Page 9 of When the Angel Falls First

“I’m sorry about my employee. She’s, well, Barb.” Josie’s cheeks colored, a beautiful peach flush tinting her skin, taunting my fingers with the desire to touch. To taste.

“Don’t apologize. I love everything about what you’ve built here, truly. I knew if you decided to follow your dreams, you’d make it spectacular.”

She looked down, sinking her nose into the cat’s ruff and taking a beat before responding. “It was thanks to you, you know. What you said back then gave me what I needed. Do you remember?”

“Of course I do.”

“‘The future you seek is seeking you.’ Everyone else told me it was crazy, that I should do somethingsecure.” Her eyes were fiery when she looked back up. “You know what’s secure? Trusting my instincts. Leaning into what I believe in. Knowing what I can do. That’s my security.”

Pride for her accomplishments swelled in my chest, the feeling surprising. I had no claim on her, no horse in this race, and yet… I wanted this for her. I wanted her to be living the life of her dreams. Except, I sensed no trace of the football player. No leftover wisps of his essence, nothing changed about her, or her signature, to indicate they were still together. Nor that she was with anyone else, as far as I could tell.

Was she single again?

It shouldn’t matter. It really shouldn’t. I’d tried to get closer to her before, and it hadn’t turned out wellat all. Clearly, she hadn’t believed me when I told her what I was, based on her reaction to my distracting her landlord a few minutes ago.

“Why are you looking at me like that?” she prodded, shifting back and forth nervously on her feet.

“Like what?” I asked, curious about her thoughts. She’d always had a unique read on every situation.

“Like…” She let one hand drop from the cat, disappearing under the counter. It was like watching a light bulb turn on, her expression suddenly clear. “You’re here for a romance? For yourself?”

That had me rocking back on my heels. “What? Why would you say that?”

“Just a hunch. Youdidcome in here for a couple, after all.”

Heavens help me.The couple. They’d left ages ago, and I’d been so distracted with Josie, I completely forgot to follow them. She’d recommended two completely off-the-wall books, they’d paid, and I hadn’t batted an eye as they left.

And here I was, still enraptured by the sight of her instead of doing my job.

Again, damn it.

This was a mistake I couldn’t afford to repeat, though. I needed a perfect record to get my wings back, and this was the only extra couple I’d been assigned inseven years. I couldn’t screw this up, even if every fiber of my being was screaming to stay, to spend time with Josie, to bask in her achingly familiar presence a little longer.

“I have to go,” I said, unable to hide the regret in my voice.

“I’d say I’m surprised, but that would be a lie.”

Yeah, she wasn’t going to forgive me any time soon. Her acidic tone told me everything I needed to know, and then some.

“It was good seeing you again, Josie. I’d love to catch up if you’d be open to the idea.”

She bit her lip, both hands sinking into the cat’s white furonce more, but she didn’t answer right away. I had to go, but I somehow couldn’t uproot myself until she answered me. There was no part of me that would leave.

“Oh, for cripe’s sake,” Barb interjected, hands on hips in the aisle. “She’d love to, Caleb. Call the shop any time. Don’t look at me like that, Josie!” She wagged a motherly finger. “You know it’s not going to work out with any of those wannabe fishermen on your app. This hunk of a man right here is what you need to wow your mom’s socks off.”

I looked back at Josie, hoping she’d confirm that I could call and maybe even tell me what Barb was talking about.

Fishermen?

Wowing her mom’s socks?

“Fine! He can call, justpleasestop talking!” She made the universal cutting motion for Barb to be quiet, but the woman only grinned, looking pleased as she surveyed the two of us.

Josie was reluctant at best, but it was more than I’d dared hope for when I first walked in, and I’d take it. But now, I had to go track down my couple and see what I had to do to get them together.

“I’ll call you tomorrow morning,” I said as I walked out the door.

“But will you?” she whispered, a question I was very sure wasn’t meant for me but which sent pain spiraling through me just the same.

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