Free Emilie's Christmas Love by James Lavene, Joyce Lavene

to alleviate some of her fears. "You haven't really been with anyone since then, have you?"
    "No." She thought about her experience with Nick. "Not really."
    "You'll be fine. Don’t worry." His face moved close to hers again. This time his kiss fell at the corner of her mouth.
    Emilie didn’t feel a thing. It was like she was made of wood.
    What was wrong with her? Alain was everything most women were looking for in a husband. He was wealthy. He understood her need for children. He knew her background. She knew that he would never be less than polite and well meaning. What more did she want?
    A shy little second grader entered the tent holding his mother's hand.
    "We'd like to have our fortunes told," the mother said, looking at the boy.
    Emilie was relieved to think about something else for a while. "I'll be glad to tell your fortunes. Sit down, please."
    Alain didn’t wait to hear another fortune. He left the booth quickly.
    Emilie told her little visitor an outrageous fortune that had him laughing out loud by the time she’d finished.
    His mother was laughing too when she thanked her. "You're Emilie Ferrier, aren't you?" she asked with a polite, interested gaze.
    "Yes, I am." Emilie braced herself, ready for anything that followed.
    "I went to school with your mother, Regina. I'm on the school board." She held out her hand. "Del Mason. I've heard about your work here. You do a good job."
    "Thank you." Emilie took the woman's hand and smiled at her from beneath the heavy make up and the green turban.
    Del raised her eyebrows. "You're a surprising person. I don't know what your mother would have thought about all of this."
    Emilie laughed. "She would've thought it was simply another quirk in the Ferrier line."
    "I'm sure you're right," Del said politely. "Well, it was nice to finally meet you. I guess I should go look for Trevor. Keep up the good work."
    "Thanks." Emilie watched the woman leave the tent. She sat back down on her fortuneteller's stool, glad that she hadn't been called on to defend the Ferrier honor. She wasn't feeling particularly loyal at that moment.
    A simple question about her heritage could also lead to a twenty-minute sermon on things she should do with her family's money. Or a thorough re-hashing of past Ferrier sins. Once a woman at a department store had actually accused Emilie's great-grandfather of raping her great-grandmother and wanted to know what Emilie wanted to do about it.
    "Miss Ferrier?" Another voice interrupted her thoughts.
    It was Adam Markland, his blonde hair standing up in spikes on his head, dark eyes curious.
    "Madame de Ferrier." Emilie curtsied elegantly, switching on the little light under the crystal ball on the table. "Come and sit down. I will tell your fortune."
    "de Ferrier?" Adam asked, frowning. "Is that like the guy who started the town?"
    "Adam!" she answered brightly. "Are you telling me that you learned something about local history?"
    He smiled, showing that gap in his newly forming smile again. "I liked the band rehearsal yesterday. It was great!”
    “Excellent! Ask me a question about your future!"
    He sat down on the bench opposite her and thought for a moment. "Will Uncle Nick be able to find me?"
    At that moment, Emilie heard Nick outside the tent asking if Adam was inside.
    "I think that's going to happen," Emilie prophesied and the boy smiled.
    "Adam?"
    "He's in here," Emilie called, turning from the boy to watch Nick duck his head and enter the tent.
    Nick's tone was harsh when he said, "I thought we were going to stay together."
    "We were." Adam scooted over a little on the bench. "I wanted to come in here while you were talking to that lady. Okay?”
    "I suppose so." Nick adjusted a little girl on his lap as he sat down on the bench. Her pretty dark curls spilled across her shoulder.
    She looked at Emilie, her thumb in her mouth. Her dark eyes fastened on her with unwavering deliberation.
    "She's going to tell my future," Adam explained to his