“Positive. Nick donated at his company’s blood drive. Raphael was there and watched the angel take the sample and followed it until he took possession. Those humans are his parents.”
Which was impossible. Angels weren’t mutated humans. We were from another world on the other side of the galaxy. “How?”
Vicky exhaled and paused while our drinks arrived.
“Can you give us a few more minutes to look at the menu?” Vicky asked, making a show of picking up hers from the table. When the waitress left, we made our choices and set them down.“My theory is our race has mingled with humans enough that our DNA was embedded in the humans.”
I’d heard that explanation before, but it didn’t hold water. “In the centuries we’ve lived on earth, there has never been an angel born to a couple who weren’t both one hundred percent angel.”
“What if there are only a few bits of our DNA that make us an angel? And what if the right bits were within these two humans. Raphael has speculated it’s possible that could be the reason.”
If Raphael thought it possible, it might have legs, but I was still skeptical. “I get it’s statistically possible given there are billions of strands of DNA in our make-up and getting the right few could be one in ten billion births, but the odds of the first time it happens, the child is an archangel? I’m not buying it”
The waitress returned and Vicky rolled her eyes when I ordered a hamburger. Sorry, not sorry. Nothing else appealed to me on their pretentious menu.
“You’re so getting onions on your burger.” Vicky’s eyes lost their focus and she stared at the waitress’s back. A second later she blinked. “There, she took them off. Next time order something a bit more upscale when I take you to a classy place.”
Since she’d been nice I didn’t remind her I’d eaten at hundreds of five-star restaurants. I also didn’t bother telling her I could easily have picked them off. “Thanks. No one would kiss me if I had onion breath.”
“Yeah, no one named Nicholas Fenton.” Vicky fluttered her eyelids like a caricature from a teen romance.
I didn’t mind some ribbing, but the way she went on, I sounded unfit for the job. “If you’re so concerned about me dating Nick, have your dad remove me.”
“Who else is there? Wallace?”
Because we were close, I didn’t take it how it sounded. That didn’t mean I couldn’t be obnoxious about her response. “Wow. Thanks for the strong vote of confidence.”
“Sorry, but you know I didn’t mean to insult you.”
I did but I wasn’t letting her off that easily. “Being better than Wallace isn’t a reason to pick me. He’s so straight, and dense, he’d offend Nick too many times to be useful.”
“True. He can be an arrogant jerk. There are times I’ve wanted to singe his chest hairs through his shirt.”
I’d contemplated doing much worse to our eldest cousin in the past, but we were veering off the topic. “I get why your dad didn’t pick him, but why did you let him send me?”
“There isn’t anyone else. Apart from wanting to avoid speaking to Wallace and listen to his plans to be a ‘force to reckon with’ when our generation takes over – again - you’re a good person. Just like your dad. Everyone likes you. And I trust you. I know you understand things. That and I didn’t expect you’d be this attracted to him.”
I should’ve denied my interest again, but she wouldn’t buy it. “Forget he’s cute, because that alone wouldn’t matter, it’s his whole person. He’s smart, funny in a dry way, humble, but still confident. Sure, he’s gun shy about dating, but who wouldn’t with Uncle Uriel imposing a no boyfriends rule.”
“When you get a chance, talk to Trevor about the guilt he feels being Uriel’s enforcer. Nick confides in him and Trevor uses it to push the guys away.”
The next time I talked to Grant, I’d be sure to acknowledge his efforts. Not that I approved of Uriel’s orders. “That’s such bullshit.”
“Agreed, but if we’re being honest, it would be bad if Nick got attached to a human.”
This wouldn’t be an issue if Nick knew he was an angel. “Why didn’t Uriel tell Nick the truth?”
“One of the many questions I plan to ask when I find him.” Vicky unrolled her napkin and placed it on her lap. “Now tell me what you have planned for tomorrow’s date.”
Nick
My phone buzzed on my desk and Henry’s name popped up in white letters big enough Brenda could see them.
“Oh my,” Brenda fanned her face with her hand. “It’s getting hot in here. I think I should step out.”
“Yes, do that.” She didn’t move, so I slid my thumb across the tab and connected the call. “Hey, Henry.”
“Hi, Nick.” The greeting was more enthusiastic than I expected. “I happened to be having lunch near your building and wondered if you were free to meet for coffee.”
