The fortuneteller poked her head through the beaded curtain and lifted a red-tipped finger toward Nicole Caruso, gesturing her into the room beyond. The sound of the glass beads filled the patchouli-scented air with musical notes.

“This is all wrong. I can’t do this,” Nicole said to her friends, then turned on her heel to rush out.

Jen grabbed her arm. “You said your eighty-year-old grandmother has a better love life than you do. You want to meet a decent guy. Madame Lena will help. She hooked up Annie from my office with her husband.”

Nicole narrowed her eyes. “My grandmother also has a tattoo of her latest boyfriend on her ankle. I’m not getting a tattoo.”

“At least not yet,” her other friend Erin said.

“You agreed to see Madame Lena,” Jen pointed out. “It’ll be fun.”

Erin nodded. “Do it. Stop being so serious.”

Nicole felt like a mother cat with two kittens nipping at her tail. She threw up her hands. “I know I’m going to regret this.”

Grinning from ear-to-ear, her friends high-fived each other.

“Come, please. Now. Madame is very busy.” The fortuneteller bobbed her head up and down. The dangling gold ornament of a tiger pinned to her silver turban swayed back and forth. A promise or an omen?

Nicole swallowed around the dryness in her throat and scanned the small waiting room. Madame, busy? Nicole and her friends were the only ones there. Blowing out a resigned breath, she followed Madame into an even smaller room, dark except for candles placed on marble-topped stands that encircled the room. Madame gestured for Nicole to sit at a round table covered with a shiny gold cloth. A crystal ball rested on the center of the table. Nicole sneezed at the overpowering scent of patchouli, even heavier here in the airless, dim room.

Madame’s dark eyes glittered with impatience as she waited until Nicole finished sneezing. The fortuneteller gestured again for Nicole to sit. Nicole sank into the delicate, velvet-cushioned chair and waved a hand at the crystal ball. Silver, like clouds, swirled through it. “Seriously? A crystal ball?”

With a sharp look, Madame sat across from Nicole and ran her talon-like fingernails over the ball, studying it. Nicole fidgeted. Why had she let Jen and Erin talk her into this? She didn’t need a man in her life. She was perfectly content with things as they were. She wasn’t looking to get married. Her mother and grandmother had seven marriages between them. The Caruso women were not good at marriage.

“Ah! I see.”

Madame’s words jerked Nicole from her thoughts. “See what?”

A sly smile curving her lips, Madame stood, reached into the pocket of her voluminous multi-colored skirt, and pulled out a tiny bottle containing shimmering gold liquid. “Monday at precisely three o’clock in the afternoon, put this potion on your wrists,” Madame intoned in a deep, dramatic voice. “Then go to the corner of Main and Jessup. The man who Fate has decreed is your destiny should be there. I see a green jaguar.”

“Potion?” Nicole said, glaring at the bottle. “You’ve got to be joking.” She shook her head with a derisive smile. “Is it Love Potion Number Nine?” She wrinkled her nose. “I thought you were supposed to drink that stuff. Not that I want to.”

Madame gave her a blank look.

“You know, like the song,” Nicole said. “‘Love Potion Number Nine.’” She hummed a few bars of the classic rock ditty.

“Madame does not joke,” the fortuneteller said with a huff. She grabbed Nicole’s hand and pressed the tiny bottle into it, then closed Nicole’s fingers. The surprising heat of the bottle sent warmth flowing up Nicole’s arm. “Remember what I have said. We are finished here.” With that, Madame swept through the black curtains behind her.

With a shrug, Nicole left the small dark room, too.

* * *

The following Monday, Nicole sat at the computer in her veterinary office and typed in notes on her last patient, a spoiled plump dachshund visiting for his annual physical. Notes done, she rubbed her lower back to relax the tight muscles. It had been three days since she’d gone to Madame Lena’s. The tiny love potion bottle lay in the bottom of her purse, and it would stay there, even though it seemed to call to her. No way did she believe the fortuneteller’s hocus pocus.

She’d been busy all weekend, yet Madame’s words were never far from her mind. She hadn’t told the woman anything about herself. The fortuneteller couldn’t know Nicole was a veterinarian or that her practice was on the corner of Main and Jessup. The intersection was in the heart of the downtown district of the small upstate New York village of Evergreen, though, so Madame must have simply taken an educated guess. And she’d probably thrown in the part about a green jaguar to sound more mystical. Still, Nicole wondered if she’d meant jaguar the animal or the make of car. Or something else. Since Nicole didn’t deal with jungle animals in her practice, she doubted a jaguar of any color would walk in. She’d never even seen that make of car in Evergreen.

She looked at the wall clock. Quarter to three. On Mondays, she closed her clinic at three then went across town to treat the animals at the no-kill shelter. Funny that Madame had seemed to know she’d be heading out of her clinic on the corner of Main and Jessup at three o’clock today. No. Nothing funny about it. Just a lucky guess. The fortuneteller was a charlatan who preyed on others’ hopes and dreams.

Nicole turned off her computer and pushed up from her desk. She grabbed her purse and slung it over her shoulder then headed out to the quiet waiting room where Mary, her receptionist, was typing into her computer.

“I’m leaving,” Nicole said. “The techs have already gone.”

Mary pushed up the half-glasses that perched on the end of her short nose. “I’m finishing these bills then I’ll close up.”

At the sound of the outer door opening, the women looked at each other. Nicole groaned and glanced at the clock. “I need to get to the shelter. I hope this isn’t an emergency patient.”

When the reception room door opened, Nicole raised her gaze at the approaching footsteps then breathed a sigh of relief. The parcel delivery guy from All Pets Delivery Service, wearing the company’s dark blue shirt and Bermuda shorts, their standard uniform for these steamy summer days, strode in.

She’d never seen this delivery guy before. Almost against her will, her gaze traveled up his tall form. With his long, muscled legs covered in fine dark hairs, his trim waist and broad chest, he didn’t look like your standard-issue delivery person. Black hair curled around his ears, a trifle too long, and full chiseled lips and a dimple in his chin completed a picture of casual sexiness. When her gaze connected with green eyes fringed by thick black lashes, her pulse jumped like a dog after a Frisbee.

He looked from one woman to the other, his smile warm and friendly.

“Where’s Harry?” Mary asked. “He usually delivers our parcels.”

“Harry’s wife is having their baby today,” the delivery man said. “I’m filling in for him. Sorry I’m a little late. I’m not used to doing this.” His voice was deep, smooth, and smoky, like fine Kentucky bourbon.

Mary stood, took the packages from him and set them on the desk. “You’re not that late.” She held out her hand. “I’m Mary.”

“Jonathan Brand.” He shook Mary’s hand then turned to Nicole.

She held her hand out. “Nicole Caruso. This is my practice.” His grip was firm, his hand warm. At his touch, a spark of electricity traveled up her arm.

“The good doctor.” His eyes lit up as he released her hand. “Harry’s told me a lot about you and Mary. You’re two of his favorite clients.”

“Thank you,” Nicole said. “If you see Harry, tell him we said congratulations. He’s been talking about this baby for months.”

“I’ll do that.” Jonathan’s gaze connected with hers, and he stepped closer. “Mind if I ask a question, doctor?”

She inhaled his clean, citrusy scent, and his closeness made warmth curl through her. “Not at all.” But her voice sounded thin.

“I’m thinking of getting a cat,” he said. “Should I get a purebred or one from the shelter?”

“Definitely a rescue cat. I volunteer at Friends for Life, the no-kill shelter over at Providence and Maple. They have some wonderful cats there.”

Smiling, he stepped back. “Thanks for the tip.”

Freed from his overwhelming maleness, Nicole breathed easier. She liked his smile. It was genuine, the smile of a man comfortable in his own skin.

“Nice place.” He looked around the reception area then turned back to Nicole. “This is a great building. Beautiful architecture. Do you own it?”

“Not yet. My practice takes up the first floor. I’m saving to buy the building and expand my practice to all three floors.”

“Sounds like a good idea. I wish you a lot of luck.” They stared at each other, then he cleared his throat. “I’d better get going before I’m really late.”

“Hope to see you again,” Mary said.

“You too.” Jonathan looked at Nicole as he spoke. Turning, he walked out of the office.

“I wouldn’t mind seeing that eye candy every day.” Mary let out a sigh and patted her curly gray hair. “I wish I were twenty years younger.”

“He has a nice smile,” Nicole admitted.

“It wasn’t his smile I was looking at.” Mary peered at Nicole over her glasses. “I may be old, but I’m not dead.”

Nicole laughed. “I’m heading out. You know where to find me.” She took her cell phone from her purse and glanced at the time. Two fifty-seven. Her heart began to pound. Stop it, Nicole. There is no green jaguar and no man of destiny out there waiting for you.