria. Yesterday did nothing to change how she felt and neither did the cards that kept warning her that they’d face danger if they were together.
What was she supposed to do?
“Yeah, right,” she said finally.
“I will. Watch. Keep ignoring me.”
She tried not to smile. Adrienne took her coffee and turned away, disappearing behind the curtain leading to the back. The mischievous side of her wanted to prove him wrong, if for no other reason then so she could write him off as the jerk she desperately wanted to consider him. She doubted someone as popular and handsome as Jayden would need to stick around to impress a girl when he had to have a million others waiting for him.
Jayden didn’t budge. Adrienne peeked out at him after each client. She watched him, though, when he didn’t know she was looking. He played on his phone, and made friends of almost everyone who walked in. With his easygoing nature, Jayden got along with everyone from the superstitious old ladies to the Japanese tourists. He seemed to have fun, listening and laughing with them.
What was it about him that fascinated her enough for her to disregard the warnings of her cards? They’d spoken of a connection in their past. Was this what she felt? Their ancestors shared a history?
The mid-afternoon lull came at around three. Adrienne drew a breath and went to the small break area in back for some water. When she returned to her room, Jayden was seated at the table.
“What’re you doing?” she demanded, crossing her arms.
“Getting my cards read or future predicted. Whatever you do,” he replied with a smile.