Chapter 12
The Five of Pentacles asks that you don’t let past relationships deter you from trusting a new partner.
CAL
It might have been the Tic Tac incident, or it might have been the bottomless Bloody Marys and Mimosas we consumed at brunch. Whatever it was, we were staggering with laughter on the walk back to my house. “You picked the damn Tic Tac off his shirt and freaking ate it! And then you set Detective Beyatch straight.”
“I sure as hell did!”
Jim puts one arm around me and one arm around Gwen. “I knew I didn’t like that guy the minute I saw him yesterday. How stupid can he be? I’m gonna knock some sense into that guy the next time I see him, badge or no badge.”
I stopped laughing. I’ve caused too much upheaval in the lives of my friends and I’m feeling a little bit guilty. “This will all be cleared up on Tuesday. I promise.”
“Thank God,” says Gwen. “You’ve been acting really weird the last few days.”
Jim and Gwen say their goodbyes at the cottage. As they drive away, Marci says, “I’m staying with you again tonight.”
“I am fine. Honestly. Go home.”
“Not a snowball’s chance in hell of that.”
We kick off our shoes and cuddle up on the sofa under a mountain of pillows and chenille throws.
“I’m scaring myself. Something in me snapped on Thursday when I found out Paul had sold the East Atlanta parcel. I don’t think I’ve ever been that angry. You should have seen me in Jim’s office. I went berserk. Something came over me and for about 24 hours I was consumed with murderous hatred for Paul.”
Marci sucks in her breath. “You didn’t…You can tell me if you did, you know. Cross my heart it goes to the grave with me.”
“If I tell you something, do you swear on Jimmy that you won’t tell anyone?’
“You DID kill him!”
“Stop it. I’m serious. What do you know about Danny Chan?”
“Well until today, I liked him. When Jimmy was killed, the Atlanta PD rallied around me. I always thought Danny was nice. He and Biz eat at Serendipity at least once a week.” She snorted, “They are paying full price from now on. No more discounts.”
Marci is suddenly suspicious. “Why are you asking me about him?
“I don’t know. It’s nothing.”
“It’s obviously something or you wouldn’t be asking me about him.” Marci narrows her eyes.
I don’t say anything.
“You were serious about being attracted to him? He thinks you killed Paul.” Marci takes hold of my shoulders, like she is trying to shake some sense into me.
“I can’t explain how I feel. Except that it feels like I’m going crazy. I have an unwanted and unprovoked attraction to him and it’s freaking me out.”
“Did you feel like this with Paul?”
“No, Paul was all lust and the rebound from my divorce with John.”
“Never mind. Forget about it. I’ve met the man once and I felt a slight attraction to him and that’s it.” I swipe my hands together like I’m dusting them off. “Boom. Done. He’s out of my mind.”
“Anyway, you are off men. Right?”
“That’s not true. I like lots of men. Some men I even love, like Jim. I just don’t need a romantic partner. Since my divorce I’ve been very content with my life the way it is. I’ve been in two relationships with men who want to tell me what do, when to do it, how to do it, and if I don’t do it their way, they get angry.”
I didn’t dare tell Marci my other insane thought. When Danny looked at me in the restaurant when I first walked in, I felt an energy between us, even across the room. Then, when I bumped into him outside the ladies’ room, there was something in his eyes that flashed momentarily, almost like desire.
“What? What’s that moony-eyed look on your face for?” Sometimes I hate that Marci knows me so well. There is no keeping a secret from her.
Marci waits. I sigh. She will get it out of me eventually. “I think…he likes me, too.”
“OH HELL NO. You have lost your mind. He is probably going to arrest you tomorrow for murder.” She picked up her phone, muttering to herself. “I’m calling Jim. You need some anti-psychotic drugs or something.”
I took the phone and ended the call.
“What I need is something to take my mind off all this insanity.”
I light the gas logs in the fireplace and tune up one of our favorite movies on Netflix while Marci makes coffee and heats up leftover cream cheese brownies. Marci and I are suckers for romantic comedies. And cream cheese brownies. Probably why neither of us are a size 8 any longer.
I’m into my second brownie before long. “This is divine. If I died right now, I’d be happy.”
“Well, you may just get your wish with the death penalty for murder thing you’ve got going. Do you want ‘She Died Happy’ on your tombstone?”
I love that nothing is sacred with Marci.
Halfway into the movie, Marci grabs the remote and puts the movie on pause.
“Twin Souls.”
“Yes. How astute of you. Harry and Sally are Twin Souls. Now, shut up and turn the movie back on.”
“No. It just occurred to me, this instant attraction between the two of you. You’re Twin Souls.”
“There is no attraction. Now you’ve lost your mind. Turn the damn movie back on.”
Marci rifles through my bookshelf until she finds the book she wants. “Just listen.”
“Twin Souls will experience an intense reaction or attraction to one another when meeting for the first time. There is a deep emotional and physical connection but there is also a spiritual connection.”
“You’re crazy.”
She continues reading. “Twin Souls often feel a sense of completeness that can feel like ‘home.’”
“You are delusional.”
“Holy Cow, listen to this,” Marci says excitedly. “When you meet your Twin Soul you will be drawn to them physically and will feel an emotional charge between you.”
“Oh shit.”
“Wait, there’s more. According to this, you and I are Twin Souls, too! Best Friend Twin Souls Forever! That’s a good thing, right?”
I don’t answer. I’m still processing the Twin Souls idea.
Marci turns to me, “Do you think we could have been married in a former life?”
I can’t think about Twin Souls. Please don’t let her be right.
Marci ignores my silence. “IF we were married, I was the cute, smart one and you were the controlling, bossy one.”