Date with Destiny Collection: Angel Romance Series: Books 1 - 4 Page 10

  Julie’s broad smile dropped to the floor as she opened the door and came face to face with Amadeus Cera. She would’ve recognized him immediately, even if he didn’t still look almost exactly the same as he had the last time she saw him.

  Dark brown hair curled slightly over his ears, and his stiff dress clothes emphasized his lithe physique. His cloud gray eyes were filled with longing, and he held a bouquet of flowers — nothing as extravagant as the ones he used to bring her when they were dating, but beautiful nonetheless. He held them out to her, hoping she would accept them automatically and that the acceptance would then extend to him.

  “Julie.” He stared, noticing the way her auburn hair still curled gently over her shoulders and her emerald green eyes stood out against her pale skin like crocus leaves poking through the snow. Only the tiniest crinkle of lines around her eyes gave evidence to the passage of time.

  Julie glanced confusedly from Zeph to Amadeus, ignoring the out-held flowers. “Zeph, is this your father?”

  “No, Mrs. Jones, we think he’s Eve’s.”

  Julie stumbled backward at that comment, and Eve threw an arm around her waist to support her.

  “I don’t understand,” Julie whispered, clutching her mouth with her hand, her bright eyes threatening to pop from her plaster-cast face.

  “I’ve missed so much, Julie; can you please give me another chance? I just want to talk to you.”

  Julie nodded, and her wax-like expression began to melt. “What… how… when…?” Questions tumbled through her mind and out her lips. “I have so many questions, I don’t even know where to start!”

  Zeph decided to jump in. “Eve showed me the picture you gave her, and I recognized Mr. Cera right away. I took Eve to meet him yesterday.”

  Julie nodded, still too stunned to speak coherently, but grateful that at least she didn’t have to explain who he was to Eve. She stared at her daughter, amazed that she had managed to keep such a momentous experience a secret.

  “Julie, I understand my actions hurt you terribly, and while I deeply regret not being part of Eve’s life, I understand why you didn’t want me in it, and… I forgive you.”

  Day crossed the threshold and gingerly placed his hands on Julie’s shoulders, passing the flowers off to Eve. “Could you ever forgive me?”

  All the feelings she had for him so many years ago came rushing back, overwhelming her with their intensity. Hot tears filled her eyes, and her mouth pinched in an effort to control her emotions. The slightest nod was all it took for him to engulf her in an embrace.

  “Oh Julie, Julie, you have no idea how much I’ve missed you.” His mouth was buried in her hair, muffling his words. “I knew you moved on, got married, had a family, but I still thought about you — every single day.”

  He pulled away to look into her eyes, his own glassy with flowing tears. “You were my soulmate, Julie, and I never stopped loving you, not even for a minute.”

  Julie gasped, overwhelmed by his declaration and the look of sincerity shining in his eyes. Her own eyes clouded with painful memories. “Then why wasn’t it enough to keep you loyal to me?”

  Day dropped his head and squeezed his eyes. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me, Julie, things I’d like to explain, but in the end they’re just excuses, and I’m still the one at fault. My behavior that day was inexcusable, but you saw everything. I wasn’t having an affair, Julie, I just let myself get carried away that one day, that one time. She kissed me, and I kissed her back, caught up in the emotion, but I swear to you it never went farther than that.”

  Julie gazed at him, trying to sustain the disbelief that had enabled her to walk away from the father of her child, but his face radiated his sincerity. Had she really denied him the chance to know his own child because he gave in to one fleeting moment of temptation? The guilt of her own ruthlessness weighed on her like dirt piling on a casket, burying her in sorrow.

  Day could sense her spiraling into despair, and he reached out to her. “No, Julie, don’t hate yourself. You did what you thought you had to do to protect your heart. I understand.”

  Just then, the timer on the oven rang and shattered the overwhelming tension. “I made enchiladas,” Julie remarked distractededly, and the tension dissolved in nervous laughter.

  Julie scurried to take their dinner from the oven and Day followed her, glancing curiously around their bright and cheerful apartment. Regret threatened to overtake him as he took in the evidence of a full and happy life. Pictures of Julie and her children lined the mantle, and awards and report cards decorated the fridge. He forced himself not to think about all he had missed and concentrate instead on the joy that might lay ahead.

  Eve used the moment to greet her boyfriend with a soft smile and a peck on the cheek. “Thank you for making this happen, Zeph. You have no idea how happy this makes me.”

  Zeph smiled and dropped his gaze to her hand. He reached out to take it and brought it to his lips. “Seeing you happy makes me happy.” Eve grinned and covered her mouth with her unclaimed hand.

  “Where are your brothers?”

  “They went over to a friend’s house. I thought this might be easier without them.”

  Zeph nodded his agreement.

  “We better eat before it gets cold.” Julie approached the table with a steaming pan of enchiladas, their spicy scent creating a sense of festiveness. It was a party of sorts, she supposed, however impromptu.

  Julie took her normal spot at the head of the table, and Eve and Zeph lined up beside her, directing Day to the other end. The symbolic position didn’t escape him, whether or not it was intentional. Could it ever be possible for him to take a prominent place in their life? He and Julie looked like bookends, supporting their family, the two empty chairs across from Zeph and Eve just waiting for the boys to arrive.

  When Julie had married he saw the announcement in the paper, cementing the finality of their relationship. He made no further attempts to reconcile with her after that and tried to erase her from his mind, but his heart had refused to accept the reality of their separation. Despite how hard he tried to forget about her, he couldn’t stop loving her, even when she belonged to someone else.

  He had missed her husband’s obituary a few years later and had spent more than a decade assuming she was still happily married. He’d always assumed she’d had children, so it came as no surprise when Eve told him about her half-brothers. How would they feel about another man in their mother’s life?

  He laughed at himself for that thought. He had only reunited with Julie ten minutes ago and was already thinking about a future together. Just because he longed for that with every ounce of his being didn’t make it so.

  The table was quiet as they passed around the salad, corn, and enchiladas, the scrape and clink of the dishes and silverware reverberating loudly in the awkward silence. Finally, Julie broke the silence with a quiet request. “Tell me about your life, Day.”

  Day glanced briefly at Julie before dropping his gaze. He pushed the food around on his plate while he mulled over how to condense the last 17 years into a few sentences. He decided to stick to the basics.

  “I became a counselor after I finished grad school. I have a little practice on the other side of Indy.” He almost explained that that was how he knew Zeph so well, but decided that might be embarrassing to the teen.

  “Did you… marry?” It was Julie’s turn to stare at her plate.

  “No.” Day took a big breath and looked into her curious eyes. Should he just go ahead and say it? He had to tell her the truth eventually. It wasn’t right to expect Eve to keep his secret. “I couldn’t. I had already bound myself to you.”

  Julie raised an eyebrow and squinted her eyes. “What do you mean?”

  Day sighed and looked to Zeph and Eve for encouragement. They answered with nods and smiles. “My kind believes that physical… intimacy… creates a permanent bond, one that can’t be broken.”

  Julie wrinkled her brow and stare
d at him, trying to understand. She decided to break his strange explanation into sections and decipher one at a time. She didn’t realize that just the first two words of that sentence would change her life forever.

  “What do you mean by ‘my kind’?”

  Day stared into her gemstone eyes for a beat, trying to work up the nerve to tell her. Zeph laid a reassuring hand on his shoulder, confident that she would take the news as well as her daughter.

  “Zeph and I, and by birthright Eve, are Celestia Divisa — half human, half angel.”

  Julie’s fork clattered to the table as it fell from her hand, but she didn’t seem to notice it, so caught up was she in Day’s revelation. She glanced from Day to Zeph to Eve, eyes wide and mouth open.

  A million questions bubbled to the surface of her mind as she tried to comprehend what he was saying, and Day answered them all before she had a chance to ask them, calmly explaining his supernatural ancestry and what it meant to be a Divisa. Julie stayed quiet as she tried to absorb the unbelievable information.

  When he got to the explanation about his angelic gift, Eve perked up, eager to learn more about it. They hadn’t really talked about that at their first meeting.

  “My gift is love.” Day dared to reach for Julie’s hand.

  “I love stronger than anyone else, and I can spread that love to others. That’s part of why I never stopped loving you, Julie. It’s not in my nature. I use my gift to help others learn to forgive pain and offense and open themselves up to give and receive love.

  That’s what I was doing with that other woman that day in the restaurant. We’d met a few days before, and I’d helped her heal from a painful relationship. She was so hurt, so broken, she needed a miracle to recover.”

  Zeph gasped, understanding the significance of Day’s statement. Eve and Julie glanced at him, but Day quickly continued. It was his confession to make.

  “We usually use our gifts in subtle ways. Working miracles is very rare, and very…. overwhelming. The emotional effect is something that affects us permanently. It usually causes us to fall in love.” Day paused, and the statement hung in the air like August humidity.

  “But I was already in love — with you, Julie, so even though I gave in to the emotion of the moment, it was just a temporary reaction. It didn’t change how I felt about you at all. I didn’t have a relationship with that woman, Julie. I had already given my heart and soul to you. I’ve spent my whole life wanting you.”

  Julie stayed silent, trying to blink away the tears that fell uncontrollably down her face. Day got up from his chair and kneeled by her, wiping the tears away with his thumb. Julie grabbed his hand like a lifesaver and moved her face closer to his. Their lips met in a kiss that melted away all the missing years.

  Eve turned to Zeph with tears in her own eyes, her lips clenched between her teeth, and Zeph embraced her, pressing her head against his chest. “Thank you, Zeph,” she whispered.

  Julie pulled away from Day with a look of pleasure that quickly morphed into one of panic. “I have to get the boys; it’s a school night!”

  She jumped guiltily from Day’s arms. What was she doing, falling back into his arms like the past never happened? She didn’t even know this man anymore.

  And why was she buying all this talk about being half angel? She’d never been a religious person, never given any serious consideration to the idea of God, let alone angels or half angels with special gifts who spent their days working miracles. Why was she so quick to believe him, when she’d spent the last 17 years distrusting him?

  “It’s okay, Mom, Zeph and I will go get them. I think you two could use some time alone, anyway.” Eve grabbed Zeph by the hand, and they quickly pulled on jackets as Julie glanced furtively from Day to Eve. “We’ll be back in half an hour.” She gave her parents a happy wink as she pulled her boyfriend out the door.

  “Do you want to stay and meet them?” Julie asked nervously.

  “I’d love that.” Day kissed her hand and pulled her into him. “I’d give anything to be part of your life again, Julie — part of your family.”

  “They lost their father when they were very young. They could use a man in their life.”

  Day gulped at the implications of her statement. Was she really willing to open her heart and life up to him again?

  Julie began clearing the table, desperate to busy her shaking hands. Day grabbed a few plates and followed her to the kitchen. “Tell me about your boys, Julie.”

  Julie set her dishes by the sink and turned to look at him. Could he really still care about her enough to accept her whole family? It was incredible to believe that he’d held a place for her in his heart all these years while she’d convinced herself he was a worthless cheater and forced all thoughts of him out of her mind. Their relationship had been full of love and passion. Was she capable of opening her heart up again?

  She wasn’t sure, but the way he looked at her made her desperate to try. She was lonely and struggling to raise her children alone, and she knew Eve was thrilled to meet her father. Would her boys be willing to accept him? And what about this angel business? Did she really believe him? It sounded like a fairy tale, but she saw not even a hint of insincerity.

  “They’re pretty crazy,” she blurted out, trying to stop the thoughts that were whirling through her mind. “They like karate, and video games, and they make a racket chasing each other around the house.”

  “Sounds pretty typical.” Day smiled, amused by her attempts to scare him off. He wouldn’t be deterred by the antics of a couple preteens. Not when the love of his life was standing next to him, looking him in the eye, and contemplating whether or not there was a place for him in her life.

  “I like kids; I counsel a lot of them. Especially ones from broken homes who need an adult to care about them.”

  Julie nodded thoughtfully. He was pretty much perfect.

  “I’d really like to get to know them, and Eve of course.”

  That was only fair, Julie acknowledged. Eve deserved a chance to know her father. The guilt of keeping them apart weighed heavily on her mind. Even if she and Day couldn’t work things out, he and Eve could still have a relationship. But how much better would it be if they could all be one big, happy family? The thought warmed her insides like drinking a cup of cocoa next to a fire.

  Just then, the boys came roaring into the house like the Tasmanian Devil, yelling and laughing over each other in a dusty, sweaty whirlwind. They came to an abrupt halt when they caught a glimpse of Day and their mother, standing inches apart in the kitchen.

  “Hi guys, this is my friend, Day Cera,” Julie announced, hoping to avoid any embarrassing comments. She wasn’t sure what Eve had told them.

  “Hello,” they mumbled in unison and shuffled their way over to the kitchen. Julie raised an eyebrow to remind them of their manners, and they offered their right hands in a limp shake. Day accepted their sticky paws with a straight face and shook them firmly.

  “Are you going out with my mom?” Andy asked with eyes narrowed. Nothing got by that kid.

  Day chuckled. “I’d like to.” He gave Andy a conspiratorial wink and put his arm around Julie.

  Julie glanced questioningly at Eve and then at Day, and they nodded their encouragement. “Boys, Day is Eve’s father.”

  The two boys glanced incredulously from one person to another, finally returning their stare to their mother. They knew that Steven Jones had not been Eve’s biological father, but they’d never been told any details.

  “So, was he like, your husband, or your boyfriend?” Alex curled his lip in revulsion. Being twelve, he knew just enough about sex to be enthralled and disgusted by it at the same time.

  “Yes. A long time ago. But we broke up before Eve was born.” Julie didn’t see the need to elaborate on the specifics of their relationship.

  “Do you guys like video games?” Day wisely redirected the conversation, and their critical looks melted into smiles of excitement as they began chatte
ring about their favorites. Day oohed and aahed in all the right places, and soon they were dragging him to their room for a competition.

  Julie stared in amazement as the boys and Day disappeared down the hallway. “Well, that went better than I expected.”

  “He’s a really good guy, Mrs. Jones; I think they can sense that. Believe me, I’ve known him for a lot of years. He’d never do anything to hurt them… or you.”

  Julie looked questioningly at Zeph, his arms around her daughter. Did she dare believe the incredible story told by this teenage boy and her daughter’s long lost father?

  Chapter 15

  “So I’ve been thinking more about your theory,” Zeph said. He was lounging with Eve on her bed, lying face to face, one hand propping up his head and the other one tracing the floral design on her comforter. What he really wanted was to trace the curve of her hip, instead. “You know, the one about my gift?”

  Eve nodded and ran her free hand down her side. She was only smoothing her dress, but it set Zeph’s heart thumping with desire. The soft, sweet scent of her permeated everything around him, tickling his nose with her fragrance. He wasn’t sure it was wise of him to be here with her, alone in her bedroom.

  Her mother had a date with her father and wouldn’t be home for hours. Her brothers were in the next room, but the raucous sounds coming from their Xbox would probably drown out any noise Zeph and Eve made. Deciding that lying down was too much temptation, Zeph sat up and leaned his back against the headboard.

  “Well, I think you might be right. I mean, I found you, didn’t I? When no one else had ever noticed you before. Cheydan, Maddock, my parents, my sister — none of them could see it, but it was obvious to me. I recognized it the moment I first laid eyes on you.”

  “Was that the first day of school, in the cafeteria?” Eve followed Zeph’s lead and pulled herself up on the bed, smoothing her skirt over her knees. “I saw you staring at me.”