Broken Wings (Contemporary Romance) (4 page)

Angelina looked at her friend’s pleading smile.
“Okay then, but just one drink, Lucy!”

Suddenly Lucy’s arms were around her in a tight hug.
“Thank you, thank you, you’re the best; I feared I was going to be surrounded by testosterone all evening!”

“
Look, I have to get back to the office, what time do you want me there tonight?” asked Angelina as she picked up her bag and was already making her way to the door.

“
7:00 p.m. sharp, and don’t leave me waiting,” Lucy said, smiling.

Angelina spent the rest of the afternoon keeping a low profile and researching her new client. She was still feeling upset from her run-in with Jayden earlier that morning and she was beginning to wonder if she had been a bit hasty in her decision. Maybe she should have given him one more chance? She read the minutes from the meeting emailed to her by Geoffrey’s secretary and actioned what she needed to before packing up and leaving the office. Traffic out of town was slow, as it was every day. It seemed everyone and their uncle hit the road at the exact same time every day and, coupled with the tourists that frequented the town, it made for a long slow journey. By the time she reached home, Angelina ran herself a bath and had a long soak. She pondered her outfit. Jeans and a sweater will do. I have no one to impress and nor do I want to.

By seven o’clock, Angelina was pulling onto the Hare and Hound car park. It was packed, which was unusual for a Monday night or any day for that matter; at the very least, the car park was only ever half full and that was on a busy day. Suddenly she felt apprehensive as she was not used to going out too much these days. She checked her face in the mirror before heading into the pub, her eyes searching frantically for Lucy. The place was heaving and the bar was five-deep. Lucy suddenly came into view, waving her hand in the air. “Angelina, over here! “Hey you made it then, I did wonder if you would change your mind,” teased Lucy.

“
Oh ye have little faith! Hey Richard, good to see you. So you’re responsible for this chin-dig then?”

“
Oh yeah, I sure am. Come over here, there is someone I’d like you to meet.” “Richard weaved Lucy in and out of the crowd with Angelina trailing behind until they came to an abrupt stop. “Angelina, I would like you to meet Joshua, one of my oldest friends and a hero no less.”

Joshua looked up in surprise.
“I would hardly call myself a hero, Richard!” Joshua's eyes met with Angelina’s; they were both surprised to see each other at the party. Angelina smiled up at Joshua, who stood just over six foot tall. She felt her stomach turn and suddenly felt self-conscious, wishing she'd made more of an effort.

“
Lovely to see you again. So you’re a soldier?”

There was a brief silence between them before Joshua answered; he found himself mesmerized by her.
“Yes, I'm a soldier, and don’t listen to Richard. I am no hero! He's always had a tendency to exaggerate.”

Angelina smiled shyly.
“Okay, I think I get the message, Joshua, you’re no hero! Now we have established that, I need to get myself a drink.” Angelina headed off to the bar, leaving Joshua standing with his mouth agape, before he could even offer to buy her one. She turned around and threw him a cheeky smile, pleased he was still looking her way. She felt a strong connection with him, one she was finding increasingly harder to deny by the minute.

At the bar, while she waited for her J20, Lucy snuck up behind her.
“Well then, come on fill me in,” she said curiously.

“
Okay, okay, I have met him a couple of times; he kind of rescued me Sunday morning when I slipped while I was out running. He just appeared from nowhere, Lucy. And prior to that, my car broke down just after we left the pub the other Saturday, and he stopped after I flagged him down like a crazy woman and drove me home.”

Lucy could not believe what she was hearing.
“And you did not think to mention all this to me? Angelina, for goodness sake, how could you not tell me?” she screamed with childish excitement.

“
Sorry Lucy, you know me. It was no big deal, and besides I know what you’re like! You would have tracked the poor guy down yourself and gotten his number, just to get me dating again,” Angelina said, laughing.

“
True, very true, God, am I that bad? I guess I am, but it’s only because I care about you. Anyway, do you like him? He’s pretty gorgeous, don’t you think? The only problem is he thinks pretty much like you; not interested in getting involved with anyone right now, too focused on his Army career by all accounts, so Richard tells me. Believe me, Richard has tried to fix him up once or twice and he just wasn't interested.”

They headed back towards Richard and Joshua; as Angelina approached them, she caught Joshua looking intently at her and she felt her stomach flip flop. She almost stumbled over a rogue handbag! Richard and Lucy sloped off, leaving them alone to get to know each other.

“Let’s head over there towards the back, I see a booth has miraculously become empty.” Joshua grabbed Angelina’s hand and weaved her in and out of the bustling crowd as quickly as he could before the booth was snapped up again. Angelina felt her heart beating through her chest; his hand felt strong entwined in hers and it felt good, right somehow. As they squeezed into the booth and sat down, they fell silent; Angelina studied his face for a few moments. He placed his hand upon hers and she instantly felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

Joshua smiled and looked to Angelina with curious eyes.
“If you’d rather, we could get out of here. I know a quiet place just a mile down the road where we could talk without prying eyes.” Considering his suggestion for a moment, Angelina looked into his eyes, her heart saying yes and her head saying no.
He’s only home for two weeks, you’re setting yourself up for a fall if you say yes.
Before she had time to prevent the words from clumsily escaping from her mouth, she smiled, nodding her head. “Yes, I’d like that, but what about your party? After all, this is in your honour!”

“
Oh never mind that, Richard won’t be offended at all. Quite the opposite in fact!”

As they stood up to leave, Lucy came rushing over.
“Hey, and where do you think you two are scurrying off to?”

They both looked like children who had just been caught out.
“Lucy, we are slipping out for a while. Would you tell Richard I will catch up with him tomorrow?”

“
I see,” Lucy said, smiling. “Of course, go on, off you go, I am sure no one will notice,” she teased.

Angelina suddenly felt nervous and self-conscious in a way she hadn’t experienced for many years. She knew this feeling all too well and was well aware how the feeling could consume a person. Joshua was beautiful in a rugged sort of way and she was so attracted to him. He had a way about him that she warmed to instantly from the very first day she had first laid eyes on him. Although, she would not allow herself to admit it at the time! She was scared of how she was feeling; that all-consuming passion for another being could make or break a person and the last time it had all but broken her. She could never forget the love and the passion, followed by the most unbearable pain she was forced to endure following her loss. Shoving her memories to the back of her mind, she looked at Joshua, who was observing her with great concentration.

“You’re very beautiful, Angelina; I hope you don’t mind me saying so?”

She tilted her head shyly, not quite sure how to respond to such an unworthy compliment.
“You’re not so bad yourself, that’s if you don’t mind me saying so!” she teased.

“
A woman with a sense of humour, I like it.”

“
Well, I aim to please…”

They sat silently for what seemed like an eternity, looking into each other’s eyes, communicating in a way that only they understood.

“So, tell me something about yourself. How long have you lived in our beautiful town?” enquired Joshua.

“
Around eight years now. I moved up here straight from college and have remained here ever since. I kind of like to think Kendal found me, if you know what I mean.” She looked down at her empty glass, sweeping the rim with the tip of her finger nervously as if contemplating her next words. “I needed a new beginning, a fresh start, I guess I was escaping my old life.”

“
I see, sounds quite serious. Did you move up here alone?”

“
Yes, I applied for a job as far away from my home town as possible. I was fortunate to find the company I am still employed with. I rented a small cottage and practically obliterated all my savings on the first few months’ rent, but it was worth it. To be honest, it was the best decision I’ve ever made. I was seeking my path and my path found me!”

Joshua was enamoured by this imperfect, clumsy beauty sat before him. He glanced to the faded scar on her eyebrow and pondered his next question with great care.

“Angelina, do you mind if I ask how you came by your scar; I really wouldn’t blame you if you told me to mind my own business!”

Her face fell completely, her eyes became tear-filled and she was fidgeting with her fingers.
“Look, I’m sorry; I can see my question was far too personal. I really did not mean to make you feel uncomfortable.”

“
No, you didn’t really; it just catapulted me back to a time I would rather forget. But since you asked so nicely, I was in a tragic car accident as a passenger just over three years ago. My boyfriend was driving and he was killed instantly. A drunk driver lost control of his car.” Tears were falling down her flushed cheeks; Angelina slowly raised her hand to wipe them away but Joshua reached her tears before her and gently wiped them away.

“
I’m so sorry, Angelina, I see now how insensitive I have been. You must have suffered a great deal. I know about loss and the effects it can have on the ones left behind. “Come on, let’s go, I will drop you home. You don’t have to talk about it tonight, Angelina, I am so sorry for prying. I can only imagine the suffering you have been through. I don’t normally make girls cry on a first date!”

Angelina glanced at Joshua.
“I had no idea I was on a date!” she teased as she walked out in front of him into the dark night.

“
Ah, you caught me out. The question is, will there be a second date? I sincerely hope so.” Joshua reached out for Angelina’s delicate small hand and spun her around. He pressed his lips against hers for the longest time.

“
I guess there will be a second date then since I allowed you to steal a kiss from me.” Angelina smiled.

Her heart was racing so fast she feared it may jump out of her chest. The mere touch of his hand against hers made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end once more. She already knew her heart was on the move and open to his affections. Then, without warning, her head was filled with the words she'd long since forgotten.
What is a life without love? One I dare not consider.
The words of her dead boyfriend reverberated through her mind right at that very moment.

Angelina had not allowed herself to get involved with anyone in the years following his death, nor had she wanted to consider a relationship. Her pain had sent her into the depths of despair for so long that in the end it was the pain, the heartache and the waking in the cold dead of night that helped her to remember that she was once loved truly and unconditionally. That it was all real and not just a figment of her imagination. That for a brief moment in time she had love in her life, pure love, a love that could never be questioned. The pain was her only reminder that Daniel really existed.

“Hey, you okay?” asked Joshua.

“
Yes, sorry, I was lost in my thoughts for a moment. Would you drop me back to my car, please?”

He nodded, slightly confused, he could feel her slipping away. One stupid question and he had lost her. Neither one of them said a word until they reached the Hare and Hounds’ car park. Angelina climbed out of the car and walked around to the driver’s side.
“Thank you, Joshua, sorry I was not great company tonight. It’s been a very long time since I have been on a date, I am not too sure if I am ready for this.” She looked on as Joshua’s facial expression changed to disappointment.

“
No second date after all then? Damn, I really need to brush up on my own dating skills,” he said through a half smile. “Look, can I take your number anyway? At least give me the chance to persuade you.”

“
Okay, but I warn you, Joshua, you will have your work cut out for you!”

“
Hey, hard work is my middle name,” he teased.

They exchanged numbers before she headed off. Joshua felt his own heart beating faster than he’d ever known it to; the pull he felt towards Angelina was very strong and one he could no longer ignore. As he watched her heading off into the distance, he looked up towards the sky.
“Why now? Why me? This is not meant to happen to me right now,” he shouted out into the open dark night.

They went in their separate directions, left with only their confused thoughts for company along the dark unlit roads.
What is a life without love? One I dare not consider
. Those words reverberated through Angelina’s mind once more. This was the first time in three years she had thought of them, the guilt she was feeling tormenting her tortured heart.