Touched by Angels (Angels Everywhere #3)(84)

“But—”

“He has what he wants.”

“You’re sure of that?” the strong male voice spoke from behind them.

“Gabriel.” Mercy was quick to jump to attention.

“How’s Jenny?” the archangel asked her.

Mercy brightened. “Great. At least she was the last time I checked. She was chosen for a major role in a new musical. It’s the chance of a lifetime. She couldn’t be more thrilled.”

“What makes you think that?”

Mercy hesitated. This sounded like one of those trick questions. “I . . . I . . .”

“What happened to Trey? The last I heard he’d disappeared, and Jenny was looking for him. He’d checked out of the hotel by the time she arrived.”

“Trey, well, that is a bit unfortunate.” Mercy did feel bad about the young man who’d set his heart on loving Jenny all these years. “I’m afraid he’s gone.”

“Gone?” Gabriel frowned, and when he did, he was something fierce to behold.

Mercy edged closer to her friend. “Yes, he left New York. He had a little trouble changing his airplane ticket, but managed to catch an earlier flight.”

Brynn’s doorbell chimed, and she straightened and wiped the tears from her face.

“Who’s coming?” Shirley directed the question to Gabriel.

“Suzie Chang,” he answered. “Apparently there is a letter Brynn needs to share with the girl.”

Seventeen

Talking to Carl proved to be so much more difficult than Hannah had thought it would be. She’d waited all day for him, practiced in her mind how to break the news as gently as possible.

She’d left her grandmother’s filled with conviction. In the time since, her clear purpose had become clouded with the time-honored traditions of duty and honor.

“I know you’re wondering why I asked to see you,” Hannah said as she brought Carl a cup of tea and set it on the table in the family kitchen. She was nervous, and the hot liquid sloshed over the edges of the cup.

Hannah didn’t worry that her parents would interrupt them. Her family seemed to think it was important that Hannah and Carl have time together alone, and for once Hannah was grateful.

“I’ve been wanting to talk to you, too,” Carl said, smiling broadly. He looked happy, more so than she could remember in a long while. She suspected the situation with the school had been cleared up, and she was pleased for his sake.

“My father had a go-round with the school headmaster himself,” Carl said, gloating a little.

So she was right.

“I have my job back, Hannah, and if anyone’s position is in jeopardy, it’s Hiram Stienfield’s.”

“I couldn’t be more pleased,” she said, but before she could relay her own, less welcome news, Carl continued.

“As you might guess, my mind is greatly relieved.”

“Of course, and now . . .”

“We can seriously start planning for our wedding,” he finished for her.

“As a matter of fact, that was what I wanted to talk to you about. . . .”

“Now I agree June is an excellent time of year, but personally I’d prefer May.” Once again Carl wouldn’t allow her to continue.

“Carl, would you please listen to me?”

“In a minute. There are a number of reasons I prefer May.”

“Carl!”

“My mother’s birthday is in May, and then there’s Mother’s Day. I’ve always found it convenient to cluster certain dates together whenever possible. It helps to keep track, and if we’re going to need to buy . . .” He stopped abruptly when Hannah stood up.

She walked over to the stove. Now she understood what it was about Carl that had always disturbed her. He refused to listen.

“Hannah?” he asked gently. “You’re upset, aren’t you?”

“Yes,” she said between gritted teeth, unwilling to hide it.

“Your heart’s set on June, isn’t it?”

“No,” she said forcefully, and whirled around. “I’m not going to marry you.” There, she’d said it, but in far less diplomatic terms than she’d wanted.

A stunned, disbelieving silence followed. At last she’d found a way to capture his attention.

“You’re honestly breaking our engagement?”

He seemed to need confirmation. “Yes,” she said firmly.

He scratched the side of his head. “Don’t you think that’s a bit drastic, considering that I’m willing to give up the May date? I’d like to think I’m a reasonable man. If you don’t want the wedding in May, why don’t you just say so?”

“I don’t want the wedding in May or June or any other month of the year.” She folded her arms and released a deep sigh of frustration. “This is the crux of the problem between us. You don’t hear me. I’m trying to tell you something important, and either you don’t care or you’ve already got your mind made up.”

He stiffened. “I don’t see it that way.”

Hannah had never intended for them to discuss their basic personality differences. “I want to break the engagement, Carl. I deeply regret hurting you, but I’m fairly certain you aren’t in love with me.”