Page 2 of Taylor

Alice pulled out the chair and sat.

She set down a well-loved deck of cards. “Cut the deck, and let’s begin.”

Alice did so and felt another spark of energy, like when Taylor had taken her hand.

The woman merely grinned at her like the Cheshire Cat. “Let’s see what the cards have to say, shall we?” She turned over the first card.

On the card before her was a blindfolded, bound woman surrounded by eight swords. “Ahh the Eight of Swords,” she said with a pensive look. “I see, in the past, a lack of control has plagued ye. Sometimes, lack of self has caused confusion and anxiety.”

Alice’s eyes danced between that card and the woman. That was a little too real for her liking.

“Let’s take a look at yer current state,” said the woman, flipping over another card. On this card, a hand was holding a single wand high in the sky. “Ahhh, the Ace of Wands.” She looked at Alice with a raised eyebrow. “But, as you see, the way it lays is reversed. This is the card a fresh start, and with it being reversed, it would seem this is something yer struggling with.”

Okay... once again, ouch. This woman really seemed to know what she was talking about.

“Now, shall we see what the future holds for ye?”

Alice nodded, although feeling apprehensive.

The woman flipped over the third card. The card showed a beautiful woman sitting on an ornate throne wearing a crown.

“The High Priestess. She’s one of my favorite cards,” she said with a wink. “She represents trusting yerself and yer intuition and tapping into the divine wisdom that exists in all of us. I imagine if ye can find a way to right the reversed Ace of Wands, the High Priestess is in your future. Find a fresh start and trust yerself, and ye will be as powerful as the High Priestess.”

Alice tilted her head, taking in the cards. While she wasn’t sure she could do it, it was time that maybe she would try to finally get her life under control—her control, to be more specific.

“What do ye say, lass? Do the cards ring true?”

“A little too true,” she answered with a rough chuckle.

The woman gave a knowing nod and a mischievous grin. “I’ve heard that a time or two. My name’s Bridget. If ye ever have any questions, come find me.”

“Thank you,” Alice said, standing from the chair. She made her way to the bar to grab some water before she headed home.

Still in her head over her card reading, and for the second time that night, she walked right into someone. Her eyes tracked up the strong, masculine frame, only to find it was the same man from before.

“Ahhh,” he said with a kind smile. “You again.”

With a sheepish laugh, she said, “Sorry, I clearly need to look where I’m going.”

“No harm done.” He took her in. “I like your hair.”

“Oh, thank you,” she said as she pushed it behind her ear.

She’d gotten some purple streaks put in, and she’d heard about it from her mother all night.

“Kiss Me” by Sixpence None the Richer came on, and she swayed to the music.

“Would you like to dance?”

“What?” she said, almost positive she’d misheard him.

“I just asked if you would like to dance, but if you?—”

“I’d like that,” she blurted.

He guided her out to the dance floor, and she was aware he was just being nice. Even still, there was something magical about this moment, when his hand slid around her waist and took her hand with the other.

Another jolt of electricity shot through her. A small gasp left her mouth as she looked up into his calm deep brown eyes that seemed to be trying to figure something out, like she was a puzzle to be solved.

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