“Why’s that?”
I paused for a moment, trying to formulate my thoughts. “Today is the day I died.”
“That’s right,” he said, nodding. “Why don’t I take the day off too?”
“Can you do that?”
“Apparently I have a lot of paid time off saved up,” he said. “Might as well try.”
After we both got confirmation that we could take the day off, Parker and I changed into our more casual clothes and he turned to me. “So, what do you want to do?”
“I think ice cream would be good,” I said. “But I also have another stop I want to make.”
We drove across town to the ice cream shop of my choice. When we had our cones in our hands, we wandered through the park the next block away. We sat on one of the benches as the summer sun beat down on us, trying to eat our ice cream faster than the sun melted it.
It wasn’t long until I saw them, masks on their faces, darting through shadows to get to the bank without drawing attention.
“A whole new world and they’re still robbing banks,” I sighed.
“That’s them?” Parker asked as they opened the door to the bank.
I took another lick of my ice cream, savoring the flavor. To think that because of their actions, I nearly never got to eat ice cream again. “Hand me my phone?”
Parker pulled my phone out of my bag and I dialed a few buttons.
A voice on the other end answered. “Nine one one, what’s your emergency?”
I grinned at Parker. “Yes, hi, I would like to report a bank robbery in progress.”
Epilogue
We stayed at the park to watch Courtney and Mitchell get arrested.
I was doing my damndest to be a better person, but I had to admit it was satisfying to see the two of them being led out of the bank in handcuffs. There had been a cop car just down the road, and I heard their siren almost as soon as I hung up with the dispatch. Then all we had to do was sit back, ice cream in hand, as the police rushed into the bank and came out with Mitchell and Courtney. They had tears in their mug shots that were shown on the news.
It nagged at my consciousness a little bit. The whole reason the angels sent me back to Earth was because I had shown that I could be better, and so far I had been. I was working at the nonprofit. I volunteered at a food shelf on Saturdays. And I didn’t do it because I had to; I honestly wanted to help people. But not Mitchell and Courtney. The schadenfreude was exactly what I needed to keep me going and to close that chapter of my life.
I had even gone out of my way to repair my relationship with my family. Things were still tense; they were at my parents’ house whether I was there or not. But now I was working on meeting my mom for lunch once a month, and I spoke to both her and my dad on the phone at least once a week. They seemed to be surprised by the changes; apparently my relationship with my family was one of the few things in my life the angels hadn’t offered.
And now, I had a new family. My relationship with Parker was going strong. Every day we were discovering bits of our history that the angels had created. We’d not only remembered that we’d had our first date at the coffee shop, but that he had a habit of buying me bouquets of balloons on my birthday and that the first time we’d slept together had been on our third date back at the house I had been living in. It had been wild, primal, but also deeply romantic. That was one new thing I had learned about Parker—he was incredibly romantic. Hence the bouquets of balloons and flowers delivered to my work and chocolates when my PMS was particularly bad.
At this point, I couldn’t keep track of how long I had known Parker. It was somewhere between weeks and years. It didn’t really matter, because my future was with him. We’d talked a little bit about it since we’d gotten back. We had a house together, and we’d discussed marriage and babies too. For now, I was content just being his girlfriend, living together, being one happy family, but I wouldn’t mind any of the other things coming my way.
Boom! Boom!
Fireworks burst across the sky, spraying bright colors through the blackness. AJ was curled up next to me, watching the show with his head on my lap. We’d spent the day at a parade, and now this boy, who always had endless energy, was worn out.
I leaned my head onto Parker’s shoulder. He knew how much I loved the Fourth of July, so he’d made the day special. I’d had more ice cream than I could stomach, and now we sat on my grandmother’s lawn, watching the fireworks as they burst over the Mississippi River. This was the second time we had watched these fireworks, but they were just as beautiful as the first time.
The next morning was my birthday, the second time I’d celebrate this birthday. I could only hope this one would be a little less eventful than the last one. I’d be extraordinarily happy if we didn’t see any angels or demons today.
What I did see when I first woke up was balloons. There had to be at least fifty of them, all filled with helium and packed from wall to wall on my ceiling. They were in pinks and purples and silvers. I couldn’t imagine how long it had taken Parker to fill them up.
Parker knocked on my door before sticking his head in. “Good morning, beautiful,” he said with a smile.
I yawned and stretched. “Good morning.”
“I have breakfast for you. Do you want it in bed?”
“No, I’ll get up.” I swung my legs over the side of the bed. The smell of bacon, eggs, and pancakes had wafted through the door, and my mouth watered. I followed Parker into the kitchen where the kids were waiting, a small pile of presents on the table.
“We have more for you later tonight,” Parker said, “but the boys were too excited and wanted to give you their gifts right away.”
I sat down at the table and Parker put a plate full of food on the table in front of me.
“Open mine first!” AJ said, pushing a roughly wrapped box toward me. I pulled at the string and tore the paper, revealing a small box. I popped it open.
“Oh, AJ, this is beautiful,” I said, looking down at the necklace, a round ruby on a chain.
“It’s your birthstone,” Hope said.
“I love it,” I told them.
“My turn!” Avery said, handing me his box. When I opened it, I found a framed photograph of all of us. I scarcely remembered when it had been taken—Easter—but it was lovely.
“This is so sweet,” I said, holding the frame to my chest. “Thanks, you guys.”
I finished my food and then looked at the clock. “I’d better get ready for work, you guys,” I said, setting my fork down. “Thank you so much.”
We had plans for a nice dinner at home after I got back from work. I hadn’t wanted anything extravagant, although Parker had begged to take me to a fancy restaurant again. I’d told him there was no way he was spending that much money on dinner for the second time in a month.
But when I returned from work, the house was dark. I stepped inside, closing the door behind me and flicking on the light.
“Hello?” I called out. “Anybody here? Parker? Hope? AJ? Avery?”
Nothing but silence. I pulled my phone out of my pocket, checking for messages. It wouldn’t have surprised me if Parker had decided to nix the homemade dinner and have me meet them at a restaurant instead, but there was nothing on my phone.
As I stepped farther inside the house, I caught sight of balloons in the backyard. I frowned, stepping through the living room to the glass French doors and pushed them open.
“Surprise!”
I dropped my purse on the floor at the same time my mouth dropped open. “Oh my God,” I said, looking out over the faces of my friends and family. It certainly had been a surprise. The backyard was set up with several tables, lots of balloons, and plenty of food. Parker and my dad stood behind the grill, grinning at me. I covered my open mouth, tears springing to my eyes.
My family was all there, both old and new. AJ and Avery came running up to me to give me hugs, while my mom and sisters smiled at me from the table near the buffet. Not long
after I’d walked out the back door, a few of my coworkers came around the corner.
“You knew about this?” I asked. “You guys all knew about this and you didn’t say anything?”
One of the girls looked at Parker. “Well, we weren’t going to be the ones to ruin the surprise.”
Parker came to my side. “Surprised?”
“Very,” I said, pulling him in for a hug. “This is amazing. Thank you so much.”
“You deserve it,” he said. “Now, are you hungry?”
I sat down at the table with my mom and sisters, the boys on either side of me. Parker had really gone all out, with burgers and hot dogs, chips and dip, fruits and vegetables. He’d even made my favorite cake, a recipe I had made for myself every year in my old life because Mitchell and Courtney didn’t like it. I hadn’t remembered telling him about it, but I must have at some point.
I couldn’t remember the last time I’d had this much fun. Parker had planned everything, not only the food, but the fun and entertainment. Most of the time, his karaoke machine played music from his phone, but a few people decided to partake. I even managed to convince Parker to sing a rendition of “I Got You Babe.” He had a surprisingly good singing voice. He’d also set up some lawn games. There was plenty to do, including a rousing game of Cards Against Humanity after we’d all had a few drinks. After the ordeal Parker and I had been through, I couldn’t think of any better way to spend my birthday.
As the sun set, the lawn lights came on, twinkling in the darkness and casting the backyard in a warm glow. Everyone was just on the verge of tipsy, and most people were chatting instead of playing games anymore. Parker had started a bonfire, and we were roasting marshmallows and had just finished a s’more when Parker turned to me.
“Do you want to dance?” he asked me. One of my favorite songs had come on through the karaoke machine.
“You do love your little dances,” I said with a smile. The night we’d gone on our date wasn’t the last time he’d pulled me aside for a little dance. “Sure.”
Parker held his hand out to me and pulled me up from my chair. We crossed over to the lawn near the machine, and he took my hand, the other going around my waist. Our bodies pressed together, swaying in the soft light and soft music. I sighed as I rested my head on his shoulders, safe and warm in his arms. We danced around the lawn, and I knew we had gotten some looks, but I didn’t care. It was my birthday.
“I love you, you know,” he whispered in my ear.
“I know,” I said. “I love you too.”
“I don’t know how long we’ve known each other, not really, and it simultaneously feels like mere seconds and forever. But ever since you came into my life, you’ve made me better.”
“Now, that’s not fair,” I said. “You’ve made me a much better person than I made you.”
He laughed. “It’s not a competition.”
“But if it were, you’d win.”
He pulled me in close for a hug, and I melted into his arms. I tilted my head up, and he met my lips in a kiss. These embraces were my favorite part of my new life. I could have spent every waking moment in Parker’s arms, lips locked together, hands roving over each other. Of course, we had responsibilities, things we had to accomplish, but if I had my way, our days and nights would be spent in bed, tangled in each other’s arms. But that was all right. We had the future ahead of us, with plenty of time to dance and kiss and go to bed together. No matter how much of a past we had, we always had a future.
“You all right?” Parker asked me as he spun me around.
“Why?”
“You’ve been quiet.”
“Just lost in thought,” I told him.
“Good thoughts?”
I kissed him on the cheek. “Great thoughts. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been, in this life or the other one.”
“I’ve heard you say that before.”
“That’s because I just keep getting happier and happier.”
He swayed with me. “I’m glad you’re happy.”
“The angels gave me the perfect life, one with you.”
“You know, for most people, the perfect life would be one with a mansion and millions of dollars.”
“I don’t need all that,” I said. “I just need you.”
He kissed me on the forehead as the song came to a close. “I’m so happy to hear it. Now, can you excuse me a second?”
I frowned. “Sure. Where are you going?”
“To get your gift,” he said with a smile. “Meet me by the gift table, okay? I’ll be right back.”
I watched him leave, butterflies in my stomach. How on earth had I gotten so lucky? The angels had given me more than I could have ever asked for. I was lucky beyond my wildest dreams. All thanks to the man who had just disappeared inside the house.
I crossed the yard to the gift table, where the karaoke machine sat and was still playing my favorite artist off of Parker’s phone. I leaned against the table, waiting for him to return. The table was piled with gifts from family and friends, which seemed like overkill for how old I was now. I didn’t want to open them in front of everybody like kids did at their birthday parties; it would only feel awkward. Still, I couldn’t help but wonder what was in the packages. I’d open them later that night.
I glanced over and saw Parker coming from the house. He didn’t have anything in his hands though, and I frowned as he crossed toward me. I had expected some sort of explanation, but instead he just gave me a tight smile before pulling the microphone off the side of the karaoke machine.
“Can I have everyone’s attention, please?” Parker asked, his voice coming out through the speaker. All our guests turned to look at him, and I did too. Parker didn’t look so well; he seemed to have become pale and was a little sweaty.
“Parker, are you okay?” I asked him quietly.
He nodded and swallowed.
“Hi, everyone,” he said, addressing the guests. “You all know me, I’m Parker, Meg’s boyfriend of almost two years.”
I tried not to giggle at that. He was right. Our timelines were so screwed up, we didn’t know how long we’d been together.
“And I’m the one who invited you here,” Parker continued. “I really appreciate that you all came today. My goal was to make it Meg’s best birthday. And I think I succeeded?”
He looked over at me, and I nodded. “Absolutely.”
“I’m hoping that I can make it even better,” he said. “You tell me all the time about how I made you a better person, but you have to understand that you made me a better person, too. Your spirit, your determination, it makes you a force to be reckoned with. You are like no one I’ve ever met. We’ve been through so much together. I think I said once before that we’ve been through hell and back for each other, and that’s still so true.”
I laughed at the pun that no one else would understand.
Parker took my hand. “You’re more beautiful than an angel. You’re the most wonderful thing in my life. With you, I am so lucky. But would you do me the honor of making me the luckiest man in the world?”
He got down on one knee, pulling a ring box out of his pocket and flipping it open.
“Meg, will you marry me?”
With a hand over my mouth and tears in my eyes, I whispered, “Yes.”
Thanks for reading Hell and Back
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Enjoy this sample of The Wolf’s Wife, the first book in the Wolf’s Peak Saga.
Prologue
Six councilmen, one woman, and one infant sat around the large table in the great hall of Wolf’s Peak. A fire roared behind them in the stone fireplace, giving off the only light throughout the room save
for a candelabra in the center of the table. The bottle of wine was nearly empty. The council members had downed it during their argument. No one seemed to be able to agree on the best course of action.
“We have two years. Less than that…twenty–three months,” Stephen said, rubbing at his temples. He had been running his hands through his light brown hair all night, and now it was a mess.
“You’ve said that twice already, dear,” Annabelle said as she readjusted Daniel’s position on her lap.
“That’s only because this conversation has been going in circles! We’re no closer to a solution now than we were two hours ago.”
“I have to agree with Stephen,” Peter spoke from across the table. “We can’t leave here until we find a solution.”
“I don’t see why,” Annabelle said to him. “I’m sure Jasper is well aware of the deadline.”
“If he is, he hasn’t said anything,” her husband told her.
“We just need to encourage him,” said Roderick.
“Yes, that’s a great idea,” Annabelle said, rolling her eyes. “‘Jasper, you do know that you need an heir by the time you’re thirty, right? So, get on it. Let’s impregnate someone.’”
“Annabelle!” Stephen exclaimed as he nearly choked on his sip of wine.
“You know I’m right. You know we should just leave him alone.”
Merrill spoke up from the other side of Stephen. “We can’t risk it. Right, Lester?”
The man at the head of the table had spoken very little over the several hours they’d been confined to the room. The candlelight flickered off his thick, gray beard. His eyes were pensive.
“While for the most part I agree with Annabelle, I also do agree that we must speak up.” He put his hand up before Annabelle could protest. “In a normal situation, I would say we should give him time. Let him finish grieving.”
Hell and Back Page 23