Free Fallen Angel (Hqn) by Eden Bradley

down, his arms piled with plastic bags holding her scant belongings. He couldn’t imagine what that was like, to go into life with nothing. Nothing to hold on to, no certainty.
    Except for him.
    If he thought about it too long the sense of responsibility was overwhelming. He’d chosen not to think about it much.
    They reached the ground floor and the orderly wheeled Angel out to his truck. Liam was there, tail-stub wagging like crazy, but he knew not to try and jump out.
    “Oh!”
    “Angel, are you afraid of dogs? I didn’t think to ask. Shit. I’m sorry.”
    “Oh, no. The Grandmother has dogs. I liked them. It’s just that…I know him. I saw him. I thought he was Cerberus. I thought…but he’s not. He’s yours.”
    Cerberus? The three-headed dog who guarded the gates of hell? She was confused, that was for sure. But he guessed that was normal. Ruth and Stephen had both told him that having to leave the hospital today was going to be another shock for her.
    “Liam can ride in the back of the truck. I’ll make sure he doesn’t bother you.”
    “Can he sit with me? Is there room?”
    “You want him to sit with you? He slobbers like crazy.”
    “Yes. Please, Declan. He is my protector, just as you are.”
    She was smiling, holding her hand out, trying to reach for Liam as the orderly helped her to stand up. The dog came to the edge of the truck bed, laid his face in her palm, nuzzling her, his brown gaze on her, adoring.
    What the hell had gotten into the dog? He was always friendly, but this… He’d never seen him act this way with anyone.
    “If you’re sure.” She sent him a dazzling smile. He really could not refuse her anything. “Okay, let’s get you into the truck, then we’ll get Liam.”
    He helped her into the cab, laying her crutches in the truck bed, then whistled to Liam. The dog jumped in, settled himself politely next to Angel, his big muzzle resting against her cheek. She was murmuring to the big animal, smiling. Declan shook his head as he went around and got into the driver’s seat.
    He thanked the orderly, started the truck and pulled onto the Shoreline Highway.
    Some of the fog had cleared; trees and ocean whizzed past on either side as they headed south. He pointed out landmarks to Angel: a local inn, the junior college, but she wasn’t really paying attention.
    “This has to be pretty overwhelming for you,” he told her after a while.
    “I almost remember riding in a car. I know I have…”
    “I keep forgetting how limited your life has been. And I’m sure I don’t know the half of it. Ruth told me everything would be new to you, but it’s hard to comprehend until I see it happening.”
    “Yes, for me, too. She told me to trust you. That you would guide me. Liam will guide me, too.”
    She rubbed her hand over the dog’s massive, black head.
    “Looks like you two are going to be friends.”
    “Yes.” She smiled again, and he had to force himself to watch the road rather than her.
    Her face was healing, the cuts and bruises mostly faded, leaving her pure beauty shining through. Her hair was pulled back in some sort of clip, away from her face, revealing her high, rounded cheekbones, her fine jawline. Her mouth was even more lush, more pink, now that her health was returning. But it was her eyes that always got him: big and blue, so pure and innocent, but with a thousand lifetimes in there in some weird way.
    Concentrate on the road, buddy.
    “Angel, do you want me to put on some music?” He knew the nurses had played music for her during her weeks in the hospital. Liz had brought in her own iPod and speaker dock for Angel to use.
    “I love music.”
    “What do you like? Anything other than Liz’s country music?”
    “Everything.”
    Everything. It was all so simple with her. He pushed in the CD he’d been listening to on the way to the hospital, an old Kenny Loggins album. He glanced at Angel, found a small smile on her lips as she smoothed her hand over Liam’s