“How did you know that?” she said with a gasp.
Max tapped his head with two fingers. “Because I’m psychic and I can read your mind. Isn’t that why you’re here?”
She giggled, seemingly delighted with his answer, and promised to return at a later date. In her mind, she planned to return in a few months and get him to tell her whether she should crochet a blue baby blanket or a pink one. Max decided to worry about what to say when she came back.
Astrid stepped into his small psychic reading space to tell him he had a visitor.
“Who is it?”
“Some guy.”
“A guy?” That was odd. The majority of the regular clients he read were women.Okay, all of them.
“Says he’s a friend.”I don’t have any friends. Well, I have Ruby.Max controlled a smile as his mind went to what her lips felt like under his. “What’s his name?”
“Howard.”
Max narrowed his eyes. “First or last name?”
“Don’t know. He gave just the one name.” Astrid crossed her arms. She looked like she was about to get maternal. “Do you know him?”
“Nope. Never heard of him. What does he look like?”
She shrugged. “Sort of small-framed and short, but thick around his middle with bright red hair and dark eyes. Honestly, he’s sort of unremarkable if you ask me save for the color of his hair. I think he might be a sorcerer of some kind.”
“Why?”
“I can’t read him at all. Maybe he’s a male witch.”
“Or an Alpha?” He thought about Uncle Milo and what the man might look like, but figured he’d be tall and rugged like an Alpha, not short or small-framed with a potbelly.
She shrugged again. “I don’t think so. I don’t recognize him. I’m certain I’d remember a short, redheaded Alpha living in Nocturne Falls. If he wants a reading, you’ll have to be vague.”
“I hate to be vague. Seems like I should make an effort for the client.”
“I know, but the thing is, Max, when clients come in they sign a waiver with the understanding this psychic reading business is for entertainment value only and not meant for legal purposes or to force anyone to change their life in any significant way.”
He nodded. “Right. Entertainment value only.”
“Find out what the client wants to know and do your best to entertain if you can’t see anything in their head. Okay?”
“Okay.”
“Want me to get rid of him? I mean, you know that you don’t have to accept a client if you don’t want to.” Astrid was famous for the mama bear approach to protecting her psychics. If he asked her, Astrid would throw the guy out on his ear and threaten him within an inch of his life if he even thought about returning.
“No. That’s okay. Send him back. If nothing else, I can put a choke hold on him if he’s as small framed as you say, belly or not.”
Astrid laughed. “But only as a last resort, right?”
“Right.”
Howard was ushered in with Astrid’s usual spiel and fanfare, with lots of enthusiasm and a wish for the client to find out what they sought and enjoy the reading. Max stood to meet his client. They shook hands and Max gestured to the chairs. They both sat at the black cloth-covered round table. Max had a crystal ball on the table, set to one side. Many folks liked the idea of him looking into it to discover information from Beyond. Whatever.
“Howard,” Max said, studying the little man. He felt like he should know him. “What can I help you with today?”
Max wasn’t as good at remembering names as he was at recalling faces. He was certain he had never seen this man before. Even so, he felt an odd sense of familiarity.
“Hello, friend,” Howard said and folded his hands on the table. “I wondered if you remembered me.”
