Page 51 of Lips of an Angel

When he pushed against my chest, I loosened my grip and let him sit up. I cupped his chin in my hands, brushing away his tears with my thumbs.

Everything was starting to add up: His miraculous healing after the accident from an injury that should’ve killed him—that apparentlydidkill him. The tattoos that seemed to form out of nowhere. The feathers I’d been finding all over the place.

“Angel,” I whispered. “It’s more than just a name, isn’t it?”

He gave me a watery smile and nodded against my hand. “You’re not upset with me?”

“What? Of course not! I wish you’d told me sooner, but how could I ever be mad at something that prevented me from losing you, darling?”

That word,darling, was like a bucket of ice water dumped over our heads. We both froze, neither of us making a move or attempting to say anything.

Finally, after a long, drawn-out silence, I was the one to speak. “Who was it? Who do I have to thank for saving you that night?”

Angel wiped the tears from his face before signing his answer. “The medic. She came to see me in the hospital later—much later. She explained that I was too young to die, and while she couldn’t save the others for one reason or another, she couldn’t bear to loseme.” His hands faltered. “I need you to understand that I didn’t choose this. I don’t want to be this way. But last night, saving your life, I’ve never been more grateful to be a freak.”

“Hey!” I hooked a finger under his chin and forced him to look at me. “You know my rule, Angel Dawson: Being a freak isnota bad thing. I’d say last night proves it.” Something dawned on me. “What do we tell everyone else when they ask where the angel that stopped the truck in its tracks came from?”

A laugh bubbled up from Angel’s chest, and it was the sweetest sound I’d ever heard. “I may have used my powers to alter the camera footage. As far as anyone else knows, the truck swerved and missed you.”

I stared at him. “You can do that?”

“I guess so?” He shrugged. “They didn’t come with instructions.”

I reached for my cup again, and the lack of pain in my shoulder reminded me of what Angel had done in the bathroom. He’d…healedme with nothing more than a touch. Cup in hand, I rubbed the joint. “So, you can heal people?”

“When necessary.” His cheeks tinged pink, and he didn’t look at me when he signed his next words. “Or when it comes to you.”

“Me?”

“Ever notice how you’ve never had a bad hangover?”

“Damn. That was you?”

Angel nodded, this time with pride. “You should be dead with the amount of tequila you’ve had in the last few weeks.”

I picked at a chip in my mug, mulling over my next question. “Does Eli know?”

I wasn’t entirely sure I wanted to know the answer. Angel had every right to keep certain things between him and Eli, but I would be lying if I said I wouldn’t be hurt to learn that Eli had known all these years and I hadn’t.

When Angel shook his head, I felt a wave of relief. “Only you,” he signed.

“Are you going to tell him?”

“I might—eventually.”

“Angel, you’re about to marry the man.”

Exasperated, Angel snatched his own drink. “Can we talk about literally anything else? I’m so burnt out on wedding talk. I barely have time to prepare myself as it is.”

There was something there, something more that he wanted to say, but when he wrapped both hands around his mug and studied the liquid like he’d be tested on it, I knew it would be pointless to argue. Which, to my relief, was typical Angel. All of this…angeltalk felt surreal, like I would wake up at any moment and it would all be a dream.

Maybe I still would, but until then I was determined to enjoy these private moments with my best friend before it all went to hell in a handbasket.

Chapter 19

RALEIGH

This wedding had becomethe bane of my existence. It was the one thing that Angel refused to talk about, and the one thing that Eli came to me for. Angel wasn’t making any decisions, which meant it was left up to me to decide what he would want. I could pick out Angel’s favorite color, and I knew whether he’d pick chicken or fish better than anyone else, but the only thing I was certain of was that Angel didn’twantto marry Eli.

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