Page 2 of Jon's Helter Skelter Cold Case

Thankfully. Her poor father would go broke replacing things at this rate. “But yeah, I’ve taken her on as an apprentice. Onceschool stopped, we started intensive training, and she’s really picking it up fast.”

“I still think it’s amazing another Reader is so close to us,” Mom said as she snitched another lemon cookie.

To be fair, the lemon cookies wereamazing.

“It does beat the odds, doesn’t it?” Alan pushed his glasses up on his nose, the professor in him coming out strongly. “There’s not a set pattern to where psychics are born, although plenty of studies are trying to figure that out. But still, Readers are one of the rarer abilities, and seeing someone almost as strong as Jon is mind-boggling. The odds of this happening are rather astronomical.”

They were indeed. I was so achingly glad for Abby’s sake I was close. I remembered all too well having to figure out my abilities all on my own, and I didn’t wish the experience on anyone.

Except Rodger. I wished all evil and complicated things on Rodger.

Of course, Skylar had wholly different questions. “Is she cool?”

“She’s very cool.” I thought so, at least. Apparently, she also had a spine of steel, as she’d managed the whole craziness of the Tree Case like a trooper. “You’ll likely get to meet her soon. Anyway, September. What’s a good date in September?”

I could tell Alani was composing diplomatic phrasing. Her lines flared with a little caution. “Do you want an absolute set date? Or would you rather be flexible with the wedding venues?”

“Ohhh.” I hadn’t thought of that. “Some people probably locked in dates a year ago, right? Uh. Babe?”

Donovan shrugged. “I’d rather be flexible.”

“Yeah, me too. Let’s go with that option. I think even if we have to skirt up a bit, say…last week of August, or down to the first week of October, it’ll still be fine.”

“Agreed.” Alani looked visibly relieved we were being sensible. “Okay. Dates are good, then. Venue? Have you thought of it much?”

“I’d love to do Cheekwood.” Botanical garden weddings were always so pretty. “But I understand they’re quite popular for weddings.”

“They are, but we can try, Jon.” Alani noted down the venue.

Mom lifted a hand. “I will say, I know someone who has a farmhouse wedding venue. He’s right off the 840.”

That might be good. I checked with Donovan again and got a go-ahead nod. He was quite easygoing about all this. I got the impression he was fine with whatever, so long as it was a nice wedding and we were married by the end of the day.

“Mom, can you get details for us?”

“Sure. Farmhouse is a viable option, then?”

“Yeah, I think it’d be cool.”

Kanye, knowing his son well, pinned Donovan with a look. “You will not say ‘whatever Jon wants is fine.’ That’s too much pressure on Jon. Even if he can read you like an open book.”

Honestly, Donovan hadn’t been putting pressure on me. He just didn’t have strong opinions about most of the wedding. He was the one who had stipulated an outside venue, having foreseen trouble and wanting to enjoy a stress-free, happy day with me. We might have to do inside, though, and just find a low-tech venue.

I had my mouth open to say as much when Donovan spoke in a steady and somewhat amused tone.

“I actually have two very firm things I want in this wedding.”

See? He was actively participating.

Kanye grunted, satisfied. “All right, what are those two things?”

“First, any wedding colors you guys want to pick are fine, but not pink. I just can’t do the pink.”

His preference was completely fair. I had the right complexion to pull off pink, but I recognized not everyone did, and Donovan was not a pink kind of person. “I thought maybe classic colors? A black, silver, and white theme?”

Donovan’s eyes lit up. “Now that’s what I’m talking about.”

Alani scribbled that down. “I think it’s a great idea. Those are timeless colors and easy to match, too. What’s your second request, Donovan?”

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