Summon Dorn (Archangels Creed) (9 page)

"
Ha. Thank God it's not that important to me." In the relaxing gay atmosphere, she felt safe explaining why exercise could be such a problem for her. She brought her upper arms in close, lifting her chest. "The girls make it a little uncomfortable at times."

"
The girls?" Suddenly his brows shot up. "Oh."

"
Sorry." She laughed. "You don't seem effeminate or anything, so if I don't remind myself you're gay, I'll get all nervous again."

He laughed again, a glorious melody that filled the car.
"I definitely don't want you to feel nervous." He took another drink of his soda.

"
No. Me nervous isn't a great thing."

A throat clearing silence ensued.

"You said you read romance novels?"

Uh oh.
"Yeah. Not the smartest branch of literature, I know. But I enjoy getting a little glimpse of other people's hearts, even if they are fictional."

"
I wouldn't say that, every genre has its place, but, changing the subject…can I ask you a personal question?"

Double uh-oh. Hope he didn
't need romance advice. She only had book experience, really. "Sure."

"
Why are you with that dude at the hospital?"

Okay, not what she expected.
"Um. I don't think I…quite understand the question."

"
Sorry." He looked out his window for a breath then swung his head her way, brows drawn, eyes lowered. "All I can say is…you're too good for him."

Jessie
's heart was already racing, but his words sent it careening off the rails and shattering into a million warm pieces in her blood stream. Light giddy laughter was the only language for it and out of her mouth it poured. "Why would you think that?"

His brows furrowed a little.
"Didn't you notice…what a dick he is?"

Jessie stopped laughing, touched and thrilled, and not sure why.
"Um…well…there are moments…days even, that I want to smack him."

His green gaze was fully trained on her now.
"Smack? You're too kind. I wanted to drop kick him the second he opened his mouth to you."

Jessie fought not to laugh hysterically which only created a deranged sound. But doggone, what a happy pill this guy was.
"He isn't all that bad." Jessie rubbed her palm along her leg.

"
Yes. He is."

She met his gaze at hearing how serious he was. Factual serious. Premonition serious.
"Well, I'm not really that into him. We just…flirt really."

Lucian made a derisive sound that said he knew more than she was aware.

"Are you holding out on me? Lucian?"

He sighed and stroked the steering wheel while gazing out his window.
"I know he's a prick. I know he's not into you like he should be. I know…well, I think you deserve much better. Not to mention you're far too beautiful for him."

Jessie
's heart pieces raced back into her chest to contract painfully at the never-in-her-life compliment. What to do with that?
He's gay, he's gay, he's gay,
she reminded herself
.

Why did he have to be gay?
"Well!" She couldn't contain a choked laugh. "That's a first. I've never had anyone…" She nodded and shrugged, clearing the emotion from her voice. "That's a…first." Stupid to get all gooey over one compliment. She suddenly felt awkward in the silence. Lucian's gaze on her still bore near-physical weight. She was afraid to look. She didn't want his pity. Or his condescension. She scrambled mentally for something else to talk about. "So. What…what do you have in mind for your brother? I mean…for long term care?"

Lucian gave a deep
yeah, that
sigh and rubbed one hand through his hair, leaving the jet black silk lying in tousled waves.

Jessie released a breath she hadn
't noticed she'd held. She hated to bring that up, but risked it to change the subject from her pathetic love life and how immune she'd become to living in Loserville as Miss Lesser Than.

"
I have no clue. I suppose I'll take care of him until I can figure that out. I don't know what else I can do."

"
You…know how? I mean it's not hard but…"

He choked a bitter laugh.
"Of course I don't. I'm utterly clueless. I never imagined having to deal with anything like this."

The heavy hopelessness in Lucian
's tone compelled Jessie to rescue him. "I can help you, don't worry. It's not like I have a life outside my job anyway."

There was a moment of silence.
"Why
is
that?"

Jessie looked at him and tried not to become lost in his forest gaze.
"I'm just…not that social." Cause I'm a klutz and get tired of the rejection. "Prefer solitude." Jessie smiled through the lie to keep from crying, then bit her lower lip when his eyes seemed to lower to her mouth.

He reached and stroked her jaw and she flinched under the soft touch, her body coming alive.

"It still hurts?" He drew his hand away and lifted his intent green gaze to hers.

"
Oh! No, no, it's all better." She reached up and felt the tender spot on her jaw that wasn't all better. Why did she have to pretend everything was perfect?

"
Good."

Her heart plummeted into her stomach at the tenderness in his voice. She rolled her window down.
"Such a beautiful day, isn't it? You know, I could come by your place and help you plan for your brother's stay. Like what you need and how and where to get everything. Or not, I mean, there's services you can call that are more than cap—"

"
No, please, I'd love that. For you to help me. Since…we're already acquainted I mean, and you're friends with Leo."

Jessie smiled into her lap.
"Yeah, exactly what I was thinking."

"
When can you come?"

She opened the lid to her drink and filled her mouth with the crushed ice, hoping to douse the fire raging through her.
"Anytime. Well, I work days right now, so…" She chewed loudly. "…any evening is fine with me."

"
How's tonight sound?"

Jessie fought to hide the combustible excitement roiling through her.
"Tonight?"

"
That's too soon, I'm sure," Lucian mumbled.

She tried to figure out how to keep her elation out of her voice, and probably didn
't succeed even a little. "No, not at all. Tonight is fine. Tonight is great. Perfect."

"
I'll do my best to get your car back to you today by the way."

"
Oh yeah, that's right. No car."

"
I'll have them drop it off at the hospital. And maybe you can follow me."

"
Oh, you can just give me the address, I'll find it."

"
Well, I kind of…I planned to visit my brother anyway, so…"

"
Oh, duh, of course." Jessie's face flamed at thinking he was making a trip especially for her. Followed by stroke inducing heart palpitations. Had she just agreed to go to the home of a man whose brother had tried to rape her? Alone? She chewed her lower lip.

She could take
Sally maybe. The scenario that bloomed in her mind brought out the invincible Wonder Woman in her. She could handle Lucian. Lucian the Librarian. Lucian the
gay
Librarian. Easy. Definitely no Sally necessary.

Chapter
Nine

Sally Hutchinson sat staring at the stark white envelope laying before her on the black walnut dining room table. The course of the rest of her life awaited within that bit of paper. Her neighbor brought it over today. Somehow it
'd gotten in her box. But God had seen to it that she'd received it in time. It was another miracle.

When she
'd first promised to dedicate her life to serving God as a nun in return for suffering no consequences after causing a minor traffic accident while driving drunk, she seriously hadn't thought God would actually answer her prayer. But the elderly man behind the wheel of the other car took all responsibility, and the deputy sheriff that responded didn't even ask if Sally'd been drinking. That had been miracle number one. And two weeks later, when she had that dream of her dressed in nun clothing, she took it as a reminder. A calling. And if the peace and serenity she'd felt in the dream would drown out the nightmares of her childhood, she was so ready to take the vow. It would be worth it. 

And now that moment was here, and she was about to find out if and when she might be allowed to profess the Benedictine vow as a Postulant to the Abbey at the Meadow of The Virgin Visitations. She
'd live at the Abbey with the cloistered nuns for a while and think about whether becoming a Novitiate, or novice nun was the right choice for her. 

But then, for some reason, women with various titles had refused her entry to any other convent west of the Rocky Mountains. Did they think she would move in and corrupt the nuns? Her last rejection came at an interview, and as she left that convent, an elderly nun called her aside and gave her a phone number, saying the Sisters there might help her if she were really determined. The old Sister limped out of sight in the morning mist still hanging over the
vegetable garden after warning Sally to silence. Miracle number two. A series of phone calls, letters, and forms led up to Sally sitting there staring at an envelope, too chickenshit to open it.

Enough screwing around. She took a deep breath and held it, then picked the envelope up. Eyes closed, she worked the flap loose and slid a sheet of paper out. She took another deep breath and forced her eyes open before unfolding her future. The heavy paper – handmade? – bore a spidery handwritten script that looked like something from one of the journals she
'd recently read, the writings of a nun dead over a hundred years.

Miss Hutchinson,

I would like to join the Abbess and the other Sisters in welcoming you to the convent. This will be a period of quiet reflection and spiritual renewal for you, a time to ensure this is really God's intention for you. As with all our candidates, we have prepared a Plan of Study to help you ready yourself for your decision.

Please make any preparations you find necessary for a long-term absence, and be ready to leave your home on 25
th
of January. Enclosed is a list of items you are permitted to bring along. Be aware that we are a very simple cloister and technology is prohibited. Note that the only clothing on the list is undergarments of a specific type. Do not vary from those instructions. Adequate outer garments will be supplied. Please make your loved ones aware that communication with you will be sparse and handwritten.

Sister Mary
Evangela will come to your home to collect you on the appointed day. Please be ready before 9 a.m.

Sister Agnes Rose

Sally
tried to calm her pounding heart. She'd been accepted! Adrenaline inspired her to leap up and do a little dance. Mid-celebration, her gaze landed on the elaborate calendar Jessie hung on the kitchen door, exactly where Aunt May had kept it. .

Two days to get ready!
Fuck! No, fudge
. She had to stop slipping with those words. She grabbed the letter, and ran for her room to start packing, skimming the list along the way. Halfway down the hall, she skidded to a stop, the hand woven runner sliding under her feet and threatening to dump her on her ass.
Butt.

Surely her eyes were playing tricks on her… She traced along the list with her finger. There it was. 
Brassieres – 2 – white cotton, absent of decoration, underwires, padding, or other augmentation; Panties – 4 pair – white cotton brief, absent of decoration or adornment; Socks - …
The list went on to describe 2 pairs of white cotton socks and 2 pairs of black wool, and a white cotton flannel nightgown. There was more white cotton and black wool than Sally had ever seen in one place. Even the style of the black leather shoes was spelled out.

But she could deal with all that. It was the last part of the list that made her seriously question her sanity.
One dozen new cotton baby diapers, flat-fold Birdseye – you will use these to construct your own sanitary pads – disposable pads and tampons are prohibited.

Holy. Cow. No tampons? How in the world? Well, presumably women had managed the issue before disposables. Right? A little time online might explain exactly how.

She already possessed the toothbrush and toothpaste the list required, and the plain nail clippers. That was it. She'd have to get a ride to the mall before she could start packing. Too bad Jessie's car was still down. She pulled her phone out to run through her contacts list in search of someone she hadn't already bugged to death for rides. Perfect. Alex from work. She selected the number and waited.

Ten minutes later, she waited for Alex
's brother to pick her up in front of Jessie's house. Possibly the last time in her life that she'd be alone with a guy, and it was nerdy Joshua. Figured. Still, it was sweet of him to drop everything to take her to the mall.