Page 60 of Rafael

Gisele shook her head and lowered her voice to a whisper. “He’s not my man. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about. I need your advice.”

“Give me your hand,” her grand-mère demanded.

Gisele complied, laying her hand in her grand-mère’s. “I don’t want a palm reading. I want to know what to do. I think I’m in love with him. I’ve only known him for a coupleof days. It’s happened so fast. Can what I’m feeling be real?”

“Shh. Stop talking.” Her grand-mère stared at herpalm, studying it for a long time before speaking. “Like your man, you have faced hardships and survived, becoming stronger and more certain of your course. You give so much to others yet hesitate to take what you want and need. Soon, a challenge will present itself.”

Her grand-mère’s hand tightened around hers. “A life-and-death challenge. If you successfully overcome the challenge, you will know da path to take to find love. You must believe in yourself and believe in da magic of love.” The older woman raised a hand to cup Gisele’s cheek. “My Gisele, you’re beautiful, inside and out. I’ve always loved you. Never lose sight of your worth and draw on your strength within.”

Gisele laid her hand over her grand-mère’s and leaned into it, pressing a kiss to the older woman’s palm. “And I love you.”

“Now, go,” her grand-mère said. “Your man is waiting.”

Gisele wanted her grand-mère to give her advice as her grand-mère. She needed to know what to do in plain language she could easily understand. Instead, she got the fortuneteller version in shadowy vagueness that rarely revealed its meaning until it slapped one in the face.

Having grown up with her grand-mère, she knew when she’d been dismissed. No amount of pleading would net her the straightforward guidance she sodesperately craved. She wanted to make the right decision about Rafael.

But what was it? And what did her grand-mère’s message mean? She’d sat in on numerous readings in the past with her grand-mère. What she’d just witnessed wasn’t like the advice she’d given to any of the others. There was no discussion about the lines crisscrossing her palm, what each individual one represented and how it pertained to her particular path in life.

What life-or-death challenge would she face? Did it have to do with the break-ins? Would she recognize it in time to save herself or the ones she loved?

She slowly stood and turned toward the exit.

“Gisele,” her grand-mère said softly.

She turned, hoping her grand-mère would have more definitive words.

Her grand-mère nodded toward the table. “Don’t forget your bag.”

Gisele almost laughed. Well, the words had been more definitive than the palm reading. She took the bag and left the tent.

Rafael stood right outside the door, his gaze meeting hers. “Are you okay?”

Gisele nodded.

Rafael held out his hand.

She slipped hers into his.

They walked away from the tent, each lost in their own thoughts.

“Gisele!” a voice called out several times before Gisele realized it was her name. She turned to find YaYa hurrying toward her.

“Hey, YaYa.” Gisele pulled her hand free of Rafael’s. “What’s up?”

“Did those men find you?”

Gisele frowned. “What men?”

YaYa’s brow creased. “I stopped to drop off supplies at the studio. Two men were standing outside your shop. I told them you closed at five, and that you’d be open again tomorrow ’round ten.”

“Did they say what they wanted?” Rafael asked.

“They asked who owned the building. They might be interested in purchasing it. They sent one of their brokers ahead to scout and hadn’t heard from him. They were worried about him and came to see if anyone had seen him.”

Gisele shook her head. “No one’s contacted me about purchasing my shop. It’s not for sale.”

YaYa nodded. “I told them you probably wouldn’t be interested. They still wanted to find their agent.”

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