by Raine Thomas
Suddenly, The Dream flashed through her mind.
“I love you more than it should be possible to love another.”
Blinking, Amber cleared the thought from her mind. Gabriel was what mattered right now, not some weird dream. But she couldn’t deny the similar wording was a little freaky.
He continued, “The other gift I want to give you now is the promise that goes with this ring. Are you willing to accept it and give me your own promise in return?”
Perhaps she should have been shocked and overwhelmed by this turn of events. She supposed it would have made sense to hold a long, internal debate over the wisdom of making this bond that she knew Gabriel took very seriously and had every intention of keeping. He was right that everyone else would think them crazy and ill-fated in light of society’s struggles when it came to relationships and long-term commitments. But she knew very clearly what was in his heart as well as her own.
Her heart and her mind were as one on the matter.
Once again pushing The Dream to the side, she answered, “Yes.”
Smiling, he reached for her left hand. “There should be some amount of ceremony with this, I think. So I’ll say as I give you this ring, Amber Hopkins, that I love you now and always will. You’re my best friend and I have complete faith in you. I’m giving you this ring as a symbol of my love and unbreakable commitment to you.”
She felt the soothing warmth of the metal as he slid it along her left ring finger and into place. Although she had only rarely ever worn jewelry, the ring felt unexpectedly comfortable on her finger. Knowing it was her turn, she took his left hand in hers. She normally would have scoffed over this type of romantic nonsense. Now, though, she found the words he had spoken not just a haze at the edge of her thoughts, but clear and eager to be voiced in return.
“And I will say to you, Gabriel Reid, as I give you this ring, that I love you now and always will. You’re my best friend and I have complete faith in you. I’m giving you this ring as a symbol of my love and unbreakable commitment to you.”
Lifting his left hand, she placed the ring on his finger. He then laced his left hand with her left hand, their rings touching, and leaned in to kiss her. Neither of them noticed the brilliant glow of their joined hands since their eyes were closed.
The vows were sealed.
PART II:
Transition
Excerpts from the Great Foretelling:
“The pieces will come together, a perfect fit…and she will come to understand that she was meant for more than she ever understood of her world.”
“He will face decisions far more complex than those that brought him to this point. For what did he ever have to risk losing before?”
Chapter Eleven
Rather than spend money on a taxi, Gabriel and Amber walked the couple of miles to the Alutiiq Museum. The weather was gorgeous and warm for the area, right at 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and they opted to walk along Mission Road so they could enjoy the views of the nearby water. There weren’t many people out yet, so they were afforded a decent amount of privacy. Since it wasn’t even ten in the morning, they had plenty of time to enjoy the museum and eat a leisurely lunch.
Gabriel held Amber’s hand in his as they walked. He thought about how much he liked the feel of the ring on her finger. There was just something substantial about it…something tangible to represent their feelings for each other.
He wasn’t sure what had prompted him to purchase the rings. It certainly hadn’t been his plan when he walked into the small Anchorage jewelry store. He had thought to try and find something nice to get for Mrs. B as a thank you for signing off on their trip and helping them book all of their accommodations. But just as he walked in, the display of rings under the crystal-clear glass caught his attention.
Amber had lingered at the sporting goods store next door and thus wasn’t with him at that moment. One of the two saleswomen behind the counter had walked up and given him a friendly greeting.
“Anything in particular I can help you with?”
His gaze had settled on the two rings that he and Amber now wore. “Well…”
The saleswoman followed his gaze. “These?”
He nodded.
“A beautiful and unique set, made by a local designer,” she said, taking the rings out of the display and handing them to him for closer inspection. “The center stones are honey amber and the bands are a radiant white gold. This etching along each band is symbolic of love and fidelity, making them wonderful promise rings.”
He glanced up. “Promise rings?”
“Yes. You could think of them as pre-engagement rings,” she explained helpfully.
And it had all settled into alignment for him then. Just as they finished discussing ring sizes and payment, Amber had walked in. As it turned out, the display rings had been their sizes, making things infinitely easier for him.
Glancing over at her now, he couldn’t help but feel the compelling pull of Fate. Much as he had sensed the first time they met, he somehow knew she was meant for him. She walked along now with her hand comfortably in his, her new sunglasses in place and the sea breeze lifting her hair, apparently oblivious to the intense thoughts pressing on him.
“I can feel you thinking about me,” she said.
He raised both eyebrows.
“It’s not psychic ability,” she said dryly. “You’re staring at me and you keep running your thumb over my ring.”
“Oh.” He couldn’t help but grin abashedly at that. “Caught me.”
“I’m sure there are much more interesting things to focus your attention on.”
“On the contrary, I can’t keep my thoughts from you. In true male fashion, as a matter of fact, one of my main preoccupations centers on what you’re wearing under that sweater and jeans right now.”
Much as he knew it would, the comment set a pretty blush in her cheeks. He expected her to come back at him with a barbed comment about being a typical guy. Instead, she reached up with her right hand and lowered the neckline of her sweater enough that he could glimpse a teasing amount of the garment she wore underneath it.
“Ah...okay,” he managed to say when he found his voice again. “Um. Wow. Was that red?”
Smiling, she answered, “Rose. Or so I was told.”
“Uh-huh.” He paused as they walked a bit further. “Was that lace?”
“Yep.”
Another pause. “And matching…”
“Oh, yeah.”
Sweet baby Jesus.
She laughed heartily as if she knew his thoughts. He tugged playfully on her hand. “That was just mean,” he said without any heat behind it.
“Yep.”
“Hmm. I’m thinking I foresee moose ears and raucous singing in your birthday future.”
She laughed again and released his hand so that she could put her left arm around his waist in a half-hug. “It’s a good thing I know you’re a guy who would never renege on a deal. Merely one of the things I love about you.”
“You’re just trying to turn my attention with sweet praise.”
“Is it working?”
“Of course it is.” He leaned down and kissed the top of her head. A hint of the fragrance she wore floated up to him, immediately reminding him of their kiss that morning and the intense wave of feelings it had produced. “What’s that scent you’re wearing?”
Pushing away from his side, she said defensively, “Oh, no. You’ll just make fun of me.”
“Will not,” he insisted, grabbing her hand again. Grinning, he guessed, “Is it some really girly-sounding name? Like Pink Passion or Exotic Ecstasy?”
“Not far off,” she admitted in an embarrassed mumble. Then she focused on the names he had made up and snorted a laugh. “And what have you got on the brain, I might ask?”
“Ha. Now tell me before I turn us around and walk back to the house to find out for myself.”
Rolling her eyes, she said, “Sensual Amber.”
“Wh
at? Really?” His grin spread. “Well, that’s just perfect.”
The museum came into sight then and he lifted her hand to kiss the back of it. As they approached, they studied the unassuming beige building with its clean lines and many angles and looked for the front entrance. A few other people were also headed to either the museum or the Holy Resurrection Russian Orthodox Church across the street, so Amber and Gabriel blended into the small crowd to wait in line to pay their museum admission.
“The Alutiiq dancers start at noon,” the woman in front of them told her companion. “We’ll need to time it so we can see their performance.”
Interested, Gabriel leaned forward and said, “Excuse me, ma’am. Where are the dancers performing?”
The woman glanced back in surprise, but her face warmed when she caught his friendly and interested gaze. “Over in the park just down the street.”
“Thank you,” he said with a smile. When she turned back to her friend, he glanced at Amber. “Why don’t we go see them? It shouldn’t take more than a couple hours in here.”
She shrugged. “Sure.”
So they toured through the museum, enjoying the various exhibits. Gabriel found it fascinating to learn about other cultures from the histories they left behind. The museum contained an impressive collection of artifacts, from photographs and contemporary artwork to full-size, handmade kayaks and ancient tools, every piece of history telling the larger story of the Alutiiq people.
When they were done with their tour, they stopped in the gift shop and Amber found a hand-carved jewelry box that she wanted to buy for Mrs. B on their way back to the rental, figuring it could hold the earrings that Gabriel had bought their guardian in Anchorage. They then made their way to the park that the woman had indicated earlier.
Amber removed her sunglasses, pulled out her small camera from the tiny purse she wore across her body and began taking a few photos of the park as they arrived. A sizeable crowd had gathered in anticipation of the performance. So that they had a good view of the dancers, Gabriel led Amber to the front edge of the circle that the crowd had made. It appeared they had made it just in time, and within a couple minutes, the crowd’s murmuring grew in purpose and the dancers came into view.
There were about twenty dancers ranging in age, size and gender, all dressed in traditional garb of leather and fur. Some wore colorful beaded headdresses and others decorative masks. Every one of them had dark hair, but there was a surprising range in skin tones.
As the dancers set themselves in the middle of the circle, Amber shuddered.
“Are you cold?” Gabriel asked from where he stood behind her. “You can wear my hoodie.”
She shook her head. “No. Just a chill.”
Since she had snapped a few pictures and replaced the camera in her purse so she could enjoy the performance, he pulled her so that her back was pressed against his chest and wrapped his arms lightly around her. She settled against him and brought her hands up to hold his arms where they crossed over her chest.
Right then, a drum beat echoed through the park and the performance began. Gabriel was highly impressed by the skill of the dancers. Since Amber bounced a couple of times in rhythm with the drums, he figured she felt the same way. After a few minutes, his attention focused on one of the younger female dancers. She was one of the few wearing an elaborate headdress and her every movement was a study in grace and emotion. Although the flow of the dancers only brought her to the edges of the audience a couple of times, he couldn’t help but sense something familiar about her.
Just as she started to get close enough that he could try to get a better look and figure out what it was about her that had caught his attention, something more powerful tugged at his senses. His gaze flickered to the opposite side of the audience circle.
And saw the gilt-haired businessman from seat 10D.
Although he was dressed normally in khaki pants and a long-sleeved, white collared shirt, there was something ominous in the serious set of his expression. There also didn’t appear to be anyone around him who knew him or even acknowledged his presence. His dark eyes bored right into Gabriel’s.
Trying to convince himself he was imaging things, Gabriel instinctively tightened his hold on Amber and tried to focus again on the performance. Out of the corner of his eye, though, he could sense the other man’s steady and unblinking stare. What were the odds that they had all ended up in this same location at the same time? Probably somewhere near astronomical.
By the time the performance ended, he was inexplicably eager to depart. He applauded the performers along with everyone else, then prepared to usher Amber away from the crowd when the circle broke up.
“That was pretty cool,” she said, moving easily in line with Gabriel’s guiding arm as he turned.
“Mm-hmm.”
Her gaze moved to his as they started walking. “Is everything okay?”
“Sure.”
But she knew him too well, and she turned to briefly glance over her shoulder before once again turning forward. “Middle-aged blond guy with the khaki pants, looks like he’s about to sit down at a business meeting?”
“Yeah.”
She didn’t say another word and continued walking steadily in the direction he guided her. He had never appreciated her matter-of-fact manner more. His fingers linked tightly with hers.
“Amber!”
The sound of her name in this remote location had both of them turning. He watched with no small amount of astonishment as the female dancer who had tugged at his curiosity bounced in their direction. She had removed her beaded headband and the leather and fur jacket she had been wearing, leaving her dressed in just the costume’s black leather pants and a black cotton tank top. Her hair was also nearly black and hung unbound down her back. She had a few black ink tattoos on either side of her neck and a single silver stud pierced just below the center of her bottom lip. Filled with interest and excitement, her light blue eyes flashed between them even as she hurried over and threw her arms around Amber.
“I’m so happy to finally meet you!” she declared.
Gabriel watched the display in confusion. He instinctively wanted to protect Amber, knowing she hated to be touched, especially by complete strangers. But this girl came across as a familiar friend, making him hesitate.
And, outside of her deeper skin-tone and eye and hair color, she looked disturbingly like Amber.
“Hey,” Amber said gruffly, releasing his hand and not so gently pushing the newcomer away. “I think you’ve gotten me confused with someone else.”
An expression that might have been hurt flashed across the dancer’s features, but she quickly rebounded with her bright smile. “Sorry—I wasn’t thinking. I forgot you haven’t learned about me yet.”
Now understanding that Amber had no idea who this person was, Gabriel took her arm and pulled her closer to his side. A few of the audience members had stopped to watch the exchange. He knew the attention was the last thing Amber wanted.
“Look, uh…”
“Skye,” the dancer offered, still smiling with outrageous cheer.
Gabriel began to wonder if she was mentally off-balance. After seeing the blond businessman again so unexpectedly, her behavior had him highly on edge. He took a step back, his hold on Amber’s arm prompting her to move with him. “Yeah, okay. Look, Skye, we really enjoyed the performance. Great work there and all. We have somewhere else to be, so—”
“I know you’re wondering what’s going on,” Skye interrupted with a laugh and a careless wave of her hand. “Nick told me to wait, but I just couldn’t. You must be Amber’s friend, Gabriel.”
Amber glanced over and caught his gaze. They exchanged a look that clearly said, “What the…?”
“Or maybe…” Skye continued, eying them thoughtfully as though she didn’t notice their perplexed and concerned expressions. Then her eyes widened. “Oh! Definitely more than a friend.”
Now she leaped forward and threw her arms a
round them both. “Congratulations, you two!”
This time, Amber pushed at one shoulder and Gabriel pushed at the other until they managed to distance themselves from the dancer. They didn’t bother to mask their discomfiture over the exchange.
“Okay,” he said firmly, “I don’t know what’s going on here, but this isn’t funny. Have you been following us around or something?”
“Of course not,” Skye replied indignantly. Her features formed a pout that looked foreign on a face so like Amber’s.
“I warned you not to go about this in this way,” came a deep, accented voice from behind Gabriel and Amber.
They turned again and both of them had to look up. The very tall and muscular man standing only a couple of feet behind them had the characteristically dark coloring of a native Alaskan. The gray in his long hair and the deep lines around his brown eyes indicated that he was of a certain age, but his face was utterly expressionless. He had folded his arms over his broad chest as he looked past them to the dancer. The chinos and plaid button-down shirt he wore looked comfortable, but didn’t suit his overall appearance. Gabriel couldn’t help but think it was kind of like seeing the Venus De Milo in a miniskirt. He looked like he should be wearing something much more rugged.
“I’m sorry, Nick,” Skye said, her laughing eyes belying the words. “I couldn’t help myself.”
The older man sighed. Catching Gabriel’s gaze, he unwound his arms and held out a large hand. “Nick Tomaganuk.”
Uncertainty warred with good manners, and in the end, manners won. Gabriel reached out and took Nick’s hand. “It seems you already know who we are.”
“Yes,” Nick agreed easily, his face still unreadable. “But I hope you’ll forgive Skye’s tendency for being dramatic. We’re here to help.”
“Ah…” Gabriel looked around and noticed that the crowd had dispersed. He no longer saw the blond businessman, either. Amber remained completely silent beside him, her troubled gaze shifting from Nick to Skye. His own anxiety around the strange encounter had eased a bit due to Nick’s calm and straightforward manner. Finally, he said, “I really wasn’t aware that we needed any help.”
