Page 13 of When the Angel Falls First

“Very.” She fidgeted with the bottom of her half-apron, not meeting my eyes.

“And frightening, if you’re not expecting it,” I coaxed, sensing the true issue underneath.

Her gaze whipped up, and she nodded.

“I’m sorry to hear that something scared you. Was it Jaime? He seems like a nice guy.”

Victory was shaking her head before I finished the sentence. “It’s not that he scared me. He’s been treating me… almosttoowell. Like I’m made of glass. Something precious.”

“And that’s a bad thing?” I asked, genuinely confused.

Wolf shifters always treated their mates with the utmost care; they believed their fated mates carried the other halves oftheir own souls. Unless I was missing something, Jaime would treat her like a queen for the rest of her days.

Although the whole biting-to-bond thing would probably come as a shock to a human.

“No, it’s not. But I’m not anything special, Caleb. I’m a regular woman. I work a dead-end job for tips, my family disowned me, and I didn’t even finish college. He’s wise and rich and…special,” she whispered again, and I had to hold in a laugh. It was cute, the way she tiptoed around the issue, but I knew she wouldn’t see the humor, not yet.

“You don’t have to be special to be specialto him. Shifters take their fated mates very seriously. They only get one, their whole lives.”

“You know? You know what he is?”

I nodded.

“Are you a wolf, too? Or something else? He told me there are tons of types of shifters, but?—”

“No, I’m not a wolf. Just someone who can sense things.”

Best to keep it simple. She’s already overwhelmed with what she’s learned.

“Wow. And here I’ve been bringing you lemonades for a year now, and I never knew. We’re going to have to develop a system, you know. Blink twice if my table is something besides human.” She sank her head into her hands, not looking pleased by the prospect.

If I had to blink twice every time a supe came in, she was going to think I had a problem.

“Do you not want to be his fated mate?” I leaned forward, more invested in her answer than I should have been. Victory was human. Josie was human. And they both found themselves wrapped up in supernatural relationships.

This is not about Josie.

This is not about Josie.

This is not about?—

“No, it’s not that. I think I might actuallyreallylike him. It’s just bizarre. We’ve barely met, and he says I’m the one. How can he know?” She raked her hand through her hair, and I could read her genuine distress from her aura.

“He knows.” I thought about my feelings the first time I saw Josie. The way the earth itself shifted under my feet, the way my wings burned with the power surge that shot through me the first time our hands brushed together, skin on skin. The taste of her lips, the first time I’d stolen a kiss. “You’ll just have to trust him on that and give yourselves some time to get to know each other better. See howyoufeel.” I cleared my throat, trying to remove the gravel that had lodged itself there at the memory of my first meeting with the woman I thought was my own Chosen.

Who wouldn’t look at me twice now.

Desire pulsed through me like it was yesterday, and not seven years ago. I was never going to get over her, just like Jaime was never going to get over Vic.

“You sound so certain, just like him.” She looked sad, sinking back against her chair.

Her pungent fear washed over me, and I debated whether to ask or wait.

I gave it a minute, letting the moment stretch between us, nothing but the tempting smell of French fries and an afternoon breeze to distract her from her heavy thoughts.

“I’ll think about it. What about you? What’s got you so distracted this afternoon?”

I saw the subject change a mile away, but I wouldn’t pry if she wasn’t ready.

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