“He’s very polite,” Lily said promptly. “He’s got an accent. And he smells really nice.”
“Okay, well, that’s something,” Beth said, rolling her eyes. “Nice like Polo nice, or nice like something else?”
“Something else. Clean, like sandalwood. Mint, maybe.”
Another wave of customers flowed into the tent and she and Beth returned to their cards. Even though Lily searched the crowds for the remainder of the evening, she didn’t catch another glimpse of the man she hoped to see.
Later that night, Lily lay in bed and stared up at the ceiling, absently stroking the cat. “Those beautiful green eyes seem so familiar but I know I’ve never met him before, Bella,” she mused, “I’d definitely remember someone as magical as that” She picked up the framed photo sitting on her nightstand. Taken at a USF homecoming game, Lucas had the school mascot painted on his cheeks and his shaggy hair had still been dark brown. He stood with her his arm thrown carelessly around her shoulder and his smile wide, but not reaching his eyes. She laid the picture face down. He has no real claim on me, she thought. “Do I love him, Bella?” she asked the cat, who stretched to give Lily access to more of her tummy. “I don’t know about that, but the one thing I do know is Lucas doesn’t take my breath away like the guy from the Castle does. I’ve felt more in five minutes with this man than I ever have with Lucas, and I don’t even know his name.”
She replayed the evening over and over again and in her best corny pirate voice growled, “Best ye beware, mistress, lest the highwayman steal yer heart away,” before drifting off to sleep.
4
On Sunday morning, Bella’s insistent walking across her head woke her before the ringing phone did. “C’mon, let’s go to the mall and try on stuff we can’t afford,” Beth chirped. “Did you see the news this morning? No, of course you didn’t. Some guy out fishing found a woman floating in the river yesterday.”
After giving the promise to meet at the food court in an hour, Lily showered and dressed, then poured herself a bowl of cereal and sat down in front of the TV. She ran the channels, landing on the top of the hour local news recap.
“…grisly discovery. The body of a young woman was found floating in the Alafia River by a local fisherman yesterday. The apparent homicide victim is described as Caucasian with…”
The solemn news anchor reported authorities estimated the as yet unidentified woman had been in the water for perhaps a week, but no one had come forward to report a missing person fitting her description. It’s tragic, Lily thought, gone that long and nobody missed her.
The following work week passed slowly with Lucas’s attitude toward her wavering between propriety possessiveness and casual indifference. The Eight of Wands Lily pulled on Friday morning foretold a propitious evening and she fervently hoped it meant she’d see the mystery man again. Admit it, she thought, he’s gotten under your skin, and you don’t even know who the hell he is. For all you know, he’s an escaped mental patient. Undaunted by that distinct possibility, she chose the burgundy outfit she wore the night she first saw him, hoping it would be lucky for her again.
After a few hours of readings, Lily felt the need to get out and stretch. A throng of people lingered around the entrance of the tent, but no one was waiting for a reading. Suddenly a hush fell over the animated crowd and it parted like the Red Sea. Through the gap walked the very man she had been hoping to spot, resplendent in a soft royal blue velvet doublet replacing his earlier leathers. Ignoring the other girls, he strode to her table and with eyes a-twinkle asked, “Will you tell me my fortune, then?” In stunned silence, she gestured for him to sit and began shuffling the cards. He watched intently, waiting for her to deal the three cards and turn them over one by one.
She stared in disbelief at the Queen of Cups, the Ace of Cups, and the Eight of Wands and groaned inwardly. This. Is. Not. Happening. I’m asleep. That’s it–I’m asleep, and I’m going to wake up any minute now and there’s going to be a retired couple from Ohio sitting across from me wondering what on earth my problem is. Any minute now…
She swallowed hard and took a steadying breath. “It would appear you have love and romance in your future, my lord.”
“Ah,” he murmured, giving her a very slow, sensual smile that made her toes curl inside her slippers. “I came here hoping to learn your name this evening, but in truth the woman haunting my dreams is a lovely blonde, not an ebony-haired beauty such as yourself.” As he spoke, he tapped the queen with a long, tapered finger.
Finding her voice at last, she asked, “What dreams are you having, sir?”
“I dreamt I was in a spring field and a woman stands in the shadows just at the edge of the nearby forest. I haven’t yet seen her face, only her long beautiful hair. I always wake too soon.” He reached up to touch the hawk touchstone around his throat as he described his dream, rubbing it absently between his fingers.
Lily lowered her lashes to hide her astonishment. “When you see someone in a dream but cannot see their face, it means you haven’t met them yet,” she explained.
“Then perhaps I’ll dream of her again tonight and this time I’ll see her face.” He smiled, reaching across the table to take her left hand and lift it to his lips. “My name is Ian Kelly, and it would give me the greatest pleasure to know yours.”
“Lily Evans. Around here I go by Raven.” She raised a shoulder, indicating the gypsy tent.
“Lily–indeed, a most beautiful name. Now tell me,” he stared pointedly at her hand, “I see no ring that another has claimed you as his, so my confidence is strengthened. Look at your cards again, milady, and tell me if you see me in your future.”
She gasped, raising a hand to her throat in mock distress. “You tease me unmercifully, my lord,” she said with a demure smile.
Ian’s voice was grave. “I do not tease,” he said,. “It would do me great honor if you would allow me to call upon you for perhaps…for…em…oh, bloody hell, what’s medieval for taking you out to dinner?” His eyes flashed with mischief and she burst into laughter, clapping a hand to her mouth.
He grinned broadly at her reaction. “Does that mean you’ll go? I’m told I can be quite entertaining on occasion.”
Before Lily could reconsider, she blurted out “I’d love to” then sat back and marveled at her audacity. She looked around for pen and paper to give him her number and panicked when she saw none. “I need something to write on…” she began.
“I’ve got it,” he said, pulling out his cell phone to type in her name and number. “Not quite historically correct, but necessary, I’m afraid.”
“I have the same phone,” she said.
“I have excellent taste.” The smile he gave her made her melt inside. “Well, then…I fear I’ve taken up enough of your time this evening, so I’ll look forward to speaking with you soon.” he said, rising from the table. He turned to leave, but Lily stopped him with a tentative touch on his arm.
“Wait,” she said. “How did you know? About my hair color, I mean.”
With a mysterious smile Ian replied, “Mayhap you are not the only one with the sight, my dear.” She tilted her head expectantly at him and after a moment, he lifted one shoulder in a careless shrug. “Your eyebrows.”
Flustered, Lily lifted a hand to her brow and heard him chuckling as he vanished into the crowd.
* * * *
“So where are you going for dinner?” Beth asked with unbridled glee.
“He said he’d call. That’s all the info I have,” Lily said for at least the fifth time, her face blazing as she tried to hide her smile.
“You