Page 65 of When the Angel Falls First

“Want to try the club? It’s divine.” I shot her a wink to break the tension, and she snorted in laughter, then slapped both hands over her mouth, as if embarrassed it escaped.

“Yes. Yes, a club sounds, uh, great.” She half-choked out the last word.

“All right, two usuals, coming up.” Victory clicked her pen a few times as she walked off, shooting curious glances at us over her shoulder.

“What is our waitress? She seems so normal,” Josie whispered.

“She mostly is. Best I can tell, Victory had a werewolfancestor a few generations back. For all intents and purposes, she’s human.”

“Oh, well, that’s kind of a letdown.”

I chuckled. “There are plenty of mixed-species people in Seattle. Not to mention, many supes can pass as human, even without a glamour.” I waved up and down at myself, to illustrate the point.

“This is blowing my mind. But it’snotwhy we’re here.” She cleared her throat to change the subject. “Let’s talk about your third couple. What are their names?”

She pulled a legal pad out of her messenger bag, along with a pink gel pen of her own.

“Marigold and Axel.” Their names were hard to get out, and gloom reared up inside me at the idea that this was thelast couplewe would match together before whatever came next.

“Ooh.” She leaned forward on her elbows. “Interesting names. Tell me about them. What makes them tick? Why are they so hard to match?”

I took a long pull of my lemonade to give me a second to regain my composure. I couldn’t focus onmyproblems right now. I had to get my job done, and then I would deal with the aftermath and what it meant for me—to be restored to the Host.

“They are very different people. The main binding thread is that they’re both environmentalists—they really care about Mother Earth and preserving the planet. But they have wildly different backgrounds, and all of my attempts to match them in the past have ended… fiery.”

“Fiery?”

“With them arguing, not kissing. They are practically enemies at this point.”

“Ooh, I love a good enemies-to-lovers!” She practicallyvibrated in her seat, and I had to chuckle at her genuine excitement.

“A what, now?”

“Enemies-to-lovers. You know, the romance book trope?”

I stared at her blankly.

“Caleb, you’re notseriouslytelling me that you’rea cupid”—she dropped her voice low, even though she now knew everyone else there was in on the secret—“and haven’t ever read a romance novel? They’re the very epitome of love always winning. Very on-brand for a cupid. No matter how messed up the characters may be, they always come together in the end. Surely, you know the old saying—love conquers all.”

Love conquers all.It was one of the five core beliefs of a cupid. She made it sound so simple; yet how could it be, when she and I were what we were and could never cross the divide between us? If love couldn’t conquer the barrier we faced, how could I believe it conqueredall?

The realization disturbed me. Had I fallen further from my cupid calling than I realized? If the five core beliefs were no longer true?—

“Earth to Caleb!” Josie interrupted my dismayed train of thought with a grin on her face. “I know it’s a thing that men don’t like romance novels, but come on, you’re a cupid! Have you read one, or not?”

“Er, no? I’ve never needed to before. Do you think it would be helpful?”

“We have so much work to do. I don’t even know where to begin with your book-ducation. I mean, paranormal seems like a good fit, given what you are. Except you’re matching regular people, right?”

I nodded.

“So, contemporary. Enemies-to-lovers, for sure. I’mguessing we could find something else that fits them that could give you some ideas. Tell me more about them, and then after we finish our sandwiches, we can get right back to the shop!”

“Okay, well, they’ve known each other now for more than seven years, but the first time I matched them, I did it all wrong. They’re eco-warriors, and I decided to match them through a fender bender.”

“A fender bender?” She wrinkled her nose adorably.

“I know, okay? I realize now that it only drove a wedge between them. He was driving a luxury car, she was riding a city bus… He tapped the back of the bus, and ever since then, she thinks he doesn’t, and I quote, ‘put his money where his mouth is’ because he drives a gas vehicle and doesn’t take the bus.”

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