Noah (Angel Institute #7)

Chapter 15

Fifteen

NOAH

A s Will slides into the booth across from me, his ever-present smile dims slightly at my apparent lack of enthusiasm at seeing him right now.

“Hey there, Noah.” Will chirps. “Fancy meeting you here. I was just thinking about you and—“

“Stop,” I interrupt, my voice harsher than I intended. Will’s eyes widen in surprise, but I can’t seem to stop the words from pouring out. “Just stop, Will. I can’t do this right now.”

“Do what?” Will asks, his brow furrowing in confusion. He pulls his arms out to the side in an innocent gesture. “I just sat down.”

“I’m just not in a good place right now. Okay?” I grump at him. My voice is harsher than I wanted it to be. I feel guilty. I don’t want to ruin his day or bring him down. “I’ve got a lot on my mind and I’m sorry for my tone. I just need a chance to work through some stuff on my own.”

“Ah, but you’re never alone.” Noah winks. “Just ask the preacher.” He points to a booth where Pastor Daniel Robert eats a pizza roll. By the look on his face, it’s as good as manna from heaven.

My shoulders deflate.

Will considers me for a few minutes in silence. When he finally speaks, his voice is soft but firm. “Noah, do you remember the first time we met?”

The question catches me off guard. “What? I mean, yeah, of course. It was at the ice rink.”

Will nods, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. “That’s right. And do you remember what you were doing?”

I frown, trying to recall the details of that day. “I was... I was sharpening skates, I think.”

“Exactly,” Will says, leaning forward slightly. “You were taking these dull, worn-out blades and making them sharp and useful again. You were transforming them, giving them a new purpose.”

I blink, unsure where he’s going with this. “What does that have to do with—“

“Everything,” Will interrupts gently. “Noah, you have this incredible ability to see the potential in things, to bring out their best. You do it with those skates every day. You’re doing it with the parade, turning a simple town event into something magical that showcases other people’s talents and gifts. And you do it with your art, capturing the beauty of the world around you.”

His words wash over me, and I feel some of my anger deflating.

Will continues, his voice warm and encouraging. “You’re capable of so much more than you give yourself credit for. All you have to do is grab hold of it and move forward.”

As he speaks, something strange happens. The light in the diner seems to shift, casting a warm glow around Will. For a moment, it’s as if he’s surrounded by a soft, golden aura. I blink, and it’s gone, but the feeling of calm and reassurance it brought lingers.

“I know change can be scary,” Will says, his eyes meeting mine. “Meeting a new woman. Changing the circumstances of your life. Putting yourself out there. These changes are good and good for you. They’ll bring joy into your life, but they take work, and sometimes you have to leave the old you behind to find something better in your future.”

His words strike a chord deep within me, resonating with a truth I’ve been trying to ignore. I feel the tension in my shoulders start to ease, the knot in my stomach loosening slightly.

“I’m sorry, Will,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper. “I shouldn’t have snapped at you like that. It’s just... it’s a lot to process.”

Will’s smile returns, warm and understanding. “No apologies necessary, Noah. Changing our hearts and seeing ourselves more clearly is tough work.”

As Will gets up to leave, he places a hand on my shoulder. The touch is brief, but I feel a surge of warmth and encouragement flow through me. “Whatever you decide to do about the questions in your life, trust yourself. You’re stronger than you know.”

“Thanks, Will. You’re a good friend.” I pat his hand once before he removes it from my shoulder.

He steps back and shifts his weight. One side of his mouth lifts in a satisfied grin. “I am a good friend.” He rolls his shoulders back and leaves.

“He has more confidence in his little finger than a whole boy band.” I stare after him. Maybe he was in a boy band. That would explain the perfectly styled hair and perpetual Peter Pan look. Who knows?

He says a lot of smart things, though. I wonder what he’s been through. Maybe one day he’ll tell me. I’m not going to pry. I’m not even sure why he picked me to be his friend.

Weird.

But I’m happy about it.

What he said about changing my heart comes back to mind, and I turn my attention to those deeper thoughts that don’t weigh me down as much as the self-loathing did. I do want to go with Paige, but I can’t seem to shake the idea that I’ll screw things up for her and she’s better off doing this on her own. How am I supposed to move forward with that sitting on my conscience? I’m not sure I can, though I want to try.

I glance over at the pastor.

Maybe I need some one-on-one time with Jesus.

I gather my things and stand up. I’ll take my snowshoes out and think a little more about this. Maybe I can come up with an answer, maybe I can’t. The only thing I can do is try.