"You're the expert," Gabe said cheerfully, scanning the area. "I've never made smoothies before. And I don't think they could blame us for wanting to smell the flowers, could they?"

With a conspiratorial wink the nurses wouldn't be able to see, Gabriel knelt on the path and bent to take a deep breath of lavender. The hand nearest the nurses held his lunch-bag; the other was quick and darting, plucking off several sprigs of the purple flowers and sliding them into his pocket in a smooth motion that wouldn't crumple them.

Then Gabriel sat upright again with a grin. "They do smell lovely, though," he said sincerely. And were potential remedies the Archangel rather doubted Landel would make it easy for them to have, if the nurses only knew.