Halo (13 page)

“It’s no longer fashionably late when you miss the movie.” Xavier was wearing his wry smile, navy chino shorts, and a cream polo shirt.

“I can’t make it,” I said between breaths. “I just came to let you know.”

“You didn’t have to run all the way over here to tell me that. You could have called.”

Xavier’s eyes were playful. I struggled to think of a reply that wouldn’t make me look ridiculous. My first impulse was to say I’d lost his number, but I didn’t want to lie to him.

“Since you’re here,” he continued, “how about a coffee?”

“What about the movie?”

“I can see that anytime.”

“All right, but I can’t stay long. No one knows I’m out,” I confessed.

“There’s a place just two blocks down, if you don’t mind walking.”

The café was called Sweethearts. Xavier put his hand between my shoulder blades to steer me inside, and I felt the heat of his palm seep through to my skin. A strange warmth bubbled up inside of me until I realized his hand was directly on the place where my wings were carefully folded. I quickly edged away with a nervous laugh.

“You’re a strange girl,” he said, looking bemused.

I was grateful when he asked for a booth as I wanted privacy from prying eyes. We had attracted a fair bit of attention just walking down the street together. Inside the café were some faces I recognized from school, but I didn’t know the students personally so no acknowledgment was required. I saw Xavier nodding in various directions before we sat down. Were these his friends? I wondered whether our outing would fuel the rumor mill come Monday.

The place was inviting and I started to feel more relaxed. The lighting was low, and the walls were lined with old movie posters. On the table were free postcards advertising the work of local artists. The menu offered a variety of milk shakes, coffees, cakes, and sundaes. A waitress wearing black-and-white sneakers took our order. I ordered a hot chocolate and Xavier asked for a latte. The waitress gave him a flirtatious smile as she scribbled on her pad.

“Hope this place is okay with you,” he said when she’d gone. “I usually come here after training.”

“It’s nice,” I said. “Do you train a lot?”

“Two afternoons and most weekends. What about you? Have you got involved in anything yet?”

“Not yet, I’m still deciding.”

Xavier nodded. “These things take time.” He folded his arms comfortably across his chest and leaned back in his seat. “So, tell me about yourself.”

It was the question I’d been dreading.

“What would you like to know?” I asked cautiously.

“Firstly, why you’ve chosen Venus Cove. It’s not exactly high profile.”

“That’s why,” I said. “Let’s call it a lifestyle decision—we were tired of jet-setting, wanted to settle down somewhere quiet.” I knew this would be an acceptable answer; there was no shortage of families who had relocated for similar reasons. “Now, tell me about yourself.”

I think he knew I was hoping to fend off more questions, but it didn’t matter. Xavier was comfortable talking and didn’t need encouragement. Unlike me, he was forthcoming with personal information. He told anecdotes about family members and gave an abridged version of the Woods’s family history.

“I come from a family of six kids and I’m the second eldest. Both parents are doctors, Mom’s a local GP and Dad’s an anesthesiologist. Claire, the eldest, is following in my parents’ footsteps, and she’s in her second year of a med degree. She lives at college but comes home every weekend. She just got engaged to her boyfriend Luke—they’ve been together four years. Then there are three younger sisters—Nicola’s fifteen, Jasmine’s eight, and Madeline’s about to turn six. The youngest is Michael and he’s four. Bored yet?”

“No, it’s fascinating. Please go on,” I urged. I found the details of a normal, human family intriguing and was thirsty to hear more. Was I envious of his life? I wondered.

“Well, I’ve been at Bryce Hamilton since kindergarten because my mom insisted I go to a Christian school. She’s a conservative—been with my dad since they were fifteen. Can you believe that? They’ve practically grown up together.”

“They must have a very strong relationship.”

“They’ve had their ups and downs, but nothing’s ever happened that they haven’t been able to deal with.”

“Sounds like a close family.”

“Yeah, we are, although Mom can be a little overprotective.”

I imagined Xavier’s parents having high aspirations for their eldest boy.

“Will you pursue medicine as well?”

“Probably.” He shrugged.

“You don’t sound too excited about it.”

“Well, I was interested in design for a while but that was, let’s say,
discouraged
.”

“Why’s that?”

“Isn’t considered a serious career, is it? The idea of having invested all this money into my education only to have it end in unemployment doesn’t thrill my parents.”

“What about what you want?”

“Sometimes parents know best.”

He seemed to accept the decisions made by his parents with good grace, happy to be guided by their expectations. His life was pretty much mapped out for him, and I imagined that any diversion from the set course wouldn’t be looked upon kindly. I could relate to him in that way—my human experience came with strict boundaries and guidelines and straying from the path was out of the question. Lucky for Xavier, his mistakes wouldn’t incur the wrath of Heaven. Instead they would be chalked up to experience.

Halfway through our drinks Xavier decided we needed “a sugar hit” and ordered chocolate cake, which arrived as a slab layered with whipped cream and berries on a large white plate with two long spoons. Despite being urged to “go for it,” I scooped daintily around the edges. When we’d finished, Xavier insisted on paying the check and looked offended when I tried to offer my share. He waved my hand away and dropped a bill into a tip jar labeled
GOOD KARMA
before we left.

It was only once we were outside that I realized the time.

“I know, it’s late,” Xavier said, reading my face. “But how about a short walk? I’m not ready to take you home yet.”

“I’m already in serious trouble.”

“In that case ten minutes more can’t hurt.”

I knew I should cut the night short; Ivy and Gabriel had surely realized I was gone and would be worried about me. It wasn’t that I didn’t care—I just couldn’t bear to tear myself away from Xavier a moment sooner than I had to. When I was around him, I was filled with an overpowering happiness that made the rest of the world fade away to nothing more than background noise. It was like the two of us were locked in a private bubble that nothing short of an earthquake could burst.

I wanted the night to last forever.

We walked to the end of the strip toward the water. When we got there, we saw a traveling carnival setting up on the boardwalk—a popular activity for families with restless children who needed a change from a winter spent indoors. A Ferris wheel rocked in the wind, and we could see bumper cars scattered around the track. A jumping castle glowed yellow in the twilight.

“Let’s check it out,” said Xavier with childlike enthusiasm.

“I don’t think it’s even open,” I said. “We won’t be able to get in.” There was something about the tired-looking carnival that made me reluctant to explore it further. “Besides, it’s almost dark.”

“Where’s your sense of adventure? We can always jump the fence.”

“I don’t mind a quick look, but I’m not jumping any fences.”

As it turned out there weren’t any fences to jump and we walked straight in. There wasn’t much to see. Some men hauling ropes and driving machinery ignored us. On the steps of a trailer, a tanned woman sat smoking. She wore a colorful dress and jangly bracelets up to her elbows. She had deep creases around her eyes and mouth, and her dark hair was graying at the temples.

“Ah, young love,” she said when she saw us. “Sorry, kids, but we’re closed.”

“Our mistake,” Xavier said politely. “We were just leaving.”

The woman took a long drag of her cigarette. “Like your fortunes read?” she asked in a rasping voice. “Since you’re here.”

“You’re a psychic?” I asked. I didn’t know whether to be skeptical or intrigued. It was true that some humans had a heightened awareness and could experience premonitions of sorts, but that was about the extent of it. Some humans could see spirits or feel their presence, but the term
psychic
seemed a little presumptuous to me.

“Sure am,” said the woman. “Angela Messenger at your service.” Her name threw me somewhat—that it should be so close to
angel
was unnerving. “Come on in, no charge,” she added. “Might liven up the evening.”

Inside, the trailer smelled of take-out food. Candles flickered on the table and fringed tapestries hung from the walls. Angela indicated we should sit down.

“You first,” she said to Xavier as she took his hand and began to study it intently. The expression on his face told me he thought the whole thing was a joke. “Well, you have a curved heart line, which means you’re a romantic,” she said. “Short head line means you think directly and don’t beat around the bush. I’m sensing a strong blue energy from you that indicates that heroism is in your blood but also means you are destined to experience great pain, of what sort I can’t be sure. But you should be prepared for it as it’s not far away.”

Xavier tried to look as though he was taking her advice seriously.

“Thank you,” he said. “That was very insightful. Your turn, Beth.”

“No, I’d rather not,” I said.

“The future is not to be feared but confronted,” said Angela. The way she said it was almost a challenge.

I held my hand out reluctantly for her to read. Although her fingers were rough and calloused, her touch was not unpleasant. The moment she stretched out my palm she seemed to stiffen slightly.

“I can see white,” she said, her eyes shut as if in a trance. “I feel an indescribable happiness.” She opened her eyes. “What an amazing aura you have. Let me check your lines. Here we have a strong unbroken heart line, which suggests you will only love once in your lifetime. . . . Then let’s see—Good Lord!” She straightened my fingers and pushed them back to stretch out the skin.

“What?” I asked in alarm.

“It’s your life line,” the woman said, her eyes wide with alarm. “I’ve never seen anything like it before.”

“What about my life line?” I asked impatiently.

“My dear”—Angela’s voice dropped to a mere whisper—“you don’t have one.”

We walked back to Xavier’s car in awkward silence.

“Well, that was weird,” he said finally as he opened the door and I climbed in.

“Sure was,” I agreed, trying to sound lighthearted. “But who believes in psychics?”

Xavier’s car suited him perfectly. He drove a sky blue 1957 Chevrolet Bel Air convertible. It had been lovingly restored down to the last detail, and made me feel like we’d traveled back in time. Its headlights gleamed in the darkness and its smooth leather seats were strangely comforting.

“Beth, meet my baby,” he said. “She’s a pretty sweet ride.”

“Hello,” I half raised my hand in an awkward wave and immediately felt like an idiot.

“You do know cars are inanimate objects?” I teased.

“Take it easy,” Xavier said. “You’ll hurt her feelings.”

“I didn’t know cars had feelings.”

“This one does. She’s got a life of her own.” Xavier patted the hood before pulling open my door. “Don’t be jealous of Beth, baby. You can’t be the only woman in my life.”

He switched on the ignition and put the car into gear before turning the dial to a commercial radio station. The dulcet tones of the announcer welcomed listeners to his show,
Jazz After Dark
. I noticed Xavier’s car had a comforting smell—a combination of leather seats and a crisp woody scent that might have been his cologne.

After riding only briefly in our hybrid Jeep, I wasn’t prepared for the noise of the vintage engine roaring to life and flattened myself against the passenger seat. Xavier glanced across at me with raised eyebrows.

“You all right there?”

“Is this car completely safe?”

“Do you think I’m a bad driver?” He smirked.

“I trust you,” I said. “I’m just not sure about cars.”

“If you’re worried about safety, you might like to follow my example and put on that seat belt.”

“The what?”

Xavier shook his head in disbelief.

“You worry me,” he muttered.

“Are you going to be in trouble?” he asked when we pulled up outside Byron. I saw that the front porch light had been left on so my escape must have been noticed.

“I don’t really care,” I said. “I had fun.”

“So did I.” The moonlight glinted briefly on the cross at his neck.

“Xavier . . .” I began tentatively. “Can I ask you something?”

“Sure.”

“Well, I’m just wondering . . . why did you ask me out tonight? It’s just that Molly told me about . . . well . . . about . . .”

“Emily?” Xavier sighed. “What about her?” A defensive note had crept into his voice. “People just can’t leave it alone, can they? That’s the thing about small towns—they get off on gossip.”

I found it difficult to meet his gaze. I felt as if I’d crossed a boundary, but I couldn’t go back.

“She said you’ve never really wanted to spend time with any other girl. So I guess I’m just curious . . . why me?”

“Emily wasn’t just my girlfriend,” Xavier said. “She was my best friend. We understood each other in a way that’s hard to explain, and I thought I’d never be able to replace her. But then when I met you . . .” He trailed off.

“Am I like her?” I asked.

Xavier laughed. “No, nothing like her. But I get the same feeling when I’m around you that I used to have with her.”

“What sort of feeling?”

“Sometimes you meet a person and you just click—you’re comfortable with them, like you’ve known them your whole life, and you don’t have to pretend to be anyone or anything.”

“Do you think Emily would mind?” I asked. “That you feel that way with me?”

Xavier smiled. “Wherever she is, Em would want me to be happy.” I knew exactly where she was but thought better about sharing this information with Xavier just then. It was bad enough that I had struggled with the seat belt and my palm was minus a life line. I thought that might be enough surprises for one evening.