“Probably because you’re now listed in the White Pages as a psychic for hire,” Nick pointed out. “You did take out that ad in the local newspaper. I thought you were done hiding from what you can do and were ready to just be you.”
Maddie turned sheepish. “I am. It’s just ... I’m still getting used to it.” Her expression was so adorable Nick felt that sudden rush of love he so often experienced when she was in close proximity. “I’m not ashamed or anything,” she added hurriedly. “It’s just ... new.”
“It’s okay, love,” he reassured her. “I’m just curious.” He flicked his eyes back to the invitation. “How do you feel about going?”
That was a complicated question and Maddie wasn’t sure how to answer. “I don’t know. When is it?”
“Three weeks.”
Maddie’s eyebrows hopped. “That’s not much notice.”
“It’s not,” Nick agreed. “I have a mountain of vacation time saved up, though, and you could use a break. That is if you’re over whatever plague this is messing with you.”
Maddie couldn’t hide her surprise. “You want to go?”
He shrugged, noncommittal. “I don’t know. I don’t think there’s a reason not to go. Honestly, this event doesn’t look overly large, fifty people or so. It might be a good way for you to get your feet wet in the psychic world without being overwhelmed.”
“You’re not just saying that because you like the idea of an Old West town, are you?”
Nick smirked. “I would be lying if I said that didn’t intrigue me. Look here. They have an actual functioning saloon and a brothel.”
Maddie pinched his side. “Why do you care about a brothel?”
He squirmed and chuckled. “Strictly for educational purposes, Mad. Trust me. You’re all I need on that front.”
Maddie laughed and then turned back to the invitation, her mouth hardening as reality set in. “What do you think?”
“I think it’s up to you. It’s intriguing, though.”
“Maybe ... .” She hesitated and then barreled forward. “Maybe I should sleep on it tonight. When I feel better tomorrow, I’ll do a little research.”
“That sounds like a plan to me.” He scooched down and wrapped the blanket tightly around her back. “If you don’t feel better tomorrow, you really are going to the medical center.”
“We’ll see.”
“Yeah, we will.”
HANNAH HICKOK SIPPED HER ICED TEA and stared at a replica of the same invitation Maddie Graves received at her Michigan home. Now that everything had been sent — and there was no turning back — she found her nerves were starting to get a foothold.
“Hello, baby.” Cooper Wyatt, head of security for Casper Creek, breezed into the saloon and dropped a kiss on top of his girlfriend’s head. He’d spent the better part of his day running security checks on potential new employees and was surprisingly upbeat. One look at Hannah’s conflicted features had him reconsidering, though. “What’s wrong?”
“What?” Hannah made a face as she shook her head, forcing her eyes up. “Did you say something?”
“I feel so loved,” Cooper drawled, shaking his head. “Where is your head at?”
“I’m sorry.” Hannah was instantly contrite. “I didn’t mean to ignore you. I was just ... .” She held up the invitation for him to peruse. “I’m starting to regret this. I know we agreed it was a good idea but ... what if something happens? What if one of these psychics ends up dead on our watch? What if another monster attacks?”
Cooper was getting used to Hannah’s periodic meltdowns about the magical happenings at Casper Creek. She was a witch, although she didn’t know it until she arrived at the property her grandmother left her in her will months before, and her entire worldview had changed in a short amount of time. In general, she took all the changes in stride. There were occasions, though, where she suddenly freaked out for no apparent reason. It appeared they were currently mired in one of those instances.
“Let me see it.” Cooper took the invitation from her and read it to buy himself time. He wasn’t sure what she needed to hear to feel better about the psychic convention that would be descending on the town in roughly three weeks’ time. When the notion was initially broached, she’d been reticent. Cooper had been gung-ho, though. They needed good press after an unfortunate incident involving a dead tourist shut down the town for several days. To him, the psychic event was exactly what they needed.
Hannah obviously thought otherwise.
“It seems pretty straightforward to me,” he noted after a beat, lifting his eyes. “What are you worried about?”
“What do you think?” Hannah threw her hands in the air and started tapping her foot on the hardwood floor. “Monsters attack when we don’t have psychics around for them to feed on. What are the odds we’re going to get through this without something weird happening?”
It was a fair question, Cooper silently acknowledged. Since Hannah had landed in Casper Creek months before, a multitude of monsters — some disguised as bartenders — had attacked. It must’ve seemed relentless to her. Most of the time she was calm when thinking about it. Out of nowhere, though, her doubts caught up with her. He hated to see it.
“We can still cancel,” he said in a low voice, sliding into the open chair next to her. “We don’t have to go through with it. We were very careful when drawing up the contracts to make sure we had an out.”
The glare she shot him was withering. “We can’t back out. If we do, news will spread that we’re not reliable. That will kill our business.”
“It will,” he agreed. “You’re obviously upset, though. I don’t like seeing that. I would rather lose business than have you upset.”
“I wouldn’t.” She blew out a sigh and rubbed her forehead. “I’m sorry. I just ... freaked out when I saw the invitation. There are going to be a bunch of psychics here in a few weeks, and
