The Trouble with Angels (Angels Everywhere #2)(86)

The subject of her thoughts strolled in the door, wearing a bright smile. Of all that she admired about Joy Palmer, Catherine was most in awe of her inner strength. This business with Ted must have been painful and terribly disappointing, but each day, despite her own unhappiness, Joy had come to work with a smile on her face and in her heart.

"The decorations are beautiful,” Catherine said enthusiastically, wanting Joy to know how much she appreciated the extra work the other woman put into the literary tea.

"I thought you promised to leave when we all went up to bed,” Thelma reminded her.

"I did,” Joy said, "but I just couldn’t leave them alone.” She scanned the room. "Has anyone seen Charles this morning?”

"He’s been ready for the tea since before six,” Emily told her.

"I’ll drop my jacket and purse off in my office and be right back.” She disappeared, and Catherine walked over to the table and fanned out the paper napkins.

"Are we going to start soon?” Charles strolled up beside her and asked impatiently. "I’ve been eyeing those chocolate-chip cookies of yours all morning. Seems to me the man who’s going to collect the donations might need a bit of nourishment beforehand.”

"Are you asking me to sneak you a cookie, Charles?”

"You bet I am,” he said, and winked at her.

Catherine pursed her lips together to keep from laughing. "I can’t get over the change in you in the last couple of weeks.”

"I got the very heaven scared out of me,” he explained as he inched his hand toward the silver platter.

Catherine swiped at his arm. "Kindly keep out of the cookies. Now what do you mean, you had the very heaven scared out of you?”

"It’s true. I’d say I got the hell scared out of me, only it was an angel who sat down next to me as plain as I’m standing here talking to you. Now I know what you’re thinking, but I’m telling you right now, Catherine Goodwin, I saw an angel.”

"A real angel?” Catherine had heard of angelic visitations, but she’d never experienced the phenomenon herself. "When?”

"It was one of those days when I was thinking about the war and all the good men we lost in battle. Some days I can’t get the looks of those fighting men out of my mind.”

It was difficult for Catherine to hear such words, but she nodded to encourage him to continue.

"Joy came and sat down next to me and took my hand, and there was something so gentle and sweet in the way she talked to me. It was the day your grandson…Jed, Fred…what is it now?”

"Ted.”

"Right, Ted. He was with her, and he was watching her talk to me, and it seemed to me that he was sweet on her. Can’t say that I blame him. If I was fifty years younger, I’d be wanting her myself.”

"You said something about an angel?”

"Right.” He reached for the chocolate-chip cookie then and grabbed hold of it before Catherine could stop him.

"Sh-h,” he said under his breath as he quickly placed the cookie inside his pocket. "No one saw.” He straightened and looked around as if he suspected his actions had garnered attention. "Now back to the angel part. Joy left with your grandson, and I started to slip back into myself the way I do, when an angel sat down right where Joy had been.”

"An angel? How’d you know it was an angel?”

"She. The angel was a she. Prettiest blue eyes I’ve ever seen. As blue as turquoise. Blond hair and wings, too, just the way I’ve always seen in pictures. I knew immediately she was an angel.”

"Did she speak to you?”

"Ah, now that’s the funny part. I think she did, but then I’m not right sure.”

"What did she say?”

"First off she told me that life here in Wilshire Grove was a whole lot better than burying myself in the past, particularly if it had been so miserable. Then she said—”

"Now, Charles, I’m sure you thought—”

"Hush now,” he muttered, cutting her off. "I don’t know what you’re thinking. I wouldn’t have told you this much if the angel didn’t mention you by name.”

"Me?” Catherine flattened her hand over her breast.

"I swear it’s true. The angel told me she didn’t have a lot of time to be talking to me because she was on assignment.”

"On assignment?”

"Yes, she claimed she was here because of you!” Having said that, Charles turned and walked away.

Catherine stood still for several moments while Charles’s words sank in. The angel was there, on assignment, and because of her. Well, Catherine didn’t want to be accused of disbelief, but if the angel had been there on her account, she hoped the poor dear knew what a terrible mess Ted had gotten himself involved in.

Catherine hadn’t seen or heard from her grandson in several days and suspected that he was trying to avoid Joy.

"One of the authors has arrived,” Lucille announced, her eyes alive with delight. "Shall I seat her in the dining room?”

"That would be perfect.”

"It looks like your grandson is coming as well,” Lucille told her.

"Ted?” Catherine turned around to discover him walking in through the double-wide glass doors.