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.”
Michael couldn’t help but grin with some self-satisfaction. Poor Uriel. He’d walked out of the meeting looking like a deer caught in the headlights with that truly daunting assignment in hand. But, the softer side of him hoped for Bethany and Steven’s lovematch. He hoped with all of his heart that Uri could pull it off.
As he helped Gabriel stack up the chairs and put the meeting room back in order, he mulled over his own troubles with his current assignment. Who was he to question Uri’s capabilities when he couldn’t get it together, and he’d been on Love Detail for hundreds of years? Maybe he needed to recycle back to basic training and start over again with halos and wings. He sighed heavily.
“What is it, Brother?” Gabe asked.
“My people, they are still not cooperating. I’m not sure what I’m doing wrong.”
“Well, your party worked out well. And I liked Jedediah and Kyle. They will make a superb match.”
“Maybe. But at this rate, I wouldn’t count on it. Besides, Miss Kyle is still engaged to that Charles guy. And she’s been very distracted at work. I can’t get her to talk to me about much of anything.” He kicked the leg of a chair. “And Jed, well he’s just a grump all the time. It’s not a wonder Kyle doesn’t want anything to do with him. I can barely stand him sometimes.”
“Hmmm.”
Michael rubbed the sweat from his bald head and pulled a bandana from his back pocket to slip on. He waited for Gabe to say more. “Well? ‘Hmmm’ is all you can say?”
Gabe smiled, grinned actually. “Don’t you see, Michael? This is good. Very, very good. You are doing well.”
Something shifted and fluttered in Michael’s stomach. “What in the world are you talking about?”
Gabe led him to a bench in the lobby where they could sit. “Has Kyle made any wedding plans that you know of? Set a date? Is she looking at bridal magazines during her lunch break? Anything?”
Michael furrowed his brow. “No. Why?”
“Really, Michael. For an angel, you are still as clueless as a man sometimes. Those are good signs. If she was excited about getting married, those are things she should be doing. Most brides would. This should give you hope. And as for Jedediah, well, a grumpy man is sometimes a lovelorn one. Even if he doesn’t admit it.”
He let this sink in for a few moments. Could it be? Was it possible?
At Michael’s slack-jawed expression, Gabe stood. “Yes, Michael, my brother. I think you might be onto something. But I think it’s time for you to beef up your game plan. What have you done other than throw that party and offer them ample time to be together at the studio?”
“Uh . . . well . . .”
“Not enough!”
Michael jumped. He wasn’t used to Gabe taking this kind of zealous tone. “So, what are you saying, Gabriel? That I should intervene even more than I already have? You know Father frowns upon our over-involvement in the human’s free will.”
“No, of course I’m not suggesting you do anything to take away their choice in the matter. Just a little nudge in the right direction.” He smiled that half-smile that said he was forming a plan. “But haven’t you ever heard the expression ‘The end justifies the means?’”
Chapter 8
/> Something just wasn’t right. Kyle glanced up from her computer screen. Noble was bent over his current customer, stoic and broody as always. Kierstan had breezed in moments before, a whirlwind of sexual confidence. She was currently planted at the front desk, flirting with an attentive male audience. All was normal with those two.
A loud thud sounded from Jed’s office as his door slammed and something fell. Other than his being even more of a cantankerous curmudgeon than usual these past few days, he was about status quo.
She went back to her work and turned up the little radio on her desk as Lady Gaga came on. And then, it hit her. It was Michael that was different.
She looked up at him. He was smiling and chatting with someone at the front desk who’d stopped in to ask about a tattoo. He looked innocent enough. But she stared back down at the computer screen. Sweet Mother of the Living Lamb!
What was he up to now?
The ‘Accounts’ file was somehow back in place, right where it should’ve been. She clicked and it opened. Everything was in order, just like she’d left it.
Curious, she opened another file on the computer called ‘Taxes.’ There, neatly typed in was everything she’d need to file Michael’s taxes for this year. And she hadn’t done it.
She opened the file cabinet next to her desk. Everything was neatly filed. Every receipt was accounted for with meticulous precision; every expenditure had been accounted for and logged correctly.
It was a whole new Michael and it was very, very scary. Where was the landmine?
She waited until his customer left before clearing her throat and calling him. “Uh, Michael? Can you come over here for a quick minute?”
“Yeah, sure, Miz O’Neill.” He ambled over, his thick footfalls heavy on the tile floor. “What’s up? You finding everything you need?”
She looked down then back up into his earnest face. “Oh, yes, Michael. I’m finding everything just fine.”
He smiled sweetly. “That’s really good. I’ve been trying harder.”
“I, uh —”
Jed stormed out of his office and over to grab something from the front desk. Kierstan had said something that apparently agitated him more because he shot her a seriously nasty Go to Hell look before returning to his office.
Kyle watched, wondering what had made him so utterly miserable.
“Been like that all week. Don’t mind him,” Michael interrupted her pitying thoughts. “He hates having to do all his own books. His accountant up and quit on him.” He snapped his meaty fingers. “Just like that.”
She turned back to Michael. “Oh.” Her mind raced. Jed’s accountant quit?
“Poor guy.” He seemed to commiserate. “He can’t get a thing done and no other accountants will give him the time of day.” He scratched his bald head under his bandana. “Not sure why. Must have something to do with that audit he’s about to go through. Anyway, I told him he should ask you.”
Her eyes flew to his as her stomach seized up. “What! Me?”
He shrugged and pointed to the computer screen. “Well, Miz O’Neill, you’ve done a fine job here with my books. I don’t see why you couldn’t do the same with Jed’s.” He glanced over as Jed let loose a particularly unsavory curse from behind the closed door. “Plus, he needs you.”
“Oh, I doubt he needs me. He’ll find someone soon enough. There are plenty of CPA firms out there who would jump at the chance to take on this studio’s account.” She smiled reassuringly even though she may have been stretching the truth a bit. “He just needs to quit grumbling about it and make some calls. I could even ask my father if he’d like.”
Michael shook his head. “No. I’m pretty sure he’s already tried your dad’s firm. It was a no go.”
“A no go? What are you talking about?”
“I’m not sure. You’ll have to ask him yourself.” The bell over the front door chimed and they both looked over. A new client walked in requesting Michael. “Hey, I gotta catch this one.” He started to walk away. “Listen, will you at least think about taking on Jed as a client? You’ve done a great job and you’re here a lot anyway.” He glanced over at Jed’s office door. “And how can you not help a man in need, Miz O’Neill? Listen to him.”
Slam!
“Oh, I don’t know.” But she was talking to herself.
She turned back to the files before her and tried to make sense of Michael’s turnabout. He’d become every accountant’s dream pretty much overnight. There wouldn’t be any reason for her to be here to straighten out his messes every night anymore. It was exactly what she’d been hoping for—a chance to spread out and grow her business now that she wouldn’t be so tied down. She looked up to where he sat, his large girth overflowing from the small stool as he chatted up his eager customer. Unconsciously, her eyes drifted to Jed’s slightly ajar office door. She could see him frowning over a pile of strewn papers, a pencil tightly clenched in his fist.
An unbidden feeling stole through her as she studied him. He was so foreign to her in so many ways, so extraordinarily different than her. And yet, she felt drawn to him. She couldn’t seem to help herself. But, as he pushed back his sleeves to reveal the colorful tattoos beneath, she was reminded just how far removed she was from his world.
Stupid. She admonished herself for fantasizing about him. Again. Charles was her type, and she was his. And he never called her Muffet. There were more things in life then sex appeal, she decided with a reassuring nod.
She settled back into her desk and clicked open a new file.
After a couple more hours of watching Jed storm around the studio, Kierstan flirt with anything that had a penis, and Noble ignoring them both, Kyle had had enough. She finished up her account of the inventory and bid Michael a goodnight.
As she slid her key into the front door of her little condo, she could almost hear her Jacuzzi tub calling her name. She was also debating between indulging in a hot toddy or glass of wine before bed along with her favorite Jason Statham movie, because a girl was allowed a few guilty pleasures, after all.
The strains of Muzak and the fetid smell of some kind of beef dish permeated the air.
“Darling!” Charles materialized from the kitchen wearing her apron and a huge smile. He looked ridiculous and her immediate thought was that Jed wouldn’t be caught dead in an apron.
She set her briefcase down in the hall and pulled off her glasses to rub the bridge of her nose. “What are you doing here, Charles? And what is that smell?”
He stepped back. “Aren’t you happy to see me, Sweetheart? I haven’t seen you in a few days and I have some good news. But if this is how you’re going to behave, I can just go.”
She sighed. “I’m sorry. I guess I’m just tired and I wasn’t expecting you to be here. I wish you would’ve called first.” She managed a tight smile and reached for him. “What’s for dinner?”
He gave her a weak hug. “Rump roast.”
She swallowed. “Mmmm.”
He steered her toward the kitchen. “How was your day, dear?”
She felt like June Cleaver. My day was fine, Ward. And how was yours? Did the Beav get his report card? “It was all right. Michael wants me to start doing Jed’s books, too. His accountant quit and apparently he’s being audited.”
Charles shot her a look. “Really?”
Her hackles rose immediately. “Yes, really. Why not? You don’t think I could handle that? I’ve done a good job with Michael. I’m ready to branch out, start taking on bigger clients and growing my business.” Had she just committed herself to accepting Michael’s idea just to spite Charles? Well, she also needed the business in the worst way. And with her family acting like she was some sort of pariah for leaving the firm and Charles treating her business like some kind of temporary hobby, it only made her more determined.
She studied the tense line of his back. “No. Let’s talk about this now. Actually, what is there to talk about, exactly?”
He sighed and turned back to her. “Kyle . . .”
She tilted her head and folded her arms beneath her breasts. This had been the unspoken thing that had been brewing between them for months. Maybe he would finally have the guts to say it outright. “Charles . . .”
The timer dinged on the rest of the meal. His shoulders wilted in defeat. “Can we at least wait until after we eat?” His eyes begged her to relent.
She looked him in the eye for several heartbeats. “Fine.”
“Thank you!” He seemed so relieved, she felt a little sorry for him.
He served their meal and poured her a glass of wine, obviously trying to be a gentleman.
He lifted his glass for a toast. “To us,” he said with a smile. “To the woman I want to be with for the rest of my life and the future mother of my children. And to me, the new Vice President of the O’Neill Accounting Firm.”
She stared at him, dumbfounded.
“Well”—he smiled after he’d sipped his wine— “Aren’t you going to say something? Congratulate me?”
“What happened? What about Brad?”
“Brad had to step down for medical reasons.” He thumped his chest. “The old ticker just can’t keep up any more.”
Oh no. Her father’s successor and next in line to be President of the company was an old family friend. She knew he was older, but she hoped he would be okay. She studied Charles’s self-satisfied face. He looked pleased as punch and not at all concerned with Brad’s health. He was only concerned with his own move up the corporate ladder.
Inked by an Angel Page 7