Love in the WINGS (4 page)

She saw it anyway. “Let me help you.” Her voice washed over him like a gentle rain…and then her fingers touched his back. He gasped, expecting the touch to be agonizing, but it soothed like a divine balm. As her hands moved across his wounds, he
felt
them mending, literally healing beneath her touch.

“You'll be fine now.” She spoke softly. “Let it go.”

“I didn't want you to know,” he muttered.

…
and sat bolt upright in bed, gasping for breath.

“Oh, God, please…not the dreams again!”

Gagging, he leaped from the bed and dove through the door of the small restroom, barely reaching the commode before he lost what was left of the Chinese takeout he'd had for dinner.

If this is what praying for Aria Robbins brought on, he was in for a long week.

 

 

 

 

4

 

She stumbled into the kitchen and got the coffee pot going earlier than usual. What little sleep Aria had managed to get had been broken by awful, disjointed dreams. She couldn't remember much about them, just shadowy bits and pieces. There'd been a young man—stripped to his underwear—tied down and beaten half unconscious. A drunken man with a leather strap of some kind in one hand and a whiskey bottle in the other, standing over the kid and shouting senseless drivel about angels. A hideous creature with huge, black wings laughing maniacally as it looked on, encouraging the inebriated fellow to further abuse the bloody, half-naked boy.

Yesterday's weird goings on had apparently affected her more deeply than she realized. Thank God it had all gone down on a Friday. Now she'd have the weekend to rest and recoup.

She made the coffee stronger than usual and poured herself an oversized mugful, eager to shake off the dream shadows in her mind. Someone tapped on her door just as she lifted the steaming brew to her lips. Surprised, she set it on the counter and hurried to see who had the unmitigated gall to approach the dragon's lair before she'd swallowed the caffeine that made her human for the day.

Viv Hart stood on the porch holding a covered plate of something that smelled delectable.

“Mrs. Hart!” Aria swung the door wide. “Please come in.”

“Just for a minute, dear. And it's Viv, remember?” Viv stepped into the cottage, her bright blue gaze bouncing all over the small room in a heartbeat. “What a charming place! I love your taste in décor.” She seated herself at the small dining table and set the plate she'd brought in squarely in its center. “I smell coffee. Can I beg a cup?”

Aria grinned. “Of course you can, but I warn you, it's strong enough to stand your spoon up. Just stay where you are. I'll get it.”

“Thank you. I thought you might enjoy a Danish—fresh out of the oven.” Viv pulled the foil wrapper off the plate, revealing several gooey sweet cakes, still warm and dripping with glaze. She shot Aria an impish grin and a saucy wink. “Not
my
oven, but I haven't found a thing to criticize about the ones that come out of that big old contraption in the kitchen at Angel Treats. Have you had breakfast?”

“No, ma'am, and now I'm glad I put it off until later.” Aria slid a couple of dessert plates, forks and napkins onto the table. She set a cup of steaming coffee in front of her guest, topped off her own, and joined the older woman at the table. “These look downright sinful!”

“Oh, they are, dear. They are!” Viv sank her fork into the one on her plate, then paused and reached for Aria's hand. “Oops, I'm getting ahead of myself. Let's pray.”

Aria smiled. “You do the honors.”

Viv closed her eyes. “Thank you, Lord, for good friends and good food. Amen.” She squeezed Aria's hand and then released it. “Let's see if these are as scrumptious as they look.”

They were. Both women moaned in playful ecstasy over the flaky treats, and chatted comfortably for a few minutes, but all the while, Aria waited, wondering why her landlord's wife had felt the need to bring breakfast and bright smiles to her cottage on a Saturday morning.

She didn't have to wait long.

“Aria, dear, are you still working at the church
and
with Pia?”

“Yes, ma'am.” Aria picked up her napkin and dabbed at a spot of stickiness on her lip. “I enjoy both jobs very much.”

“Well, that's good, of course. But then, you're also the minister of music at the Tabernacle, aren't you?” She shook her head, obviously not expecting an answer. Aria had filled that position at the church for some time, and anyone who attended The Falls Tabernacle would be aware of that. “I don't know how you do it all.”

“Well, I do stay busy, but I don't have a family to worry about, so that helps.”

“Hmm.” Viv laid her fork on her plate and tapped her napkin at the corner of her mouth. “Still, you don't have a lot of spare time, do you, dear?”

“No, I guess not, but—” Aria paused, and then narrowed her gaze. “Did you sweeten me up because you need me to do something? Miss Viv!” She tried to pull a frowny face, but couldn't quite force her lips in the right direction. “Shame on you!”

Two patches of pink bloomed in the older woman's round face. “Oh, dear. I didn't handle this at all well, did I?”

Aria laughed. “I'm glad you came, even if you did have an ulterior motive. What can I do for you?”

“Well, if you're sure…I'm afraid I'm in over my head with this wedding, and I'm just desperate enough to stoop to anything to get all hands on deck.”

Aria gnawed at her bottom lip. She was aware of the upcoming wedding. Two of Heart's Haven's tenants, Kaci James and Ryne Calvert, were getting married in the center court of the complex, and the Harts were determined to make it a heavenly event.

Aria barely knew the couple, other than to nod and smile across the sanctuary at church—or here in the Haven. With the thought, she suddenly felt a bit sheepish…why
didn't
she know them? They were her neighbors. They were her church family. Had she withdrawn herself so completely that she existed as an island in the midst of a sea of people?

She tuned back in to Viv's chatter. “You don't have to, of course, dear. I'll think of something else if you don't have time.”

Aria shook her head, feeling dazed and confused. “I must have zoned out for a moment. What was it you needed me to do?”

A little line appeared between Viv's eyebrows. “Are you all right, dear?”

“I'm fine.” She managed a light laugh. “This coffee just hasn't quite hit my bloodstream yet.”

“Well, since you have such a lovely voice, dear, I thought you might be willing to sing at the wedding? Kaci has given me free rein to coordinate the entire affair, and when I asked the girl what kind of music she likes, she just gave me one of those precious smiles and said, ‘Oh, I love to hear Aria sing.' I've never seen a bride more relaxed about the little details of her wedding.”

“Well…yes, I suppose I could sing. But are you certain they don't have someone they know…or maybe a CD they'd like to use…?”

“Yours was the only name Kaci mentioned. So, you'll do it then? You'll sing?”

Aria chuckled. “Sure, Miss Viv. Count me in.” She still wasn't comfortable calling the older woman by her first name, but Viv had insisted from the day they met.

Aria's busy brain was already trying to shuffle this new task into her crowded schedule. Most weeks she spent well over forty hours working her two jobs, and another half dozen or so tending to the music program—rehearsing, lining up songs, scheduling the musicians. Singing at the wedding would add another several hours to a schedule that was already straining at the seams, especially now, with the Easter program to think about. Were there even enough hours in the day?

“You choose a song, dear. I know it'll be perfect.” Viv stood and crossed to the sink, where she ran water over her hands and dried them on a tea towel. “That's a big load off my mind. And now, I need to get out of your way and let you enjoy your weekend.”

“You're not in my way. Come back any time.” Aria quickly washed the plate her landlady had brought over and handed it to her. “I always welcome visitors who bring lovely smiles and delicious food.”

Viv laughed and patted her cheek. “Well, don't forget that you invited me, dear, because I
will
be back.” She stepped out onto the porch and shook her head. “I hope this awful humidity lets up before the wedding.”

A familiar unease squirmed in Aria's belly. “I'm not completely sure it's humidity.”

“No? What do you mean?”

She didn't want this sweet woman to think she was losing her mind. “Oh, nothing, I guess. Thanks again, Miss Viv.”

Viv hurried off toward the big house. Aria remained on the porch for a moment, trying to shrug off a vague sense of unease. A shadow seemed to overhang the place this morning. She looked up, expecting to see dark clouds obliterating the sky. Her searching gaze found only clear blue in the heavens.

But something was there. She felt it.

Her gut clenched, and she stumbled backward, clutching at the doorframe as the air around her fluttered and waved, as if folding in on itself. In that brief instant, she caught a split-second vision of clashing swords, heard a distant shout. The phrase “battle cry” crossed her mind, though she had no idea what it meant.

And then it was gone, and Aria realized she was clinging to the doorframe with white-knuckled fingers, whimpering like a frightened child.

She hauled in a deep, steadying breath and hurried inside, praying no one had witnessed her moment of…what? Insanity?

She needed more coffee. And for the first time in her life, she wished she had something stronger in her cupboards.

Whatever had just happened to her had something to do with what Zoe Manning had called about yesterday. Of that, she had no doubt.

 

****

 

“Going into town?”

Aria had her car door open and was getting ready to brave the furnace-like interior when Corbin's voice rang out from the next driveway.

She bit her lip. She was headed to the church for Pia's meeting with the WINGS team. Corbin stood next to his pickup, twirling a set of keys on one finger. Of course. He was headed there too.

“Yes. To the church.”

“Pia's meeting?”

She nodded. “And a couple of other little things I need to do.”

“Me too.” He gave her a crooked smile that would have melted the hearts of several young ladies Aria could think of. Not hers, though. She barely noticed that his smile wasn't quite straight, and that his thick eyelashes were TV-commercial long. “Want to ride with me? We're going to the same place, and coming right back here.”

No. She definitely did not want to ride with Corbin, and she opened her mouth to say so, but then hesitated. She really was turning herself into an island, wasn't she? And Pastor David had made it very clear that he expected her to make an effort to get along with this man.

She shrugged and closed her car door. “True.” She rounded her vehicle and joined him in his driveway. “My prayer hour is coming up in about twenty minutes, and then I need to make a run to the music store before the meeting. I can walk to Angel Song; it's just a couple of blocks from the church.”

“Or you can take my truck. My prayer hour follows yours, I believe. And then it'll be time for Pia's meeting.” He walked around and opened the passenger door for her, keeping up a steady stream of conversation as she climbed in. “By then I have a feeling we'll both be starving. Can I talk you into having dinner with me?”

He closed her door before she could answer and hurried around to the driver's side.

Aria hesitated, studying his profile as they drove out of the complex and headed toward town. This was turning into far more togetherness than she felt comfortable with. But still…it was only dinner. She needed to put forth a genuine effort.

“How about we bring dinner back to my place?” she offered. “It'll be quieter, and…maybe we can watch a movie or something?”

He shot her a surprised glance that made her stomach do an unexpected somersault. “Sounds like a plan.”

Aria closed her eyes and forced herself to relax against the seat. Sounded like a plan all right. Probably the worst one she could have come up with, but she hadn't exactly had time to concoct anything better.

Well, it is what it is. For better or worse…

 

 

 

 

5

 

Corbin swallowed his last bite of pizza, washed it down with a drink of Dr. Pepper, and grinned at Aria, whose plate still held half of the single slice she'd taken from the box. Her salad bowl was empty, but she'd only filled it about half full to begin with.

“So…what now? A movie? Or…” He rubbed his stomach, already wishing he hadn't gone after the pizza with such gusto. “Maybe a walk along the greenway?”

Aria's eyes widened. She dropped her pizza crust onto the paper plate and wiped her mouth with a napkin. “A walk, yes! My legs could use a bit of a stretch.”

“Mine, too.” Corbin groaned as he stood to help her clear the table. “I ate too much.”

She laughed. “Ya think?”

He ran a damp dishcloth over her small table and trumped up a shocked expression. “Hey! I only ate my half.”

She hiked a brow. “Really? OK. Well, we won't count that extra slice or three if you'd rather not.”

They were both laughing as they strolled through the complex and set off down the Angelina Trail. Corbin couldn't believe they'd made it through the last several hours without a single snippy word or withering look.

“I thought Pia did a good job getting everyone fired up and ready to face the coming storm.” He tossed it out there, knowing it might be opening a can of worms. Aria might be right on board with the whole “angels around us” mentality.