Love Supernaturally Read online

  “Sorry.”

  “Thanks. She passed quickly, which seemed unfair at that time. But now with Joe, he’s been sick for a while, and I’m not really sure which is better. Anyway, I wanted to stay here with Joe for the holidays, but he insisted I stick to the tradition. He even bought the plane ticket.”

  “Sounds like a good guy.”

  “Yes. My mother married him about a year before her accident. He has two sons, Matt and Daniel. They’re going to visit with him over the holidays.”

  “Are you and your stepbrothers close?” she asked.

  “Not really. Joe was quite a bit older than my mom, so my stepbrothers are in their late forties now. But Joe’s an ex-hockey player and life-long fan, and I was pretty good—which neither of his sons were—so we started bonding over that. Then, when my mom passed away, they all decided I didn’t need any more drama in my life, so I stayed with Joe.” Fraser glanced at Cassie. “Wow. Sorry. I usually don’t dump all my baggage on the first date.”

  Date? Strike one. She would have to tread carefully. For now, however, she would enjoy her evening out.

  “No worries. I have that effect on people,” Cassie said. Really. It’s an angel thing. People want to confess their lives to me.

  “Anyway, Joannie has five kids now, so I have plenty of reasons why going home to Chester makes the holidays fun. I don’t know whether it’s because I didn’t really know my parents or if it’s because they are such great kids, but they make me hope some day I’ll have a big family.”

  Strike two.

  ****

  He considered Cassie’s profile in the faint light. Her chestnut brown hair hung in waves to her shoulders and shimmered in the passing Christmas lights. Long eyelashes framed her emerald green eyes. He couldn’t see the color in the dark interior, but they remained etched onto his brain.

  Joannie would call her a natural beauty.

  “Needless to say, it’s utter craziness for about an hour or so as wrapping paper flies everywhere, and then the younger kids disappear with their toys or head outside if the snow is good. The rest of us sit around and talk and eat, and eat some more. Last year Joannie bought her husband a snowmobile for Christmas. Once it snows in Chester, you pretty much have winter until the long May weekend.”

  “I’ve never been snowmobiling.”

  “You should try it,” Fraser said. What fun they could have—Cassie straddled behind him, her breasts pressed against his back.

  Wait! What? He cleared his throat and shook the sexy image from his head.

  “We talked about renting a second one this year. Turns out Joannie’s husband ended up buying a used machine. It should make for a fun day.”

  “Do you usually fly?” asked Cassie.

  “Yeah, although I’m not sure fighting the airport traffic and congestion at Christmas is the lesser of the two evils. But I do it every year. Wings or a magic broom would be nice.”

  Man, what was with him? Talk, talk, talk. He wasn’t a bare-your-soul kind of guy. “What about you?” he asked.

  “My mom and stepdad passed away the year I started nursing school. I don’t have any cousins or siblings.”

  Both parents deceased. Not the sort of thing he usually hoped to have in common with his dates. “I’m sorry.”

  “Thanks. I miss them at this time of year, so I keep busy. I’m working Christmas day,” said Cassie. “A lot of the nurses have families, and I don’t mind helping, knowing it lets them spend time with their kids. I’ll go to Jane’s when my shift ends at seven and eat some warmed up turkey. It’s become a tradition in the last few years.”

  “Any plans for New Year’s?” He glanced again in her direction.

  “I volunteered to work, and my roomie, Gabriella, is heading home for the holidays. A friend invited me to a party, but after working all day, I’m just going to look forward to a glass of wine, my jammies, and a movie.”

  He had to give her credit. She spent her days caring for the sick and dying, taking shifts so other nurses could spend time with their families.

  She was truly an angel.

  ****

  Cassie put down her menu.

  “Hi. My name is Tricia.” A young lady in black pants and a logo tee picked up a marker off their table, and scribbled her name upside down on the large piece of brown paper that acted as their table cloth. “I’ll be your waitress tonight. What can I get you to drink?”

  Fraser looked to Cassie to order first. “Cranberry juice, please.”

  “I’ll have a Blue Light, please.”

  Tricia asked to see identification from both of them.

  She probably just asked for mine to make me feel good. Cassie showed her license and then dropped her wallet back into her purse.

  “OK, I’ll be back in a minute with your drinks, and I’ll take your order then if you’re ready.” The overly perky Tricia turned and hurried away. The server probably had a stash of caffeine and chocolate in the back.

  “So, do you come here often?” Cassie asked, and Fraser raised his eyebrows. “Sorry, I meant have you been here before? Do you know what’s good?”

  “Really? You’ve never been here? There seems to be one of these popping up on every corner lately.”

  She glanced around. Really? Animal heads, canoes, and fishing paraphernalia hung around the log-cabin interior. “I don’t go out much. I’m on the starving student meal plan.”

  “You’re still a student?” His dark eyebrows knit in confusion.

  “No. I graduated in the spring. But I accumulated enough loans, and I’d like to pay them off as soon as possible.” In addition to long toes and athletic calves, she had also inherited her mother’s sense of fiscal responsibility. She hoped to buy a house and travel someday. Spending money on restaurant meals ranked low on her priority list. Even the movie was a special holiday treat.

  “Well, it’s all pretty good. Typical roadhouse food. I usually stick to the burger myself. And the French onion soup is pretty good.” He glanced down at the menu. “And the nachos are really good. Great guacamole.”

  She inhaled deeply as Tricia carried a sizzling fajita plate to another table. She leaned out to watch it go by.

  “Of course, if you prefer steak…”

  Cassie threw up a hand. Stop. “So you’ve been here before,” she said with a laugh.

  “Well, let’s just say, I have a lot of delivery places on speed dial.”

  “Wouldn’t it be cheaper on the meal plan? The cafeteria offers some pretty decent food.” Okay, so occasionally she’d break her budget and go to the cafeteria on beef-dip Tuesday, but she always brought back a muffin or a few pieces of fruit to make the expense worthwhile. “Sorry, it’s really none of my business.”

  “No problem. Actually, I live at home, so I eat a lot of meals there. But Joe’s away a lot, and I hate to cook. I’d just as soon eat toast or cereal, but I’m supposed to be bulking up, and nothing helps put on the pounds like a loaded burger and fries, or an entire pizza.”

  “You live with your stepdad? I thought you said you lived on south campus.”

  “No, south of campus. I live at home. With Joe. I wanted to go away for school, but Joe got me a hockey scholarship here. And then I got into res, but he said it didn’t make sense to live on campus when we were so close. It’s for the better, I guess. When he’s away, the house looks lived in, snow is shoveled, and the grass is cut.”

  An undercurrent of disappointment rippled through his story. Because of Joe’s illness or something more?

  “What about you?” he asked. “Was that your place where I picked you up?”

  “No, I rent. With my roommate, Gabriella. It’s a little more than I wanted to spend, but it’s close so I save on gas and bus fare. My parents were all about saving money, and I guess some of that rubbed off on me.”

  “Joe’s really careful about his finances. That’s why I’m studying business,” he said with a small laugh and a shrug.

  “Not your first choice?” s
he asked.

  Did he recognize his own unhappiness, or was it overshadowed by his desire to please others?

  “Actually, I considered going into nursing.”

  “Okay, now you’re teasing me.”

  “No, I’m serious. I knew I didn’t have the marks to be a doctor, but I wanted to help people. I thought about nursing, but Joe has some antiquated ideas about the kind of guys that become nurses.”

  “That’s not true. There’s a lot of straight guys in nursing. We need more of them actually. Guys, I mean. Straight or not.”

  “Hey, I’m on your side.” He held up his hands in surrender. “Joe is just old school and old-fashioned.”

  Tricia stopped by in time to put a halt to Cassie’s rant about underappreciated male nurses. They both ordered the burger, and the rest of dinner passed with the idle and uncomplicated chatter of two strangers getting to know each other.

  She studied her non-date from behind lowered lids as he finished his burger. He had loose dark curls and a strong jawline. He must have snuck in a quick shave. The slight five o’clock shadow he had earlier at the hospital was no longer visible. He wore a dark pullover with a zippered neck and a white T-shirt underneath, both of which fit snugly over his broad shoulders and very well defined arms. The sleeves of his sweater were pushed up and dark hair covered his forearms and dusted the back of his hands. With hair that dark and thick, did that mean he also had a hairy back? Did it cover his chest or trail lightly down to his…

  Shame on you, Cassandra Wilson. Get your mind out of the gutter.

  Handsome, funny, with a great body. If she was going to be on a non-date, there were worse people to be out with. And if their date ended up with them in bed—no wait, it was too soon, and she wasn’t interested—but if…

  The waitress appeared, and the object of Cassie’s wandering lust looked up from his plate, breaking her train of thought.

  “Can I get you a coffee or anything else?” Tricia gathered the empty dinner plates. “We’re having an anniversary special—spin and win a free dessert.”

  Fraser peeked at his watch. “Actually, we’re kind of short on time.”

  “That’s okay. You can still try. If you win, we give you a voucher, and you can come back any time in January to use it.”

  Fraser glanced to Cassie. She shrugged.

  “Sure, why not.”

  “Okay. I’ll be back in a minute with your bill and the wheel.”

  True to her word, Tricia returned a minute later with the bill and a plastic gambling wheel which she set on the table.

  “Go ahead,” Fraser said.

  Cassie reached out and spun the wheel. Round and round it went. Have a nice day, Thank you for coming, Better luck next time, and of course, You have won a free dessert all spun by in a blur.

  The wheel gradually slowed, Better luck next time looking to be the final stop.

  “Come on, free dessert,” called Fraser and with one last burst of momentum, the wheel clicked and landed on You have won a free dessert.

  Was the green shimmer there again? She closed her eyes tightly, but when she opened them, it had disappeared. Probably a result of the fluorescent lighting.

  “Way to go, Cassie,” said Fraser.

  “Congratulations,” added Tricia, pulling the voucher out of her apron pocket.

  “Well, I guess this means we’ll have to do dinner and a movie again soon,” remarked Fraser.

  Remember your rules, Cassie.

  ****

  They remained seated until the last of the credits rolled by.

  “Be sure to stay until the end,” the pimple-faced youth had whispered to them with a wink when he took their tickets.

  A final teaser of the next movie appeared on the screen, and then the lights came up.

  “Well, it looks like there will be a part three,” said Fraser. “Any bets on what will happen next?”

  They discussed the movie and the endless possibilities of the third installment while Fraser drove.

  Cassie had checked repeatedly for the green aura in the dark theater, but she’d seen nothing. Had she imagined it? The few witches she knew always glowed with their identifying green aura. For now, however, she would say nothing.

  “I don’t suppose you have any insight into Joe’s condition?”

  “Pardon?”

  “You know, any kind of nurse’s insight.”

  She almost laughed out loud at how close he came to the truth, but even as an angel she couldn’t predict someone’s time of death. “No, sorry.”

  “I’m worried that something might happen while I’m gone. I owe Joe so much.”

  From the discussions they’d already had, it seemed that Fraser had spent a lot of time trying to pay his stepfather back. But who was she to say?

  “If he does, there is nothing you can do here to stop it. Joe wants you to spend time with your family. All you can do is make him happy and comfortable. I’ll try to help out with the comfortable part.”

  “Thank you.” He pulled to a stop in front of her house.

  “And thanks for helping me eat the popcorn.”

  “Well, it would have lasted longer if I hadn’t accidently spilled it.”

  She bit back the smile. Being a gentleman, or simply because he had long legs, Fraser stood every time someone needed to get by. Unfortunately, at one point, he did this while the popcorn rested in his lap.

  “You’re forgiven. Like I said, I always buy too much anyway. Now I’ll be forced to eat something healthy for breakfast tomorrow.”

  What now? The good-bye was always the awkward part. Kiss or no kiss? Invite him in or say good-night? Well, it wasn’t really a date.

  “Thanks for letting me invite myself along tonight,” said Fraser. “Would it be okay if I called you after the holidays and maybe we could see another one of those movies on your list? We shouldn’t let our lucky coupon go to waste.”

  Rules, Cassie. Remember your rules.

  “I’d like that.” Yeah…rules.

  She waited while Fraser walked around the car and opened her door—she hadn’t been expecting that, not many guys did that anymore—and then he walked her up the few stairs. He’d left the car idling, so he obviously didn’t expect to be invited it. She leaned in and lightly kissed Fraser on the cheek.

  “Thank you again,” she said, opening the door. She stood in the cool night air and watched him drive away before she closed the door.

  Wow! She leaned her head against the frosted glass panel and sighed. Seeing Fraser went against her better judgment. Her attraction to him after just one date felt greater than any she’d experienced before. Her rules existed for a reason. And the aura-no-aura thing had her puzzled. She frowned. As much as she enjoyed Fraser’s company, she would have to cancel their next night out, if and when he called.

  Sometimes being an angel sucked.

  ****

  Cassie glanced at her watch; she’d been at work almost two hours. Jane must be busy. The elevator bell pinged, and Cassie looked up from her paperwork, the bright pink uniform, an early-warning beacon. That’s better.

  “Sooooo?” said Jane, her brilliant red hair fighting to escape its ponytail. “How was the dinner? How was the movie? What’s he like?”

  Cassie took a long sip of her lemon-flavored water. The bubbles tickled her throat on the way down. “Good. Good. Nice.”

  “Don’t you dare!” Jane plopped into an empty chair and rolled it close. “Details. I need details. And I’ve only got about ten minutes.”

  Cassie skipped over the movie and instead provided her friend an abridged version of their dinner and discussion.

  “And so when are you going to see him again?”

  She hesitated for only a second, but that was enough.

  “You are going to see him again, aren’t you?” asked Jane. “It sounds like you had a nice time. And he’s gorgeous. What’s up with you?”

  Cassie sighed. No matter how many times she repeated the words, Jane
refused to accept her answer. “I’ve told you before Jane, I’m just not ready for a relationship.”

  And besides, there is a slight chance that Fraser may be a witch. I’m pretty sure I saw a green aura. And I’m not certain about the implications of angel-witch dating. All the angels she knew were with humans or other angels. What if the consequences were worse than what her mother endured?

  “You’re never ready. You’re a dear friend, and I want to see you happy. I know a husband and kids aren’t everyone’s happily-ever-after, but you’re working around death all the time, I just think you need some love in your life.”

  “That’s what I have you for.”

  Jane smiled, and deep dimples sank into her plump, freckled cheeks. “Honey, you know I love you. But I refuse to leave Bob for anyone that has less than ten million dollars. And neither you nor I would look good in a strap-on.”

  Cassie laughed and hugged her friend. “I think your ten minutes are up.”

  “We’ll see you for Christmas, right?”

  “Yep. I’ll be there around eight o’clock, if that is okay?”

  “Perfect. And we’ll be talking about this some more. Even Bob thinks you need a man in your life.”

  Sometimes Cassie wished it was that easy. Destiny had chosen a different path for her, and nothing Jane or Bob said would change that. Rather than dwell on the thought, she immersed herself in her true love: being a nurse.

  She thrived in the hospital. People like her were often doctors or nurses. Born to help. Literally. Plenty of angels existed in the world. Quite a few worked right here in this hospital, their peaceful white auras roaming the halls.

  ****

  One night. It had only been one night, but he couldn’t stop thinking about her. Fraser remembered almost every word of their discussions, and her lips had been soft when she kissed him good night.

  Joannie noticed his lack of focus right away.

  “What’s wrong?” she’d asked at the Christmas dinner table.

  “Nothing.” He bit into another mouthful of the moist, fragrant turkey, and then pretended to spear several peas onto his fork.

  “You’re lying. Your head is someplace else. It’s a girl, right?” She said it loud enough for the entire table to hear.