Hayes lifted the bottom of his shirt and wiped his face. “Yeah, well, when is Ash not a stubborn jackass?”
“I didn’t say jackass,” she shot back, sending me an apologetic look.
He finally looked at me. Things were still tense between us, and I couldn’t blame him for his anger. “Oh, did you not? Must’ve been the wind,” he drawled. If things were normalbetween us, I would’ve flipped him off and laughed. He lifted his arm and gestured to the house. “Well, what are you waiting for?” he prompted.
Permission.
Forgiveness.
Absolution.
A fucking sign from the universe or Nonna that I wasn’t going crazy.
Angel.
Margo huffed and trudged out of the house, keeping the door open with her Doc Marten. She swung her arm into the house, eyes on me. “Go in there and talk to her!” she hissed.
My gut twisted, a heavy ball of dread slamming down at the bottom. “But she—”
“Ash, dude,” Margo urged, bringing her hands together. “She is asking for you. She hasn’t asked me to speak for her or for you. She wants to seeyou, to talk toyou.”
Fuck.
Fucking fuck.
“Go,” Grayson ordered quietly, tipping his head to the house. “We’ll wait out here.” He paused and looked at Margo. “All of us.”
She stared at him for a moment but eventually nodded and made her way to Hayes. I glanced at Carrie and Grayson as my feet moved. Carrie gave me a small, unsure smile, but Grayson gave me a single nod. And somehow, the ball of dread started to unravel.
The house was warm, a mix of lemons, musk, and then in the air as the floorboards creaked beneath my weight. The entryway was grand, a staircase off to the left, a hallway leading to the back of the house beside it. From the small table in the center, if I went left, I would be in what looked like an office, and to the right—
“Hello, Ash.”
Her sweet voice cut through my thoughts. The sound of my name on her tongue carried so much power, I doubt either of us would know how to handle it if I told her so. I turned to the right, holding my breath. My eyes landed on her and my heart nearly stopped.
I’d only managed to see a glimpse of her that day in Rossy’s.
Jesus, she looked so…alive.An angel walking on earth, and I wasn’t worthy enough to even breathe in her presence.
She was standing in front of the fireplace, her back to it, arms wrapped around herself. Along the mantel, white candles and blue candles lined up in glass jars were lit, their small flames dancing. She was tall, taller than Margo. If she were to stand in front of me, my lips would be in line with her forehead. Her body, no longer skin and bone, was healthy. Her shoulders were round, her hips prominent, and her legs…she was a work of art. Margo had made her change from her work uniform into a pair of loose cream linen pants and matching long sleeved shirt with a deep neckline. It showed off her freckled skin, and in this light, with her damp hair framing her face, she looked ethereal.
I dipped my chin, dropping my eyes. “Angel,” I murmured gruffly. I heard a sharp inhale and instantly righted my head to find her rubbing her upper arms as if trying to warm herself up. “Are you cold?” I asked cautiously, eyeing the fire.
The woman who’d been haunting me for years, every waking moment of my existence, averted her gaze and cleared her throat. “No, no. I’m fine. I just…I’d forgotten…” she trailed off and let out a whisper of a laugh. She brought her hand out and waved it between us. I waited, watching as she tried to find the right words. And after a second attempt at clearing her throat, she found them, and they rocked me to the very bottom of my soul. “I forgot how lovely your voice was.”
Yeah, this was hell on earth.
I tore my eyes away from her, focusing on the painting above her couch. “Margo and Carrie told me you wanted to speak with me.”
“Oh.” She cleared her throat again. I knew she was nervous; I just hoped me being here wasn’t causing her any additional stress. “Yes, I did. Would you like to take a seat?”
“No.”
Angel jerked back. “O-of course. I understand.”
Fuck. “I just—I don’t want to intrude on your life any more than I already have,” I explained. “I also need to apologize.”
“Apologize?”
