Robin in the Hood (Robbin' Hearts Series Book 1) by Diane J. Reed Read Free Book Online Page A

black-velvet dress was held together by a long row of pearl buttons from her neck all the way down to her cinched waist. Overall, her appearance screamed boho—including the crimson granny boots she had on that laced up nearly to her knees.
    “It’s all right, Dooley,” she said, stealing a glance at the card I’d picked out and set face down on a paisley scarf on the table. “You can come join us now.”
    To my astonishment, a tow-headed little boy peeked from behind an old trunk. He had to brush aside several embroidered pillows to clear a path to stand to his feet, and that’s when I sucked air.
    Oh. My. God.
    He looked just like—
    Stalker Guy!
    Same messy blonde hair, same piercing blue eyes.
    Holy Christ, he even had a matching snake tattoo on his forearm.
    I couldn’t help it—I jumped to my feet. This had to be some kind of wacked-out circus act I’d wandered into.
    Before I could make a run for it, Granny Tinker grabbed me by the sleeve and gave me the coldest stare I’d ever seen in my life, so mesmerizing it was as if she’d clutched me by the throat and squeezed. Every fiber in her being seemed to say:
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    Stunned, I gulped several breaths and found myself settling back down in front of her table before I knew what hit me. The silence in the wagon was so thick now that I feared I might somehow drown in it. Nevertheless, the little boy took a timid step towards us.
    “W-Which card did she take, Granny?” the little boy asked, his eyes as pure as an angel’s, in a way that Stalker Guy’s would never be.
    The woman flashed him a generous smile, removing her cigar. For the first time, I noticed that one of her front teeth was gold.
    “Hmm, the Wheel of Fortune,” Granny said without even taking a look. She glanced over at me. “Ain’t that so, sweetheart?”
    I turned the card over, feeling my fingers tingle.
    Whoa, she was right! There was a large wheel on the front, the kind you see at carnivals, surrounding a beautiful, blindfolded woman. People appeared to cling to the wheel, while at the top sat a perfectly peaceful angel. The edges of the card were decorated with a striking gold.
    But how did Granny Tinker know—were the cards marked?
    “No, honey,” she said, as if she’d already read my mind. “It’s your
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    My heart began to race.
    What was that supposed to mean?
    “Pick another card, sweetie, and I’ll tell you.”
    My forehead broke into a sweat. The little boy sat down on a wooden stool next to me and stared eagerly at the deck. I had no idea why he was so invested in my choice, but by this time I was afraid to refuse this scary woman. Biting my lip, I spread the cards out a little on the silk scarf and picked another one at random.
    “Ah, The Lovers,” Granny smiled, her gold tooth really shining now. She nodded. “History shore has a way of repeatin’ itself, don’t it?”
    “W-What do you mean?” I asked.
    Turning over the card, my heart leaped to my throat—on it was a young man and a young woman holding hands and staring with dreamy fascination into each other’s eyes.
    At that moment, I felt Granny’s lace-covered fingers pat me gently on the hand.
    “So tell me, what’s he callin’ himself these days?” Her eyes looked oddly fatigued.
    “Who?”
    Granny sighed. “Why, your Pa, of course! Let me guess, rhymes with Doyle?”
    I gulped hard and nodded. “R-Royle.”
    Granny didn’t even blink. “Figured as much. He always did go on about royalty, like their blood runs purple, not red like the rest of us.”
    Her gaze fell on the burning candles between us. I had to move my arm to escape the dripping, hot red wax.
    “But, how do you know all this—”
    My words were abruptly cut short by a loud ringing sound. I glanced up and saw a silver bell, about the size of my palm,