"IfI didn't know better, I'd say it was…afraid?"
"No.It couldn't have been," I answered certainly. Candace was many things. Frightening wasn't one ofthem.
Chapter 17
"You know, I'm going to have to startsending the public works bills to you if you don't stop destroying the centerof town." Sherry, Jimmy's cousin and Mayor of Cedar Falls, ran her footover the hole from the angel's sword and grimaced at the Yuki sized dent in theconcrete wall.
"Well,I'll come by tonight, when nobody is around, and fix it all up." I wiggledmy fingers in the air.
"Anangel. Came down from heaven. With a flaming fucking sword. And proceed to batthe three of you around like a cat with a mouse. You're going to tell me you'reworried about you performing magical street repairs?" She eyed meincredulously.
"Goodpoint." I slammed my hand on the ground and canted, "A bheith mar a bhí tú." The concrete rippled andreformed, fully unscathed as the magic traveled up the wall of the bistro,filling in the cracks and healing the brick.
"Okay.That was fucking cool." Sherry stared in openamazement.
Iturned and saw at least ten people milling around to watch the show. They shooktheir heads and carried on with their activities, pretending not to notice the magicalroad and building repairs. One little girl, about five or six, wasn't oldenough to pretend not to stare and grinned at me from across the street,waving. I couldn't help but chuckle as I waved back.
"Lookslike you have a fan." Sherry stifled a giggle behind her hand.
"Don'tmake fun. She's my first one."
"Well,if you're done and can keep out of trouble, I'm going to head home," Yukisaid and straightened her back. She had definitely taken a wallop from the buildingand was still moving funny while her body healed itself.
"Ithink I can manage. Thanks for the save, Yuke."
"Mypleasure." She rolled her eyes and started walking away, as best shecould. Her massive limp impeded her exit.
"Yougood?"
"Yeah.I'll live."
"Dar,can you make sure she gets home okay?" I leaned in a little closer. "Makesure she's eaten, too… She seems to be healing a little slower than usual."
"Yes,Master." He bowed and hurried away, ducking under the arm Yuki was holdingher back with.
"Isshe going to be okay?" Sherry whispered her question, not knowing Yukicould still hear her.
"She'llbe fine after a good meal," Yuki answered with a wave over her shoulder. Ididn't elaborate.
"Well,if you'll excuse me, Sherry, I need to pay for my lunch." I patted herhand and opened the door to Charlotte's.
"I'vebeen eating here for years. I've never seen you in there once. You trying toget away from your mayoral scolding?"
Ichuckled. "No Blackwell backs away from a good fight with the mayor. Askmy mother." The truth was, I loved Sherry to death. The odds of her endingup with a horse's anus magicked to her forehead were less than zero.
"Well,it's too late for lunch and too early for dinner. But a nice hunk of Frenchbread and some tea might be nice." Sherry ducked inside.
Candacewas gone. Of course. Her lunch break was short, and she needed to get back tothe store. At least, that's what I was sure she would have told me if she hadn'trun right after the angel encounter. I had questions that she didn't want toanswer. Odds were, Candace was going to be avoiding me until she thought I hadforgotten. Little did she know, I was a master ambusher. And I knew where shelived andworked.
Ilooked at the table. She had taken a few bites of her salad before taking off.My turkey burger still sat on the plate, untouched. "Hey, Charlie. Howmuch do I owe you for lunch?" I motioned toward the table. At least I hadan excuse not to eat it.
"Don'tworry about it. Want it to go? I can make you a fresh one."
"Uh.No thanks. Lost my appetite." I frowned at her, hoping she would buy my horribleacting skills.
Shenodded and walked over to the table, clearing the plates. "You wantanything, Sherry?"
"Breadand tea emergency rations please."
"Beout in a minute. Have a few loaves coming out of the oven. Butter?"
"Oh,God. Yes, please." Sherry groaned a little. My stomach warbled in envy.
I'dplanned on stopping by the diner to get a burger, but the bread soundedsinfully delicious. "Actually, make that two and put it on my bill. Alongwith the food we didn't eat."
Charliesmiled in response and headed to the back with the dishes.
"So.How are things going with Derek?"
"Extremelywell. We're having dinner tonight. Why don't you and Jimmy join us?"
Uhhh… "Where?" I found myselfasking, horrified that I hadn't declined right off the bat. The last thing Iwanted to see was Derek with another woman.
"Bunyan's."
"Ooh.Steak."
"Yep."
"Whattime?"
"Seven."
"Soundsfun. We'll be there." It was like I had absolutely no control over mymouth. Which on any given day would be normal for me, but this time wasdifferent. I'd been trying to say no from the minute I started speaking.
Sherry'seyes lit up in excitement.
Luckily,I could use Jimmy not being available as an excuse not to show up. I started totell her I would check with her cousin and let her know when Charlie steppedout of the back with a picnic basket on each arm. As far as take outcontainers, that was a first. "Nice baskets."
"Thanks.Make them myself."
"Isn'tit adorable? When you buy bread, she gives it to you in a basket. You'resupposed to return them, but I kind of suck at it. I never remember. There'slike five of them up in my office." Sherry blushed. "I promise, Charlie.I'll bring them down tomorrow."
"Noworries," Charlie answered her with an amused chuckle.
"I'llhave Candy bring mine with her tomorrow," I told her. "How much do Iowe you?"
"Itold you, it is on the house, Dorothea."
"AndI don't do that." I fished my wallet out of my jacket and put a hundred onthe counter, far from her reach. "See you all later," I waved over myshoulder and headed out the door before she could stop me. If there wasone thing I remembered from all of my grandmother's lessons, it was never owe afae a favor.
Thethought of taking the bread back to the bookstore and eating in the office didn'tsound half as appealing as sitting
