At the blast of speech, Adam held the phone away from his ear. Rune shouted, “We had a storm. The Gothic Spring Psychic Festival is setting up on Angelica Lindholm’s lower lawn, one of the tents blew over and the pole shattered a window in her greenhouse. The fryer for the ice-cream balls arrived broken. Also the knight who is lined up as your opponent in the mock sword battle called, and he is one weird guy.” Less frantically and more reflectively, Rune said, “Of course, all the people who set up and run a festival are weird. I don’t know what I expected. A little more discipline, I guess.”

Elle took the phone. “Adam has discipline. He’s been working with the sword two hours every day.”

“Not necessary! You’re not trying to win. It’s a mock battle.” Rune lowered her voice. “Although, how are the stitches?”

“They look good,” Elle told him. “I’ll remove them on Thursday. That way everything should be healed, and Adam can practice with both hands. I mean, more energetically than he is.”

Adam took the receiver. “I have to practice, not to win but to assure I don’t accidentally injure my opponent.”

Elle smiled at him and thought, He’s the best man I ever met. Even though she didn’t remember the other men who had passed through her life, she knew it was true.

“Everyone should have your sense of responsibility.” Rune didn’t actually sound pleased. More like irritated. “You didn’t call to hear me complain. What’s up, there?”

“Elle had a tough time with the storm. She knows some stuff, not memories, but knowledge that seems unlikely for most folks to have, and we were wondering—”

“If later today I can set aside time and we can do an online session?”

Elle yanked the phone out of Adam’s hand. “Come down now. You can take a break, have breakfast, talk to me about my rebellious brain. We’ll listen to what’s happening with the Gothic Spring Psychic Festival, and it’ll be a friendship hour.”

“Elle, I can’t. With less than three days left until the moment we open the gate, and psychic readings lining up, and the shop being so busy, I just...” Rune stopped talking.

Elle held her breath.

“All right, I will!”

Elle grinned at Adam and gave him a thumbs-up.

Rune continued. “I deserve an hour doing nothing but eating and talking with friends. I’ll bring rolls from Firm Buns Bakery.”

“That sounds great, Rune. See you in a few.” Elle hung up, turned to Adam and kissed him right on the lips. As if he deserved all the kisses. She talked close up to his face. “I don’t know if Rune is my psychic, my therapist or a friend, but I love that she feels as if she can come to our house and relax.”