Page 48 of It takes a Psychic

“I doubt I could find one that would take me on as a client, not after the disaster. Theoretically the grounds for the annulment are confidential, but rumors travel in the matchmaking business. And why would I take the risk anyway? Things did not go well the first time. There’s no reason to think they would be any better the next time. If I try again there will be a Marriage of Convenience first. Then, if things are working, maybe take the leap to a CM.”

“I understand,” she said. She gave him a tentative smile. “I guess we have something in common. I don’t have any plans to register with an agency, either.”

“Is that right?”

He looked and sounded skeptical.

“Years ago I made the decision to dedicate myself to my career,” she said, employing her most sincere voice. “When it comes to relationships, I’m a free spirit.”

“Yeah?” He turned the whiskey glass in his hands. “How does your family feel about that?”

“My sister, Molly, understands. She was a free spirit, too, until things changed. But, as you can imagine, the moms are not happy about my decision. They keep pushing me to register.”

“Take it from me, the matchmaking agencies don’t always get it right.”

“Do you know where they got it wrong in your case?”

“Sure. My fault. They were working with bad data. I lied on the questionnaire.”

“You mean you finessed the para-psych profile sections.”

“Finessed, lied, whatever. In my own defense, all I can tell you is that I was following my mother’s advice. She said it was a conversation I could have later, in private, with the person who looked like a good match.”

Leona studied him over the rim of the glass. “Did you have that conversation with your match?”

“Yes. And she assured me that she was okay with my talent. But she changed her mind.”

“After the marriage.”

“Yes,” he said. “After the marriage.”

She thought about that for a moment, tasting the whiskey. “Doesn’t sound like she had grounds for the annulment, in that case. I mean, if she knew the truth before the marriage—”

Oliver looked bleakly amused by her naïveté. “See, that’s where things get interesting, legally speaking. All she had to do was claim I had not been entirely candid on the questionnaire. Which was true.”

“So she claimed fraud and you didn’t defend yourself.”

“Why would I want to force her to stay in the marriage? She was terrified of me.”

“Terrified?” Leona frowned. “That seems a little over-the-top.”

“I guess you had to be there.”

“I understand. Still, it’s a very sad story.”

“But it’s over.” He drank some whiskey and lowered the glass. “I can’t help noticing that you seem to be okay with my talent.”

She waved that off. “We’re not dating.”

“If we were dating?”

“I’d still be okay with it,” she said.

“You don’t know that. You’ve never witnessed my talent at full rez.”

She shrugged. “Fine. Show me.”

He shook his head. “It doesn’t work like that.”

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