Page 2

Chapter two

Noah

Mama Delilah’s Daily Horoscope Reading

Feeling sad, Sagittarius? This won’t last. Pitch out the pity party and get ready to move on. New prospects await you but you’ll have to make some tough decisions and be brave if you want to change anything. Going out on a limb and risking it all might seem like a bad choice, but if you miss out on this moment, you’ll regret it. Don’t let fear dictate your future. Take hold of it with your own two hands and hold on tight!

F ull of intrigue, I enter the shop and hear a bell above it tinkle to announce me.

I step inside, eyes wide as I take in the place.

And then I promptly trip over the door runner, falling flat on my face.

Yeah, that’s about right.

My only consolation is that I didn’t break anything in the damn shop in the process of being a clumsy twit.

With my cheek and forehead smarting, I groan as I slowly—and carefully—drag myself to my feet.

A mirror on the wall shows me my reflection and I wince.

Not gonna lie, I kinda look like I could be a zombie extra in a George Romero film. My face is pale and banged up since I just tried to dive headfirst into the floor. I’ve got dark circles under my bloodshot eyes, courtesy of my recent insomnia, and I look only half alive.

I’m pretty sure I’ve even got the undead moan down pat.

Strike number four in the bad luck department this evening. Surely I’ve hit my maximum allotment for the day.

Please, universe, give me a break. I can’t take much more right now.

With cautious movements, I start to head deeper into the store as I explore it.

The interior is larger than it seemed outside and the space immediately calms the churning worry that’s been a constant in my gut all day.

I breathe in the familiar smoky scent of incense that wafts in the air and I look around at abnormally high walls lined with bookshelves, some of which must be accessed by the rolling ladder I spy at one end. Was this building always so tall? Maybe the outside is just an optical illusion.

Mystified but deciding to roll with it, I scan the shelves displaying a wide array of fiction and nonfiction books. Some appear to be brand new while others look dusty and ancient. Sections of the store also contain crystals, aromatherapy essential oils, clothing, herbs, and tea.

I inhale deeply and smile. It’s like coming home.

My mother, Delilah Price, used to run a store rather similar to this—but quite a bit smaller in scale—that she called Delilah’s Amethyst Moon, and I’d help out after school and on weekends when I was a teenager. Although I never entirely found myself believing in all the stuff she does, I’ve always felt very comfortable in places like this. I do believe there’s more to the universe than we can ever know, that’s for damn sure.

I smile to myself, my thoughts turning toward my mom. She’s always embraced a more bohemian outlook on life and studied astrology to help her make sense of the world. I’ll be the first to admit she seems to be naturally attuned to things I don’t understand and gives sage advice to those who seek her out.

Perhaps this is a sign I should call her? It’s been a while since our last phone conversation. Maybe she can help me figure out what to do next now that I’m at a bit of a crossroads with my life.

As I continue to wander through the shop, trailing my fingers lightly across some crystals on a shelf, I hear a beaded curtain rustle and turn toward the front counter to see a strange man emerging from the back. He’s tall and thin with dark hair and even darker eyes that are just a tad bit spooky. Even more remarkable, he’s elaborately dressed in a black suit and top hat ensemble that screams steampunk or historical cosplay.

“Good evening,” he says in a refined voice with an accent that I can’t quite trace. European, maybe?

I beam at him. “Hi. Did you just open up shop here? I’ve never seen your store before and I walk past here almost every day.”

He bows his head gracefully to me. “That is correct. It’s our grand opening. Welcome to The Magic Shop. Is there anything in particular you’re looking for?”

“An answer to my problems?” I joke.

But the man cocks his head at me, considering. “You’re in need of guidance. You’ve been experiencing some misfortune of late, have you not?”

Wow. Is it that obvious? I must look more pathetic than I realized.

Talk about a kick to the already fragile ego.

“Misfortune? That’s putting it mildly.” I shake my head. “Don’t know why, but I attract bad luck and the worst kinds of trouble no matter what I do. Makes it hard to keep a job, you know?” I follow that up with my biggest smile. “You wouldn’t happen to be hiring, would you?”

The mysterious owner of the shop’s dark eyes flash with amusement. “I’m afraid this is a one-man operation.” He extends a graceful hand toward the beaded curtain behind him. “However, I would be quite happy to give you a tarot card reading. Since this is the store’s opening day, your reading will be free. Consider it a one-time special offer.”

His words send a strange chill down my spine, and goose bumps rise on my arms. He’s not scary exactly, but I sense some kind of… power emanating from him. It’s not the Dark Side of the Force or anything, just something almost otherworldly.

“A free reading, huh?”

If this guy has real psychic powers, his reading might be worth a whole hell of a lot. This could be the bargain of a lifetime.

He nods his head, the top hat perched there never so much as budging an inch.

What could it hurt? I don’t have a fucking clue what to do with myself at the moment and some guidance would be awfully nice right about now.

But I also don’t want to look like an easy mark if this guy’s trying to con me.

I cross my arms and raise an eyebrow at him. “Just so you know, if this is a scam, you’re out of luck because I don’t have any money or valuables worth going after.”

His mouth quirks. “I promise this is a legitimate offer. Shall we?” he says, gesturing his arm behind him again.

I gulp. I don’t know this guy and I’m not sure if I should trust him, but my gut instinct is telling me I need to do this.

One thing that has never steered me wrong is my gut instinct.

“Lead on, my good man,” I tell him with a bow of my own.

I follow him through the beaded curtain into a back room and find myself in a Victorian-style parlor with brocade furniture. I could totally envision bougie folks paying big money to attend seances here.

The wood floors creak as we enter and I take in the polished antique furniture and unusual floral-patterned wallpaper from a bygone era. In the center of the room, under a gas-lit Grecian chandelier, is a round table covered with a black velvet cloth. The chandelier’s light is turned down low, making shadows on the walls stand out in sharp contrast.

Okay, a smidge spooky, but also super cool. This guy’s definitely leaning into a retro approach to doing readings for clients. I will admit, the decor fits perfectly with his attire, and I know a number of steampunk folks who’d dig the ambience big time.

I take a seat opposite the magic shop owner at the table.

He reaches into his jacket pocket and pulls out an ornate enameled case that contains a beautiful deck of black tarot cards with gold foil trim.

With long, bony fingers, he begins to shuffle the deck.

“Tell me, young man, on what do you seek guidance?”

That’s a really good fucking question. There’s a lot I’d like answers to, for sure. Like why can’t I seem to catch a break? Is it karma from a previous life? Is it like my mom says, and simply tied to my complicated astrological circumstances? Or is it something else?

But part of me also doesn’t really want to know the answer to any of that.

I consider his words carefully for a moment, my eyes fixated on the cards as he shuffles them in a leisurely manner that’s almost hypnotic. I can’t look away.

“I want to know what to do next. I feel like I’ve been stuck in quicksand for a while, sinking slowly but steadily into the mire, and every struggle I make only seems to speed up the inevitable. Something has to change. I can’t stay like this forever, but I don’t know how to break free of this never-ending cycle.”

Whoa . I just unloaded on this poor guy like he’s my therapist. That makes me wince.

The store owner inclines his head again. “I see. You are at a turning point and must make a big change going forward if you wish to alter your circumstances.”

I let out a nervous laugh. “Sounds intimidating. What if it all goes sideways and makes my situation even worse?”

He ignores my question as he fans out the deck of tarot cards he’s been shuffling on the table and tells me, “Close your eyes and reach out your hand.”

I comply.

“Now, let your hand hover over the cards and stop when you sense a resonance or vibration. That is the card you need to select.”

Okay, the woo-woo factor here just went up a notch, but I try to keep the hint of skepticism off my face.

A voice in my head that sounds a lot like my mother tells me to open myself to the strange and unusual, to allow myself to believe in the impossible, to acknowledge there might be things in this world and in the universe that can’t be explained.

Heeding those words of wisdom, I clear my mind and try to immerse myself in the experience. After all, I am a tad bit desperate to make a change, and if this reading can help me do that, then I’m all in. I don’t care how woo-woo it is.

I slowly move my hand in the air over the cards.

At first I feel nothing, but then suddenly a strange tingling settles in my fingertips and an odd, almost gravitational pull draws my hand down to the table.

I gasp but I go with it, a zing of excitement flaring deep inside my chest.

Could this be my destiny?

My hand lands on the smooth surface of a card, and I open my eyes as I hold it up in the light. It’s The Star card in its upright pose.

The owner removes the rest of the cards and plucks the card from my hand before setting it in the center of the table.

“This is a card full of promise and new beginnings,” he says, his lips curving in a mysterious smile.

“Really?”

“Yes. The universe is going to bless you. After all that you have endured, a reward is finally coming your way.”

Hope swells in my chest and my eyes prick with tears.

He studies me with those odd but captivating dark eyes. “Never forget. You possess the ability within you to make this positive future your reality. All you need is the courage to go after it.”

I sit up straighter, my whole body alive with the promise of a better life ahead. “Do you think this means I might be able to escape my bad luck once and for all?”

“Perhaps,” he murmurs. “The Star card merely offers a glimpse into what lies ahead. However, if you follow your heart, you will find your way.”

I frown at him. “What does that mean?”

“What is your heart’s desire?”

Well, fuck. I don’t know what my heart’s desire is.

The last few years, I’ve been focused on doing everything I can to make enough money to keep a roof over my head and food in my belly. That’s been its own struggle since I haven’t been able to keep a job for more than a couple of months at a stretch.

My quicksand analogy earlier was pretty spot on, actually.

“You do not need to know the answer right at this moment,” the store owner explains, “but I encourage you to think on this question carefully. Once you know what your heart’s desire is and you go after it, good things will follow if you go after it. That is what The Star is telling me.”

Piece of cake. No biggie.

Just need to figure out the answer to fixing my screwed-up life.

At least now, I have a renewed sense of purpose. I’ll figure my shit out no matter what.

I extend my hand to the mysterious owner, and he shakes it.

“Thank you very much. This was really helpful and has revived my optimism. Things have been kind of rough lately, even lost my job tonight,” I admit with an awkward chuckle. “But this gives me hope. I’m not going to let my bad luck get me down anymore.”

“Just remember what I told you. Find your heart’s desire and pursue it, and what is meant to be will unfold.”

Cryptic but compelling.

When I exit the back room and return to the main store, I do feel a little bad for taking advantage of a free reading, so I decide to buy a black tourmaline beaded bracelet for protection against negative energies. Mom would be so proud!

He rings up my purchase and I pay him with some of the cash Jared gave me as my severance, then thank him again and leave the shop. It’s only when I get home that I realize I never learned the man’s name.

Hmm, I’ll have to ask him the next time I stop by there.

Back in my studio apartment, I hop in the bathroom’s cramped shower stall to wash off the grime from my last night working at the bar and change into a T-shirt and a comfy pair of sweats.

I’m still a bit amped up after my tarot card reading, so I decide to indulge in one of my secret pleasures—namely, rewatching some of my favorite episodes of Outlander so I can ogle the ultra-sexy Jamie Fraser.

In a kilt.

That man is hot like fire, with a body and voice that make me weak in the knees—and tingly in my ball sac.

Fictional men are often so much better than the ones I’ve dated.

My love life has been about as successful as my employment history. My tendency to attract problems has always ended up foiling any attempts at more serious, long-term relationships. The most I’ve ever managed was two months, and that was years ago.

These days, I haven’t had a lot of time for dating, hence my casual arrangement with Matt. Working night shifts at a bar also makes it hard to even meet someone considering most people have more conventional day jobs.

“Wear that kilt, you sexy bastard,” I murmur to the screen as Jamie and his compatriots stand against the stunning backdrop of the Highlands.

I sigh longingly.

And that’s when it hits me. I totally fucking know one of my heart’s desires!

I sit up straight, heart racing.

My cell phone rings suddenly, and I startle at the sight of my mom’s name flashing across the screen.

I hurry to answer her call. “Mom, are you okay?” I look at the clock. “It’s after one in the morning.”

Her light, airy voice has a faint chiding tone to it. “I think the question is, are you all right? Something woke me up and told me I needed to call you.”

My mom’s always been like this. I don’t know if I would call her psychic exactly, but she has some kind of extrasensory abilities. She always seems to know when I need help. Or maybe that’s just heightened maternal instincts I’ll never fully understand?

Whatever the case, I smile warmly and lean back on the couch as I regale her with the latest tale of woe. She listens attentively, murmuring words of support and encouragement along the way. But when I get to The Magic Shop’s owner and my tarot card reading, she gasps. “It’s a sign! You have to listen to it, Noah.”

“Yeah, weirdly enough, I kind of think so too. It was a little eerie, but what I experienced was so intense and unusual, I can’t dismiss it.” I rub a hand over my stomach. “My gut’s telling me I need to do what he told me.”

There’s a long pause before she asks, “Do you finally know the answer to your heart’s desire?”

I swallow. “I think so.” I muster up my nerve. This plan isn’t crazy, right? “I’m going on my bucket list trip… to Scotland.”

She inhales sharply and gives a dreamy sigh. “How perfect! You’ve wanted to go there ever since you were young. I remember how you liked to sneak-read my Highland warrior romances.”

It’s my turn to gasp. “You knew about that?”

She chortles. “Ha! You weren’t exactly stealthy about it, my dear.”

“Those books were lots of fun.” I sigh. “Although, I do wish there were more of the gay variety to be found.”

“I’ll look for some for you for Christmas,” she says, a familiar note of determination in her voice that I know all too well.

“Thanks, Mom.”

“Hmmm. Now that I think about it, most of your formative crushes were Scottish actors too.”

“Mom,” I whine, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

But she just keeps going. “First, there was Ewan McGregor as Obi-Wan in those Star Wars films. Then came David Tenant when he was the tenth Doctor—which I completely understand, by the way. After that was that lovely young man from those X-Men movies. Now what was his name again…?”

“James McAvoy,” I mumble.

“Right. Such pretty eyes on that one.” She chuckles. “And now of course, there’s Sam Heughan. We both have a thing for him.”

“I’m glad we have a show we can watch and talk about together,” I admit.

She titters. “And gush over the male lead together!”

“That too.”

“Oh, sweet Mother Moon Goddess! Maybe you’ll meet someone while you’re traveling. Your very own sexy Scotsman. Wouldn’t that be romantic?”

I dart a glance at Jamie Fraser frozen on my screen where I paused the episode I was watching.

“You can say that again.” I clear my throat. “Romance or even just a hot hookup would be a bonus, but this is so much more than that. It’s like the universe pointed a big neon light in the right direction all of a sudden, and I’ve got to follow it.” My shoulders slump. “But I don’t know how I’m ever going to afford a trip like this.”

Maybe I could max out the pitiful limit on my credit card and apply for another? Paying them off would be future Noah’s problem.

My mother makes a humming noise through the phone. “Not an issue. I’ll send you some money.”

“Mom, I can’t let you do that. I know you and Dad are on a reduced retirement income.”

“Don’t fret. This is money that’s been set aside for you ever since your grandfather died.”

It’s my turn to inhale sharply. “What?”

Mom sighs. “Look, I didn’t tell you about it because he and I agreed it was money that needed to be saved for when a major turn in your life was going to take place. And now it’s here. I only wish your grandpa was still here to see it. He’d be cheering you on too.”

God, how I miss Pops. I had no idea he’d done something like this for me.

I sniff back unexpected tears. “Doing this is kind of a big deal, huh? Things are going to change.”

I truly hope for the better.

“It is. Everything inside of me is vibrating with certainty that now is the moment to use the money that your grandfather left in my keeping for you. Take charge of your life and move in a new direction. I pray it will finally let you break free of whatever dark forces have been holding you back for so long.” Her voice gets a little choked up. “I’m only sorry that my own abilities haven’t been able to save you from all that you’ve endured.”

“Mom, you’ve always been my number one supporter, and you’ve helped me more than I think you even realize. Whatever is going on with me and this bad luck magnet I’ve become, it’s not your fault, let alone anything you could easily fix. Besides, this problem is one I have to conquer. Like that magic store owner said, I’ve got to take hold of it with my own two hands. Now that I finally see a clear path forward, I think I can do that.” Visions of sexy Scotsmen wearing kilts dance in my head under a shining spotlight of hope that I’m holding on to with all my might.

“Oh, Noah, I’m so excited. I can feel it in my bones. This is going to be the start of something amazing and wonderful for you.”

I grin. “You know? I kind of think so too.”