Page 38 of Angels Don’t Date

It rang and rang and just as I was about to give up, someone answered. She was clipped, no-nonsense, and wary.

“Who is this? I don’t have your number.”

“Oh! Hi! Is this Ruby Blood? I mean Louisa. I mean, whichever you prefer. I’m wondering if I could talk to you for a minute about some things. I’m a born vampire on this reality tv show, and I have so many questions about angels.” Specifically if she could talk to the Commander for me.

“The dating show with Richard? Do you want me to help you kill him? It would take a lot of help, but I’ve narrowed it down to a few distinct possibilities.”

I gave a strangled laugh. “That’s so silly! No, I just needed to get a message to his dad. The Commander.”

She was quiet for a long time. “I’m not sure that’s a good idea.”

“Right. But it’s the only idea I have, and it’s not like I’m part of his army, so I don’t have to worry about him putting me in any growth positions.”

Her voice came from a distance. “Gavriel, where is the Commander right now? Having dinner with Miracle in Singsong City? At the fancy Sushi restaurant? Well there you go,” she said, her voice coming close again. “He’s at the sushi restaurant outside the golden wall on the river. If you want to see him, you can crash his dinner.”

I froze. “That seems really rude.”

“I mean, sure. But you’ve been on a dating show with his son. Rude is the least of what he deserves for letting such a vile child live past infancy.”

I gasped. That was so mean! It wasn’t Richard’s fault he was so stupid. “I think the Commander should be sainted for putting up with Richard, not condemned for not executing him. Seriously!”

“I’m pretty sure the Commander has been sainted. If not, it’s likely in the works.” She hung up, like that conversation was done and she could go back to whatever with her angel. How did their relationship work out, exactly? There was probably kissing. Like Richard who had no business knowing how to kiss me like that.

No! I wasn’t thinking about that kiss ever again. My cheeks burned as I pulled on an outfit with little kittens all over the skirt and shrug and put on my pink shoes. I headed towards the car area, sure Mitt would appear.

He did, along with Hallie. Hallelujah!

“Where are you going, Princess?” Mitt growled.

“To the sushi place on the river. I’m dying for sushi.”

“You could have it delivered.”

“But then I wouldn’t be there. I need to ogle the bartender merman. I should have had a merman on the show, but it would be weird with logistics, carrying around a big tub of water everywhere.”

“Mermen have legs when they’re not in the water,” Hallie informed me, like I wasn’t aware. Sometimes she was so literal. It was so cute. Maybe Richard really would like her, I just needed to help her not mind his imperfections. And there were so many of them.

We got all got in the car. I drove, Hallie in the back, and Mitt in the passenger’s seat. He didn’t look happy about it, but that was normal for him.

I drove down the narrow drive, then turned onto a state road and started making better time. If I was going to get to the sushi place before they left, I’d have to speed. I put my foot on the gas and took off.

Chapter

Thirteen

“Angels are here,” Hallie said as I pulled into the first available parking spot I could find. There weren’t a lot of spaces, not on a Friday evening at the most popular restaurant in Singsong City.

“What a coincidence. And so are we.” I shot her a big smile while she frowned back at me.

“You can’t just crash an angelic function. You’ll be killed.”

“Then so will Richard. Win-win.”

Mitt gave me a look, but he followed at a distance.

I hurried towards the lit patio with charming bright lanterns bobbing above the crowd. There were some angels along the walk, but none sitting, at least not in ostentatious gold armor. I went directly to the bartender merman and leaned on the bar between two people who gave me scrunched noses and sneers.

I ignored them as I gave the gorgeous merman a pleading look. For all his cut cheekbones and luminous eyes, he didn’t hold a candle to Richard. “Hi! Can you help me? I need to talk to the Music Master immediately. It’s about next week’s duets. I’m on a reality TV show, and I need to talk to her before Pearly White ruins everything!” I summoned some tears so they could stick in my lashes and sell the whole helpless damsel thing more effectively. Mermen were always soft-hearted about princesses in distress in the stories. Sirens just ate them.