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Connie burst out laughing. ‘Vegas really doesn’t know what to do with you, does it? Oh Mya you are fab, don’t ever change. Oh look here, you won’t. You’re right, lots of domination and lots of sex. You have been and will continue to rock the world. I see a TED Talk in your future, your loyal feminist fan base continues to grow. Oh and’ — Connie did laugh — ‘no I think I’ll leave that one for you to find out on your own.’
Mya’s eyes narrowed. ‘Connie?’
But Connie was laughing too hard, and Melanie could have sworn Paige was smiling a little too.
‘Right, Melanie, come on, girl,’ Connie said as Mya reluctantly got up off her chair, kissed Connie on the cheek and whispered something in her ear that had Connie doubled up laughing again. Melanie was nervous. She hadn’t expected to be included in this, had felt like a voyeur already. But then she realised that she’d been included a lot, and each time she’d been surprised. Maybe it was time to accept it. But that felt a bit scary, purely because she wanted it so much.
As Connie caught her breath, she thought she saw a look pass between her and Paige but it was already over before she sat down. Connie grabbed her hand and her skin was hot around hers, and Melanie could’ve sworn she felt a little electric shock. Melanie looked around at all the faces at the table, all looking eager to hear what Connie might have to say.
‘Yes,’ Connie said. ‘I know what you want to know, and the answer is yes. Nothing is ever set in stone and there will be trying times. In fact, if you get a letter about a noise order, my suggestion would be to have Councillor Houghton check it out for you.’
‘Wait, what? I got one this morning!’ What? How the hell could Connie be that good?
‘Yes, it’s not real.’ Connie nodded.
‘But that’s so specific. How could you possibly know that?’
‘Well, I am good, but Patrick may have mentioned about someone unsuccessfully trying to put one through but there was no evidence to support it. I figured that if someone was persistent they may try and fake something. Anyway, share it with Patrick. He should be able to help you get to the bottom of it.’
‘But the business . . .’
‘Yes, the business should be fine, not without a couple of hiccups but I can’t see anything stopping it from succeeding. But like I said nothing is set in stone. There are a few things I need to make you aware of—’
‘Gran,’ Paige cut in.
‘There will be a little bit of turmoil in the near future and you will find yourself wondering how many chances is too many. Only you can know the answer for sure. Some truths will be revealed. But, and I can’t stress this enough, however and whatever you decide, this hard time will pass soon. It will start to get easier and you will have more time for a life. You’ll just need to decide what to do and who to include within it.’
‘Erm, thanks, Connie,’ Melanie said as she ran all that information through her brain. Business should be OK, chances with the prosecco supplier or something else? Maybe the Instagram walls?
’No problem, love.’
Melanie got up slightly dazed and gestured for Paige to take the seat.
‘Oh no, I don’t need to, I . . .’ Paige began.
‘Paige, we need you a second, sorry,’ India shouted out from the bar and Paige ran off. Like, literally ran off, and Melanie was left with a strange vibe. Seriously strange; something was off. Polly smiled up at her but it wasn’t real. Sophie was tapping away on her phone and Mya was staring after Paige, but that horrible feeling was settling through her body and she could almost see it working its way around the group. Everyone was avoiding her eye. And Melanie felt like an onlooker again. Would it always feel like this? Included one minute and pressed up against it and trying to get in the next? Melanie realised she might not have a gift like Connie, but it didn’t take a psychic to feel this tension. They all knew something, or something was said that she didn’t know about and Melanie could admit her heart broke a little, and she felt more than a little bit jolted at the sudden turnabout. Wow Connie was good! That turmoil she’d predicted had landed quickly.
Connie stood up and put her hand on Melanie’s shoulder. ‘It’ll be grand, Melanie. And I’m saying this not as a psychic but as a gran. Paige will try and keep herself at arm’s-length. Oh she loves, fiercely and protectively, you only have to look at her friends to see that. But she needs coaxing sometimes; a relationship has to work both ways, don’t you agree? But I see the possibility for real happiness, Melanie. I really do. For both of you.’
‘Right, I think we all need a cocktail. Come on girls, let’s debrief at the bar. The boys will be here soon.’ Mya slung her arm around Melanie’s shoulders, and Mya was right to do that, because Melanie was tempted to leave them to it at that point. She thought that maybe Paige was avoiding her, and she couldn’t shake the ominous feeling that Connie’s reading had left her with. Her heart inexplicably ached, and she had a terrible sense that tonight was not going to go as well as she had hoped.
Chapter Thirty-Four
Paige
Paige was keeping herself busy behind the bar. She knew it, and she had a feeling Melanie knew it too. How had everything gone from so amazing to so shit in a day? Paige wanted to blame Connie but she knew that would just be shooting the messenger. Luckily the bar was busy and the psychic bookings through the roof. So she really should be behind the bar. It made sense, but she knew she was avoiding facing her mistakes. She should have told Melanie sooner about her mojo and about the app, but really her heart was and remained in the right place.
Shit, she was coming over.
‘Hey, you all right?’ Melanie asked but Paige could hear the reluctance in her voice.
‘Yeah, just busier than I thought it was going to be,’ Paige said.
‘Oh, come on boss,’ Belle said as she passed over the dirty glasses. ‘You knew today was going to be awesome. Everyone loves a psychic. At least you managed to get Connie to do it. Otherwise, you would have been the one doing the readings.’ Belle laughed as she turned around to go and collect some more glasses.
Melanie went to laugh, but Paige’s face must have betrayed how she felt because Melanie’s laughing smile quickly dropped. ‘What? Wait, are you psychic or something?’ Melanie asked.
‘Erm. Well, I’ve never called it that, and well, no, not really see, a little bit for my friends sometimes. More like gut instinct.’
