she might not understand the reason. At any rate, Gabe the human had died, and Gabe her angel had not returned.
He’d been sent to help her get over Rodney, and that’s what had happened. She’d wasted so much time moping over Rodney. So much stupid, lost time.
She knew the sadness would slowly begin to fade, and she knew there was no sense in wishing things were different. Gabe was gone. Falling in love with him had never been part of the plan.
And so, she worked at carrying on. She let the cool spring breezes touch her skin. She savored the smell of the cherry blossoms. She listened to the music of the ocean waves crashing by the lighthouse at Benson Point. And she decided to let herself see the world, with all its hurt, and all its beauty.
She’d even gone to Rodney and Daphne’s wedding. Not only that, but a minute ago, she’d done what Gabe had asked her to do. She’d danced with Rodney.
He’d asked her to dance, just like Gabe had said he would. “You look beautiful, Jessibelle,” Rodney said. “I don’t think you’ve ever looked more beautiful. And I didn’t know you could dance like that. Would you like to dance again?”
“No, thank you. Once is enough. I’d like to sit down now.”
“Of course.” He led her to a table at the back of the New Breckenridge Wedding Hall and sat down beside her.
“Looks like everything went off without a hitch,” he said, surveying the huge room with its garlands of pink and white.
“Yes,” she agreed. Everything had gone off without a hitch, if you didn’t count the replacement of the bride three weeks ago. Most of Daphne’s family, except for her sisters, lived in New Breckenridge so they’d all attended. Betsy, Bobbi and Bea made lovely bridesmaids in their puffy pink fairy-like dresses. And Rodney’s relatives had flown in from all over the country.
“How’s your grandmother Lackster?”
“Completely recovered from her fall,” Rodney said. “Look, she’s dancing with my cousin Eric Madison.”
Jessibelle looked where Rodney pointed and saw the short gray haired lady dancing with the tall dark haired race car driver.
“You should meet him.”
“Eric Madison? No, thanks.”
“He’s moved here. Did you know?”
“He has? Why?”
Rodney shrugged. “I’m here,” he said, like that was reason enough. “And it’s a great town. We have sailing,” he counted off on his fingers. “We’re only an hour from the mountains for hiking and skiing. And he’s retiring from car racing.”
Retiring? She hadn’t heard about that. “The accident must have made an impression.”
“Not just the accident,” Rodney said. “It was time. He’s got plenty of wins and tons of advertising offers. And you’ve got to admit, he went out in a spectacular way. They’re calling him Eric Angel Wings Madison.”
A flash of sadness squeezed her heart. “Angel Wings,” Jessibelle repeated, thinking of her angel. Absently, she started to sort the gold and silver confetti hearts sprinkled over the white linen tablecloth.
They sat a moment, listening to the music and watching the dancers drift across the floor. Then Rodney said, “He’s learning to fly.”
“Pardon?”
“He’s learning to fly helicopters, at the Springbank Airport. For some reason, he wants to take part in Mountain Rescue operations.”
Mountain Rescue? Odd, Jessibelle thought, remembering how Gabe had been on the Mountain Rescue team. He’d fallen that day in the mountains north of—
“Regrets, Rodney?”
It was Hanna. She stood next to their table holding two glasses of red wine.
Rodney looked up at her. “What are you talking about?”
“Do you already regret not marrying Jessibelle?”
“Don’t be silly,” Rodney said, standing. “Daphne is the perfect wife.” He looked around the crowded room. “Where is she?”
“Over by the gift table,” Hanna said, and Rodney wandered off.
Hanna gave Jessibelle a glass of wine and took Rodney’s seat. “You look
He’d been sent to help her get over Rodney, and that’s what had happened. She’d wasted so much time moping over Rodney. So much stupid, lost time.
She knew the sadness would slowly begin to fade, and she knew there was no sense in wishing things were different. Gabe was gone. Falling in love with him had never been part of the plan.
And so, she worked at carrying on. She let the cool spring breezes touch her skin. She savored the smell of the cherry blossoms. She listened to the music of the ocean waves crashing by the lighthouse at Benson Point. And she decided to let herself see the world, with all its hurt, and all its beauty.
She’d even gone to Rodney and Daphne’s wedding. Not only that, but a minute ago, she’d done what Gabe had asked her to do. She’d danced with Rodney.
He’d asked her to dance, just like Gabe had said he would. “You look beautiful, Jessibelle,” Rodney said. “I don’t think you’ve ever looked more beautiful. And I didn’t know you could dance like that. Would you like to dance again?”
“No, thank you. Once is enough. I’d like to sit down now.”
“Of course.” He led her to a table at the back of the New Breckenridge Wedding Hall and sat down beside her.
“Looks like everything went off without a hitch,” he said, surveying the huge room with its garlands of pink and white.
“Yes,” she agreed. Everything had gone off without a hitch, if you didn’t count the replacement of the bride three weeks ago. Most of Daphne’s family, except for her sisters, lived in New Breckenridge so they’d all attended. Betsy, Bobbi and Bea made lovely bridesmaids in their puffy pink fairy-like dresses. And Rodney’s relatives had flown in from all over the country.
“How’s your grandmother Lackster?”
“Completely recovered from her fall,” Rodney said. “Look, she’s dancing with my cousin Eric Madison.”
Jessibelle looked where Rodney pointed and saw the short gray haired lady dancing with the tall dark haired race car driver.
“You should meet him.”
“Eric Madison? No, thanks.”
“He’s moved here. Did you know?”
“He has? Why?”
Rodney shrugged. “I’m here,” he said, like that was reason enough. “And it’s a great town. We have sailing,” he counted off on his fingers. “We’re only an hour from the mountains for hiking and skiing. And he’s retiring from car racing.”
Retiring? She hadn’t heard about that. “The accident must have made an impression.”
“Not just the accident,” Rodney said. “It was time. He’s got plenty of wins and tons of advertising offers. And you’ve got to admit, he went out in a spectacular way. They’re calling him Eric Angel Wings Madison.”
A flash of sadness squeezed her heart. “Angel Wings,” Jessibelle repeated, thinking of her angel. Absently, she started to sort the gold and silver confetti hearts sprinkled over the white linen tablecloth.
They sat a moment, listening to the music and watching the dancers drift across the floor. Then Rodney said, “He’s learning to fly.”
“Pardon?”
“He’s learning to fly helicopters, at the Springbank Airport. For some reason, he wants to take part in Mountain Rescue operations.”
Mountain Rescue? Odd, Jessibelle thought, remembering how Gabe had been on the Mountain Rescue team. He’d fallen that day in the mountains north of—
“Regrets, Rodney?”
It was Hanna. She stood next to their table holding two glasses of red wine.
Rodney looked up at her. “What are you talking about?”
“Do you already regret not marrying Jessibelle?”
“Don’t be silly,” Rodney said, standing. “Daphne is the perfect wife.” He looked around the crowded room. “Where is she?”
“Over by the gift table,” Hanna said, and Rodney wandered off.
Hanna gave Jessibelle a glass of wine and took Rodney’s seat. “You look
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