The colourdrained from his handsome face. “You have a rat? You really shouldtidy up once in a while.”
He often passedcomments on her untidy flat—he even helped her tidy sometimes,being the total neat freak he was—but the mess never botheredher.
It was no good.She couldn’t hold back any longer. A weird, snorty laugh escapedfrom her mouth. “I’m kidding.”
He still eyedthe spider, sitting happily in the middle of her palm. “Oh, good.You had me there for a minute.”
“Relax, Caleb.I don’t have a rat or a mouse, but they’re the names I make up forthe stories I tell the kids at the hospital.”
“You do? Howlovely, Evie, but I won’t relax until you put that thing down.”
Caleb shiftedout of the way while she placed the spider on the wall. “Bye,Sidney Spider,” she said as it scuttled towards the fire escapestairs leading to the rooftop.
He watched thecreature until it disappeared, only then taking a sip of hisbrandy. “I’ve meant to ask, did you manage to find another jobyet?”
“No, but itmeans I’ve been able to help out more at the children’s hospital. Iknow it’s not paid, but I love it.”
“How is Lucy?And the other kids?”
“They’re okay,but Lucy had a bit of a setback this week. She’s doing well, so theward sister says, but I’m worried about her.”
“Lucy will befine. I know she will.”
“How can yousay that with such certainty? She has cancer, the poor girl.”
ChapterSix
Evie’s stomachhollowed every time she thought of how much Lucy had suffered.
Caleb fixed herwith an intense gaze. “Evie, I think you’re ready for the nextstage of your training.”
“I am?”
“Yes. Watchthis,” he told her.
The airsurrounding them hummed with unseen energy. Noise from the citybelow quietened.
A soft whiteglow radiated from Caleb’s skin, giving him an ethereal appearance.Her breath caught in her throat.
Without anotherword, he took her mug and placed it on the grating and did the samewith his glass tumbler. His hand hovered above her heart. “MayI?”
She nodded.
Caleb laid hispalm on the centre of her chest.
She held herbreath, ignoring how close his hand was to her breasts, how herskin tingled with anticipation.
His handwarmed, then the glow intensified into his palm. He held it therefor several seconds, steady, firm yet gentle. Warmth and hopepoured into her heart.
Caleb’s touchwas angelic and magical… and kind of erotic too. Her lips parted.Is that normal?
His barelyaudible gasp suggested he’d sensed something else too. Shedismissed the idea as her imagination running away with her.
“Don’t befrightened,” he told her.
She wasn’t,more like buzzing with energy, as though every one of her nerveendings zinged with magic.
“Are you givingmy wings their golden feathers?”
His face brokeinto a kind smile, and her heart melted. “No, not yet, but it won’tbe long now.”
“What did youdo? I feel… I don’t know…” she searched for the right word,“empowered.” And aroused.
“The next timeyou see Lucy, look into her soul. You’ll see she’s going to live along and happy life.”
“You can dothat?”
“Yes, and socan you now. It’s part of your angel training. Next step, your goldwingtips.”
“Wow,” sheuttered. “That’s incredible.” You’re incredible.
“Don’t look soawestruck. We angels can see the bad things too. It’s a cross wemust bear, but you’re more than capable of handling it.”
“Wow,” sherepeated.
“Would you liketo fly with me?”
“I would, but Ithink I might have had too much brandy.” An image of a clumsy emucame to mind again.
“So have I, butlook at that stunning sunset. It would be a shame to waste it.”
“I’ve nevertaken off from somewhere this small before.”
“You’ll befine.” Caleb stretched out his wings. “I’ll catch you if you getinto trouble.”
“The sunsetdoes look amazing.” Evie got up and climbed onto the railing,extending her wings behind her.
Caleb stood andstepped back to give her more room.
At the momentof her launch, Evie’s boot slipped on the wobbly iron bars. Herwingtips brushed the wall, knocking her off balance. It seemed hertake-offs needed work too.
Evie plungedtowards the street below, frantically flapping her wings to controlher descending spiral.
In a flash,Caleb swooped past, then came up underneath her. He grabbed herhand and steadied her until she regained control of her wings.
“It’s okay,I’ve got this now,” she told him. With a downward thrust, shesoared into the sky.
Caleb followedand flew by her side.
She glanced athim and grinned. Flying, she could do—it was the before and afterthat let her down. One day, she’d be as graceful as Caleb. Eviepurposely flapped her left wing hard and fast, disrupting hisairflow.
He dropped agood ten feet before recovering. “Hey, that’s cheating.”
“Catch me ifyou can!” she yelled, swooping into a lone wispy cloud and out theother side.
In less thanthree seconds, he caught up with her. “You want a race, rookie.You’ve got it.”
Evie laughed asthey raced together, first her in the lead and then him.
She gulped airinto her lungs, revelling in the feel of the breeze rufflingthrough her feathers, the warmth of the setting sun on herface.
Wind thunderedin her ears the faster and higher she soared, her white, iridescentwings moving in time with Caleb’s gold-tipped ones.
Keeping the sunto their right, they flew south over the city and into thecountryside. The sky was a kaleidoscope of colours, from watermelonand peach to burnt orange and mauve as they reached the coast, thebright yellow sun sinking majestically into the horizon.
Caleb landedwith his usual grace on the soft sand.
Evie hesitated.She and sand were not a good combination. She flapped her wings andhovered above the isolated beach.
“Come on, land.You can do it.”
“Do you want meto look like that clumsy emu again?”
“It’s almostdark, but I’ll turn around if you want me to.”
To her relief,he did, and she plonked to the ground with all the grace of anelephant at a tea party. She brushed the sand off her jeans andshook out her wings. “Okay, you can turn around now.”
By the grin onhis face, he’d peeked. “I think I know where your problem is.”
So he did look.She pulled a face.
“Try again, upthere this time.” He pointed to a sand dune not far behind them.“The slight slope will help you, so you don’t come down toofast.”
Willing to giveanything a go, she headed for the dune.
All through thenight, with the moon casting its silvery
