Читать книгу Hot Spot - Debbi Rawlins - Страница 8

MADISON TATE LEANED a hip against the wall and peered into the crowded living room of the chic SoHo brownstone, mentally berating herself for getting talked into another party full of meaningless chitchat and men who were prettier than she was.

Of course, it was Friday night and what else would she and Karrie be doing? Except for stuffing their faces with popcorn at one of the cheap theaters or trying to get two-fer tickets for something Off Broadway. And then only if Madison had had a photo gig so she could afford a night out. At least the party circuit was free with plenty of food and enough variety of flavored martinis to give her a headache for a week.

Actually, she should be grateful that the invites kept coming. Neither she nor Karrie were the Dolce & Gabbana type, and they sure as heck didn’t make the kind of bucks that most of the other guests did, but about two years ago, they’d met Nancy Kragen, a high-powered book editor, and they’d been on the B+ list ever since.

Madison didn’t know what it was about tonight that made her edgy. Probably the news she’d gotten earlier, but no, that didn’t make sense. For heaven’s sake, the hors d’oeuvres were exceptionally good, the high-end stuff mixed with retro junk food like pigs-in-a-blanket, which were to die for. And Karrie had kept her laughing with tales of petty office bureaucracy and juicy gossip for the past half hour, which as a freelance photographer Madison missed out on, but the restless feeling wouldn’t quit.

She looked over at Karrie, thoughtfully sipping a martini, her gaze riveted to the door to Sonya’s bedroom, and said, “You don’t believe in that nonsense, do you?”

“Of course not.”

The door opened and Karrie ducked to get a look at the infamous Madam Zora. Last month it had been a candle party, the month before that, a roll-your-own-sushi night. Tonight Sonya had hired a psychic, of all things. A psychic with no imagination. Madam Zora. Please.

Karrie got that mischievous look in her eyes that meant trouble. “Are you going to sign up for a reading?”

Madison made a face. “I’m not wasting my time.”

“As if you have anything better to do.” Karrie glanced around the room, her expression dismal. What few men there were had already paired up with women wearing skirts with hemlines up to Canada. “Come on. We’re here. I can’t bear to go home yet. You know what night this is, right?”

“Ah, yes. The ever-popular Mr. Warzowski’s night for screaming at his wife as he goes through two cases of Rolling Rock beer.”

“You’ve gotta love three-floor walkups with paper-thin walls.”

“That are more expensive than most five-bedroom houses in any other state.”

“But at least the heat doesn’t work in the winter and there’s none of that noisy air-conditioning in the summer.”

Madison nodded and had another big sip of martini. “Well, doll, it’s tough for us young, gorgeous career gals.”

Karrie’s brows rose. “Gorgeous?”

“Hey,” Madison said, “if we can’t play pretend, I really am leaving.” Karrie was gorgeous, even though she’d deny it. All that fabulous auburn hair with natural golden highlights, while Madison’s dirty-blond hair was so nondescript it was pathetic.

“Which is exactly why we’re going to see Madam Zora.”

“Oh, no.”

“Oh, yes. You and I. Together.”

Madison shook her head. “I don’t know what Sonya was thinking.”

“Probably trying to take our minds off the fact that we have a better chance of winning the lottery than we do of getting lucky tonight.” Karrie sipped her peach martini, her gaze drawn to a tall woman with dark waist-length hair and red lipstick who’d emerged from the room.

Madison watched, too, as the woman’s dramatically made-up eyes widened when Nancy asked her what happened with the psychic.

“She’s amazing. Totally awesome.” The woman, whom Madison didn’t recognize as a regular, shook her head, her expression a haze of disbelief. “She knew everything about me. Even that I’m engaged.”

Madison poked Karrie in the ribs, then nodded at the rock on the woman’s finger. “Amazing.”

Karrie pressed her lips together but couldn’t quite hide her smile. “Come on, you chicken. What can it hurt?”

“Don’t make me do this. I hate this kind of stuff. You know I break out in hives when I’m exposed to too much schlock in one evening.”

Karrie laughed. “Madison, don’t be such a wet blanket. Who knows, maybe she’s going to see a tall, handsome stranger in your future.”

“Yeah, right.”

“Okay, so she won’t. But do it, anyway. Please?”

“Fine.”

“Okay, then.”

Madison caught a passing waiter and exchanged her empty glass for another martini.

“You’re really not nervous about this?”

“Of course not. It’s all nonsense.”

Karrie grinned. “Good. Because I put our names down an hour ago. We’re next.”

Madison glared at her, but quickly switched her attention to the opening door and Camilla, who’d hosted the candle party last month, her face flushed, the sparkle in her eyes an odd mixture of fear and excitement. Scary. The woman was pretty savvy and not the type to fall for this twaddle.

Karrie made an odd, throaty noise and Madison glanced over at her. She looked as if she might be having second thoughts. Good. Madison didn’t want to be a wienie about this, but she didn’t want to hear some horrible prediction that her life was about to take a dive or, worse, her career.

Even if it was all nonsense.

“Hey, Madison, Karrie.” Sonya waved them toward her bedroom. “Madam Zora is waiting for you.”

HER FRIEND LED THE WAY into the dimly lit room, and Madison followed, her pulse accelerating. Silly, since she didn’t believe in this stuff. Not even a smidgen. But she had to admit, Sonya had done a good job of setting the mood. She’d put up curtains to hide her bed, and made the area for the reading intimate and exotic, the only light coming from the soft glow of a pair of candles.

“Do not be nervous, now. Come sit.” Madam Zora motioned them to the two chairs opposite her, her smile displaying the flash of a gold tooth. She had to be in her forties, or maybe even fifties. Her unlined skin hid her age well, but she had old eyes.

Kind eyes that, amazingly, seemed to put them both at ease.

They were dark, her hair short and as black as the caftan she wore over her large, languid form as she lounged on a burgundy velvet love seat. If not for the giant gold hoops gleaming from her ears, she nearly blended into the black-draped walls.

Karrie sat first, and then gave Madison the eye as if she thought Madison might bolt. Which wasn’t a bad idea. Instead she didn’t even try to hide her reluctance as she sank into the other chair.

Madam Zora laughed softly. “Tell me why you’ve come to see Madam Zora,” the woman said, looking directly at Karrie.

She shrugged and said bluntly, “This isn’t something I’d normally do. I don’t really believe in this stuff, but I figured that since you’re here and I’m not paying for it…”

Madam Zora laughed again. “You needn’t fear me. You have a very bright future….”

Karrie leaned forward with interest.

Madison sighed to herself and listened with half an ear while Karrie continued to get her reading. Mostly general stuff that could apply to anyone. Except halfway through, Madam Z. said some things that caught Madison’s full attention. Things the hokey psychic shouldn’t have known about Karrie or her brother.

Madison’s gaze went to Karrie, and suddenly it wasn’t so amusing. She could see from her friend’s expression that she was buying every prognostication as gospel. Which wasn’t like Karrie at all. This had to be a trick, that’s all. Or someone had tipped Madam Zora off about Karrie’s brother. It was stupid to even consider…

The second they were finished, Madison stood. Karrie didn’t budge, and Madison touched her shoulder. “Come on, kiddo.”

Karrie hesitated, but then finally stood, and gave Madam Z. the perfunctory thanks. Madison headed straight for the door.

“You needn’t be afraid.”

The psychic’s voice stopped her in her tracks. She turned back to face the woman, who, come on, could have come up with something more original than the damn gypsy garb. “I’m not. I realize this is only entertainment.” At least she didn’t call it schlock but she almost reconsidered at the hint of condescension in the older woman’s smile. “You have a waiting list. I’ll give someone else a turn.”

“Ah, but don’t you want to hear about the career opportunity on your horizon?”

That got Madison’s attention.

“Let’s hear her out.” Karrie started to go back to her seat.

Madison tugged on her sleeve. “Nah, go ahead. I’ll be right behind you.”

Karrie gave her a funny look and left. Madison hesitated. Career opportunity was a broad statement. Still, she’d gotten some startling news today…

Ah, hell.

Even as she headed back to take the hot seat, she knew she was being an idiot. “Go on.”

Madam Zora nodded. “You have a bright future. Your work will soon become well-known.”

Damn it, but Madison suddenly wanted to believe. “Do you know what kind of work I do?”

The woman briefly closed her eyes. “You tell stories,” she said, and Madison smirked. So much for that. “With pictures,” Madam Zora added.

Madison gaped. How in the hell…Sonya could have told her. Probably gave Zora a heads-up on all the guests. Made for better entertainment.

The psychic smiled, almost as if she knew what Madison was thinking. Ridiculous.

“There is adventure awaiting you. Places and things you have never seen, experiences far out of your imagination.”

“I see.”

“You will share this with a man.”

“Ah.”

The psychic briefly closed her eyes. The effect was lost on Madison. “He is someone who works with you.”

Madison sighed. She freelanced, for heaven’s sake. Why had she bothered wasting her time? Even if she didn’t have anything better to do.

“But you don’t know him.” Madam Z. frowned. “Yet.”

“Right.”

One of the woman’s brows went up. “It’s up to you whether you believe or not.”

“That’s right.”

“So choose to believe this.” Madam Zora leaned slightly forward. “There are things you hold dear that you must let go. Nothing will bring you the satisfaction you seek until you open your mind. A broken heart need not be.”

Madison sighed. “Thank you,” she said, rising from her seat, ready to get back to her martini. She knew now that the so-called psychic was just blowing smoke. She’d known about Madison’s profession because she’d done her homework, not because she had supernatural gifts. “You’re good,” she said, meaning it. It must have taken her quite some time to research all the guests.

Madam Zora laughed. “Yes, and so are you,” she said. “But that skill won’t be enough to get you what you want.” She paused until Madison got to the door. “There’s more.”

Madison smiled, then got the hell out of the room.

Karrie waited impatiently outside. “Hey, hey. What was that about ‘I’ll be right behind you’?”

“Okay, I was an idiot. I stayed an extra minute. It was garbage, Karrie.”

“Garbage? Did you hear what she said about my brother?”

“She did her homework, I’ll give you that, but as for the rest? She got one thing right about me. That’s it.”

“That you’re a photographer?”

Madison shook her head. “Nope. That I got a new job.”

“A job? Like going in from nine-to-five?”

She shook her head. “Okay, it’s an assignment, so she didn’t get that right, either.”

Karrie squinted. “Not for—”

Madison nodded. “For Today’s Man.”

“No way. Which issue?”

She grinned at her best bud.

Karrie stepped back. “The sexiest-man layout?”

“Yep.”

“Oh, my God. That’s terrific! When were you going to tell me?”

“I got the call this afternoon. I still can’t believe it myself.”

Karrie raised her glass. “Congratulations. Damn.”

“Save the kudos until I get the man-of-the-year cover.”

Karrie sighed. “Would you chill out long enough to enjoy the moment? This is major. World class. How many photographers vie for that shoot each month? And you got it.”

“Yeah, but—”

“Nope.” She held up a hand. “I’m not listening to any ‘yeah buts.’ You’re too hard on yourself. You’re a damn good photographer, and you deserve the assignment. Period. Which state are you covering?”

“New York. I’m shooting right here in Manhattan.”

“Cool. Who’s the guy?”

“That’s up to me.”

“I know you have someone in mind.”

“A couple of guys, actually, but I have over a month before I have to submit a name.”

“Are you going to give me a hint?” Karrie waited during the span of a leisurely sip. “I’ll give you one. The question was rhetorical.”

Madison laughed. Yeah, she had one guy in particular in mind. But he wasn’t going to be easy. Others had tried to snag him to no avail. “I’m superstitious. I don’t want to jinx it.”

“Oh, brother.” Karrie sighed. “Okay, I’m sure you’ll find someone positively delicious.”

“Delicious?” Madison sipped her drink again, wishing it was later so they could head home. “I just pray that he’s photogenic, and not an insufferable prick.”

“Who knows,” Kerrie said, her brows arching. “Maybe you won’t find his prick insufferable at all.”