Page 74 of When the Angel Falls First

In that surreal bubble, it was just Caleb and me.

He was right—this was how it was meant to be. This was the right thing. We were a part of something larger than ourselves, a narrative spun by the hands of fate, and now, our page was being turned.

“My Caleb,” I said, knowing that any word I said could be the last I’d ever get to say to him. “It’s my turn to tell you whatyou told me seven years ago. Those words changed my life and brought you back into it.”

“Josie…” Anguish in his eyes, his voice, the tilt of his head.

“The future you seek is already seeking you.”

The distant toll of a bell cut through the silence, though I knew no churches were around here. As the sound echoed, winding its way through the frozen tableau of the world, Caleb turned to face me. His eyes held a world of emotions—fear, determination, and underpinning it all, a love so profound it left me breathless.

“I love you, Caleb,” I managed between silent sobs. “You can go now.”

He leaned toward me, his hands cradling my face as the world waited. His breath ghosted over my lips, a soft brush in the stillness.

And then, he was gone.

The warmth disappeared and his touch faded, leaving the passenger seat empty. Empty like the hope inside me that faded the instant he was gone.

The world continued as it had been. The orca volunteers laughed, cars zoomed by, and waves crashed against the shore.

And I was alone.

I stared at the place he’d been, the lingering traces of his presence still tangible. I touched my lips, still tingling from his kiss. It was the right thing. He was where he needed to be.

Slumped against the steering wheel as volunteers outside cheered for the rescued orca, I cried until there were no tears left.

THIRTY

Caleb

I blinked at my surroundings,trying to remember where I was and what was going on. Everything was white. There was no defined floor, or ceiling, or walls. Just… white. The white of a blank page, of empty air, of clouds.

The Host.

The sensations of Earth still rested on my skin. Josie’s words telling me I could go hummed in my ears though that world was already far behind me.

I’d been drawn into the antechamber. But why wasn’t I inside? I looked down and realized I was still clutching the book of angelic seals, Josie’s last gift to me. I held it to my heart, tears beading at the corners of my eyes as I thought of her pressing it into my hand. Her love as evident as the book in my hands. She knew my destiny, and through her love, she helped me fulfill it. Even though it hurt her, she’d still let me go.

And yet here I was, waiting in the antechamber. Completely and wholly unwilling to lethergo.

Was I supposed to keep waiting or go inside? I didn’t know.There was no visible doorway, so waiting seemed right. But for what?

My ears popped as the air pressure changed next to me, signaling that I had company. I turned to find Gabriel studying me with a serious frown.

“Welcome to the celestial waiting room. Seems you have a decision to make.”

“Me? I need the Host to decide if I’ve done enough to earn my wings back.”

He smiled, the expression gentler than I was used to from my archangel friend as he lay a hand on my shoulder.

“Caleb, I’ve been trying to steer you for quite a while, but I think the time for subtlety has passed, or you wouldn’t be stuck in limbo.”

In limbo.

The words struck an ancient fear into my heart. If I hadn’t successfully regained my place as a cupid, I’d be cast out, unable to ever return to the Host. Unable to ever get my wings back, or claim my Chosen. A broken destiny, never to be repaired. There would be nothing left to save me from falling.

But if I had earned my place back, did that mean leaving Josie behind? This thing between us was unprecedented, but I knew deep down that it was right.

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