ELEVEN

 

“I’d like to drive you home,” T.J. said as we exited Mezza Luna.

“Thanks, but it’s not necessary. My car’s here and I don’t want to leave it.” Damn straight, I didn’t. It was a Bing cherry red Ferrari. All it’d taken was one time behind the wheel to fall in love.

“I’ll drive your car home, Miranda,” Josh piped up, lust filling his eyes. “If you trust me, I mean. I was going to Hazel’s anyway and can walk there from your place. She can bring me back for mine in the morning.”

“Sure, fine,” I said, momentarily feeling a twinge of jealousy over how quickly Josh and Hazel had progressed from friends to lovers.

As I slid into T.J.’s car, I hoped by all that was holy I’d regained his interest. He’d certainly stirred my desires to boiling, and I was busily stomping on the flames in my psyche the entire trip to Angel Wave. No way could I afford to let him realize just how much being with him, in his presence, hearing his voice meant to me. Once I create a plan or list, I’m determined to carry it through to completion. And if T.J. decided to accelerate my schedule, it wasn’t going to happen.

“You said Farley volunteered to teach you to play golf.”

“He did. It seems he’s quite the athlete—captain of his tennis team in college, almost recruited for pro baseball and loves golf.”

“Why don’t you let me teach you instead? I may not be at his level, but I’ve been playing a long time and am known for my patience with beginners.”

“I’m not sure how good I’d be. I mean, I’m a good runner, but when it comes to eye-hand coordination, I’m not a quick study.” He’d actually suggested doing something together. Olivia’s and my plan was proceeding as intended.

“I’m sure you’re great at anything you want to master.” He glanced over and smiled at me.

“Well, I guess I could try.” I injected just the right amount of hesitancy. “As long as I’m not interfering too much in your life.” I paused and stared down at my hands. “And we have to be careful, I could lose my job teaching at the college by seeing you outside of class. I know I don’t need the money, but I’d die of embarrassment if we became a local scandal.”

“You went out with Farley too.”

“True. And it was a mistake. But…” I glanced at him from under lowered eyelashes. “To him, I’m nothing more than a light flirtation. Plus, he doesn’t live here and is auditing the class. You, on the other hand, do and are taking the class for graded credit. I can’t afford for anyone to think there’s anything between us. Which luckily they won’t have any reason to since we’re just pals.”

The “friendship only” arrow hit him as he hit the break and we lurched forward. “Sorry, I thought the light’d turned red.”

“And it has,” I said as Josh honked at us from behind. Lowering the window, I leaned out. “Josh, you so much as scratch my baby and you’re dead,” I yelled at him only to receive a wave back as he passed us. “Did you see that? He blew me off.”

“He’s driving every man’s dream. Don’t worry, he won’t hurt it. As for killing him if he did, he’d do himself in first.”

Ten minutes later, T.J. pulled to a stop in front of my house. “Thanks. I wish I had your ability to just take things as they come.” I leaned over and gave him a light kiss on the cheek. I started to pull back as he jerked the car over off the road. He turned sideways as he slid his hand through my hair, cupped the back of my head, and his lips covered mine in a decidedly lover fashion.

Suddenly, I felt myself swirling into uncharted waters. He was moving faster than I’d planned, and at the moment I felt like I was sitting in an unmanned boat, not knowing how to steer the damned thing. Okay, I thought, as I relaxed into his embrace. My body tingled. Let him steer.

As I relinquished all control, something crashed into our windshield. I jerked back out of his embrace. “What the hell was that?”

“Good choice of words.” The creature slammed again into the already fractured windshield. “Because that thing looks like something that crawled out of its depths.”

A huge buzzard blasted yet again into the window. I wasn’t taking any more of this. I prayed to Ariel to help, and as I opened my eyes, a man appeared wearing blue and red robes with a sword in his hands. Michael!

Next to him, a ball of green light formed, and Ariel, in lion form, stood on her haunches beside him. Ariel nodded to him as he tossed the sword from his left to the right hand and sliced it through the air, beheading the buzzard.

They nodded to each other again and then they and the remains of the buzzard disappeared.

I sat shaking, unable to stop. I’d heard of these things from other angels, including Olivia. But I’d never seen one. If he’d gotten through to us… Another shudder ripped through me.

“It’ll be okay.” T.J. held me in his arms, stroking my back and my arms. “It’s going to be all right, Miranda. It’s over.” He looked down in my eyes. “It was just a bird. He must have been after road-kill. Maybe, we drove over something.”

“What about the others?”

He pulled back, his eyes wide. “What others?”

* * * *

 

The next morning I retold my story to Olivia, Hazel and Josh over coffee at my house. “The vulture was huge and disgusting.” I couldn’t stop rubbing my arms, but then I couldn’t get warm, either. That thing frightened me in a way I hadn’t been in centuries.

“Sounds like the Tartaros Buzzard,” Josh said. “It came after Jared and me twice. Once it showed up after I got sideswiped by Heinrich. The second time was after Seth and I’d been out clubbing, hunting for a girl for him. The blasted thing came out of nowhere and shattered Seth’s windshield. If it hadn’t been safety glass, we’d be dead, jugular sliced right through.”

He calmly took a sip of coffee as if he were discussing an everyday occurrence. “The buzzard’s supposedly a mythical creature released from Hades to capture runaway demons. Of course we know better because it’s real.”

“I can understand why it attacked you that time, but why did it come after T.J. and me? I know good and well T.J. is no runaway demon.”

“Jared must be somewhere close by.” Olivia leaned forward and took another slice of melon off the serving plate and put it on hers. “I love melons.” She savored a bite before continuing. “The buzzard may have zeroed in on you because it knew you were an Earth Angel and that’s what Kendra told the vile thing to look for.”

“I guess so, but I hope I never see the bird again.”

“So, back to Operation Aloof,” Olivia said. “I want to know what you think. It appears to have been a success.”

“So far. I kept to the script as agreed. But when I gave him the peck on the cheek, he…well let’s just say his response was more than friendly.” I touched my lips, still feeling the lingering fire of his.

“Maybe he prefers a woman to initiate the kiss,” Hazel said. “Some men do, though I prefer them a bit more…you know, macho.” She grinned at Josh.

“There’s nothing wrong with T.J.” Josh threw Hazel a glance.

I was amazed how quickly Josh’s and T.J.’s friendship had grown. You’d think they’d known each other as brothers in a former life.

I grabbed a slice of melon myself. “I guess I’ll just have keep to the plan and when the time’s right, give him a kiss.” I shrugged. “There isn’t anything else I can do but continue with the plan since I’ve boxed myself in with this ‘I’m your teacher and friendship bit.’” I grimaced. “Enough on that subject, how are things progressing with Seth and Natasha?”

Josh grinned. “I don’t know what you said to Seth, but he arrived at the house, grabbed Natasha from her bedroom, and hauled her out of the house.”

Olivia nodded. “They came back a few hours later. Both of them were covered in sand and grinning from ear to ear with these goofy ‘in love’ expressions. Then they showered, got dressed and said they were going dancing. To tell you the truth, I don’t know if they ever made it home last night.”

I sighed. “Ain’t love just grand?”

* * * *

 

“Most golfers carry eight clubs in their golf bag. There are three woods, the one, three and five, four irons, numbered three through nine all odd numbers and a putter.” T.J. pointed to his bag.

“Why aren’t there any even numbered clubs?” I asked. “My lucky numbers are all even.”

He sighed. “There just aren’t.”

“Uncle Paddy has a four wood.” How did I know that? Guess Randee’s memory banks had popped in.

He plastered on a smile. “Twenty plus years ago they were popular but not since new technology improved how well the woods perform.”

“Well, then, they should have gotten rid of the odd ones.”

He rolled his eyes. I peeked into the bag. “I don’t see any wedges in here, but I see them used in all the tournaments Uncle Paddy watches. According to the announcers, that guy from Australia kept losing tournaments in the bunker. That’s what they’re called, right?”

“The bunker is actually a grass or sand hazard, although refer to it only as the sand trap. A body of water is called a hazard. Then there’s the rough which runs along the fairway. As for my wedge, I, uh, lost it a couple of days ago.”

“So, what do I do? I mean, how do I stand and swing?” I pulled out a wood.

“Watch me. See my hands? Now copy how I hold the club. It’s called an interlocking grip.” With his left hand he grasped the leather grip at the top of the club, his thumb down the front of the grip pointing toward the shaft and his other hand covering the thumb, pinky and forefinger interlocked.

“Now, you bend a little at the waist, your club’s shaft extends out in front of you at about a forty-five degree angle, with the head addressing the ball. Keep your hips relatively straight as you swing back, then forward and follow through. Remember, never take your eyes off the ball.”

“Like this?” I asked, emulating his actions. “Line up, swing back, swing through the ball not at it,” I muttered as I practiced.

“You’re doing great. Now don’t forget to be easy and loose. Don’t forget to breathe during your swing, or you’ll rush your shot. You’ve got the swing through not to the ball, but try to keep the clubface square or you’ll hook or slice the ball.” He grinned at me.

“Okay, I think I have the grip. I’m in favor of breathing, so that’s not a problem.” I inhaled sharply and breathed it out. “I’m assuming swinging through the ball means you continue your swing after you hit it?”

He nodded.

“I’m ready to try it with a ball now.”

“Watch me first. Then you can try from the women’s tee box.”

“Women have a different box?” The second I asked the question, Randee’s memories of playing golf, lots of golf, championship golf, flooded back. Now what did I do? Admit I knew the game and his instruction triggered my memory. Somehow, I doubted he’d buy that. And worse, I knew my competitive spirit wouldn’t allow me to play less than Randee’s skill enabled me to. In fact, I doubted I could throw the game. Her swing was automatic, ingrained in her.

“Yep. Closer to the hole.”

“Okay, closer to the hole.” I didn’t have a problem with that since the LPGA players used the women’s tee, too.

I watched as he leveled his head to the ball and took his position. Making contact, he swung through and the ball bounced down the left side of the fairway. “Not too bad,” he said. “Probably a little less than two hundred yards.” He shrugged. “Now you try, and don’t be disappointed if it only goes a few feet or so. You’ll get better.”

“Grandma always told me to just do my best.” I set my tee and addressed the ball. I envisioned it going to the green. I looked up. “How far to the green?”

“This is a four-par hole. Three hundred and seventy-four yards.”

“Okay. I guess I can’t make the green.”

He snickered.

Suddenly, I didn’t care if he thought I’d played him. I was going to get damned close. Randee’d been amateur champ for the southeast when she’d only been fourteen. Then I decided, I’d better control my competitiveness and fess up. “I know this is going to sound crazy, but you’ve just got to believe me. Until a second ago, I didn’t remember ever playing this game. I think that rogue wave really scrambled my ‘little gray cells.’ Because I’ve gotta warn you, I’ve played golf a lot and am pretty good.”

He smiled. “We all think we’ve done something in a former life.”

“Not a former life, this one. And I’m really, really good at this.”

He laughed. “Just hit the ball.”

Egoist male asshole. I’d warned him. He’s lucky I didn’t wager on the game, I thought, grimly remembering how many times I’d hustled older players before they’d learned my reputation.

“You asked for it, T.J.,” I murmured as I set and addressed my ball, then had a perfect swing and follow-through. The ball soared straight and true down the middle of the fairway for a two-hundred-plus yard drive. “Damn, I was hoping for an eagle.” I shot him a grin. “I think I’ll have to settle for a birdie.”

A couple hours later we sat in the clubhouse drinking iced tea. I’d signed a few guys’ score cards after we’d finished nine holes, and T.J. looked like he was doing a slow burn.

“I’m sorry if I did something wrong. Did I do something I wasn’t supposed to on the course? I told you about my crazy feeling I had…”

His eyes narrowed. “No, on the contrary. A score of thirty-four on nine holes of a seventy-two par eighteen-hole course Jack Nicklaus played on is great.”

“I warned you I knew how to play before we started.”

“You didn’t warn me you’d been banned from playing here for hustling games as a teenager.”

“Well, that’s because I’d forgotten about that also. Who’d think they’d hold a grudge for fifteen years? See if I contribute to their next fund drive.” Great, he thought I was not only fickle, but a liar.

He sighed. “It’s okay, who knows what latent talents I have?”

Why was he taking this so well? Most men would’ve dumped me by the third green.

“Do you want to go for a walk?” he asked.

“I’d love to.”

We walked out of the clubhouse and across the course. He jumped off the greens and onto the dunes, gesturing for me to let him lift me onto the sand. “Come on. Afraid to be with me away from spying eyes?”

“Of course not.” I settled my purse over my neck, crossing my body to the other side. He placed his hands around my waist and lifted me down onto the sand. As we stood eye level, I blurted out, “Your eyes are as green as the hills of Ireland.”

“Has anyone told you yours look like purple irises?”

I froze momentarily. Jared had. “Someone did a long time ago.”

He looked at me quizzically. “Well they do.”

We walked a little further down the beach to a small indentation in the sand dune. I leaned forward to kiss him. He dodged sideways, and my lips grazed his. Not to let an opportunity go by, I made sure they stayed there. For a moment, he froze then he drew me closer as the kiss deepened into one from my dreams.

I pulled back, my breath coming in quick gulps. “I thought we were just friends.” I looped my arms around his neck.

“Randee darlin’, what you doin’ down here?”

To my horror, Uncle Paddy lay sprawled nearby on a beach blanket with a woman twenty years his junior.

“Enjoying the wildlife.”

Uncle Paddy’s eyes twinkled with mischief.

T.J.? Well, I discovered he could blush.

* * * *

 

The entire drive to my house, not only hadn’t T.J. said a word, his lips were drawn in a thin, taut line.

“Are you okay?”

He glanced over at me and smiled weakly. “Yeah, I’m fine. Just fine.”

“I’m sorry about the golf. I didn’t remember I knew how—”

“It’s okay,” he said. “I’m not upset you beat me, and also broke the women’s record. In fact, I was going to ask you if you wanted join me and enter the tourney they’re having in a few weeks.”

He eased to a stop in front of my house, twisted in his seat and stared deep into my eyes. “I’m angry at myself, Miranda. A few days ago at your house I was a pompous ass, so sure of myself. I told you I didn’t want to have sex until we were both in love. I meant it. But at the same time, I feel things with you I haven’t felt in more years than I care to count.”

I squirmed in my seat, feeling uncomfortable for tricking him into making advances. I was the one at fault here. But I couldn’t seem to control myself when it came to this man. “I understand. I apologize for seducing you.”

“Seducing me?” He looked bewildered. “What are you apologizing for, having the most gorgeous eyes I’ve ever seen? Having the softest most desirable lips I’ve ever kissed? For melting into my body like my missing part?” He shook his head. “You have nothing to be sorry for, but I need to slow down. I know you don’t feel the same way toward me that I do toward you, not yet.”

What was I going to say? That he turned me on? That I liked his mind and his sense of humor? That I even liked the way he got pissed off? I wondered if I could honestly say I loved him.

No, I couldn’t, and he wouldn’t settle for less. I needed to come to grips with my own feelings, and I wanted to make sure what I felt wasn’t just lust. “But I—”

“What?” he asked, hope in his eyes.

“I…”

My cell phone rang. I’d never been so happy to be interrupted. I grabbed it from the pocket in my purse and pushed talk. “Hello? Oh no…Oh, my stars!…So Farley was right. Is she okay?…Were the kids involved?…Good. We’ll meet you there.”

I slammed the phone shut and looked at T.J. “Farley had a vision of Rae getting hurt a couple of days ago. She ran out into traffic to grab Randee who’d wandered off. Rae got hit by Farley. They think she’ll be okay, but—”

“Where did they take her?”

“Memorial Hospital in Jacksonville.”

“Is the little girl okay?”

I nodded. “According to Josh, she was surrounded in bright pink light.”

“Okay, whatever that means.” He bypassed first gear, shoved the car directly into second and floored it.