The knowledge that I couldn’t reach out and accept what he offered was a knife in my heart.
What would it be like to be able to bask in that strength?
I don’t know how long we would have stared at each other over the chasm of circumstance had Ben not come to close the door. His blue eyes held laughter, but his lips didn’t even twitch as his gaze met mine while he reached for the door handle. I think I would have hurt him if he’d dared. He pulled it closed, but left it cracked enough for a thin shaft of light to keep the darkness at bay.
Laying alone in the dark with the warmth of the soul cuddled to my chest, I had no more answers than I had when I entered this room, but a whole lot more questions. One of these days, I’m going to get my hands on those ladies of fate and have a nice,
long
talk.
***
“Then the seagull came, and this was this, and that was that…”
My eyes were glazed. I knew it.
The
Little Mermaid
was going to kill me. Death by Disney, was there such a thing? Ben made absolutely no effort to rescue me as he swooped behind Elizabeth’s to slide her empty plate away. He replaced it with a fresh plate with a Mickey Mouse shaped pancake on it. Gray had wanted to make her old-fashioned waffles for breakfast. I think he was still upset I didn’t own a waffle iron. He’d improvised with pancakes. Who knew men could be domestic?
I still didn’t know how the conversation had turned into a running commentary on every Disney animation film ever made, but it had. I was so out of my depth on this one. Give me angelic politics, any day. Right about now, Luke would be preferable than sitting at my kitchen table learning Disney by default.
Where were all the souls that needed fetching? There, I was good. I mentally begged for an assignment even as I floundered to make sense of her chatter. This was beyond me. What was I supposed to do with her?
Gray slipped a fresh cup of coffee across the table toward me and our gazes met over it. We’d not talked about any of the events from last night. The diamond was still on my finger, mainly because I had no idea how to take it off and still do right for the chattering magpie in front of me.
There was no way a rogue angel was going to snuff her out. I’d die a true death first. In the course of the night, my goal had firmed into iron resolve. Personal issues could wait until she was settled into her new home. Whatever was between Gray and me could wait until then.
“So whatcha want to do today, Lizzy? You don’t mind if I call you Lizzy, do you? It sorta suits you, little lady.”
She giggled under Ben’s teasing. I mouthed a “thank you” to him as she turned in her chair. He leaned against the doorway to the kitchen with that easy grin I liked so much, sipping his coffee. We shared a smile. Looking past him, I was surprised at the scowl on Gray’s face as he stood next to the stove. It set me back a moment. Even when I was alive, I wasn’t someone people felt proprietary over. I hadn’t been anyone’s ideal woman, lacking both true beauty and the sweet nature most men looked for. Now, I didn’t know how to handle it. My eyes dropped to the ring on my finger and I struggled to find something to say. Thankfully, the chatty child in front of me saved me.
“Can we go to the zoo? Mommy always promised to take me, but she was always too busy. I want to see the apes on the big poster by the highway.”
She wanted to go
out
? I so didn’t think so. I couldn’t protect her and all our secrets in the middle of the blasted zoo.
“Sure,” Ben said at the same time Gray said, “Yes.” And I said, “No.”
I looked at both men like they’d lost their mind.
“No. We’re not taking her out in public. It’s entirely too dangerous.”
“Lizzy, honey—” Ben glowered at me over her head, “—why don’t we let these two talk it out and come up with a plan. If we can’t make the zoo today, I
promise
you I’ll take you when this is all
What would it be like to be able to bask in that strength?
I don’t know how long we would have stared at each other over the chasm of circumstance had Ben not come to close the door. His blue eyes held laughter, but his lips didn’t even twitch as his gaze met mine while he reached for the door handle. I think I would have hurt him if he’d dared. He pulled it closed, but left it cracked enough for a thin shaft of light to keep the darkness at bay.
Laying alone in the dark with the warmth of the soul cuddled to my chest, I had no more answers than I had when I entered this room, but a whole lot more questions. One of these days, I’m going to get my hands on those ladies of fate and have a nice,
long
talk.
***
“Then the seagull came, and this was this, and that was that…”
My eyes were glazed. I knew it.
The
Little Mermaid
was going to kill me. Death by Disney, was there such a thing? Ben made absolutely no effort to rescue me as he swooped behind Elizabeth’s to slide her empty plate away. He replaced it with a fresh plate with a Mickey Mouse shaped pancake on it. Gray had wanted to make her old-fashioned waffles for breakfast. I think he was still upset I didn’t own a waffle iron. He’d improvised with pancakes. Who knew men could be domestic?
I still didn’t know how the conversation had turned into a running commentary on every Disney animation film ever made, but it had. I was so out of my depth on this one. Give me angelic politics, any day. Right about now, Luke would be preferable than sitting at my kitchen table learning Disney by default.
Where were all the souls that needed fetching? There, I was good. I mentally begged for an assignment even as I floundered to make sense of her chatter. This was beyond me. What was I supposed to do with her?
Gray slipped a fresh cup of coffee across the table toward me and our gazes met over it. We’d not talked about any of the events from last night. The diamond was still on my finger, mainly because I had no idea how to take it off and still do right for the chattering magpie in front of me.
There was no way a rogue angel was going to snuff her out. I’d die a true death first. In the course of the night, my goal had firmed into iron resolve. Personal issues could wait until she was settled into her new home. Whatever was between Gray and me could wait until then.
“So whatcha want to do today, Lizzy? You don’t mind if I call you Lizzy, do you? It sorta suits you, little lady.”
She giggled under Ben’s teasing. I mouthed a “thank you” to him as she turned in her chair. He leaned against the doorway to the kitchen with that easy grin I liked so much, sipping his coffee. We shared a smile. Looking past him, I was surprised at the scowl on Gray’s face as he stood next to the stove. It set me back a moment. Even when I was alive, I wasn’t someone people felt proprietary over. I hadn’t been anyone’s ideal woman, lacking both true beauty and the sweet nature most men looked for. Now, I didn’t know how to handle it. My eyes dropped to the ring on my finger and I struggled to find something to say. Thankfully, the chatty child in front of me saved me.
“Can we go to the zoo? Mommy always promised to take me, but she was always too busy. I want to see the apes on the big poster by the highway.”
She wanted to go
out
? I so didn’t think so. I couldn’t protect her and all our secrets in the middle of the blasted zoo.
“Sure,” Ben said at the same time Gray said, “Yes.” And I said, “No.”
I looked at both men like they’d lost their mind.
“No. We’re not taking her out in public. It’s entirely too dangerous.”
“Lizzy, honey—” Ben glowered at me over her head, “—why don’t we let these two talk it out and come up with a plan. If we can’t make the zoo today, I
promise
you I’ll take you when this is all
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