No Sunshine When She's Gone (2 page)

“Aidan”—Lila’s whisper was sharp—“do as she says.”

He felt very uncooperative at the moment. He wasn’t willing to twine his fingers with the psychic’s, so instead he laid his palm flat on the table. Aries covered the back of his hand with hers. Her touch was light and warm. Her skin was soft.

His attention was riveted on her; on the shimmer of sunlight at her back that gave her an ethereal glow. She appeared otherworldly. He hated the fact he was being drawn into a reading that would give Lila false hope for their future. He’d never led a woman on; he refused to do so now.

“Look,” he stalled once again. “I value my privacy—”

“Yet you’re getting a public reading,” said Aries.

“Not by choice.”

“Life is as you choose to make it.”

She rode his last nerve. Several of his relatives passed by his table and slapped him on the back. His older brother, Dune, a retired professional beach volleyball player, stood off to the side and smirked. His sweet wife, Sophie, was wide-eyed beside him. This was not good. The Cates had a grapevine for news. Word would quickly spread that he’d gotten a reading. He felt silly taking part, even though the psychic fair was a major fund-raiser for his family.

Aidan glared at Dune until his brother and Sophie moved on. He didn’t need them overhearing every word Aries said; especially if the psychic started humming the wedding march.

Aries dramatically cleared her throat. “Let me get a sense of each of you first,” she said. “You mentioned dating for six months, but it does not appear that you know each other well. You spend more time apart than together. Is this a long-distance relationship?”

Lila’s eyes rounded, and Aidan’s narrowed. “You are correct,” Lila said in awe. “We met at a black tie Paws and Claws Fundraiser last fall. The event benefited the humane society. I own a house in Tallahassee and Aidan sublets a condo. Sadly our work separates us often.”

Aries nodded, looking sage and solemn. Serious. “Lila,” she continued, “I see you attending parties and galas alongside a photographer. You mingle with the guests, taking mental notes.” She paused, and her brow creased in concentration. “Are you by chance employed by a magazine or newspaper?”

Lila covered her heart with her free hand. “You are amazing! I’m a columnist for
Sleek.
”

Aries pursed her lips. “You have the opportunity to travel.”

“My editor sends me to Europe several times a year,” Lila confirmed.

“You’ve mingled with the rich and the royal, and”—Aries bowed her head, appearing deep in thought—“you’ve wished since you were a little girl that you could live in their world.”

Heat crept into Lila’s cheeks. “Spoiled is a nice lifestyle,” she disclosed. “There’s nothing wrong with having a lot of money.”

Aidan stared at his date. Her aspirations were high. While he was well off, he didn’t live in a castle or wear a crown. Everything about Lila was first-class. She wore designer clothing and platinum jewelry. She loved being seen with people who could advance her status. Why she dated him was beyond Aidan, although his family did own a town. But Barefoot William was all about sunshine, swimsuits, and going shoeless. There was no one to impress here.

He wasn’t a man to stress, but tension rose in him now. He leaned back slightly and studied Aries. She’d pinned Lila down in a few short sentences. She was, however, reading the present, not the future.

Aries took a moment, then tilted her head left, then right, as if working a kink from her neck. Her hair swept over her shoulders, sleek and shiny. The ends tipped her breasts. She brushed her bangs out of her eyes.

Focusing once again, she gently touched the back of his hand with her fingertips. The hairs on his forearm prickled. His thumb spasmed. “Feeling me?” he couldn’t help but ask.

A hint of smile curved her lips, as if she were amused. “You, Aidan, are a force to reckon with.” She looked more through him than at him. “You”—she hesitated—“build. Are you a carpenter or crafter?”

What the hell, how had she known? He grew more and more suspicious of her. His hands had known hard work; his body physical labor. He owned his own construction company. He worked the job sites along with his crew. He never minded the dust, dirt, and sweat that went into an honest day’s work. He wasn’t a pencil-pusher.

“Lucky guess,” he muttered, more to himself than to her. She seemed to have the upper hand with her knowledge of him, when he knew so little about her. He didn’t like anyone having that advantage over him, clairvoyant or not.

“You’re involved in a big project, one that relates to . . .” She contemplated for several seconds before saying, “a sport.”

Baseball,
but that was common knowledge. It had been the talk of the boardwalk for many months now. Aries could have overhead any number of conversations. Cates Construction had been contracted to build the Richmond Rogues Spring Training Facility. Trace Saunders had fought to bring major league baseball to the Gulf Coast. Once the county commissioners unanimously voted to build the park, Trace had courted the team, as did the bigger cities of Tallahassee and Jacksonville. After several months of negotiation, Trace won over James Lawless and his executive board. The Rogues were coming to town.

It would be a huge economic boost for the adjoining cities of Barefoot William and Saunders Shores to have a major-league club start their season in southwest Florida. The training park would be similar to James River Stadium in Richmond. Aidan had gone over the architectural plans so many times, he knew them by heart. The modern facility would accommodate ten thousand fans. His adrenalin pumped; he couldn’t wait to break ground.

Lila tugged on Aries’s hand. “We’re aware of what’s happening in the present,” she stated. “I’m more interested in our future.”

“It may not be what you wish or expect,” Aries said. She released both their hands, sat still and meditative, and awaited their nod of acceptance.

Lila did not respond; instead she grew fidgety. She twisted one of the gold buttons on the front of her tunic until the thread came loose. This surprised Aidan, as she was not one to mess up her clothes. Ever. She then crossed her legs and flicked one foot. He could feel her nervous energy; it came off her in waves. She appeared almost frightened.

Resting his elbows on the tabletop, he steepled his fingers and said, “We’re waiting.”

Still Aries held back. “Be certain you are ready for what I have to say.” Her words were meant for Lila.

Was she building anticipation? Or assembling a line of bullshit? He wondered. Time was ticking.

“I think so . . .” His date sounded reluctant.

Aries peered intently at Lila. Her voice was no more than a whisper when she spoke, as if she were sharing a secret. “I see two men in your life: Aidan and someone with dark blond hair.”

Another man?
Aidan didn’t have to be a psychic to read Lila’s expression. She flushed so quickly, so deeply, that he knew what Aries said was true. He exhaled sharply.

Lila jerked to her feet, her legs unsteady. “You’re mistaken, there’s no second man.” She tugged on Aidan’s arm. “We should leave. Who believes in psychics anyway?”

“
You
believe in them,” he responded. “This was all your idea, remember? I wanted to have lunch.” He nodded to Aries. “Things are just getting interesting. Let’s see this through. You have our undivided attention.”

Aries waited for Lila to return to her seat. She did so with reservation. Aries then rubbed her brow; palmed her eyes. “The man’s name begins with the letter R, perhaps Robert or Roger. He’s of medium height, wears black-rimmed glasses and business suits. Do you know such a person? He’s here in Barefoot William as we speak.”

All color drained from Lila’s face. She slumped over and nearly slid off her chair. Aidan caught her. She was slow to pull herself together.

He had an idea who the man might be. “Could it be Roger Gardner?” he mulled over.

Aries shrugged. “Possibly, you would know better than me.”

“The man owns
Sleek
magazine,” he added. “Roger and Lila work closely together.”

“Very closely, it seems,” said Aries. “He may be her boss, but he’s also her lover.”

Shock dropped Aidan’s jaw.

Lila looked horrified. He heard her moan, “Oh, no.”

Aidan was taken aback. What the hell was going on?

Lila clutched the edge of the table so tightly, her fingernails scratched the paint. She hadn’t expected Aries to be so precise. But then neither had he. He’d been afraid to lead Lila on, yet, according to the clairvoyant, Lila had slept around behind his back. He’d been duped, and that irritated the living hell out of him.

Lila recovered quickly. She turned on Aries, and her voice rose to that of a woman riled. “You’re wrong!” she accused. “You’re a fake. You can no more tell the future than you can fly.”

Aries didn’t take offense; she remained patient and calm. “You asked me a question, and I gave you an answer,” she said evenly. “I’m sorry if my reading displeased you.”

Lila was so upset she was close to hyperventilating.

“Deep breaths,” Aidan told her. She was drawing a lot of attention to their table. He didn’t want her passing out on the boardwalk.

“Water might help.” Aries passed Lila an unopened bottle of FIJI.

Aidan twisted off the bottle cap and Lila took several slow sips. He glanced back at Aries, and couldn’t help but ask, “Enlighten me further on Lila and Roger,” he requested.

“There’s nothing between us,” Lila choked out. “Don’t you believe me?”

Aidan was silent.

Lila’s face contorted. “You’d take Aries’s word over mine?” she hissed.

“She has powers,” he said, repeating what Lila had said to him earlier.

“I refuse to pay for additional minutes,” Lila stated. “I’m done here.”

“My time, my dime,” he told Aries. “I want details.”

Aries gave it to him straight. “You are not Lila’s first choice for a husband; she desires another,” she stated. “She’s using you to make another man jealous. That is all I can tell you at this time.”

Aidan rocked back on his chair, crossed his arms over his chest, and took it all in. Relief replaced his anger. He’d known Lila wasn’t the woman he wanted to spend his life with, yet he hadn’t taken her for a liar. He hated liars.

Silence settled around them, thick and oppressive. An invisible finger pointed at Lila. Aidan saw through her now, even as she tried to make amends. “This is my fault, and I take full responsibility,” she rushed to say. “I should never have insisted we see a psychic. I love you, Aidan. Trust me, Aries can’t be believed.”

He tuned her out. Laughter from a nearby table drew him from the reading and back to the boardwalk. He scrubbed his knuckles along his jaw, debating his next move. His gut told him Aries was on the money. He owed her big time.

He mentally calculated her fee. They’d spent twenty eye-opening minutes at her table. He doubted Lila would pay her the forty dollars. His date still fumed. It was up to him now, and he would make it worth Aries’s while. He slipped his wallet from his back pocket and withdrew two twenties and a ten. She deserved a tip. She was gifted. He slid the bills across the table with his fingers. “Thanks, it’s been real,” he said.

Aries refused his money. Instead she grabbed her shoulder bag and stood, seemingly done for the day. “Keep it,” she said. “Have a drink on me later. Celebrate your freedom.” She then eased around the table and slipped into the crowd, disappearing like an apparition.

Aidan felt her departure. She’d left, and so had the sunshine. It fled behind a cloud. He doubted he would ever see her again, there was no reason to. Psychic readings weren’t his thing. Still, he felt an odd sense of loss.

Next to him, Lila stared entreatingly. “I’m so sorry,” she said. “Forgive me?”

Her apology mattered little. He could forgive her, but he wouldn’t forget what she’d done. Their relationship was over. He doubted they’d ever be friends. She’d kicked him in the nuts.

“How long have you been seeing Roger?” he asked her, wanting closure.

Lila sighed, came clean. “Roger’s been in my life since the day he hired me. We’re together as much as we’re apart. Our arrangement is complicated and has never run smooth. He’s a confirmed bachelor, whereas my biological clock is ticking. I thought if I dated someone equally as wealthy and handsome as Roger that I’d get his attention. I did to an extent. He came to Barefoot William when I told him that you were about to propose. I saw him last night, and”—she frowned—“he wished us good luck.”

“He didn’t fight for you then?” Aidan figured he knew the answer but he wanted to hear it from her.

She looked very sad. “Roger left me flat.”

“But you still care for him?”

“Not as much as I love you.”

His bark of laughter turned heads. “Get real, Lila, we’re done.”

“I’m planning to stay in town for a few days; maybe I can change your mind.”

“You’d be wasting your time.”

“What should I do, Aidan?” she asked, sounding lost.

“Book a flight home.”

“I have no one waiting for me in Tallahassee.”

He took pity on her. “Roger’s a good guy,” he said. He’d met the man on several social occasions. “Do your job, but don’t be available to him. Maybe he’ll come around.”

“You think?” Her voice cracked.

How could he possibly know? She had played him, and he wasn’t happy about it. Let Roger deal with her now. “I’m not psychic, I can’t foresee the future.”

“Aries Martine could see all.” Lila shivered. “She scared the truth out of me.”

Aidan hadn’t been a believer going into the reading, but the clairvoyant had turned his way of thinking. He just might have to track her down. His sister, Shaye, would know where to find her. Most of the psychics were staying in town the entire weekend. The luxurious Sandcastle Hotel in Saunders Shores had offered free suites to those participating in the fair. An open bar and the beach buffet were also complimentary.

The scent of lavender preceded an older woman as she hustled toward them. “Were you waiting for me?” she asked, out of breath.