Honor squeezed her eyes shut and forged ahead. “Do you mind me asking what happened?”
“Um…well, I guess not. I thought we both wanted kids. We never actually talked about it, but he’s amazing with his nieces and nephews, so I had just assumed he’d want his own.”
“He didn’t?”
“No. We should’ve talked about it before we got married, but, again, I assumed…”
See? Right there. Lack of communication was to blame for their split, not her cake.
“Funny thing was, we were eating the top of our wedding cake that we froze for our first anniversary when I told him I wanted to start trying.”
Well, hell. That sure as shit didn’t help her case, did it?
“It was supposed to be a romantic gesture for us to someday tell our kids about the start of our family, but Ty looked at me like I was crazy and flat out told me no babies. He didn’t want to be tied down with kids. We tried to make the marriage work for a little while after that, but neither of us were willing to compromise, and we were divorced by our second anniversary.”
“Again, I’m sorry,” she murmured with genuine sympathy. Her lack of faith in the institution didn’t change the fact divorce could be heartbreaking.
“It’s not your fault,” Jules said.
Clearly she hadn’t read the blog post on Denver Today. Yesterday, she would’ve agreed with the woman. Today, she wasn’t so sure as guilt oozed in her gut.
Stop it. You did not jinx anything or anyone.
Honor made a few more calls before showering and getting ready for lunch, then carried two large bakery boxes of cupcakes out to her car. A quick glance across the street toward Asher’s house made her pulse skip a beat.
It was now just before noon. Was he home? She wanted to go over and ask if he’d liked the cupcakes, but after those kisses last night, what she really wanted to know was, had he dreamed about her like she’d dreamed about him?
Maybe. After all, anything was possible.
CHAPTER 14
O n her way to Mae’s office, Honor glanced both ways at the stoplight for her right turn. A few blocks down on the left, she caught sight of the sign for Lift Your Spirit and narrowed her gaze. Roxanna Kent had managed to secure herself a prime spot. Honor would love to have a storefront in this area of Lakewood.
Someday.
“Or, maybe never,” she muttered as she recalled the cancellations that had poured in over the morning.
After a moment of hesitation, she drove around the block and then turned left toward the psychic’s shop instead of right to see Mae. Mom and Glory would understand if she was late. She parked across the street, then marched with one of her bakery boxes to the shop’s front door.
Distinct musical tones sounded with her entry. As they faded, the muted overhead harmony of piano and flutes registered. Her nose twitched from an onslaught of competing essential oil scents, but when she moved past a display case of various crystals and mineral rocks, bold roast coffee took over her senses.
She would’ve thought tea to go with the new age Zen ambiance, but not far from the cash register counter in the back where Lift Your Spirit’s owner stood, there was a full on coffee, cappuccino, and latte station with three small café tables and chairs. One was occupied by a trio of high school girls with cardboard to-go cups. Hmm. She hadn’t realized Glory and her friends got their coffee and their auras read at the same place.
The store was much larger than she’d imagined from driving by over the last couple of years, especially since it didn’t go all the way to the back. Behind the register was a small open, U-shaped area with a door on each wall. The door on the left was closed, the one in the middle she assumed was the exit to the back of the building, and she smirked at the long strings of colorful beads dangling from the top of the opening on the right.
Such a cliché.
A handful of other shoppers were scattered throughout, perusing a multitude of legit offerings besides magic eight balls, tarot cards, and fortune cookies.
Yes, she was being snarky, but it was better than being impressed by the soothing atmosphere and what looked like quality merchandise. Besides the oils and crystals, she noted candles, chimes, shawls, books, incense, clothes, leather sandals, Himalayan salt lamps, and more. A pretty, rust colored shawl caught her eye, but she forced herself to look away. The woman had sabotaged her business, no way she’d buy anything from her store.
Roxanna looked up with a welcoming smile as Honor approached, but it quickly faded. The brunette’s long hair hung in a loose braid down her back, with a few soft curls trailing along the sides of her neck. She wore a stretchy, baby blue, V-neck T-shirt with a sunflower on the front, and a flowing navy skirt that brushed the floor.
Her gaze flicked down to the bakery box in Honor’s hands, then lifted once more. From the remorse in her expression, she was well aware of the blog post. Not surprising, if indeed she really was psychic.
She’s not.
Screw hello and how are you? Honor went with a bold, accusatory, “I’ve had five cancellations so far today.”