Page 31 of Crazy in Love

“I should have known,” Faith said after explaining what happened with her blind date. “My horoscope said I’d be disappointed today.”

“He’s probably a Leo,” Amara said. “That would explain the mismatch. The moon’s not in the right phase for you to connect with a Leo.”

“I haven’t connected withanyone ofanysign for ages.” Except for that zing she felt when she kissed Nick. What had she been thinking with that move? If she had time at the end of the call, she’d bring it up with Amara.

“You should try something new. Go out with someone totally different from your usual type.”

“What? Ugly and stupid?” Faith said. “My standards are already at an all-time low.”

“Is there anyone who’s asked you out that you’ve dismissed?”

Denver, from the gas station, popped into her head. “There is one guy from town. He sent flowers a few weeks ago and asks me out periodically. He’s definitely not my type.”

“Perfect. Go out with him,” Amara said triumphantly.

Faith groaned. Surely, there had to besomesort of attraction. “I’ll think about it. There’s something else.” She swore Amara to secrecy and told her about the letter from her mom.

“Wow, that’s huge. I’m getting the feeling you should tell Eddie. He has a right to know. I don’t see that it will change anything between the two of you, but honesty is vital.”

Faith had been leaning that way too. She just wasn’t sure about the timing. Should she let her dad finish grieving first? Or just rip it off like a Band-Aid and get all the drama over with at once?

“Knock, knock.” Nick stuck his head in the door.

“Awk,” Faith squealed. “Gotta go.”

“But your twenty minutes isn’t up.”

“Rain check.” She hung up.

“Sorry,” Nick said. “Didn’t mean to interrupt.”

“You didn’t. It was nothing.” He wouldn’t understand.

“It’s obviouslysomething, or you wouldn’t be so defensive.” He raised an eyebrow.

Shoot. How did he read people like that? Must be a cop thing. “Just my psychic.”

“I’m sorry. Your what?” He cocked an ear as if he hadn’t heard her.

She rolled her eyes. “I’m trying to figure out what to do about my dad.”

“And what’s wrong with simply thinking through the pros and cons and making a decision all by yourself?”

“Sometimes it’s nice to have a little direction. Maybe I should wait until my moon’s in Jupiter. Or at least until my horoscope predicts a good time.”

“You can’t let an astrological fortune cookie rule your life.”

“Maybe you’re right.” She picked up the envelope with her dad’s name on it and flipped it around in her hand. “I should just get it over with.”

“Attagirl,” he said. “Sorry again to bother you, but Brandon said I could ask you about ordering the fourth book in a series I started?”

“Oh, yeah. Wow, you’re really burning through those.”

“Got a lot of time on my hands,” he muttered. “Also, I noticed you don’t have anything trendy or any bestsellers from this decade. What’s up with that?” He leaned heavily on his cane, and she wondered if she should invite him to sit.

“That was my mom’s idea of keeping the store ‘quaint’ and ‘iconic.’ Unfortunately, it’s also a way to keep it ‘poor.’ I’ve already ordered some popular, mass-market stuff. Should be here today actually.”

He nodded. “Ideas that sound good on paper don’t always turn out to be in practice.”

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