“What are you doing?” She asked, realizing that he was watching her and smiling.
“I love listening to you sing. You have a great voice. You should always sing out, so everyone can appreciate what I am hearing.” He reached over to grab her gloved hand.
They stayed up late, eager for the kids to drop off to sleep so that they could play Santa and complete all the finishing touches. Gabriel insisted that they hang mistletoe all over the living room and kitchen because he never had any as a child. Isabella gave him a sideways glance when day he made that announcement. She sometimes believed he used that excuse to get his way, but regardless it worked. She relented and virtually every square foot of ceiling over the two rooms had been covered in kissing balls.
Needless to say, with all the smooch breaks they had to take in order to keep with tradition, it took twice as long as normal to lay out all the presents, eat the cookies, drink the milk, and write a special thank you from Santa. At last, very late, or very early, depending on the frame of reference, they finally dropped off to sleep, almost too tired, and feeling it was rather superfluous, to kiss again in bed.
Isabella tried valiantly to put on a happy face for Rebecca and Kyle Christmas morning, but her focus remained on the loneliness that would engulf her during the remainder of the holiday. She had overheard Gabriel talking on the phone with friends, and he had mentioned on more than one occasion that he made arrangements to go away with them.
“This trip has been planned for more than a year,” he said apologetically to Isabella. “I can’t cancel on my friends now. Do you understand?”
Each time Isabella nodded or stated outright that she understood, but inside her heart was breaking. This would be the true test of her coping skills, to be completely childless and Gabriel-less for a week. What a time for Jessie to decide to visit family in Boston.
They were busy unwrapping presents for what seemed like an eternity. Gabriel had gone overboard on the spending, as usual. Just when Isabella thought that everything had been opened and she could safely shower prior to making breakfast, Gabriel stopped her before she climbed up the stairs.
“Ummm, beautiful one,” he said in a sing-song voice, “I think you may have forgotten something in the tree.” He pointed at an envelope that she didn’t remember seeing there before.
Isabella reached for it absentmindedly. The envelope wasn’t the type that one would typically use for a Christmas card. This large, somewhat bulky manila envelope had been addressed “To My Darling Bella” in Gabriel’s messy script. The corners of her mouth turned up as she opened it, then her reaction blossomed to full blown squeals of delight, causing Rebecca and Kyle to come running down from their bedrooms to check out the commotion. When they saw their mother hugging Gabriel, they turned and marched back up the stairs. For them, their mother and Gabriel’s public displays of affection were nothing new or intriguing.
“Brazil! I’m going with you to Brazil! So, this is why you had me taking those pictures in Boston and filling out the passport paperwork?” She asked looking back and forth from her tickets to her passport to Gabriel. “Oh, Gabriel! Thank you!”
He laughed and half-heartedly fended off her affections. She paused for a moment. “You know it’s not the trip, right? I’m thanking you for knowing that I couldn’t handle being alone right now.” She lowered her eyes, both shy and embarrassed to have her weaknesses be seen publicly. She seemed to think that Gabriel would think less of her because of it.
“I know,” he said gently, lifting her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes. “Tomorrow after we send off the kids we’ll pack. I should warn you now, though...” His voice trailed off. How he feared disappointing her. She simply gazed up expectantly. “You know, of course, that we’re not going alone.” Still she gave no response. “I’ve been keeping you to myself long enough. My friends are going, too, but we will have our own suite. Can you live with that?”
Isabella couldn’t be more thrilled. For a while she had been wondering if he was ashamed of her and that was why she had met no one besides his parents. Now she was actually going to meet his friends. Maybe she was finally becoming a major part of his life, too? He had been a huge portion of hers for quite some time.
“I’m so glad,” she finally responded excitedly. “So, you mean I get to meet Ben, and Sebastian, and Matty, and and...everyone?”
Relieved, Gabriel smiled and nodded. “Yes, everyone. I’m just worried they are all going to try to steal you away from me.”
Isabella moved away from his embrace and began to march up the stairs again. “Yeah, right,” she said over her shoulder. Then she paused as she observed the look on his face. He was serious. It didn’t matter to her how his friends responded to her. Could he really not know how she felt about him? And then as Isabella continued to ascend the stairs, she thought to herself, why would he? They had never made love, she had never let him get that close, nor had she ever told him what she now knew to be true. I love him! Isabella surprised even herself with this startling revelation. She decided she must let him know as soon as the opportunity presented itself.
Unfortunately, the moment didn’t arrive for days. In the mean time, they packed the kids up and sent them off with Jack, who seemed to be less than enthusiastic over receiving an emergency number to a hotel in Brazil.
“Yeah,” he said snidely, “I’m sure that you will be really accessible in Brazil. I’m sure that you will just drop everything and be able to meet the kids wherever, huh?” He addressed Isabella, but Gabriel became so irritated by Jack’s tone that he felt the need to step in.
“When it comes to Rebecca and Kyle,” he said sternly, “money is no object. If the kids need Bella, I’ll see that she gets there.” He wrapped an arm protectively around her shoulders and stared back at Jack, who now admitted defeat by walking glumly to his car. With light hearts, they stood on the snow covered porch to wave goodbye to the kids.
Gabriel’s car had already been loaded, so they simply turned everything off, and locked up her barn. During the drive up, Gabriel told Isabella about each of his friends, what they did for work, how they met, and how they all became the pals they are.
“Sebastian,” he said quietly, “is the one I’m worried about. He thinks that you are just a game. He thinks that he can turn your head. You two would actually have much in common. He runs one of the many galleries in Montreal. He’s supposed to be tall, dark, handsome, and brooding. I guess women find that attractive.”
“Then why is he single?” Isabella asked slyly. “No personality? Just a player?”
“Hey,” Gabriel responded defensively. “If you had asked anyone about me seven months ago or more, before we were dating, they would have said I was a player.”
“I find that hard to believe. You’re amazing.” She said warmly.
“I’m only amazing because I try so hard to impress you,” he revealed quietly.
“I don’t believe it.” Isabella shook her head assuredly. “What you have comes naturally.”
They arrived at the estate and managed to sneak in a nap, a snack, and a bath before preparing for their evening out with his friends. As Isabella stood before the mirror moisturizing her face she said, “So, will you be dressing me tonight, as usual?”
Gabriel walked in carrying a cougar print thong. “Been shopping at Vicki’s again, baby?” Isabella queried, giggling.
“Well,” he shrugged embarrassed. “Should I feel guilty for wanting you to have nice things?” Isabella planted a kiss on his lips and shook her head. “We have to head for the airport immediately following dinner. It is a really late flight. You can sleep, if you want. We’re flying first class and a limo will meet us there. We’re going to look ridiculous, a party of seven and only one woman.”
“Seven is a very lucky number,” Isabella noted. “Anything could happen this trip.”
“That’s what worries me,” Gabriel mumbled.
Dinner took place at a local pub in Montreal. Isabella an
d Gabriel were the last of the party to arrive. Isabella wondered if this happened because he had a need to make an entrance, or he wanted to keep her to himself for just a few extra minutes. All five of his friends stood to greet her as they approached the table.
Gabriel began to introduce them, but Isabella said, “Let me see if I can guess, based on your descriptions.” He looked ill at ease, but nodded in acceptance. They sat and she took his hand in hers, holding it tightly in her lap. They shared a special smile. Isabella only hoped he realized her devotion to him, and that he would relax and not alienate his friends.
“Okay, let me see,” she began staring at the young man seated next to Gabriel at the round table. “Shy, but nice smile. You must be Ben.”
Ben smiled even more broadly now. Isabella reached out her hand to shake his, but instead he kissed it and says warmly, “It is a pleasure to finally meet you, Madamemoiselle. I can see why Gabriel adores you.”
Both Gabriel and Isabella blushed at that. She giggled, then continued with her deductions, “Tall, blond, strong, you must be Matty.” Again her hand was kissed. Gabriel still looked uncomfortable. Isabella leaned over to him and whispered in his ear. “You have nothing to fear from them, not a one, especially Sebastian.” His look softened, so she sealed her words by brushing her lips across his cheek.
One by one she continued. Eric was rugged and athletic. Ian had glasses and wore a clever look about him, as though much transpired just beneath the surface. At last she reached Sebastian, whom she realized worriedly had taken the seat just next to her, and been staring at her with a twinkle in his eyes the entire time. He didn’t even slightly resemble the dark brooding man Gabriel described. She prepared to name him, when she realized that Gabriel’s hand had tightened almost unbearably on hers.
Leaning over she murmured, “I thought you said he was brooding?”
“He’s up to something,” Gabriel mumbled. “That is the only time he looks like that.”
She returned to her task at hand. “So, by process of elimination, you must be Sebastian,” she said, and offered her hand. He tried to kiss it seductively with everyone looking on, especially Gabriel who watched like a hawk.
Seeing his intentions, Isabella leaned in with one eyebrow arched dangerously and said in a barely audible voice, “You wouldn’t be trying to upset your best friend would you?”
“And if I was?” He asked shamelessly.
“Let’s just say that would not be wise, nor would it be welcome.” Her voice remained low, but serious, and left little doubt as to how she would react should he try anything with her this vacation.
He changed his mind, and simply gave her hand a quick peck like everyone else, but whispered in Isabella’s ear, as she turned to face Gabriel again, “We’ll see, Isabella. There may come a time when you would welcome my advances.”
“Never,” she hissed then turned, thankful that the waitress had arrived with their drinks, ready to take their orders.
The amaretto sours she drank at the restaurant must have been stronger than she was used to, for she fell asleep shortly after take off, snuggled into Gabriel. She only took a power nap, but still she managed to miss much of what transpired between Gabriel and his friends.
“She’s great,” Ben said appreciatively. “I feel like I could actually talk to her without being scared.” His face grew pink at his admission.
“I know,” Matty added, giving Ben a friendly slap on the shoulder. “She seems really intelligent, too. You can tell by what little she says and the way she looks at you when you are talking. She makes you feel like she is really listening. Man, Gabriel. You always get so lucky with the women.”
“Well, I know I’m jealous,” Ian admitted. “If you ever let her get away, I will be calling for her number.”
“Oh,” Sebastian said guilefully, “I don’t know if I’d wait that long.”
Everyone held their breath, waiting for a reaction from Gabriel. Instead he was looking down at the beauty in his arms, stirring slightly as she struggled to wake up.
“Hi,” Isabella said bashfully, embarrassed that she fell asleep and utterly unaware that her every move was being watched so carefully. “Do you know this is my favorite place to sleep in the whole world?”
“Where?” Gabriel asked jokingly, as he pulled her closer. “On planes?”
“No,” Isabella replied throatily, “in your arms.” She reached up, found the back of his neck, and pulled him down to kiss her, deeply, passionately. Then she let go, sat up, and looked around, only to discover that all of Gabriel’s friends and at least one stewardess were watching. Isabella blushed, a deep crimson, and reached for a magazine. Gabriel, however, looked as though he had won some great victory.
At last, they reached their hotel and with it their suite. It was very nearly sunrise and both of them were tired. Still, they had never actually welcomed a sunrise together. They wandered out onto their balcony which overlooked the pool and beach. The sky looked magnificent, covered in shades of pink, salmon, melon, and hints of orange as the giant glowing orb made its first appearance in the sky. And then, as they turned to face each other, and just before Isabella anticipated his kiss, millimeters from her lips...
“I love you, Gabriel.”
It came out almost as a whisper, surprising both of them. He took a step back for a moment, but didn’t let go of her waist. His hands tightened on the small of her back. She could tell he wasn’t certain he heard her correctly. He needed reassurance. She straightened up, looked him in the eye and now, with a steadier voice, more confidently said, “I love you.” She looked into his face for a reaction. Whatever she expected, it wasn’t this.
Tears formed in his eyes. He pulled her closer and buried his face in the top of her head. She felt him breathing in short warm bursts into her hair. Suddenly she realized that he was crying. She pulled back, alarmed. “You don’t have to say anything,” she explained quickly. He looked down at her, eyes watering, threatening to overflow onto his cheeks. “I didn’t mean to upset you,” she added, confused. “You’ve been so wonderful to me and to the kids. I just realized how I felt Christmas Day. I finally had the nerve to tell you. I...” She stopped, believing herself no longer coherent. What more could she say?
“Oh, my Bella,” Gabriel cried. “You cannot know how long I have yearned to hear those words. I thought maybe you never would...feel for me. I have loved you for so long. So long! I was afraid of scaring you away. Uh!” The words seemed to fail him now. They were both exhausted after having traveled through the night. He led her to the bed, where they collapsed into each other’s arms and slept the deep sleep that those emotionally drained always find.
Gabriel had expected to sleep in late, but Isabella behaved like an eager child this morning. She had already taken a shower and wore only a towel turban when she roused him. “Come on,” she urged, kissing him. “Time to wake up!”
“What time is it?” He asked groggily.
“Late.” Isabella announced, trying to be serious.
“And just what are we calling late these days?” Gabriel wondered, catching on to Isabella’s tone.
“Nine?” She said weakly.
“You’re killing me! We’ve only had three hours of sleep!”
“Well, actually, I had only two and a half. Please come keep me company downstairs. The guys will be waiting for us in the restaurant for breakfast.”
That wasn’t to be, however. A knock sounded on the door. Isabella ran for a bathrobe while laughing giddily. Gabriel bounded from the bed wearing only his bikinis. He swung the door open widely, just as she pulled the robe up, exposing all of her back to their traveling companions.
Isabella turned around and tied the famous floral robe loosely, wearing a shy smile. “What’s this?” She asked. “I thought we were supposed to meet downstairs.”
“We’re playing room service,” Sebastian announced. “I told everyone to meet here so we can eat and plan our day.”
“Oh, did y
ou?” Gabriel queried sarcastically. Evidently Sebastian planned to continue in the attempt to get under his skin.
Isabella walked over. “Relax,” she whispered as she stood on tip toes to kiss his neck while the rest of the group looked on.
They planned out the week, which sounded as though it would be pretty full, with a little sight seeing every day, and a lot of sun and late night fun. Immediately following breakfast on the first morning, they packed up and went to Parque Nacional da Tijuca, a beautiful tropical rainforest. They traipsed around for a while, then, as it neared lunch time, and the heat continued to increase, they headed back to the hotel to change. Everyone raced to their rooms, laughing. Gabriel leapt from the elevator first, dragging Isabella behind him.
They were the first ones to make it to the pool as well. When everyone else arrived, they found Isabella rubbing lotion on Gabriel’s back. He spotted them first and smiled. “Beautiful One, let me take care of you now.” Isabella turned around, but Gabriel had a better idea. “No, lay down.” She did as he commanded, and soon strong hands were rubbing every exposed spot. He even rubbed his hand under the edges of her bathing suit, just in case they rode up.
Second Chances Page 46
