Seventh Seal - Jacquelyn Faye Page 0,61

she needed to get back to the store. At least, that's what I was sure she would have told me if she hadn't run right after the angel encounter. I had questions that she didn't want to answer. Odds were, Candace was going to be avoiding me until she thought I had forgotten. Little did she know, I was a master ambusher. And I knew where she lived and worked.

I looked at the table. She had taken a few bites of her salad before taking off. My turkey burger still sat on the plate, untouched. "Hey, Charlie. How much do I owe you for lunch?" I motioned toward the table. At least I had an excuse not to eat it.

"Don't worry about it. Want it to go? I can make you a fresh one."

"Uh. No thanks. Lost my appetite." I frowned at her, hoping she would buy my horrible acting skills.

She nodded and walked over to the table, clearing the plates. "You want anything, Sherry?"

"Bread and tea emergency rations please."

"Be out in a minute. Have a few loaves coming out of the oven. Butter?"

"Oh, God. Yes, please." Sherry groaned a little. My stomach warbled in envy.

I'd planned on stopping by the diner to get a burger, but the bread sounded sinfully delicious. "Actually, make that two and put it on my bill. Along with the food we didn't eat."

Charlie smiled in response and headed to the back with the dishes.

"So. How are things going with Derek?"

"Extremely well. We're having dinner tonight. Why don't you and Jimmy join us?"

Uhhh… "Where?" I found myself asking, horrified that I hadn't declined right off the bat. The last thing I wanted to see was Derek with another woman.

"Bunyan's."

"Ooh. Steak."

"Yep."

"What time?"

"Seven."

"Sounds fun. We'll be there." It was like I had absolutely no control over my mouth. Which on any given day would be normal for me, but this time was different. I'd been trying to say no from the minute I started speaking.

Sherry's eyes lit up in excitement.

Luckily, I could use Jimmy not being available as an excuse not to show up. I started to tell her I would check with her cousin and let her know when Charlie stepped out of the back with a picnic basket on each arm. As far as take out containers, that was a first. "Nice baskets."

"Thanks. Make them myself."

"Isn't it adorable? When you buy bread, she gives it to you in a basket. You're supposed to return them, but I kind of suck at it. I never remember. There's like five of them up in my office." Sherry blushed. "I promise, Charlie. I'll bring them down tomorrow."

"No worries," Charlie answered her with an amused chuckle.

"I'll have Candy bring mine with her tomorrow," I told her. "How much do I owe you?"

"I told you, it is on the house, Dorothea."

"And I don't do that." I fished my wallet out of my jacket and put a hundred on the counter, far from her reach. "See you all later," I waved over my shoulder and headed out the door before she could stop me. If there was one thing I remembered from all of my grandmother's lessons, it was never owe a fae a favor.

The thought of taking the bread back to the bookstore and eating in the office didn't sound half as appealing as sitting in the park across the street and doing it. Looking both ways, I cut across and staked my claim to the closest park bench.

Lifting the lid, the aroma of hot bread steamed beside me. My mouth started salivating as I pulled the wrapped loaf out and saw a paper container of butter beside a cup of tea. Happily, I pulled out my treasures, took a sip of the tea from the cup made of ninety-percent recycled materials and set it beside me before tearing off a piece of bread and dipping it in the whipped butter.

Heaven became a tangible place in my mouth. There were few things in the mortal realm better than hot, fresh bread and butter. I dipped my hand in the basket to grab a napkin and my fingers wrapped around a small wheel of cheese. It was officially the best day ever. Aside from the part of being almost killed by an angel. That part sucked a little.

"Can you fly?" The little voice behind me almost made me jump. I turned and saw the girl who had waved at me, staring at me incredulously. Her eyes as big as saucers.

"Sometimes."

"Why was