The Cottage on Pumpkin and Vine (8 page)

Chapter 3

C
hloe turned to Jack and held up her hands. “Okay, don't freak out.”

“I do not freak out.” Jack narrowed his eyes on the bed, then glanced around the room. “I never freak out.”

He didn't look at all happy, and Chloe couldn't blame him. It was one thing to accidentally fall asleep together while they watched a movie, but consciously sleeping together in the same bed seemed a little different.

Chloe glanced around the small room. It was pretty and quaint. A sitting area with two chairs and a reading table in between nestled against the windows, but there was no couch.

Chloe looked down. The floors were hardwood.

The bed was the only sleeping option. She'd offer to take the floor, but Jack would never go for that in a million years.

“Isn't it lovely?” Iris said, a sly smile on her lips.

Okay, she could handle this. So they'd have to share a bed; it wasn't a big deal. This was Jack. They'd slept together—platonically—plenty of times. Yes, by accident, but it wasn't a huge deal.

She thought of the last time they'd fallen asleep on the couch and bit her bottom lip.

Jack crossed his arms over his chest. “Where are we supposed to sleep?”

Iris looked at the bed, then back at Jack. “Why, on the bed, of course.”

Jack took a deep breath, as though he worked to control his temper.

Chloe hurried in and held up her hands. She'd at least make the offer. What else could she do? “It's not a big deal, Jack. I'll sleep on the floor. You know I can sleep anywhere.”

“You are
not
sleeping on the floor,” Jack said, his voice strained. “I'll sleep on the floor.”

“You will not!” Chloe would not allow that. The guy had probably slept less than eight hours in the past three days. He needed his sleep.

Jack pointed to the bed. “Then there's only one option.”

“I'm totally fine,” she said, her voice too rushed. She
was
fine with it. They just didn't normally crawl into bed with their pj's on.

Iris wrung her hands. “I know it's not ideal, but it was the best I could do on short notice. I didn't think you'd mind, because you're such good friends. I remember you used to have campouts all the time in the backyard when you were little.”

Exactly. There was no difference between sleeping in a tent at eleven and being smashed together in what could barely be called a double bed at thirty. No difference at all.

Iris's expression twisted with worry, and Chloe rushed over and gave her aunt a little hug. “Of course it's fine. Don't worry about it, we'll work it out.”

Jack sat on the bed and pressed a finger to his temple.

It was time for Iris to go. Chloe ushered her aunt toward the door. Iris dragged her feet, looking back at Jack, before saying urgently to Chloe, “Tea's in thirty minutes. You can't miss it.” She clasped Chloe's hand and squeezed. “You and Jack have to come. Everyone wants Amelia Rose to tell their fortune, but only a select few get the chance. She offered to read your cards, you have to promise me you'll be there.”

Dramatic as always, but Aunt Iris didn't need to fret Chloe wouldn't miss the chance. She'd always wanted to have her fortune read.

“We'll be there.” Chloe crossed her heart and kissed her fingertips. “I promise.”

Iris gave Jack a smile. “Do you promise?”

“Sure,” Jack said, but his voice already sounded sleepy.

Appeased, Iris nodded and slipped from the room, the door clicking closed behind her as she left.

Chloe took a deep breath and turned to Jack. “It's not a big deal, right? It's not like we haven't slept together before.”

Jack's brow rose. “It's not that.”

“Then what's wrong?”

He gestured over the ivory quilt. “I'm six-four, it's a double bed. There's barely enough room for me.”

Chloe shrugged. “I won't take up much room. I'll scrunch over to the side and it will be fine.”

Jack flopped down, stretching out his arms.

She sat next to him and poked his thigh. “It's only for one night.”

He nodded, pressing his open palm on the curve of her back. She pointed to the open door that led to a small bathroom. “And look, we have a bath, we should consider ourselves lucky. Wouldn't you rather have a private bathroom than your own bed?”

“True.” He rubbed his hand over her spine in a slow circle. “As long as you're comfortable, I'm comfortable.”

She craned her neck and looked down at him. “It's hardly like I have to worry about you taking advantage of me.”

Dark lashes brushed his cheeks as his eyes drifted closed. “Never.”

He'd always been the one man she could trust. The one she could depend on. He was her rock, her confidant, so engrained in her life she couldn't imagine it without him.

Nobody understood. Not even her best girlfriends, who kept insisting that they should do it already and get it over with. But it wasn't like that with Jack. Their friendship was far too important to ruin with relationship stuff. Every relationship she ever had ended in disaster.

Besides, she didn't think of Jack that way. He was her best friend. She certainly had no qualms or worries about sleeping in the same bed with him. Definitely not.

His fingers ran a slow path over her spine and, eyes still closed, he said, “I can feel you thinking.”

“Do you need a nap?” She lay down next to him and he curled his arms around her shoulders and flung his other arm over his eyes.

“Just let me rest for a few minutes.”

“I can let you sleep and go get my fortune read.”

A smile played over his lips. “I don't want to miss that. Besides, I promised Aunt Iris. Wake me in twenty.”

She slid her leg over his thighs. “Deal.”

She curled in close to him and closed her eyes. “See, this isn't so bad.”

His fingers stroked over her waist and when he spoke his voice was sleepy. “Not bad at all.”

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Chloe woke from a catnap refreshed and full of energy. She got up from the bed, stretched, and looked down at a peaceful, sleeping Jack.

She'd said she'd wake him, but didn't have the heart. He worked so hard and he was so tired. Jack worked in the only trauma center in a fifty-mile radius; everything bad and horrible came his way. A job he loved but it wore on him. The stress. The pressure. The long hours. Life and death hanging in his capable hands.

Better to let him sleep; he didn't believe in fortune and fate anyway.

She scribbled a note and tiptoed out of the room. Ten minutes later she drank tea out of a delicate flowered cup in the innkeeper's quarters with her aunt and the enigmatic Amelia Rose.

Chloe took a sip of her spiced flavored tea and glanced around the spacious room, which matched the china cups. Antique and as lovely as the rest of the cottage. “I love this place, how long has it been open?”

The woman gave her a smile. “Rose Cottage has been in my family for generations.”

Aunt Iris leaned close and said in a loud whisper, “They say it's magic.”

Amelia Rose waved a hand. “An old wives' tale.”

Iris glanced around the room before lowering her voice. “They say anyone who sleeps here on Halloween night is destined to find true love.”

“Don't be silly, Iris,” Amelia Rose said.

Chloe grinned. “How fascinating.” Aunt Iris was a die-hard romantic. According to her, Prince Charming came knocking on her door one day and it had been love at first sight. She'd believed in magic ever since.

Chloe didn't believe in love at first sight.

But she absolutely believed magic existed.

Aunt Iris took a sip of her tea. “Your mom told me you were dating someone. What was his name? How's that going?”

Chloe cleared her throat and said lightly, “His name was Greg and it's not going at all. We broke up.”

Iris's expression twisted into sympathy and she
tsked
. “That's too bad, dear, your mom said he was a lovely boy.”

“He was.” Chloe didn't have a bad word to say about him. Greg had been pleasant enough and they'd had a good time. He was a perfect boyfriend if she was being honest. Good-looking and smart, he was the assistant principal at the school. He'd been passionate about literacy, something as a librarian she appreciated. He'd been nice, kissed like a dream, and was damn fine in bed. He'd always made sure she came twice to his once. He'd been absolutely perfect.

Chloe didn't understand why she didn't miss him.

“What happened?” Iris asked, still sipping delicately at her tea, pinkie raised.

Chloe shrugged and stared down into the dull brown liquid. “He broke up with me.”

“You?” And the incredulity in Iris's voice could only belong to family. “But you're perfect.”

“I guess he disagreed.”

Before Aunt Iris could say anything else, there was a male throat clearing. The older women looked over Chloe's shoulder and beamed.

“Jack, you made it.” Iris's voice was as excited as a schoolgirl's. “Chloe said you were sleeping.”

Chloe craned her neck to glance back at him.

Jack's eyes narrowed on her for a fraction of a second before he moved into the room and sat down on the chair next to her. “Chloe was supposed to wake me.”

Other than a little sleep-rumpled he looked much fresher. Chloe smiled. “I thought you needed your sleep more than tea.”

He gave her a searching look, expression intent, as though trying to read something on her face. “That's why I set my alarm. I know you too well.”

Amelia Rose waved her hands, her thick gray hair flowing over one shoulder. “It all worked out the way it's supposed to.”

Chloe straightened, excited to change the subject from her failed relationship to her fortune. Much better to focus on the future. She rubbed her hands together. “So, what's this about tarot cards?”

Amelia turned to the side table, opened the drawer, and pulled out a packet wrapped in a brilliantly colored scarf.

“Ooohhh,” Chloe said, admiration in her voice. “That's a gorgeous scarf.”

Amelia Rose smiled. “Thank you, dear. The cards are as old as my family, and this scarf was handcrafted by my great-great-great-grandmother and has always been used to wrap the cards.”

With careful hands, Amelia unwrapped the package, revealing a stack of beautiful, intricate cards. They were old and ancient-looking, yellowed with age, but it was the artwork that captivated Chloe. The scrolled pattern in reds and yellows were almost hypnotic.

Fascinated, Chloe sat forward. “How does it work?”

“I'll show you.” Amelia Rose peered at Jack. “You must have them read, too.”

Jack grinned. “Thanks, but I'm not a believer. I'd much rather watch Chloe.”

“Jack's a doctor,” Aunt Iris added, helpfully. “A man of science.”

Amelia Rose shook her head. “It doesn't matter if you believe or you don't, you both must have the cards read.”

The hair on the back of Chloe's neck tingled, and a sudden rush of goose bumps raced across her skin.

Jack chuckled and shrugged. “All right, then.”

Chloe shook off the odd sensation.

“Good.” Amelia Rose handed the deck to Chloe. “Here, shuffle the cards. First you, then hand them to the doctor. He must shuffle them, too.”

Surprise flickered through Chloe. “You're going to read them together?”

A nod.

“How interesting.” Chloe turned the deck over in her hands, studying the card with the words
Wheel of Fortune
on top. The card appeared hand-drawn, with a large dial in the center, surrounded by angels. Chloe traced the picture with her thumb.

“You must shuffle facedown,” Amelia Rose said.

With careful hands, Chloe turned them back over, and shuffled the large deck.

“Stop when you feel it's time,” the older woman said, a serene smile on her face.

Chloe took the instruction very seriously, concentrating on the deck and shuffling, until she heard the word
stop
in her head.

Then she handed them to Jack. He grinned at her, clearly treating the reading as a game. He, too, shuffled the cards a few times, then held them out to Amelia Rose.

She shook her head. “Put them on the table. Chloe will cut the cards once, then Jack, you cut the cards again.”

They both did as they were told, and then the woman piled them back up again into a single deck and laid out five cards on the table. There was a blindfolded woman holding two swords, two naked figures, their hands interwoven, men holding two gold cups, a woman on a throne, and a man sitting in front of a wall of cups. The pictures were beautiful, but Chloe wasn't able to decipher anything from them.

Amelia Rose nodded, the beads around her neck creating a musical tinkling. “Ah, just as I suspected.”

Chloe leaned forward, searching the cards for what the woman saw, but they were a mystery to her.

Amelia Rose nodded again, straightened the cards as she continued to study them in silence. When she finally raised her head, Chloe was on the edge of her seat with anticipation. She looked first at Jack and then at her. “Your futures are intertwined.”

Well, that didn't take magic to figure out. They were best friends; of course their futures were intertwined.

Jack gave a little eye roll.

“That makes sense. We're best friends,” Chloe explained.