LOVED BY AN ANGEL

Parties And Picnics

Running around the kitchen, I was rummaging for a spatula in hopes of rescuing the chicken from burning. What can I say, cooking is not one of my talents. I'm strictly a right out of the can and straight to the microwave kinda girl. I figured since I'd bummed at home all day I'd take the burden of cooking off of my dad for the night. The table was almost set when my dad walked through the door with a bounce in his step. Spotting my charred chicken, lumpy smashed potatoes, and overcooked carrots he smiled. "Smells wonderful sweetie".

"Okay dad, it's fine, you don't need to lie". He grinned and placed a kiss atop my head. I noticed he seemed overly happy. "What's the deal with you?"

Taking a seat, he piled his plate with my less than spectacular food. "You want believe what happened today".

"Ummmm..... You finally asked Janet out on a date?" I said hopeful. Janet was his co-worker and just happened to be divorced. The chemistry was so obvious between the two, yet they both danced around the topic of hooking up. Plus both were too scared to get involved. My dad stared at me over the rim of his glasses. "No,ASpen. And I'm not about to discuss my romantic life with you".

"You mean lack of romantic life dad".

"Aspen". He warned.

"What? I'm just saying dad, you can't keep locked away from the world. You deserve to have a life beyond me and work".

"Are you finished Aspen?"

"I guess".

"Good. Now here's for the good news. My boss approved my ideas".

"That's great dad".

"That's not all baby, he also gave me a raise".

"What? That is the best news we've heard in a long time. Wait I thought you said this new, young boss was bull headed..... hmmmm..... maybe he got laid".

"Aspen". My dad hissed. "Language please".

Snickering we dug into this roadkill meal I had made.

My eighteenth birthday arrived and my dad was actually given the day off. We made the best of it too. My dad insisted on splurging on me since he received the raise. Taking me to the mall he allowed me to pick out a new outfit complete with shoes. Afterwards he took me to eat sushi, which was a first for both of us. Usually we didn't have the money to spend like this, but dad insisted this day be special. Once home we attacked the homemade cake dad made for me every year, strawberry and cream, my absolute favorite.

A few weeks passed and I found myself  riding along in my dad's bucket of rust of a car. His company was having a family oriented picnic. Naturally I dreaded this, I was so not a people person but this was important to dad, relunticaly I agreed to go. I slid into my new outfit and shoes, brushed my untameable hair, and applied a smidgen of mascara along with a pale pink lipstick. Rushing out the door, I gave my cheeks a good pinch for that natural glow. At least this picnic was at a favorite park of mine where I knew of a abandoned, old church down a beaten path I could escape to if it became to much. Getting out of the car I followed my dad on over. We stopped several times to make small talk with a few of his fellow coworkers. Finally we made it to the food table and the spread was made from heaven. All my favs were in plain view awaiting for me to devour them. It was certain that I would leave this picnic not being able to walk from food overload. Grabbing a plate, I filled it to the brim with all these delightful foods. We had just sat down and I had my fork fisted preparing to make a pig of myself when I heard a kinda of familiar voice. "Hello there, Mr. Staley".

My dad looked up from his plate and smiled. "Hi Mr. Carmichael".

"Please, call me Evan".

This Evan stared into my eye's as if he was reading my soul. Suddenly filled with embarrassment over my two-ton plate, I gently laid my fork aside. Evan was a walking dream and I looked like Miss Piggy in the middle of a food orgy. The ground would do me a grave favorite right now if it just open up and swallow me whole.  My dad's voice scattered my thoughts as he said. "Allow me to introduce you to my daughter, Aspen".

Remembering my manners, I gave a shy smile and extended my hand. Evan's much larger hand engulfed mine and a tremor of warmth surpassed me. This man was such a hottie, heat eradicated from him, or my imagination was just running wild. "Aspen, this is my boss". My dad continued, but I might as well have been deaf. Still gripping my hand Evan smiled showing off a perfect smile. Then I noticed I had whipped icing slathered on my hand from a cookie I had nibbled on while walking to the table. Now that icing was clambered on his hand as well. Jerking my hand away, I gasped. "I'm so sorry. I didn't me to get my cream on you". Rushing my hand to cover my mouth at how that sounded, my cheeks flared as I prayed for a storm to miraculously appear and lightening strike me down. "That's not what I meant, I, um, let me wash you. I mean wash your hand". OMG Aspen just shut up, I screamed to myself. Thank Jesus my dad's attention had been averted into a another coworkers conversation and he didn't hear this somewhat inappropriate conversation. Taking a deep breath, I pronounced my words carefully to make sure nothing came out sounded like sex addict. "Please, let me get you a napkin".

Giving me a sexy smile he lowered his eye's and slowly licked the cream from his hand. "I happen to love cream".

Wait, what. Did I just witness this Goddess of a man lick cream off his hand. Not any cream but cream that had been on my hand. Then say what he said in a dark, sensual voice that caused my thighs to clamp together. No, this can't be right. I'm only eighteen and he's like got to be in his twenties, not to mention my dad's boss. Plus men like him just don't flirt with me. If I was bold, I would assume he was lost, over here flirting with me. Giving me a knowing smile he placed his fingers under my chin and said with a wink. "I'll be seeing you Aspen".

What the fuck just happened? Things like that just don't happen to me. Once he was out of view I attacked my plate clearly eating my emotions. As the day wore on, every time I glanced around I found Evan's eye's on me, watching my every move. After a bit I wondered back over to the food table. Grabbing a napkin, I picked a assortment of cookies and headed down my hidden path for a bit of downtime. No longer than it took me to gobble up my first cookie I heard his voice. "Fancy seeing you here?"

"Oh". Was all I could manage to say as I brushed cookie crumbs from my mouth and shirt. I was literally caught with my hand in the cookie jar, shoveling them in my mouth faster than a fat kid at a candy bar. Why must I keep humiliating myself in front of this man. "This is a very beautiful place, isn't it?"

Nodding my head, I agreed. "It is. So peaceful. I wasn't aware anyone else knew about it?"

Taking a seat beside me he spoke. "A very special person showed this place to me. I come here often now".

"Oh". Gosh I sounded like a idiot. Honestly I didn't know what to say and as I checked out his side profile I gasped. A flashback came to me. I knew his face I just couldn't recall where. Looking over at me he asked. "Something wrong?".

"Um, I,  um. Have we ever met before? I mean your voice sounds familiar and you face?"

Giving me that grin he stood and trailed his thumb over my lip swiping off some crumbs I had missed. "I don't know Aspen. You tell me".

What the hell was that suppose to mean, but the sensation his thumb imprinted on my lip invaded any thoughts. Staring absentmindily, he took my hand and pulled me up. "We should head back before your dad starts to worry".

Evan took a step and the sunlight shone in through a hole in the roof. For a hair of a second his body was lit up in a bright, shiny glow and another memory hit me full force. Taking a few steps from me, I recalled the angel in that nightmare a few weeks ago. The dream I had put behind me. "What's wrong?" He asked taking a step toward me.

"I, I must go". I left him there as I ran out of the church with my mind in a whirlwind. Thankfully my dad was ready to leave once I returned. I stayed up late that night snacking on some of my favorite things my dad brought home from the picnic. Between fistfulls of sweets and thinking of that dream and Evan's confusing attention I was worse for wear in the morning.