Page 96 of Play With Me

“Are you trying to sound like an archeologist or just annoy the shit out of me right now?’’ he said, but he was running for his lighter.

“Both,” I squealed, bouncing on my toes. My Hawkeye loves me. I rushed to put clothes on.

We held the lighter under The Note: Part 2 and sounded the words out together.

“One taste of your… rai⁠—‘’

“Rainbow!”

“and I was hooked.” Has made a gross face. “Is this a sex thing?”

Yes. A scavenger hunt.

I hadn’t even put on shoes before I was out the door on Scooter McGavin, headed to The Swan Dive.

I’d had to go back for my shoes before I got to the end of our driveway. This was January in Boston; I wasn’t invincible. But I eventually made it to Eilidh’s where I found a coupon book in our hallway. The space cut out inside was filled with rainbow candies. I grinned, dumping them into my palm and putting the whole handful into my mouth so I could check the book for another clue. I riffled through the pages. One coupon fell loose when I shook it and I picked it up off the ground.

Fuck yes, William. I could feel our heart lines growing together.

One Free Palm Reading by Madame Esmé

I showed it to Eilidh and she groaned. “Talk to your magician friend before you go. The Jean-Baptiste boy.” She squeezed the side of my arm and stepped around me, heading for her office. “Janet Daubers is the biggest crook in the business. He’ll have details I’m not privy to.”

“Do they all hang out or something?” I asked, completely dumbfounded. Is there a secret society of psychics and illusionists?

A twinkling laugh so unlike Eilidh bubbled up from her throat. “Every other Wednesday night for the last few years. There’s more of them than you’d think. Very tight-knit group.”

“A magician gang?” I could not believe this had never been brought to my attention before. Is this the greatest discovery of all time?

“Don’t let him hear you lump her in with the rest of them,” she called over her shoulder, her hand on the doorknob. “I’m serious!”

43

The Palm Reader

Boston, MA

Louisa

“Don’t you dare lump her in with the rest of us,” Jaimie said, blowing on his tea the next day. He was wearing a Mandarin-collar shirt with a cardigan. He looked like Taye Diggs dressed as an off-duty priest. “Her name is Janet Daubers and she’s never been invited, but she shows up anyway.”

“Can I do that? Just show up?” I asked. He shot me down with a look, one delicate eyebrow raised. “I could be your assistant,” I offered instead.

“You suggested that we all rub rabbit’s feet on our balls the night I met you,” he said. Ah… a fellow elephant. No wonder Has liked him.

“I’ll make it up to you. I need the distraction.” I put on my best sad-Marine-girlfriend face.

“I’ll think about it,” he said. I squealed and squeezed his fingers across the table until he winced. That was a yes. An eventual yes. I’d wear him down.

My phone vibrated next to my mug with a random notification. Jaimie signaled to the bathroom and got up. I scrolled mindlessly. Reread my text thread with Will.

“Do you want me to come with you, Louisa?” Jaimie asked. I nearly dropped my phone. I didn’t hear him come back. Like a cat. I put it down in my lap and looked at him.

“Do you want to come?” I asked him hopefully.

“Not particularly.” Oh. He was going to be one of those… A hard nut. Too bad I loved nuts. “Will asked me to watch out for you, so I’m just you know… being a bro.”

My stomach flipped. “Are you and Will bros, Jaimie?”