Whispers (Argent Springs) (13 page)

“This is really nice,” Erin said.

Livia’s following laugh was musical and engaging.
“I call it my room of Zen.”

“I can see why.” T
.”
Erin
he short, green rods of bamboo growing from a little pot on her desk
along with almost anything and everything that could bring good luck or peacefulness
had found a spot in her room. Erin liked it immediately and vowed to create a
similar place of her own when she returned home.

In fact it when she finally saved up enough money
to open her own spa, she’d be sure she included all of these elements. The
place where she currently worked was more of a massage market, hurrying people
in and out as fast as they could without really focusing on the whole person.
Yes, their muscles were stiff and overworked, but Erin was pretty sure those
people also suffered from the lack of care in their emotional lives as well.
And she’d really like to help people with that.

“Do you like tea?” Livia asked, and Erin noticed a
small pot brewing on a little tabletop stove resting on a counter along the
wall.

“It depends. I’ve never been a huge fan of black
tea, but I did recently try a green tea infused with orange that was pretty
good.”

Livia opened a cabinet door and pulled out two
mismatched cups. “Wait until you try this one.” She lifted the Asian-looking teapot
and filled their cups, the warm liquid releasing a soothing scent.

Erin picked up her cup, gazing into the
pinkish-clear depths of the tea, the scent of warm strawberries rising up to
greet her. She took a small sip, the flavor soothing and pleasant. “Ohhh…that’s
nice.”

Her friend lifted her brows and gave her a knowing
nod. “Right? I call it Love Potion Number Five because that’s my lucky number.”

Erin nearly choked. “Love Potion?”

“You should have all the hot men clamoring at your
door before nightfall. Annabelle tried it only a few days ago, and I heard Charles
invited her to breakfast this morning.”

She set down the cup and pushed it away. She
didn’t really believe tea could affect her that way, but she’d never believed
in ghosts before, either. The last thing she needed was to put out a scent that
would bring Allen to her door or encourage Rick. “You’d better save this for
someone else, then.”

“What?” Her friend wrinkled her animated brows.
“Every woman I know is looking for love if she hasn’t already found it.”

“Not me. Not now any way.”

“Annabelle told me about your divorce.” Livia
picked up Erin’s cup and handed it to her. “It won’t really make you fall in
love, but telling my customers that helps me sell more tea.”

Erin smiled and accepted her offering.

Livia sipped hers. “So, he broke your heart bad,
huh?”

“It was both of our faults things didn’t work
out.” The two years she’d been alone had helped her to realize their breakup
wasn’t totally one-sided, though she was sure she’d never treated him as badly
as he’d treated her. “We were different people who wanted different things. And
I guess being with me brought out the worst in him.”

“No,” her friend said, shaking her head. “There’s
too much light around you for me to believe that.” Livia took her hand, turning
it over. She traced the lines in her palm as she studied it.

“You read palms?” The idea intrigued her.

Livia dropped her hand. “I read many things.
Palms, tea leaves…what I’d really like to do is read your cards.” Her eyes lit
up with hopefulness.

“Like tarot cards?”

She nodded, her earrings swinging back and forth.
“I keep a personal deck in the store if you’ll allow me.”

“I don’t know.” She’d never dabbled much in the
paranormal arts, but she did find them fascinating, kind of like reading her
horoscope.

“If you’re not certain about a full reading, how
about we just ask them a question?”

“You can do that?”

“Sure. The cards are just a tool. You may use them
how you like.”

“Okay.” That seemed a little less daunting to her.

Her friend stood, taking her tea with her. “I have
another area in the shop where I do readings. Follow me.”

Livia had cornered off a little area with a wall
of beads. As Erin pushed through the strands, she found a square bistro table
with a gray slate surface along with two woven chairs. The setup was obviously
mismatched, but still held a certain amount of charm.

“I wanted to keep things in here as natural as
possible,” Livia said as though reading her mind. “The more natural elements I
surround myself with, the more open I am to receiving information from the
earth and her atmosphere.”

“Makes sense.” Erin set her cup on the table while
Livia pulled out her cards. The small box she kept them in also contained a
piece of pink quartz and what looked like dried lavender. “What are those for?”

“The quartz and lavender cleanse the cards between
readings. You wouldn’t want someone else’s qi affecting your reading, would
you?” She said it so seriously, that Erin almost believed her.

“Uh…no.”

Livia held out the deck of cards. “Shuffle these
and then pull out three cards while you think about your question.”

She’d begun toying with a certain question not
long after she’d arrived. Could Argent Springs be her home? The place she’d
always dreamed about? Somewhere that provided her with a sense of belonging and
being loved for who she was?

When Erin finished shuffling, she fanned the
cards, running her fingers over the cards, pretending her senses could guide
her to the cards that would help her most in life. Each time she’d feel a zing,
whether imagined or not, she pulled the card until she had three.

She laid all of them on the desk in front of her.

Livia gave her a solemn nod as though she took
Erin’s reading very seriously. “You know, I read for your aunt all the time.”

Erin didn’t know if she’d told her that to help
her feel more at ease, but it worked. “I hope she gets good cards.”

“Cards aren’t necessarily good or bad. They’re more
like guidance from the ether, or even from your subconscious mind, if that’s
how you prefer to think of it.” Her friend shrugged, but a smug smile lit on
her lips. “I did predict Charles would come into her life, though.”

Erin mentally kicked herself. Maybe
she
should have concentrated her question on her love life instead of her home
life. Too late now.

“Let’s see what the future has in store for you.” Livia
flipped the first card.

The skeleton’s face on the card immediately caught
Erin’s attention, shocking her. Her breath froze in her throat. “Annabelle?”

“No, no, no. Death doesn’t necessarily mean a
person dies. In fact, it usually doesn’t. More often, it means the death of
something, and that something can be the end of a job—retirement, a person gets
fired or leaves. Could be the end of a marriage. Anything like that. It’s the
end of something, but also the opportunity for a new beginning and greater
things.”

Erin exhaled a laugh. “That’s a relief.” Maybe it
meant she should quit her job and move to Argent Springs.

Livia flipped the next one. “Eight of Pentacles.”

“Which means?”

“Pentacles typically represent money or resources.”

“More money would be awesome.” Erin’s thoughts
immediately turned to her current lack of monetary resources.

“The Eight of Pentacles in particular means that
you are looking toward and preparing for a better future, but it also cautions
that you should take time to enjoy where you are currently.” She met Erin’s
gaze. “Don’t forget that riches could also come in another form.”

“Like love?”

“Absolutely.” Her friend’s grin blossomed on her
full lips. “Anyone particular in mind?”

An image of Rick popped into her head, and she
quickly dismissed that as utterly ridiculous. “No. Just…it might be nice to
fall in love again…someday. Not now.”

“Why not now?”

“It’s too soon.”

Her friend gave her a commiserating look. “I see.
Sometimes it takes a couple of months before a heart can move forward.”

Erin didn’t respond. She didn’t want to admit and
defend the fact that it had been much longer for her.

“How long were you married?” Livia’s hand hovered
over the last unturned card.

“Nine months.” Nine long, miserable months.

“That’s good, then. It’s not like you’ve spent a
lifetime together, and it should be much easier to get over.”

She sighed and closed her eyes. Not only was she a
failure at marriage, but she failed at divorce, too.

“What?” Livia asked with concern in her voice.

Erin slowly lifted her lids. “My divorce was final
two years ago.”

Her friend blinked a few times, but thankfully
held the judgment from her gaze. “I see.”

“I’m glad one of us does.”

“Girlfriend, this might seem harsh to say, but I
feel like someone needs to say it. It’s time to get on with your life. What are
you waiting for?”

Sadness welled inside, and she lifted a shoulder
and let it drop. “For my heart to say it’s okay, I guess.”

“Your heart has to toughen up, missy. Life can be
a cruel, hard mistress, but death is more of a bitch. You don’t want to take
your last breaths regretting that you never lived, do you?”

She blinked back her feelings and shook her head.

“You’re just scared. That’s all. And it’s okay.
We’re all scared sometimes. But who does your life belong to? You or your
fear?”

“You make so much sense.” A stressed laugh slipped
from her lips, and she sniffed. “But I’m not ready to take that first step,
yet.”

“Well, we’re getting you ready. If I were you, I’d
be practicing on that sexy beast living under the same roof as you.”

“Rick? No.”

“Why not? He’s good looking, and he’s single.”

“Then why don’t you go for him?”

“What makes you think
I’m
single?”

Erin stopped and regarded her friend. “I’m not
sure.
Do
you have a boyfriend? Or are you married?” Some kind of new
friend she was, keeping their entire conversation focused on her.

Livia smiled, her expression a secretive look of
love. “Boyfriend. Going on six months. He sells real estate in Sage.”

“He doesn’t live here in town?”

“No. But Sage is not that far. He usually drives
up on the weekends, or I go to see him.”

“Are you in love?” Erin twisted her lips into a
conspiratorial smile that spread to Livia.

“I just might be. For now, though, let’s focus on
you. You’re the one who needs help.” She flipped the last card. “Look at this.
It might be a hint at the future.”

Erin glanced down at her final drawing. “The
Lovers.” A man stood in a lake, holding a naked woman around the waist and
lifting her higher than himself. Fiery reds and oranges sizzled in the
background.

“One of my favorite cards. So pretty. It’s as
though he puts her on a pedestal, don’t you think?”

Erin didn’t believe in the power of these types of
readings, but this card set her on edge. She didn’t want to consider a new love.
Even though possibly…maybe, she should. “Can’t this signify something else,
too, like the last two cards?”

“No, not so much with this one. It could mean a
union or a different type of relationship, but in my experience it often means
love. It’s about making choices that will build a solid foundation for your
future.”

Livia caught her gaze, and Erin tried to mask her
features. “You look like you’ve been handed a death sentence. Love should be a
good thing, a happy thing.”

“Yes, but what if you think it’s love and you give
your heart away, only to find out it’s something less?” Something much, much
less.

Livia’s lips parted in a warm smile. “It’s a
chance we all take. We’re definitely gambling, and sometimes we lose, but when
we win, it makes it all worth it.”

“I hope you’re right.” More than hoped. She
prayed.

*        *        *

Harsh morning light filtered through the dirty
windows in Rick’s garage, illuminating everything with crystal clear light,
adding to the headache building behind his eyes. He eyed the snowmobile he’d
promised he’d get to today, and then glanced back at the SUV’s alternator he currently
worked on. He really needed to hurry and get this done so he could start on the
other.

Except he was having a difficult time focusing on
anything at all. He’d spent the previous night tossing and turning, unable to
get either Melinda or Erin out of his mind.

If he laid the facts out on the table, things
didn’t look good for him and Melinda. She wasn’t acting like a woman in love
who also happened to be working on her education. She kept in touch just enough
to keep him hanging on.

A moment later, his phone started playing his
favorite song, and he sighed. Melinda. Had she somehow tapped into his thoughts
and knew she was running on a thin wire?

He wiped his hands and answered the phone.

“Hey, sugar.” Her voice was laced with charm.

“Hey.” He wanted to sound happier, but couldn’t.

“Sorry I missed your call last night. I was
studying with some friends.”

“Yeah? Which friends?”

She hesitated. “Nancy… and Becca.”

What she didn’t say punched him in the gut. Her
lies were as plain as the morning sun. “New friends?”

“Uh-huh. So, what are you doing today?”

She could forget the small talk meant to distract
him. “I’m thinking about hopping on the next plane to California.”

He could picture the oh-shit look that must be
hovering on her face as the silence dragged out between them.

“I would love that, Rick, but this really isn’t a
good time. I’m gearing up for a presentation I have to make next week, and I
don’t have much free time.”

“I see.” More clearly than he would have liked.
Why did it take a kick upside the head for him to realize she’d been gone since
the day she’d packed her car and left? “Then what if I wait two weeks? Will you
have time for me then?”

“Don’t be like this, Rick. You know I’m working
hard for our future.” Her voice came out as a nasally whine that grated on his
already-sensitized nerves.

He inhaled and let the air slide out of him. “I
think we’ve done this long enough, Melinda.”

“What do you mean?” He was happy to hear a slight
tone of panic in her voice.

“Let’s just call this what it is, okay?” He steeled
himself for her response and his next words.

“What’s that?”

The pain that sliced through his heart wasn’t as
sharp as he’d thought it would be. “Over.” He hung up the phone and set it to
the side, walking back to the SUV.

He’d get this damn thing done today if it killed
him.

*        *        *

When Erin returned home just before lunch, she
found Annabelle in the kitchen wearing her old-fashioned apron while she
prepared two sandwiches. She guessed that meant Rick would be eating his lunch
elsewhere.

“I was hoping we could sit in the atrium to eat,”
her aunt said as she pulled a tray from beneath a counter and set their plates
on it.

“Best idea I’ve heard all day.” The atrium was her
favorite room in the house with an unfettered view of the glorious mountains
reaching toward the sky. It would also give her a quiet, uninterrupted chance
to question Annabelle more about the supposed ghost in the house.

“There’s some sweet tea in the fridge if you’ll be
a love and grab it.”

Erin pulled the pitcher from the fridge and
carried it along with two tall glasses to the atrium. She’d never tire of the
view out the window, she decided. She could clearly see the tree line where
she’d explored the other day, and if she studied the lay of the land, she could
also discern where the swath of river cut across the yellowing grass. The
bright autumn sun had melted all but the snow on the highest peaks, leaving a
gloriously, fresh day.

Annabelle sat in her favorite chair while Erin
took a seat on the couch. Her aunt had placed her tray on a small table between
them, leaving just enough room for the iced tea and glasses.

“I wasn’t certain where you’d gone this morning. I
returned home to find an empty house, and I’d hoped you’d be back before
lunch.”

“I’m sorry,” Erin replied. “I should have left a
note or something.”

“That would be lovely next time.” She lifted her
sandwich and took a bite.

Erin took her sandwich as well, focusing on the
contents between the slices of wheat bread. “Turkey?” she asked.

“With avocado and pesto,” her aunt mumbled, not
worried if someone might think less of her for speaking with a mouthful.

Erin sank her teeth into her sandwich and nodded
her approval. “It’s good.” In addition to her aunt’s secrets to a happy life,
she could learn a thing or two on how to make simple food taste so good.

She swallowed. No better time than the present to
discuss what had been burning through her brain all morning. “Actually, part of
the reason I forgot to leave you a note was that I kind of left in a hurry.”

Annabelle arched her brow and took another bite.

“Rick had left for work, and I was alone in the
kitchen.” She kept her gaze focused on the fat pickle sitting on her plate. “At
least I thought I was until someone touched my shoulder.”

A sharp breath from her aunt brought their gazes
together. “Who?” she whispered.

“I was hoping maybe
you
could tell me
that.”

Her gray eyebrows knitted together above her
glasses as she looked about the room.

“The kitchen smelled strongly of lavender,” she
said before her aunt could formulate a response that would counter what Erin
was sure she’d experienced. “And I heard faraway laughter…that may or may not
have come from the outside.”

Then her aunt’s face fell. “I guess it’s time to
come completely clean. I should have been honest about Rosa’s ghost before you
came to visit, and if not, then especially when you’d asked me. It’s not right
of me to invite you into a house that’s haunted by the past, but I was afraid
if I told you, you wouldn’t have come.”

Erin stared at her aunt, a little surprised. “I’m
not sure how I thought you’d respond, but it hadn’t been with an apology.”

“I feel as though I’ve let you down. Family should
be honest with each other, if nothing else. I wanted to say something when you’d
first mentioned smelling lavender, but you seemed a little nervous about the
whole thing so I tried to play it down to let you believe whatever you were
comfortable with.”

“Aunt Annabelle, I’m not mad at you.”

“You’re not?”

“No. I’m just trying to understand what’s
happening here. I have to admit I was a little spooked being here all alone, but
I didn’t run screaming from the house.” Though she had hurried a little more
than normal.

“Oh,” she said, suddenly looking much more
relaxed. She took a bite of her pickle, the sound of it crunching through the
quiet room. “In that case, Rosa has visited this house off and on throughout
the years. She became particularly active when I started to seriously date
Henderson. She left him alone, but made herself known to me. Best we can tell
from accounts over the years, whenever there’s a new love relationship forming,
it really triggers her. Instead of a once-a-month visitation, she started
showing up daily.”

“So maybe your breakfast date this morning awakened
her or whatever you want to call it.”

Her aunt shook her head thoughtfully. “I don’t
think so, love. Charles hasn’t been here yet—I didn’t want to scare him off.
Not to mention, you’d said you noticed her scent the day you arrived.”

“Could it be because I’m related to her? Maybe
love isn’t the connection after all.”

“I suppose we could be wrong in our hypothesis,
but the evidence is pretty strong. Maybe she senses the attraction between you
and Rick.”

The hair on Erin’s arms shot up. “There is no
attraction between me and Rick.”

She snorted. “Come on now, love. I don’t have to
be a ghost to see what’s brewing between the two of you.”

Erin shook her head in warning, though she kept a
smile on her face. “Rick said you love to play matchmaker, but nothing’s happening
between me and him.”

Her aunt’s face grew seriously concerned. “Why
not? He’s a good man, Erin, and you’re so lovely and kind and smart. You’d make
a good wife.”