For The Love Of An Angel

ANGEL

Having been used to being outside bars begging for money or food, for me it was a novelty to be actually inside of one.

From the booth where I was sitting opposite Owen, I glanced around the room, taking in the dim lights, the loud music and people dancing on the dancefloor that was just off to the side. Other people lined up at the bar itself, all calling out to the waiting staff, all wanting their next drink. I spied a couple of pool tables in the corner, not being used.

“Wanna go play?” Owen asked, and my eyes snapped back to him. He nodded in the direction of the pool tables.

With a grin, I shook my head. “No, thanks. I’m not sure I would be any good. It’s been a while since I’ve played. I think I’ve forgotten how to hold a cue.”

“Me, too.” He chuckled, his dimples on full show. “But we can both be crap together.”

The look in his eyes caused heat to flood my cheeks and I ducked my head, my eyes falling to the half empty bottle of beer in front of me. When Sarah had found out that Owen had asked me out, she’d given me some money to go out with. I’d tried to hand it back to her, but she was having none of it, and told me to go and have a good time, so I made a promise to pay her back once I had my first paycheck.

Owen had called me a couple of hours after, as he’d promised, and had asked me out that night. Sarah had encouraged me to go for it, then had told Damian to give me the night off. With a wink, she’d stuffed some money in my hands and ordered me to have a good time.

And I was.

“I didn’t get you into trouble with Mr Buchanan earlier? In the kitchen?” A frown pinched Owen’s brow, giving him a cute look and I had to fight the urge to reach over and run my hand through his hair.

Balling my hands into fists in my lap, I managed a small smile and shook my head. “No. It’s okay.”

He blew out a breath and sagged a little. “And he didn’t mind you taking the night off at short notice?”

A pang shot through my chest and I shook my head. Damian hadn’t said a word about me going out tonight. When I’d changed into the clean fresh clothes that Sarah had sorted for me, I’d gone to Damian’s office, to explain to him where I was going, who I was going with … and he hadn’t reacted at all. Hadn’t even acknowledged that I was even in his office, his eyes on the computer screen the whole time.

Tears burned the backs of my eyes at the memory, while a lump formed in my throat. Over the few days I’d known Damian, I had found he could be difficult to read. But the cold shoulder he’d given me a couple of hours ago had been icier than the weather outside, as well as the chilly stare he’d given Owen earlier in the kitchen. My chest squeezed as I’d remembered how he’d looked at me. And at Owen.

He’d looked like he was angry at Owen. And for what? The guy hadn’t done anything other than just be in the kitchen. Maybe Damian just didn’t want Owen in the house, but if that really was the case, then why would Sarah invite him in?

My head started to hurt so I ran a hand down my face, then through my hair. Taking a deep breath, I reached for my beer and offered Owen a smile.

“How long have you been driving a delivery truck?”

He leaned back in the booth seat and reached for his own beer bottle. “A while now. I started working at the supermarket when I was in university as a way of earning a bit of extra cash.” He shrugged. “I found I enjoyed it more than I did my studying, so I quit college and went to work there full time.” He took a swig of the beer. “When I got my driving licence, I realised that I liked driving, too. So when the job came up, I went for it.” He grinned and my heart skipped a little.