Dark Creations Boxed Set (Books 1-3)

by Jennifer and Christopher Martucci

  Chapter 17

  On Monday morning, Melissa arrived at school fifteen minutes before the first bell sounded. She needed the extra time to prepare for her day. She did not sleep much over the weekend. Too much time had been devoted to agonizing over this day. She knew there would be whispers and stares, questions even, and thought the sooner she arrived and handled whatever arose, the better off she would be.

  She felt certain the entire school knew what had happened at the bonfire Friday night, but Melissa did not know what consequences to expect. She had been drugged. Kevin tried to rape her. Though the facts were plain that she was the victim, she wondered whether his immense influence alone would lend him credibility and exonerate him from what he did, what he had tried to do.

  Her thoughts swirled around the many factors that contributed to public opinion, churned at the idea that intentional drugging and attempted rape could be excused by his reputation

  Her worry filled the weekend. She fretted over the judgments of her classmates. Yet all the while, she found it impossible to reflect on the incident without considering Gabriel. She had not spoken to him all weekend and wondered whether he had gone to the police department with his father and given his statement.

  Standing before her locker on the morning she had dreaded for two days, her hands trembled. Two days and an extra fifteen minutes were not sufficient time to brace herself for unknown and possibly harsh judgment of her fellow students. She fumbled with uncooperative fingers, attempting the combination on the dial of her locker. After several unsuccessful tries, she finally opened it.

  As she searched her locker for specific books, she heard footsteps approaching. For a fleeting moment, she wondered whether her body would fit in the narrow locker, if she could closet herself inside until graduation.

  Melissa assumed the impending footfalls belonged to a fellow student in search of juicy gossip. Her knees felt rubbery from nerves as she prepared for the beginning of a day of unending prying. Nevertheless, she stood ready to decline answering any questions. She took a deep breath to calm herself before she closed the door of her locker and simultaneously attempted to balance a stack of textbooks and binders in one arm. But Melissa’s deflection was not necessary. As she looked up from her toppling stack of books, she saw a familiar pair of deep-set, sapphire eyes staring at her. Entranced by the depth of their color, her hands trembled and her mind swirled for a different reason. Her pulse quickened and she felt the warmth of a deep blush spread across her cheeks as the notebooks and hardcovers tumbled from her arm and fell to the floor.

  Gabriel smiled and stooped to help her gather her things. She was relieved to see him rather than a nosey classmate.

  “Oh you don’t have to do that,” she smiled and fumbled as they collected her belongings. “Thanks so much for helping.”

  “No problem,” he replied. “You okay?”

  “Um, not really. I’m kind of a mess today as you can see,” she admitted.

  “I’m so sorry.”

  “I didn’t hear from you this weekend. I mean, I had hoped you’d call me.” Melissa’s blush deepened.

  “Yeah, about that, my dad was not too happy about having to go to the police station in the middle of the night.”

  Melissa winced. “Oh God! You helped me and I got you in trouble. Great. Way to go me! Did he ground you?”

  Melissa was deeply saddened, to say the very least, and felt responsible for Gabriel’s punishment. She did not intend to get him in trouble, but did. The blame was hers.

  Her insides quaked at the thought of Gabriel being punished for helping her. The fault was hers, yet she was powerless to help him as he had helped her, which got him into trouble first. The irony of the circumstances was unfathomable.

  “According to him, my punishment hasn’t even begun,” Gabriel murmured.

  “Gabriel, I am so sorry. I mean, the last thing I wanted to do was cause problems for you.”

  “He’ll get over it,” Gabriel said offhandedly. “It’s been a long time since he was a teenager.”

  Melisa regretted ever agreeing to spend time with Kevin Anderson. Her poor judgment had begun a chain of events with profound consequences, some of which had yet to manifest themselves.

  Gabriel opened his mouth to speak but closed it immediately as he turned and saw Kevin approaching. His eyes were bruised and a piece of white tape sat across his swollen nose.

  Melissa felt faint and dizzy and feared she would vomit as Kevin advanced. Flanked by his minions, Chris Mace, John DeNardi and Eric Sala, Kevin shot her a withering glance. Gabriel stepped in front of her, positioning himself protectively.

  “Whoa, down boy,” Kevin said sarcastically. “Get a leash for your attack dog, Melissa.”

  “What do you want, Kevin?” Melissa asked, struggling to steady her voice.

  “I just wanted to thank you for sending the cops to my house Friday night. It gave me the opportunity to tell them my side of the story, you know, the truth.”

  His words were cutting and dripping with hostility. Melissa had been the victim and had truthfulness on her side. But Kevin’s arrogance and anger made him sound as if he had been the one wronged. She found herself thrown completely off balance.

  “Your side of the story?” she wondered aloud.

  “Yeah, you know, how you were popping pills at the bonfire and how you and your boyfriend here were drunk and drugged out and jumped me in the woods,” Kevin began.

  “What?” Melissa asked incredulously. She was thrown by his accusation, the ridiculousness, the inaccuracy.

  He ignored her question and continued. “Of course, I told them the facts after my parents called the family lawyer. Made those flatfoots wait nearly an hour while Alan Shapiro drove up from his estate in Bedford Hills,” he bragged. “In case you’re wondering, yes, it is the same Alan Shapiro that was on the Today show over the summer. He represents celebrities and my family.”

  “Get the hell out of here Kevin, now!” Gabriel warned in a low, threatening voice.

  Kevin persisted, disregarding Gabriel’s warning, with his unrelenting speech. Melissa felt her legs threaten to give way beneath her as his monologue was beginning to draw a crowd.

  The group formed with a single student who stood by her locker to be in earshot. Quickly, however, more joined him.

  Incited further by the gathering audience, Kevin carried on.

  “The bullshit story that you spun, Melissa, was something else. I’ll give you credit for that. Me trying to rape you? Please! That is about as obvious as a lie can get!”

  Kevin no longer spoke just to her. He was addressing an audience. He was orating, performing.

  “After my parents and my lawyer finished with those cops, they were apologizing to me. And you,” Kevin gestured to Gabriel. “You’ve been here what, two days, and you go to the cops to try to set me up for this piece of white-trash ass?” he accused. “Do you even know who I am? This is my school. I’ve lived here all my life. I am this fucking place.”

  Kevin had raised his voice so that he was close to shouting. He began rattling off his accomplishments as if his school resume would somehow validate his story.

  “I’m all-state in football, basketball and wrestling. Teachers love me, my classmates love me,” he boasted. “You think your bullshit statement to the police is going to change anything? I have a future–college, a great job, money. And where will you go, Melissa?” Kevin directed his attention back to Melissa. “Maybe you’ll go to community college or maybe you’ll work for you dad at the supermarket stacking bananas for him. Either way you will always be poor white trash.”

  Melissa was paralyzed by the ugliness of his words, by his cruelty. Her feet felt immobile, as if weighted by lead boots. Her mind willed her to leave, to get out of the line of fire, but her legs remained inert as his words assailed her. Students circled her and Gabriel. Some whispered, others screwed up their faces and shook their heads in disapproval. Her head began to
spin. Panic seized her. But his bitterness was unrelenting.

  Kevin’s voice faded in and out as he spoke to Gabriel, “My dad even suggested that I press charges against you, pretty boy.”

  Gabriel ignored Kevin. Instead, he focused on her and her deteriorating condition.

  “I’ll deal with you another time,” Gabriel threatened through clenched teeth. “And I promise you’ll have more than a broken nose next time.”

  Melissa could not distinguish one menacing face from the next, they melded together to form a unified, nightmarish image. The animosity of the horde was palpable, their ill will clear. Gabriel wrapped his hand around hers and pulled her toward him before pressing through the crowd.

  As the two pushed passed the perimeter of students, Melissa’s legs lightened and she quickened her pace from a brisk walk to a jog. Shoving open the metal exit door, they stepped into the rear parking lot.

  Immediately, Melissa and Gabriel were bathed in golden light. The brilliance of the day was a stark contrast to the darkness that lurked in the confines of the school building. Blinded briefly, they had to squint to locate Gabriel’s SUV.

  After their eyes adjusted from the gloom of the school to the lustrous glow outside, Gabriel found his car. He quickly opened the passenger side door for Melissa then climbed in and turned the key in the ignition. The SUV roared to life. He depressed the gas pedal and the two left the campus of Harbingers High School.

  The abundant sunshine had warmed the leather interior of the vehicle but Melissa still felt cold inside. She wrapped her arms around her body to combat the chill. Gabriel, attuned to her need, turned on the heater. She felt drained by what had happened at the school. She could not summon the energy to speak. Instead, she tipped her head back on the headrest and gazed into the intense sunlight. Melissa and Gabriel drove in silence to the entrance of Interstate 29.

  Gabriel broke the silence and spoke first. “Hey, don’t let that dirtbag get to you Melissa.”

  “Huh, too late for that,” Melissa replied sadly.

  “I’m serious. That guy is scum. Everyone will see that.”

  Melissa turned to face Gabriel, saw how his golden skin glowed in the sunlight.

  “You were there. You saw how those vultures gathered around us to get a front row seat. They don’t care if Kevin is scum or not. He’s Kevin Anderson. Every girl wants to date him and every guy wants to be him.”

  She felt her sadness quickly being replaced by anger.

  “This will pass,” Gabriel assured her. “I promise you. Kevin had his five minutes to strut around. This will blow over. It’ll just take some time.”

  “I can’t imagine that happening,” Melissa said dejectedly. “Where are we headed?”

  “Honestly, I have no idea. But I have a full tank of gas and six and a half hours for us to decide. I’ll just drive until you tell me to stop, okay?”

  Melissa and Gabriel continued westbound on Interstate 29. They crossed a river and traveled across three entire counties. Just before leaving the state, the roadway crested at 1,275 feet, its highest elevation. Scenic overlooks occupied the right-hand shoulder and offered an expansive view.

  “Can we stop here?” Melissa asked, pointing to a service area that bore a sign boasting a scenic view.

  “Sure,” Gabriel answered as he directed the Explorer to the rest stop.

  Once the car had stopped, Gabriel turned the engine off and they both climbed out of the Explorer and stretched.

  The sky was scrubbed clean and was a clear, rich cobalt blue. Unfiltered sunshine lit the fall foliage on the rolling hills of the valley. Shades of red, yellow and orange highlighted the treetops. The view lived up to its title. It was scenic and filled with vibrant colors and lush greenery.

  Picnic tables had been placed on the grass and a small building stood to the side. Along the wall of the building, various vending machines had been stocked with drinks and snacks. Passing one such dispenser, Gabriel bought two bottles of water and two bags of pretzels. He offered one of each to Melissa as they ambled along the grassy space and found a picnic bench to sit at.

  Looking out at the breathtaking view, Melissa spoke.

  “Thank you for getting me out of there. I couldn’t take much more.”

  “No problem. I would have liked to have crushed Kevin’s face in.”

  “You wouldn’t have gotten an argument from me,” Melissa joked.

  “I would’ve liked to knock him around for what he said about me being poor white trash,” she continued. “I mean, everything he was spouting was total bull! Just because I am not living in the biggest house in Harbingers doesn’t make me poor or trash.”

  Melissa turned a deep crimson.

  “And so what if I can’t afford to actually go to the schools I apply to. There’s no shame in working and going to community college. Last I checked a college credit is a college credit. I can get my Associate’s degree and transfer to a four-year school.”

  “I’m so pissed that Kevin got to you like this. That jerk succeeded in making you feel bad. He wanted to make you feel small and ashamed, and he did,” Gabriel fumed. “It wasn’t enough for him to smack you around and try to force himself on you, now he’s going to make up lies and try to turn people against you and try to humiliate you? No way! I won’t have it. This will end. I’ll see to it myself if I have to.”

  Warmed by Gabriel’s passionate rant, Melissa found her mood lightening slightly. She was reminded that she had skipped school, however, and decided that she should call her father.

  “Gabriel, I need to call my dad. Do you mind if I go back to the car?”

  “Here are the keys. Take your time.”

  “Thanks.”

  Melissa returned to Gabriel’s SUV and called her father. She knew that he would worry if the school attendance office called asking where she was. He would call home and find her not there either. Then he would really be upset. Melissa wanted to spare her father any unnecessary anxiety, so she called him and told him exactly what had happened. Honesty proved the right decision as her dad shocked her by telling her he’d phone the attendance office and tell them she was ill.

  Never one to lie, Melissa knew her father to be a man who prided himself on being honest. His willingness to fib, as perplexing as it was, was intended to be a show of unity. He was communicating his support for her, and she appreciated it.

  Relieved and pleasantly surprised, Melissa joined Gabriel at the picnic table.

  “Is everything okay?” Gabriel asked.

  “Amazingly, yes,” Melissa answered. “I told my dad I ditched school and why. I told him I was out here with you and instead of freaking out he called me in sick at school. I have the whole day. Go figure.”

  “Wow. You’re lucky. If I called home and told my dad that I cut school and took off, I’d be a dead man,” Gabriel confided.

  “I know what you’re saying. I mean, my dad used to be really strict like that. But lately, I don’t know,” she paused to ponder her dad’s recent behavior. “He’s changed. And after what happened this weekend I totally expected him to, like, lock me in the basement or something. But he didn’t. Instead, he’s been sympathetic and nice.”

  “It sounds like he loves you and respects you. He wants to take care of you, make things easier for you.”

  “He’s always had good intentions, don’t get me wrong. He’s just never gone about it like he is now.”

  “That’s good. I wish I had a dad like that.”

  Melissa considered the weight of Gabriel’s words. She had often thought of her tiny family of two in terms of what, or who, it lacked. After all, her mother was dead and she had no sisters or brothers. Her continual emphasis on the negative points of her life had blinded her to all that was positive. She had never bothered to concentrate on how very fortunate she was to have a strong and loving father and an extended family; to have grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins–a brood of people who loved her and she loved in retur
n. Nearly every facet of life centered on family. Family was the core of her existence.

  As she thought about her many blessings, she glanced at Gabriel who looked lost in thought. She stared at him, enjoyed the perfection of his profile. With every feature highlighted by golden sunlight, he appeared angelic, divine. She watched as he peered out at the spectacular landscape before him deeply deliberating, distant from their destination.

  “Hey. Where’d you go?” she asked.

  Suddenly, Gabriel’s eyes were upon her as he returned from his daydream. Puzzled, he responded. “Huh?”

  “You were, like, elsewhere a minute ago. Your eyes glazed over. I mean, you seemed kind of lost in thought. What were you thinking about?” Melissa reddened at her bold questioning.

  “I was just thinking about family and stuff like that,” he admitted.

  “You live with your dad, right?”

  “Yep.”

  “Do you have any other relatives in the United States?”

  “Not that I know of.”

  “Seriously? No crazy aunts that wear a pile of lipstick and still pinch your cheeks even though you’re seventeen?”

  “Nope. None of those.”

  “How about an uncle who farts at the dinner table and tries to blame a dog you don’t even have?”

  “Can’t say I have any of those either.”

  “Wow. So what do you do for the holidays? I mean, Thanksgiving is in a couple of weeks, where will you go?”

  “My dad does not observe Thanksgiving, or any other holidays for that matter.”

  This piece of information left Melissa reeling. Her brow furrowed as she considered Gabriel’s earthly existence without holiday celebrations of any kind. Such a world seemed bleak and empty and inconceivable. She gave her next idea little thought as overthinking it would only invite self-doubt. Brightening, she asserted “It’s settled then. You will celebrate Thanksgiving with me and my dad. I won’t take no for an answer. You’ll get to meet all my cousins and my Aunt Lorrie who wears like, a tube of pink lipstick and pinches my cheeks and my Uncle Steve who is going through a midlife crisis complete with a wig and a sports car and oh, there’s my Uncle Jack who passes gas at the dinner table and tries to blame the dog.”

  She paused and looked levelly at Gabriel before saying, “Gabriel, we don’t have a dog.”

  At that, Gabriel laughed out loud. He couldn’t seem to stop himself. Fueled by his laughter, she continued.

  “You don’t know what you’re in for. Just wait till they all start sharing stories about their childhood. My nana chimes in after a glass of chardonnay and inevitably curses which gets everyone behaving like rioting monkeys.”

  Gabriel doubled over, laughing uncontrollably. She had never heard him laugh before and was enjoying the sound of it.

  Gasping for breath, Gabriel managed, “I would be honored to spend Thanksgiving with the rioting monkeys.”

  Delighted by his acceptance of her invitation and by his infectious laughter, Melissa’s mood soared. She subtly edged closer to him. Her leg brushed his. Gabriel tensed at the contact. Melissa, sensing his tension moved away.

  “I’m sorry,” she said.

  “For what?”

  “For, you know, getting too close. It never occurred to me that you might be gay.”

  “What? What do you mean?”

  “You know homosexual?”

  “Where would you get an idea like that?”

  Melissa’s cheeks reddened to scarlet. “Well. You know,” she fumbled. “I mean, when I just scooted closer to you and our legs touched, you stiffened, like you were uncomfortable. And the other night, you also tensed up when I kissed you on the cheek.”

  “I am not gay.”

  “Really? You like girls? I’m cool if you don’t, you know. No judgment,” Melissa added “I’m not going to lie, I’d be disappointed for other reasons but I wouldn’t, like, stop being your friend or anything.”

  “Honestly I’m not gay.”

  “So you like girls?”

  “I don’t like girls.”

  “Oh?”

  “Nope.”

  “Gabriel, I’m confused.”

  “I don’t like girls, just one in particular.”

  Crestfallen, Melissa weighed the next question she wanted to ask but was uncertain whether or not she wanted to hear the answer.

  “Is it Alexandra? I mean, I understand if it is. She’s so pretty. Every guy drools over her.”

  “No. It’s not Alexandra.”

  “A cheerleader?” Melissa asked and thought she’d choke if he said yes.

  “Definitely no.”

  Taking a deep breath, Melissa brazenly asked “May I ask who it is then?”

  “Melissa, it’s you. I like you, a lot.”

  Melissa felt her breath catch in her chest and the heat of a rosy glow burn her cheeks. Her entire body fluttered with joy.

  This time it was Gabriel who inched closer. Sitting on the wooden picnic table with their feet resting on the bench, their legs touched. Neither tensed nor attempted to move away.

  “Just to let you know, I am nothing like Kevin,” Gabriel said gently.

  “No, you certainly are not like Kevin,” Melissa agreed.

  “I don’t think you understand what I’m saying. I don’t have the same familiarities he has.”

  Confused, Melissa asked, “What, like his social circles or his athletic involvement or something?”

  “Not exactly.”

  “What? You mean his experience with the ladies?” Melissa quipped.

  “I guess you could say that.”

  “So you have no moves?” Melissa teased.

  Laughing, Gabriel answered, “Nope. Not one.”

  “That’s good to know. I mean, I don’t have any, either,” Melissa admitted. “In fact, if awkwardness were an Olympic event, I’d be a gold medalist.”

  Melissa giggled, but Gabriel did not. Apparently, he did not find her awkward. He looked at her, intensely and with profound sincerity, as if he found her to be anything but. After a brief, mutual gaze, they continued talking. They broached many topics, many of which involved their hopes after graduation, the future.

  Melissa had never talked so easily with a boy. Gabriel was different. He was a good listener and participated when she spoke by asking relevant questions, offering his opinions and laughing often. He seemed honest and at times refreshingly as nervous as she was. One conversation spawned another, and then another. They talked and talked, each discussion was fluid, effortless. The only way she knew that time had passed was when she felt the sun beating down atop her head. She guessed it was lunchtime.

  Hours had passed effortlessly with Gabriel, hours that would have been interminable if spent at school. Unaware that he had continued watching her, Melissa looked down and found herself face to face with Gabriel. She desperately wanted to lean in and kiss him on his full lips. But to her chagrin, his lips parted and began speaking.

  “Are you hungry?” he asked.

  “Starving,” Melissa answered.

  “Want to get back on the highway and find a place to eat?”

  “Sure, sounds good to me.”

  Gabriel and Melissa walked back to his SUV. He opened her door and let her in, then got into the driver’s seat. They reentered Interstate 29 and headed westward.

  The highway led them into Charming, the last exit before leaving the state. Spotting a McDonald’s restaurant, Gabriel and Melissa decided it would be their destination for lunch. They pulled off the exit and into the parking lot of the fast-food restaurant.

  Gabriel came around and opened the door for her. Each time he did this, she felt warmth within her as it was not merely a courteous gesture, but one that he performed without pretense.

  They went to the counter and bought their burgers, fries and drinks and selected a booth in the far corner of the dining area. The lunchtime rush was in full swing and the place was filled with customers, many of whom slowed to l
ook at Gabriel. Certain that they were among a celebrity of some sort, passersby stopped to gawk and stare. Some whispered and glanced subtly while one went as far as fumbling for her cell phone to snap a picture of him.

  Melissa studied Gabriel’s reaction to the attention. She thought that while many teens with inflated egos like Kevin would have loved the absurd flattery, Gabriel was not amused in the least. He seemed completely unaware of his exceptional good looks and the effect he had on people. Moreover, he seemed nervous and uncomfortable and asked her if she were okay with them leaving.

  She agreed to take their food to go and they left. This time, they headed eastbound on Interstate 29. The drive home would take them about an hour, just in time for Gabriel to return home without arising suspicion from his dad. So they ate while he drove.

  After finishing their food and drinks, Melissa packed up the trash and stuffed it in the bag it had come in. She would throw it away at home and leave no evidence behind for Gabriel’s father to find. She would not risk causing another argument between him and his dad that could result in further punishment. She’d done enough harm already.

  As they continued along the highway, Melissa couldn’t help but mention how people had stared back at the restaurant. She had never seen such a spectacle firsthand, much less been indirectly part of it.

  “That was weird back there. Does that happen to you a lot?” Melissa asked.

  “No. That was the first time. It was really bizarre. I felt like a fish in a fishbowl.”

  “Maybe there’s some ‘it’ guy in a gossip magazine that looks just like you or something.”

  “It’s possible. Those guys seem to be a dime a dozen.”

  “I mean, people were staring at you, and one girl even took a picture with her phone. Weird.”

  Gabriel appeared uneasy with their conversation. She wondered if the brand of handsomeness he was blessed with was commonplace in the Russian Far East and that such gawking was absurd. She found herself speculating that perhaps he was a celebrity overseas and came to the states to escape the paparazzi. She knew it was a farfetched theory, especially since Gabriel seemed far too well-adjusted to be a famous person of any sort. He had neither a shred of arrogance nor an overinflated sense of self-importance, two components she deemed synonymous with celebrity. He offered his estimation, interrupting her wild guesswork.

  “You’re probably onto something with your ‘it’ guy theory. We’ll have to do some research and scour not only the gossip magazines but the gossip shows, too,” he joked.

  “I think I’d rather have algebra homework.” She paused a moment then added, “Besides, I’ve tweaked my theory. I think maybe you’re the cutest guy they’ve seen in a while and in our celebrity-obsessed society, they figured you must be somebody, even if they didn’t know who, and they didn’t want to miss an opportunity to be like the paparazzi.”

  Melissa blushed after blurting out that she found Gabriel attractive. She turned to look out the window so he would not see her embarrassment at her admission.

  “That’s interesting,” Gabriel replied as he slid his hand over and offered it to Melissa. With butterflies storming in her belly, Melissa accepted his hand and held it the rest of the way home.

  She struggled to contain the excitement that bubbled within her. She smiled continuously until her face ached as the Explorer navigated Interstate 29 to Harbingers Falls. Sadness enveloped her fully as Gabriel turned off Route 9 and onto Cornwall Road. From there he drove to Top Hill Road and her heart sank even further when he turned onto Blackstone Drive signifying the end of their afternoon together.

  She was back in reality where school and Kevin Anderson awaited her the next day. As if sensing her anxiety, Gabriel gave her hand a gentle squeeze when he pulled into her driveway.

  “I guess I’ll see you tomorrow at school,” she said softly and released his hand.

  “Can I pick you up for school?” he asked.

  Brightening, she said, “Sure!”

  “Great. I’ll pick you up at 6:00,” he said enthusiastically.

  Laughing, she said, “Yeah, umm, that’s a little early.”

  “I know it is,” he said and lowered his eyes to his lap. “It’s just that, I, well, I just want to be with you.”

  For a moment, Melissa wondered whether she’d heard him correctly. Surely, he couldn’t have just said he wanted to be with her straightaway. Boys were never that honest, or that sweet. They played games and delayed calling after dates. They never flat-out said what they felt.

  “Do you want to be with me, too?” Gabriel asked nervously and his words set her heart pounding madly against her ribs. Her mouth went dry and she could not catch her breath. She feared she would hyperventilate.

  When finally her breathing steadied enough for her to speak, she said, “I want to be with you, too.”

  Gabriel’s glorious features brightened. “How about six forty-five?” he asked. “I’ll tell my dad I’m doing something school related. I’ll be creative.”

  “That sounds great,” Melissa said as her pulse accelerated wildly once more.

  “See you tomorrow morning,” he said and seemed as reluctant to leave as she felt about him leaving.

  “See you tomorrow,” Melissa she said and echoed his words.

  Every cell in her body screamed at once, urging her to reach across the console and wrap her arms around Gabriel’s broad shoulders. She wished she were forward enough to do it, wished her cheeks didn’t blaze at the mere thought of it. But she was who she was, and she did not dare act on the impulse. Besides, she did not want to risk ruining whatever was developing between them. So she waited as he walked around to the passenger side of his car and opened the door for her. He said good-bye to her and watched as she slowly walked up the stone pathway to her front door. As she watched him wave then drive away, she realized that six forty-five could not come soon enough.