Danielle Steel - Johnny Angel

Miracles happen….

JOHNNY

ANGEL

PRAISE FOR

DANIELLE STEEL“Steel pulls out all the emotional stops…. She delivers.”— Publishers Weekly “Steel is one of the best!”— Los Angeles Times “The world's most popular author tells a good, well-paced story and explores some important issues…. Steel affirm[s] life while admitting its turbulence, melodramas, and misfiring passions.”— Booklist “Danielle Steel writes boldly and with practiced vividness about tragedy—both national and personal… with insight and power.”— Nashville Banner “There is a smooth reading style to her writings which makes it easy to forget the time and to keep flipping the pages.”— Pittsburgh Press “One of the things that keep Danielle Steel fresh is her bent for timely story lines…. The combination of Steel's comprehensive research and her skill at creating credible characters makes for a gripping read.”— Newark Star-Ledger “What counts for the reader is the ring of authenticity.”— San Francisco Chronicle “Steel knows how to wring the emotion out of the briefest scene.”— People “Ms. Steel excels at pacing her narrative, which races forward, mirroring the frenetic lives chronicled; men and women swept up in bewildering change, seeking solutions to problems never before faced.”— Nashville Banner “Danielle Steel has again uplifted her readers while skillfully communicating some of life's bittersweet verities. Who could ask for a finer gift than that?”— Philadelphia Inquirer

PRAISE FOR THE RECENT NOVELS OF

DANIELLE STEEL JOHNNY ANGEL “Steel's heartfelt depiction of the central relationship between Johnny and his mother is touching, and few readers will get through the revelation of Johnny's final gift with dry eyes. [The novel's] theme—the healing power of love—is classic Steel.”— Publishers Weekly “Steel ties it all together…. This one will be hot this summer.”— Booklist “Call us sentimental, but sometimes we prefer the classic authors. Make it a point of pride to read Johnny Angel.” — Chicago Sun-Times SAFE HARBOUR “Danielle Steel offers readers a poignant tale of friendship, family and hope. The relationships are full, and the unforgettable spirit with which the characters struggle to renew their love for life makes this book a treasure.”— Oklahoman “Her page-turning plot and charming depiction of loving relationships will endear Ms. Steel to her fans.”— Library journal DATING GAME “A cheerful story full of colorful dating scenarios … You can't stop devouring it.”— Chicago Tribune ANSWERED PRAYERS “Smooth plotting.”— Publishers Weekly SUNSET IN ST. TROPEZ “Steel's skillful character development shines.”— Newark Star-Ledger THE COTTAGE “A story of friendship … Fans can always count on Danielle Steel to come up with a best-selling story…. [Her] charm has lasted.”— Abilene Reporter-News THE KISS “Steel pulls through with skillful plotting, steeping a gentle brew that will once again gratify her legions of fans.”— Publishers Weekly A MAIN SELECTION OF THE LITERARY GUILD

AND THE DOUBLEDAY BOOK CLUB

Also by Danielle Steel

RANSOM MIXED BLESSINGS SAFE HARBOUR JEWELS DATING GAME NO GREATER LOVE ANSWERED PRAYERS HEARTBEAT SUNSET IN ST. TROPEZ MESSAGE FROM NAM THE COTTAGE DADDY THE KISS STAR LEAP OF FAITH ZOYA LONE EAGLE KALEIDOSCOPE JOURNEY FINE THINGS THE HOUSE ON WANDERLUST HOPE STREET SECRETS THE WEDDING FAMILY ALBUM IRRESISTIBLE FORCES FULL CIRCLE GRANNY DAN CHANGES BITTERSWEET THURSTON HOUSE MIRROR IMAGE CROSSINGS HIS BRIGHT LIGHT: ONCE IN ALIFETIME THE STORY OF NICK TRAINA A PERFECT STRANGER THE KLONE AND I REMEMBRANCE THE LONG ROAD HOME PALOMINO THE GHOST LOVE: POEMS SPECIAL DELIVERY THE RING THE RANCH LOVING SILENT HONOR TO LOVE AGAIN MALICE SUMMER'S END FIVE DAYS IN PARIS SEASON OF PASSION LIGHTNING THE PROMISE WINGS NOW AND FOREVER THE GIFT PASSION'S PROMISE ACCIDENT GOING HOME VANISHED

To Nicky Angel,

I will always love you,

and you will always be

with me, in my heart.

Mom. And to Julie,

who was Nicky's angel,

and mine. I know that they are

together now, happy,

laughing, full of love

and mischief. How very, very much

we will miss you both

until we meet again.

with all my love,

d.s.

a cognizant original v5 release october 06 2010

Chapter 1

The sun was shining brightly on a hot June day in San Dimas, a somewhat distant suburb of L.A. The sophistication of Los Angeles and Hollywood seemed light-years from here. The city was just far enough so as to seem not to exist at all, and kids could still be kids on a warm summer day. School was drawing to a close before summer vacation, graduation was about to fall like a ripe plum into the seniors' hands, and the prom was only days away.

Johnny Peterson was the valedictorian of the senior class, and the star of both the track and the football teams for the past four years. He and Becky Adams had been going out for four years. They were standing on the school steps, talking to a group of friends, his tall lanky body swaying ever so slightly in her direction, as their eyes met from time to time. They shared the same barely guarded secret that many of the kids their age did. They were in love with each other, had been sleeping with each other for the past year, and had been seeing each other exclusively before that for all of their high school years. High school sweethearts, with vague but unspoken plans to wind up together one day. Johnny was about to turn eighteen in July, before starting college. Becky had turned eighteen in May.

His dark brown hair shone in the summer sunshine, with copper lights that seemed to be reflected in his dark brown eyes. He was tall, broad-shouldered, and athletic, had great teeth and a perfect smile. He looked the way every young man wished he could as a high school senior, but few do. But more than that, he was a terrific kid, and a nice guy. He had always been a good student, had lots of friends, and had two jobs when he wasn't playing sports and on weekends. His parents had very little money with three kids to support, and often just managed to get by. But they always did. He would have liked to play pro football and could have, but he had very sensibly decided to go to state college on a scholarship, and study accounting, so he could help his dad. His dad ran a small accounting firm, and had never much liked what he did. But Johnny didn't seem to mind it, and was a whiz in math. And his excellent computer skills were a huge help too. His mom had been a nurse and had retired years before, to take care of his younger brother and sister, which had turned out to be a full-time job, especially in the past five years. Charlotte, his little sister, had just turned fourteen and was starting high school in the fall. And Bobby, who was nine, was a special child.

Becky's family was not as orderly as Johnny's. She had four brothers and sisters, and their life had pretty much fallen apart two years before, when her dad died. He was a construction worker, and was killed in a freak accident. It left the family financially desperate and stunned. Becky had two jobs after school, and worked hard. They needed every penny she and her oldest brother could earn. And unlike Johnny, her scholarship hadn't come through. She was going to work full time at the drugstore all year, and try again for a scholarship next year. And she didn't really mind. She wasn't the student Johnny was, and she was relieved to have a break from school. She liked working, loved her two sisters and two brothers, and was happy to help her mom in whatever way she could. They had gotten pitifully little money from her dad's insurance, and things had been tough for a long time. Johnny was the sweet spot in her life.