“Seriously? A fortune teller?” Jenna asked, her voice telegraphing her incredulity. Jenna had somehow missed the gene that allowed a person to pin their hopes and dreams on romance or whimsy or beribboned birdies singing Disney songs. It was possible that Ellie had gotten Jenna’s fair share in the genetic lottery. Or, more likely, the loss of their parents when Jenna has been sixteen and Ellie nineteen had broken something in Ellie’s younger sister.
“Oh, come on. It’ll be fun!” Ellie said.
Harper and Jenna exchanged a glance that might have been more of a shared eye roll, but Harper gave her a grin. “You go on,” she said. “Jenna and I will guard the door and make sure no one bothers you while you discover the mysteries of the universe.”
“Fine.” Ellie pulled out her wallet and handed a ten to the teenager seated behind a TV tray holding a cash box.
“Madame Esmerelda is ready for you. You can go on in,” the girl said, without actually looking up from her cell phone.
Ellie ducked between the flaps of the tent, into a quiet oasis which smelled pleasantly of incense and the candles that flickered on nearly every horizontal surface. A lighted, bubbling water fountain gurgled peacefully in one corner, and Esmerelda, Gypsy Fortune Teller, stood behind a round table draped with multiple layers of sheer jewel-toned scarves.
“Velcome.” The fortune teller looked almost startled as she gazed from the cards she cleared from the table in front of her, to Ellie. The woman cleared her throat. “Seet. Seet.” She indicated the bench on Ellie’s side of the table. “And who might you be?”
“I’m Ellie.”
The woman took both of Ellie’s hands in hers. She had chunky silver rings with large stones on nearly every finger of each hand. Her face was obscured by a colorful, sheer scarf, except for her eyes which were lined in dark kohl and highlighted with bright blue and purple eyeshadow.
“You work with or near children, yes?” she asked, squeezing Ellie’s hands before settling back on her seat.
Already, Ellie was impressed. “I’m a social worker.” One who worked for Haralson’s Children and Family Services, so yes, she worked with children.
“And what question can I help you answer today?”
Ellie contemplated that for a moment. Part of her wanted to know if the next week would be a giant disaster. One of her colleagues had resigned suddenly on Friday, which meant Ellie would be picking up almost half of the woman’s caseload, at least temporarily. Work would be chaos for the foreseeable future. But did she really want to know how bad it would be in advance?
Esmerelda helped her along. “Do you have questions of money, work, family or love?”
Ellie smiled at the last category—she had no time for romance these days. But still...
“Love it is,” Esmerelda announced, before Ellie actually answered.
Her brows lifted. “How did you know?”
The fortune teller winked. “I’m psychic.” Her tone wasn’t precisely ironic, but there was a hint of humor. “Let’s start with a Tarot card reading, shall we?” Esmerelda picked several cards up off the table, and shuffled the deck several times, arcing the cards between her fingers dramatically before spreading them out, face down in a rainbow in front of Ellie. “Please select one card with your non-dominant hand and place it face up. Then I want you to select five more cards and place them face down in front of you, left to right.”
“Why my left hand?” Ellie asked, more curious than suspicious about the woman’s process.
“Your dominant hand is more likely to act with reason. Your non-dominant with intuition.”
“Oh.” Ellie smiled. “Cool.” She selected the first card at random from the top right of the arch and flipped it over.
The card was beautiful, depicting a woman holding a basket of flowers with a sweeping gathering of butterflies flying up out of it.
“This card represents you. The Empress says to me that you are a nurturer.”
“Wow. She even looks like me.” The woman in the card wore a dress very similar to Ellie’s own peach peasant dress, with a sage colored sash. It was a little eerie, really.
“She does,” Esmerelda said, nodding slowly.
Ellie drew five more cards from the deck and placed them face-down as Esmerelda had instructed.
The fortune teller reached for the card farthest to Ellie’s left and turned it over. “The first card represents your past. Eight of Swords. This is the card of isolation. Of holding people at arm’s length.”
That did sound a little like Ellie, unfortunately. She wasn’t particularly close to any adults besides her sister and Harper. She put a lot of her love and affection into the children she helped… But if she were honest, she even held a little back from those kids. In this job, you had to, or you faced certain burn out.
Ellie nodded her agreement.
“The next is the card of your present.” Slowly the fortune teller turned over the second card. “Four of Swords. You’ve been through a period of contemplation and healing. Needing rest. You might have suffered a heartbreak, and now you’re starting to believe you’re ready to love again.”
Definitely true. Her last relationship had ended almost a year before when her boyfriend, out of the blue, had packed up his apartment and moved to Chicago. There’d been no argument, no histrionics. There’d also been no singing birds to help her pick up the pieces. Eventually, though, her life had evened out and now…
And now she was in a fortune teller’s tent asking about her love life. So how far had she really come?
Fortunately, Esmerelda didn’t see her grimace. “The third card represents that which is influencing your future.” Esmerelda flipped the middle card. “Strength.”
The card showed a blonde woman snuggled up next to a lion. Ellie felt a kinship with that card that she couldn’t actually explain.
“This may refer to your own internal strength, but in this position, more likely it refers to someone else who has been through a grave trial and has also now begun to heal.”
Ellie didn’t know anyone who’d been through recent troubles, but it would be exactly like her to fall for someone who was just a little bit broken—not unlike herself.
“The next card is the advice the cards have for you.” The fortune teller turned over the second to last card “Ah, yes. The Ace of Cups. That’s often a card of new love.”
Ellie felt a little bubble of happiness swim up through her chest.
“Finally…” Esmerelda turned over the last card. “Three of cups. Joy.”
Her eyes suddenly bright, as if she was about to cry, the fortune teller took a shuddering breath and placed a hand on her chest. Ellie didn’t think it was for show.
“Are you okay?” Ellie asked.
Esmerelda took a deep breath and let it out slowly. “Yes, yes. Of course.” She smiled reassuringly. “I have very good feelings about you and your future.” She gathered the cards. “If you would allow me…”
The gypsy lifted a crystal ball from the right side of the table, and set it down in the middle.
“Place your hands at the base of the globe,” she directed.
Ellie placed her hands at the bottom of the crystal ball and looked down into it. Not much was happening. Just a little glow.
“You will soon meet your true love,” the woman said, her voice shifting to a lower tone. “I see a tall man. A tragedy has taken away his easy laugh, but it’s still hiding in him—just waiting for the right person to help release it. His name is…” She paused dramatically and Ellie leaned forward. “…Chris Evans.”
“Chris Evans?” Ellie murmured. She didn’t know anyone by that name, but it had to be a pretty common one, right? There could be a Chris Evans in Haralson. Why not?
Ellie looked down. There was a lot of chaos and pink smoke now happening inside the crystal ball. That was a seriously cool effect.
The fortune teller seemed to notice it too. “Yes…” She said as she met Ellie’s gaze.
�
�That is…weirdly specific,” Ellie said, trying not to sound doubtful.
“It is, it is.” Esmerelda nodded before turning to a woven basket on a shelf at the side of the tent. She pulled something from the basket and turned back to Ellie.
“I would like to give you this charm, for your bracelet,” she said.
Ellie accepted the charm and turned it over in her hands. It was a small green ball with a silver loop of wire through it. “It’s pretty, but—why?”
“This jade charm will bring you, and those you meet, luck, healing and love.” The fortune teller helped her slide it onto the bangle of her bracelet. “Wear it wherever you might meet Chris Evans…” She glanced back at the swirling crystal ball. “And for the next several weeks, wherever you go, true love will follow. You do this, yes? You do this.”
Ellie blinked at the gypsy’s sudden vehemence, but nodded quickly. “Yes—of course! I will. I promise.” She stood and turned to leave before swiveling back to meet the gaze of the fortune teller. “Thank you.”
She ducked out into the bright sun of midday.
“So?” asked Harper. “How was it?”
“Strange,” Ellie said, her thumb absently rubbing over the green stone at her wrist. “But good. Ummmm… so how would you go about finding someone with a common name who may or may not be your destiny?”
“What?!” they both asked at once, their skepticism only mounting as Ellie explained Esmerelda’s prediction.
“You don’t actually believe that, do you?” Jenna chimed in, barely waiting until she was finished.
“You’re listening to yourself, right?” Harper asked.
Ellie shrugged, feeling a little defensive. “So what if it’s crazy?” She crossed her arms in front of herself. “It’s not like I’ve had a steady stream of guys beating a path to my door. The only men I meet are married foster fathers or men whose kids are being taken away from them—usually with very good reason.”
Sudden tears pricked Ellie’s eyes. She hadn’t realized how oppressive her fog of loneliness had become until the two people she was closest to mocked her for trying to do something about it. “I just liked imagining the possibilities.”
“Oh, honey,” Harper said, her tone instantly changing. “We didn’t mean to rain on your parade. What do you need from us?”
“There are a bunch of websites that you can use to search for people.” Jenna rattled off several people search websites, looking contrite.
Ellie swiped at her eyes. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to go off on you.”
“Don’t worry about it. We’ll help you find your Chris Evans,” Jenna said, squeezing Ellie’s arm. “Whatever it takes.”
“Whatever it takes,” repeated Harper.
Buy it Now
Finding Chris Evans Miniseries
The 9-1-1 Edition
by Erin Nicholas
Chris Evans, aka Captain America to his co-workers, knows what he wants: to lead the best EMT crew around, save lives…and have everything done his way. He’s learned firsthand what can happen when he’s not hyper vigilant, so running the show has become his superpower.
If only he could manage Brittney McNemara as well as he handles everything else. She’s the best EMT he knows-and the most exasperating woman on the planet. Where Chris is serious, Britt is scattered. Where Chris is cautious, Britt is carefree. Where Chris is by-the-book, Britt is rebellious. Despite their intense attraction, they’d never work as a couple.
Or could they?
When Britt gets hurt on the job and temporarily loses use of her thumb, she needs someone to be her left-hand man. Chris, ever the hero, volunteers. Little does he know that Britt’s passion for fun masks a need to care for others that rivals his own. And that now the woman who’s been driving him crazy at work is about to drive him even crazier-in her kitchen, in her bedroom, and on a paint ball field.
Forget the Friend Zone. Chris is about to enter the Fun Zone.
Because sometimes even a superhero can’t help but fall in love.
Read an Excerpt!
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The Hollywood Edition
by Lizzie Shane
Trina Mitchell finally has her life back on track. Fully focused on her first semester of med school, she isn’t looking for the love of her life. But a little no-strings fling with hunky contractor Christian Evans? Now that feels like a gift from the gods. Until she learns her humble contractor is actually the star of a popular home improvement show—and completely out of her league.
Chris has been building his brand as a celebrity contractor and he’s this close to all that hard work paying off in the form of a big primetime gig, but only if he carefully protects his image as a TV heartthrob—which means absolutely no romantic complications allowed. Not even the one girl he can’t seem to get out of his mind.
Love is a distraction neither of them has time for, but when Trina learns their one magical night together is going to have some very real consequences—in around nine months—she needs to find Chris again, stat.
In love and renovations, nothing ever goes as planned. But with a little help from fate, this might just be the perfect time to build their happy ever after.
Read an Excerpt!
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The Hotshot Edition
by Jennifer Bernard
Jenna Mittelstadt has never forgotten the boy who wrote her a letter every week starting at the age of ten. But it’s been years since she stood him up on their first-and only-attempt to meet face to face. Her world fell apart that day, and she never told him why.
So when her sister Ellie drags Jenna to a pancake breakfast honoring firefighters who’ve been working the Northern Minnesota wildfires, she doesn’t expect to run into a sexy, smoking-hot fireman wearing the friendship bracelet she made all those years ago.
Chris (Kit) Evans spends his summers battling fires, but there’s no fighting the instant heat between him and his childhood pen pal. He was crushed when she suddenly disappeared into thin air eight years ago… and finally meeting her seems like a miracle.
Unfortunately, Jenna can’t get past the tragedy that took all the adventure out of her, while Chris can’t bear to see her drift through life another moment. So now the blaze-fighting expert must do everything he can to make Jenna catch fire…for her hopes, her dreams…and maybe even for him.
The fire season may be almost over, but sparks are about to fly…
Read an Excerpt!
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The Royal Edition
by Jennifer Chance
LeeAnn Werth has done everything she must to keep the Werth Inn running strong, including putting aside her dreams of flying away from her tiny north woods town.
But at least this summer, the world has come to her. A mysterious foreign businessman has checked in for some serious R&R, and while LeeAnn knows Cris Evans can’t be the man’s real name, she’s fiercely dedicated to her guests’ privacy. Especially the incredibly gorgeous ones.
For international soccer bad boy Cristopoulis Matretti, Haralson, Minnesota is the perfect hideout. No one here knows he’s embarrassed his native Garronia by punching out his coach… and no one suspects his aunt is a queen. But when a local girl’s unexpected visit sends his bodyguards into an uproar, Cris realizes he must flee again—just when he’s finally getting to know the inn’s dreamy-eyed, hard-working owner. Still, maybe he doesn’t have to leave immediately…
LeeAnn’s not prepared for Cris’s sudden attention, and her defenses go up even as her heart begins to dance. Consorting with guests who make her long for adventure is something a responsible innkeeper simply does not do.
…If only Cristopoulis had ever learned to play by the rules.
Read an Excerpt!
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The Rockstar Edition
by Erin McCarthy
From her Princess Leia buns to her color-coordinated lightsaber, cosplay-loving Harper Harrison is all about low-stress fun. So when her BFF Ellie in
vites her to a rock concert she’s all in… right up until Ellie unexpectedly rushes the stage and Harper ends up with a broken arm, courtesy of a security guard built like a Tauntaun.
What could be worse? How about the rock god showing up in the ER?
After a woman breaks her arm at his concert, Chris “Stryker” Evans knows it’s past time for him to reform his bad boy image. Step one: visit the hospital and apologize to the fan. Only then he meets Harper, the self-proclaimed nerd, and hears her laughter and sees her banging curves. Suddenly, an apology isn’t the only thing he wants to give her.
Harper refuses to drop her shields around Stryker, even though he sets her over-active imagination on fire. But when Stryker finds himself falling for this fascinating, funny, down-to-earth woman, he realizes that life beyond the bright lights could hold a galaxy of possibilities. So he hits on a plan to show Harper how he really feels for her…
Sometimes, when you least expect it, love becomes the most powerful force of all.
Read an Excerpt!
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The Ever After Edition
by Elizabeth Bemis
Worried by an unexpected increase in her caseload, social worker Ellie Mittelstadt is looking for anything to make her smile. When she stops in a fortune teller’s tent at the Haralson Fall Festival, however, she never expects the psychic to predict she’ll fall in love—and with a man named “Chris Evans.” What are the odds?
Worse, she quickly discovers five Chris Evanses in Haralson, which means Ellie can only determine her perfect match via bold—and occasionally hysterical—trial and error. Still, she can’t help wonder…what if?
Dr. John Christopher Evans is new to Haralson, and it’s been a challenging first week. He has a hospital administrator who can’t read his handwriting and business cards and ID badge that read Dr. John Enars, and his first patient is a young boy with an illness that defies diagnosis. The only person keeping the child company is his social worker, Ellie—who instantly charms John with her gentle smile and generous heart. If he had any game, he’d ask her out…but after mourning his late wife for the past couple of years then getting so caught up in his work, he doesn’t even know where to begin.
Finding Chris Evans: The Rockstar Edition Page 6
