Inked by an Angel (6 page)

Sweat poured from his head and stung his eyes as Jed pushed his father’s ancient lawnmower in neat lines through his mother’s backyard. He paused long enough to shuck his T-shirt and wipe his forehead with it before tossing it to the porch. He knew his mom would probably prefer he left it on just in case her neighbors were to peek out their windows and get a good eyeful of him. Not that Paula Gentry gave a rat’s ass about other people’s opinions, and she’d never once said anything about being embarrassed about his appearance, but he knew she’d probably just as soon have him not rock the boat in her nice, quiet,
conservative
neighborhood.

The tug of guilt had him glancing around. No noses were pressed up to any neighboring windows that he could see and he hadn’t heard any gasps of fright at the ‘tattooed monstrosity’ mowing Mrs. Gentry’s yard. Not that he could hear anything over the growl of the mower. He turned to head in the other direction, wishing his mother’s yard wasn’t so damn big, and hoped his mom had remembered to buy beer this time.

“Jedediah!” she called from the shaded back patio, her hand perched on her hip.

He stopped pushing the mower, but left it running, and turned to face her. “What?” he yelled over the racket.

“Are you almost—?” She stopped mid-thought. “
Where
is your shirt?” She looked around, presumably for those nosy neighbors he’d already scouted for himself.

He shrugged and kept on going. He was almost done here anyway. Surely, if they were gonna look, they’d have looked by now, and they would’ve seen the bald man full of tats and piercings.
Oooh. Big, scary man.
Big damn deal. It’s not like he hadn’t been here before and wouldn’t be here again. They would just have to get used to him being around here. A lot.

He finished the yard and shut off the mower, pushing it into the shed before striding up to the porch. With his eyes on his mother’s face, he bent over and retrieved his sweat-soaked T-shirt from the chair she’d draped it over and pulled it back on.

“You wanted me to take a look at the air conditioner, Mom?”

“I just needed you to see if the filter needs to be changed.” She studied his face. “Jedediah.”

He raised a brow in question.

“I’m not ashamed of you, son.”

He nodded once. “I know that.”

Her eyes softened. “You don’t have to do all of this for me, you know.”

“Mom—”

She reached out and brushed a hand across the koi fish tattooed across his forearm. “No. You don’t. I’m just so, so sad that your father isn’t here to take care of these things anymore.”

He felt a little pebble tumble off his heart. He swallowed. It killed him to remember how devastated she’d been when Dad died. She could hardly function for a while. It was almost as if he’d left them on purpose. But, by not taking the doctor’s advice, he had. And he didn’t want any part of a love that could tear him up like that. Never again.

“I know,” he reassured her. “That’s why I do them now.” He cupped her chin so she’d look up at him. Her eyes were shimmering with tears, nearly breaking him. “I always will. I’ll take care of you now.”

She nodded, held back her tears. He was grateful. “I know, sweetie.” She brushed a kiss to his cheek. He caught the familiar scent of her Liz Claiborne perfume. She pulled back from him, gathered herself, and smiled. “Are you staying for lunch?”

“Did I smell chicken and dumplings on my way in?”

“You did.”

“Then yes, I’m staying.”

She wrapped her arm around his waist as they walked back inside. “Good. I’ve missed you. How are things at work?”

A flash of Kyle in her yoga pants flooded his mind. He pushed it away. “Good. Business is booming since I brought Michael on board.”

She smiled. “I really like Michael. There is something special about him. Don’t you think so?”

He shrugged. “I guess so. He sure brings in the clients left and right. Angel tattoos. Portraits.” Sexy little accountants.

“And Noble? How is he doing?”

Jed poured himself a drink and sat at the kitchen table. “About the same.” He thought of Noble’s mysterious new neighbor and smiled.

“What’s so funny?”

“Ah, it’s nothing. Noble’s just pretending to not be interested in the girl next door. It’s been fun teasing him about it.” He accepted the steaming bowl of chicken and dumplings. “Thanks.”

She sat across from him with her own lunch and shot him a strange look. “Gabriella? But I thought Papa Turoni all but had you and her walking down the aisle. Now Noble’s interested? She, uh, doesn’t seem his type.”

He laughed at the way she kept her words gentle. Gabby not being Noble’s type was the understatement of the century. Hell,
he
wasn’t
hers
either. No man was. “No, Mom. Not Gabby, but she did finally come out of the closet, by the way.” He grinned and took a bite after heavily peppering his food. “I’m talking about the girl that moved in next door to Noble’s house.”

“Oh.” She tilted her head. “But why would he pretend to not be interested? He’s always been quiet, but I’ve never thought of him as timid with women.”

“I have no idea. That’s what makes it so fun.”

They ate in silence for a while, the steady hum of the refrigerator and the wordless tune of his mother’s radio down the hall the only background noise. But one glance at her face and he knew she had something on her mind. It was enough to make him uneasy. That look never meant anything good for him. He took a big swig of his sweet tea.

“So,” she hedged. Uh oh. “How is Kyle?”

The way she said her name caused a visceral reaction but he didn’t flinch. “Fine.”

She furrowed her brows. “Just fine? Isn’t she getting married?”

“Yeah.”

She studied him, waiting.

“So?”

“So, you don’t have more for me than that? Shouldn’t she be over-the-moon with excitement? Isn’t she giving you
any
details? A date? Anything?”

He sighed. “No.”

“No?”

“Nope.”

He went back to eating, but his mom just sat there. She went all
Robo-Mom
on him, like she used to when he was younger. That’s how she found out when he’d smoked his first and last cigarette. The day he skipped school with Noble to go to Hippie Hollow and ogle the topless girls. He was pretty sure she also knew the night he lost his virginity to Stacy Emerson, but she was kind enough to not embarrass him by bringing it up. But the box of condoms that mysteriously appeared in his dresser drawer the next week pretty much confirmed it.

And now, even as a grown man, she was damn well doing it again. “What?”

“Is there something going on between you and Kyle?”

His heart began to thud uncomfortably in his chest. “No! Like what? Jezus, mom.”

Robo-Mom’s laser beam eyes honed in on his. “She’s a nice girl, Jedediah. And she’s getting married.”

The forgotten spoon in his hand dropped with a
clank.
He stood and carried his bowl to the sink.

She followed him. “Jed—”

“Mom, seriously.” He turned to her, anger sparking from every pore. “Let it go. There is
nothing
going on between me and Kyle. She works for Michael. That’s it. I tolerate her for his sake.”

“I—”

He stopped her with a look. The conversation was over. He strode out to go change her air filter and to convince himself that what he’d told his mother was true.

Michael sat in the overly small chair, sipping his Coke as the meeting began. Someone sealed the doors and the Tabernacle’s basement room filled with the sanctified light that allowed them all to relax amongst themselves. They could all breath and glow as angels do, even in their human vessels, and feel free to let down their guard for their time together. It was their time of safety and security. But, for Michael, Rafe’s absence was obvious tonight and it was eating at him. He fidgeted with the chain that held his wallet, causing Gabriel to shoot him an irritated glance as he called the meeting to order.

“Good evening, everyone.” He smiled with sincere love at his brothers and sisters around the room, his kind, golden eyes glowing. “Let’s get started. We have a lot to cover tonight.”

Michael peeked around again. Where was the paragon of angeldom?

Gabe cleared his throat. “Well, as you all may have noticed, Rafael is not with us this evening.” He beamed so radiantly, it looked like his wings were about to sprout.

This was not good.

There was an expectant hush in the room as they awaited the news.

“His humans, Gloria and Roger, are not only engaged, but I’ve gotten it on good authority,”—he lifted his reverent gaze skyward—“that they plan to secretly elope over the weekend.”

“But why so soon?” Rachel wondered from the back of the room.

Gabe smiled. “Well . . .” He actually blushed! “Father saw fit to instruct Lailah to intervene a bit and answer Gloria’s prayers.” He glanced down at his folded hands then back up at the crowd. “She’d thought she couldn’t have children. She now knows differently. Father pulled out a miracle for them.”

A rumble of excited cheers and applause filled the room as everyone stood to exalt the Father they loved and served.

Another love story all neatly tied up with a pretty little bow. How wonderful. Michael felt like he’d swallowed a lump of cotton. He looked around at all the joyous faces around him and knew he should be celebrating too. One more for the team. But part of him felt like such a failure. His party had been a disaster. Jed and Kyle were no closer to a love match than the day he’d brought them together and he was at a loss for what to do next.

Everyone finally settled down with grins on their faces and took their seats.

Michael couldn’t stand it anymore. “So, that’s great and all, but where’s Rafe?”

Gabe’s smile faltered. “Oh, I thought you . . . he’s moved on, Michael. He’s left us for Messaging.”

“Oh.” Boy, he wished he could spread his wings and fly away to a dark hole somewhere right about now.

Gabe looked away, seemingly uncomfortable, and offered a tight-lipped smile to the rest of the group. “And we have a new member I’d like everyone to meet.” He indicated a tall, thin man with blond hair that hung to his shoulders and round-framed glasses. “
This
is Uriel and I’m so excited to have him with us.”

Uriel waved to the group. “I’m lookin’ forward to it. I’ve been on Crossovers for a while now and I’m excited for a change of scenery.”

Michael gave an involuntary shudder at the thought of helping people die and cross over, and suddenly wasn’t so unhappy about his difficulty in helping them to fall in love. He settled back into his chair for the rest of the meeting.

After they adjourned, he waited behind to speak privately with Gabe. He needed his advice about how to handle his difficult assignment. Jed and Kyle were proving to be impossible nuts to crack. He stood behind Uriel as he received his first ‘Love Detail’ assignment.

“So, Uri,” Gabe’s eyes actually twinkled as he ran through the logistics of how Uriel’s first assignment would work. “I’ve already got you lined up as a substitute teacher.” He glanced down at some notes then back up. “World History.”

Uriel smiled. “Super. I think I can handle that. So, who are my humans and what do I have to do?”

What do I have to do?
Michael mocked in his mind. He’d see that it wasn’t so easy soon enough.

“Monday morning, you’re to begin at the high school,” Gabe continued. “You’re filling in for the next twelve weeks because the full-time teacher is out on maternity leave.”

Uriel nodded as he listened intently. Michael wanted to throw-up.

“You’re first to make contact with the woman. She teaches across the hall from you. A Ms. Bethany Andrews. She’s been widowed for three years with a small child. She may take a little work.”

Michael couldn’t help the surge of sadness for the young lady. She’d already lost one love. He glanced at Uriel. Could he handle a love match of this magnitude? And why were they trusting a newbie with this? Rematches were usually saved for the angels with more experience because they required a more delicate touch.

Uriel cleared his throat. “I will do my best, Gabe. I will befriend her and be gentle with her heart. I promise. I believe my training on Crossovers has prepared me for such a thing.”

Gabe nodded. “I’m sure it has.”

Michael sighed. Nobody spared him a glance.

“So, who is Bethany’s mate to be?” Uriel wondered.

“Well, this is where it will get a little bit trickier for you, Uri.”

“How so?”

“His name is Steven McKowski. He is Bethany’s neighbor, has been for several years. He’s also been in love with Bethany for several years.”

“How does that make it tricky?” Uri asked.

Michael moved forward. He knew Gabe wouldn’t say something like that if there weren’t a big catch.

“Well, he finally got up the nerve to start hinting around about how he feels last night.”

“And?”

“And she doesn’t return his feelings. So he’s planning to move away when his lease is up in three months.” Gabe peered deeply into Uri’s eyes so he would understand the importance of what he was saying. “If Steven moves away, there is no hope for them. But if there is even the slightest chance with her, he will change his mind and stay. She’s got to see him differently before then.”

Uri swallowed. “Okay. I’ll get right on that.”

“Oh, one more thing,” Gabe added.

“What’s that?”

“Steven is deaf.”