Date with Destiny Collection: Angel Romance Series: Books 1 - 4

by Rachel Taylor

“Let me work up the courage to go do this, and I’ll call you when I’m ready, okay?” All of a sudden, the idea of confronting some stranger and telling her she needed a kidney seemed a little overwhelming.

  Cheydan just nodded, swallowing his Adam’s apple. He wanted to ask her out for something other than just a visit to her birth parents, but his fear of rejection got the best of him. He walked her to the door, wishing he could kiss her goodbye, but the moment passed, and soon she was driving away.

  His brain contemplated the complex mechanics of male-female relationships while his hands reached for a Cheerwine from the refrigerator. When the back door opened, he immediately chugged half the soda to save it from the clutches of his brother.

  “Hittin’ the juice pretty hard tonight, eh Cheydan? You got some problems you’re trying to drown?”

  “Yup, woman troubles.” Cheydan said sorrowfully.

  “You mean cuz you ain’t got one?” Maddock snickered and reached around his brother to grab his own soda.

  “No, I mean, because I’m not sure if the one I found likes me for me or just what I can do for her.”

  Maddock raised his eyebrows over his can of soda.

  “Remember the girl I told you about at the carnival, the one who wanted information about her birth parents? Well, I ran into her again, and… I’ve been helping her look for them. I kinda gave her some confidential information.”

  “Cheydan, the model citizen, broke the rules for a girl? She must be super hot or something!”

  Cheydan dropped his head to hide his blush and smile. There was still a trace of it when his head lifted. “There’s just something special about her, you know? I just really want to help her.”

  “I know exactly what you mean, bro,” Maddock said with a sigh, hopping up onto the counter.

  “Remember that girl Madison I was telling you about? I helped her get a job at Hinkleman’s today, then I got Risse and Eve to give her some clothes, I took her to lunch, then I took her to the shelter. It took every ounce of self control I had not to invite her to come stay with us.”

  Cheydan held up his soda in a mock salute. “Wow. When’s the wedding?”

  Maddock snorted, running his hands through his messy-as-usual hair. “I have to get her to drop her defenses first. She doesn’t even want to accept my help, let alone my sweet lovin’!”

  Cheydan’s fist connected with his brother’s shoulder as he rolled his eyes exaggeratedly. “How do you do it, Maddock? How do you let yourself like a girl when you’re not sure she’s the one? It just seems like a good way to get your heart broken.”

  “The Force is strong with this one, bro,” Maddock replied in a Darth Vader accent. “I don’t know, I’ve been attracted to girls before, but I never felt such a strong urge to help someone like I do with Madison. Maybe she’s the one, maybe she isn’t, but I can’t not help her, you know what I mean?”

  Cheydan nodded knowingly. “That’s how I feel about Lissy. But it’s not just about helping her. I can’t stop thinking about her. Like, all the time. I took her to the restaurant for dinner.”

  Maddock’s eyes bugged out as he choked on his soda. “Did Mom and Dad see her?”

  “Mom did. I kinda wanted her to. I wanted to know what her first impression was. See what she thought about her.”

  “How did that go?”

  “It was completely humiliating.”

  Maddock burst out laughing. “You’re such a rookie.”

  Cheydan grimaced. It was the truth. His brother had ten times more experience than he did in the ladies department.

  “So, when do I get to meet her?” Maddock let out a giant belch, wiping his mouth on his shirt.

  “Never!” Cheydan blurted. “You’d just try to win her over. Although I can’t figure out what girls see in you — you’re disgusting!”

  Chapter 14

  Maddock knew Madison was scheduled to work the next morning, so he swung by the shelter to offer her a ride to Hinkleman’s. He found her in the dining room, chowing down on eggs and bacon.

  Her hair was clean and shiny, she was wearing fresh clothes and a little makeup, and she’d never looked more beautiful. There was a hint of cherry blossom perfume under the aroma of bacon.

  “That’s what I like to see, a girl who’s not afraid of a little cholesterol.” Maddock straddled the bench next to Madison and snatched a piece of her bacon. Maddy gaped at him.

  “You weren’t gonna eat that, were you?” he said with an innocent smile.

  “What are you doing here, Maddock?” She was surprised how happy she was to see him.

  “I thought you might like a ride to work this morning. I saw that Cindy scheduled you for the early shift.”

  “You have to be there at 7, too?” Maddy wiped the bacon grease from her fingers then dabbed her mouth with her napkin.

  “No, actually, I have class this morning, but I didn’t want you to have to walk in the rain.”

  Maddy hadn’t even noticed it was raining, she was too busy enjoying her first hot breakfast in weeks. She turned around to look out the window. The light drizzle was barely visible.

  “You didn’t have to do that.” This guy was too much. What was his agenda? It was hard for Maddy to believe he was just that thoughtful.

  “I wanted to, and I’d like to pick you up afterwards and take you somewhere special. You up for that?”

  “Like where?” Maddy couldn’t help but be suspicious.

  “It’s a surprise — just someplace fun. I promise you’ll like it.”

  She got a little lost in his mesmerizing smile and found herself nodding.

  “You finished?” Maddock took her tray and returned it then held open the door for her, opening an umbrella over her.

  They talked about Maddock’s classes on the short drive to the grocery store, and Maddock promised to be back by the time she got off.

  The manager, Cindy, arrived at the same time, and she followed Maddy to the locker room. “Maddock’s your boyfriend, huh? He’s a good kid. Mr. Hinkleman sure loves him. I suppose that’s why he told me to hire you.”

  Maddy’s jaw flopped open, but she didn’t know how to respond to that. She wanted to deny any relationship between them, but had Maddock told them that to help her get a job? She didn’t want to make him look like a liar. She was grateful for the job, but she felt a little disappointed that she hadn’t got it on her own merit. Once again, Maddock had come to the rescue.

  Five hours of bagging groceries gave Maddy plenty of time to think about her situation, and she realized that every single positive thing that had happened to her lately was because of Maddock. She hated feeling dependent upon someone else, though, and that’s exactly what was happening.

  She didn’t know why Maddock was so eager to help her. Was he interested in her, or was he just naturally that thoughtful and generous? She could easily see herself falling for him, with those broad shoulders and sexy dimples, but she couldn’t stand the thought of such an unbalanced relationship. She had to quit depending on him.

  “Hey, Madison.” Maddock peeked his head in the locker room where Maddy was clocking out and removing her apron. A broad smile lit his handsome features, and Maddy clenched in resistance to her attraction.

  “Hey, Maddock.” There was a distant look in her eyes that immediately set him on edge.

  “I’ve been looking forward to this all day! Are you ready to go?”

  “Sure.” He looked so excited, she didn’t want to disappoint him.

  Maddock let out his breath in relief. At least she wasn’t turning down his invitation.

  “I went somewhere with my friends the other day, and I had such a great time I thought you might enjoy it, too. Besides, I figured you could use some fun after all the stress you’ve been under.”

  “Fun would be… fun.” Maddy chuckled at herself.

  She followed Maddock out to the car, and a few minutes later they pulled into the mall parking lot, where the rides and games were still drawing cro
wds with their flashing lights and loud music.

  “The carnival?” Maddy looked at him in surprise.

  “Yeah! It was really fun. They have all the best rides, and the food… OMG is all I have to say about that!”

  “I am kind of hungry.” Maddy gave a tiny grin. She hadn’t had fair food in forever. “Do they have elephant ears?”

  “Absolutely. Come on, let’s go make ourselves sick on junk food and thrill rides.” Maddock grabbed her hand and dragged her over to the ticket counter.

  “So, are you a thrill seeker or a party pooper?” Maddock asked, pointing first at the wristbands then at the individual tickets.

  “I don’t know. I can’t remember the last time I went to the carnival.” Aunt Ricki had never made an effort to take Maddy anywhere just for fun. She was doing good to make sure Maddy got to school every day.

  “Well, I’m getting us wristbands. It’s a better deal, anyway.”

  Maddy cringed at the prices. An hour ago she had convinced herself she wasn’t going to let Maddock do anything more for her, and yet here she was, letting him spend a bunch of money. At least he was getting a little fun out of it, too.

  “So, do you want to get food first, or ride rides?” Maddock asked.

  “Food, definitely.” Maddy’s stomach was already grumbling at the smell of corn dogs and candy apples.

  “You’re not worried about getting sick on the rides if you eat first?”

  “Should I be? I thought only little kids got sick on fair rides.”

  Maddock’s face split in a huge smile. “You’re a girl after my own heart, Madison.”

  She smiled shyly, glad he enjoyed her company for whatever reason. It made her feel a little less guilty about accepting his handouts.

  They found a nearby food truck that offered all the goodies anyone could want, and they joined the short line. There were a lot less people there in the middle of the day than there had been on a Saturday night.

  “What would you like besides an elephant ear?”

  “Just a Coke, please.” The prices were outrageous.

  “Oh, come on, you want more than just that, don’t you? How about some cheese fries? Some bratwurst? At least get some popcorn.”

  “I can’t eat all that! The elephant ear alone is gigantic.”

  “Well, what if we share? I want one of everything, but I can’t eat it all myself.”

  Maddy chuckled at his exuberance. “Okay, fine. But no candy apple. The elephant ear is enough sugar.”

  Maddock ordered half a dozen treats and forked over another huge wad of cash for the junk food. They settled at a nearby picnic table and dove into the smorgasbord, sharing everything.

  “Ugh, my belly hurts,” Maddock groaned as he held his stomach a few minutes later, licking the cinnamon sugar from his fingers. He had devoured more than his fair share of the meal and was starting to realize the wisdom of eating after riding.

  “Maybe we should wait a little bit before hitting the rides,” Maddy suggested, her own belly rolling uncomfortably.

  “Why don’t we play a few midway games till the food settles?” Maddock dumped their trash in the nearest can.

  Maddy stuck her hair behind her ears and put her hands on her hips. “Are you serious? Those games are all a scam! You can’t win them.”

  Maddock puffed up his chest and stalked towards her like a Neanderthal. “Oh, you shouldn’t have said that. Now I have to prove my manhood by winning you a giant stuffed animal. Come on, woman.” He grabbed her hand and dragged her to the nearest game. Maddy couldn’t quit laughing long enough to stop him.

  Maddock threw baseballs at milk bottles with the concentration of a major-leaguer until he finally got the hang of knocking them over. Thirty minutes later, Maddock was $30 poorer, and Maddy was the proud owner of a three-foot-tall teddy bear sporting a polka dot bowtie.

  “Yes! In the epic battle of man versus midway game, Maddock Engel is the champion!” Maddock said with a movie-announcer voice as he raised his arms in a victory pose.

  “Maddock! What am I gonna do with this? I can’t take this to the shelter!” Maddy said around her giggles. It was ridiculous, but she still loved that he had tried so hard to win it for her.

  Maddock’s arms and smile drooped comically as he realized she had a point. A moment later he smiled again as a new idea struck him. “Well, I do need a baby gift for my best friend and his wife. I just found out they’re expecting.”

  “I’m sure they’ll love it.” Maddy nodded encouragingly.

  “Are you up for some rides, yet? We can drop this off at the car so we don’t have to carry it.”

  There was something fun and satisfying about lugging around the giant prize, but Maddy conceded that it made more sense to stash it.

  They spent the rest of the afternoon riding every ride multiple times, and Maddy impressed Maddock with her enthusiasm. She didn’t show a moment of hesitation, no matter what ride he suggested. Maddock was the one to finally beg for mercy after their fourth turn on the Scrambler.

  “This was the best day I’ve had in forever, Maddock. Thanks for everything.” Maddy said as they slumped on a bench to catch their breath for a moment. The afternoon sun and their activity had warmed them, and they both shrugged out of their jackets. Maddy admired the tan skin and curved muscles Maddock’s tee shirt revealed.

  “Good, I’m glad it got your mind off your worries for a little while. I had a great time, too, Madison.” He squeezed her hand as he smiled at her, her eyes bright with joy and excitement. Her face was so close to his, her lips so full and soft, he desperately wanted to kiss her, but he wasn’t sure how she would react to that. Besides, he knew touching was dangerous. He already wanted her so bad it was painful. Instead, he just tucked her hair behind her ear then ran his finger down the side of her face.

  Maddy stilled as he drew near, her heart beating so fast the rest of the world felt like it was moving in slow motion. He was going to kiss her, and her whole body hummed in anticipation. She gasped as his finger stroked her cheek instead, and the warmth of his breath on her face stunned him.

  Maddy’s emotions overwhelmed her, and she struggled to break his spell on her. “Maddock, are you helping at the shelter tonight?”

  Maddock drew in a loud breath as her question jolted him from his concentration. “Yeah, they’re expecting me at 5. But I don’t have to go if you’re not ready.”

  “No, we should go. They need you. I’m pretty wiped out, anyway.” She didn’t want to admit that if she spent any more time with him, she wouldn’t be able to resist him. Her head told her she should stay away from such a lopsided relationship, but her heart told her she should grab ahold of him and never let go.

  Chapter 15

  It didn’t take long for Lissy to decide she was ready to pay a visit to the home of Nicolette Peters. There was no real sense in waiting, after all. She certainly wasn’t getting any better. She was still terrified — afraid that she wouldn’t be able to find her family, afraid that they’d reject her, she was even afraid that she’d go through all this to get a kidney and her body would reject it.

  There was no sense fretting about things that hadn’t happened yet, though, and at least she’d have Cheydan with her. He already knew her fatal flaw and he still seemed interested in her. It felt pretty amazing. She’d had boyfriends before, but no one who cared enough to stick around when her illness grew more serious. She wondered if Cheydan would still be interested if things got worse before they got better.

  Cheydan was in class when his phone vibrated in his pocket, and he pulled it out more out of boredom than anything else. His history professor was droning on and on about concentration camps, and Cheydan was starting to sympathize with the victims’ all-consuming desire to escape the torture. When he saw Lissy’s name on the screen, he decided it was an important enough reason to bail on the lecture.

  His classmates grumbled and shuffled their knees and their belongings out of his way as he climbed over the
row of them and dashed out of the lecture hall, glad he had sat near the back so his exit wasn’t as obvious. The heavy doors slammed behind him as he answered just before the call went to voicemail, his voice rushed and gasping.

  “Hey Cheydan, everything okay? You sound winded.” In contrast, Lissy’s voice was smooth and sweet, and it poured through the phone like warm honey. Cheydan felt like a hot, buttered biscuit, soaking up her sweetness.

  “Yeah, yeah, I was just in class when I got your call, so I rushed out of the auditorium to answer it.”

  Lissy smiled, tickled by his exuberance, and Cheydan could hear it in her response. “You didn’t have to do that. It’s not an emergency or anything. You could’ve called me back later.”

  “I needed a reason to get out of that boring lecture; besides, I was anxious to hear from you. Have you decided what to do about your birth mother?”

  Cheydan leaned against the wall, hoping to calm his racing heartbeat, but he was too hyped up to relax, so he immediately straightened and began pacing instead.

  “Yeah, I’m ready to go meet her. Are you still willing to go with me?” She crossed her fingers in a school-girl gesture for good luck.

  “Absolutely. When do you want to go?” His heart swelled at the prospect of seeing her again.

  She figured the weekend might be best if her birth mother worked, so she suggested Saturday morning.

  “What if I pick you up around 11? We can grab a quick bite to eat then head over.”

  Lissy gave him her address, keeping her fingers crossed that her lavish home wouldn’t change how he felt about her.

  Saturday was still a few days away, and talking with Lissy just aggravated Cheydan’s itch to see her again. He decided to find out if her interest in him lay only in his connections, or if she actually liked him as a guy as well.

  “Hey Lissy? Would you like to go out sometime before then? Just, you know… for fun?” In his nervousness, every statement sounded like a question.

  “I’d like that a lot, Cheydan. What did you have in mind?”