Page 159 of Lovers Like Us
“Good luck?” Jane repeats and exchanges a wary look withMaximoff.
The other end of the table is quiet and curious. Mine is about to self-eject. Minus me. This shit isharmless.
But I understand how protective Jane and Maximoff are towards their cousins and siblings. I’m sure they don’t want a stranger telling them that they’re about to die. Or that their future is bleak andmiserable.
Fontina slinks around us, her manicured nails skating across the backs of our chairs. “I feel a strong energy in theroom.”
Sitting backwards on his chair, Donnelly smokes another cigarette. “It’s me, right? I know I’ve got some strong assenergy.”
“That’s just your breath,” Oscarquips.
Donnelly blows him a middle-fingerkiss.
“No, no, it’s not you.” Fontina circles the table. Eyelids hovering closed, she sucks in a breath through her nostrils. “It’s here.” She waves a hand towards my end. “No, wait…” Shewavers.
I can’t help but fuckingsmile.
Patricia carries out our drinks, setting them down, and once she leaves, Fontina reanimates and places a hand on Sulli’shead.
Maximoff goesrigid.
Sulli tries not tolaugh.
“You, dear,” Fontinamuses.
“Yeah?” Sullisays.
“I sense…strong feelings around you. A destiny that you cannotcontrol.”
Vague.
Beckett makes athat’s utter bullshitface.
Sulli contemplates this hard. “In what fucking way? Like swimmingor…?”
“Love,” Fontinasays.
“But I’ve never been in love,” Sullimentions.
“I know,dear.”
“Because she just told you,” Beckett says pointedly, and Charlie smiles, halfway slouched in hischair.
Fontina ignores him and puts another hand on Sulli’s head. “You’re a determined spirit, a go-getter, and many admire that…but there’s a man who protects you most strongly…” Her hands drift to Sulli’s cheeks, and Sulli stiffens, about 70% uncomfortable. “And you willfall—”
“No one’s fucking falling,” Maximoff interjects, forearms on the table to have a better view of hiscousin.
Fontina lets go of her and circles the table, and Sulli mouths,thanksto Maximoff. Grateful for redirecting thespotlight.
I still teeter on my chair legs and fold a strawpaper.
“You two…” Fontina muses, her hand hovering above my head and Maximoff’s. “Powerful forces…connect you two in this life…and your pastlives…”
A smile edges across my mouth, and I ask, “How much did he love me in our pastlives?”
She sucks in a breath,channeling.
Maximoff blinks at me like I’ve asked a question that just sent him to hell. Also, he’s struggling not to look at mylips.
