Falling For You

by Nicole Taylor

  “You’re not playing fair, Leiliana,” he said softly.

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  He looked pointedly at her hand.

  “Oh!” she exclaimed, snatching her hand back like she’d been burned. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.”

  If it were any other woman, he would have figured it was all an act, but not her.

  “I’ve got to say that this is certainly a welcome change from your suggestion yesterday that JJ Inc. was weaker because it was a subsidiary of Walsh Enterprises.”

  “Uh…sorry about that,” she said sheepishly.

  “Is that really how you see my company as being this tarnished thing?” he hadn’t meant to bring it up, but her comment had really hurt even though he hadn’t let on at the time. Without being conscious of it happening, her opinion really mattered to him.

  She sighed. “Gabriel, that isn’t how I really feel. If I saw you as tarnished goods, I wouldn’t have sought a merger with you. To be honest, I defended you stoutly to my father. He was skeptical, but I convinced him that you are not Barry Walsh and Company. But as you can appreciate, this is a negotiation. It would be foolish of me not to emphasize my company’s strengths over yours in an attempt to get over my point more forcefully.”

  He grinned. “Don’t you mean, get your way?”

  She narrowed her eyes. “Don’t put words in my mouth, Gabriel Walsh. So do we have a deal?”

  “Let’s go with JJ Lamport Electronics,” he said softly.

  She watched him thoughtfully for a moment, then she stuck out her hand. “Deal.”

  He reached across the table and covered her hand with his. “Deal.”

  They shook hands, but when Leiliana attempted to drawback, he didn’t release her hand immediately. He held it tighter and ran his thumb on the back of it.

  Their eyes locked.

  At that moment, Gabriel felt like jumping over the table, grabbing Leiliana and kissing her. Reluctantly, he released her hand and looked down at his laptop to distract himself from his crazy thoughts.

  “So, what are we discussing tomorrow?” she asked.

  It took Gabriel a couple minutes to clear his thoughts, then her question registered.

  “Oh, tomorrow is Sunday. I don’t work on Sundays because that’s my Sabbath.”

  She didn’t respond, so he looked over at her. She looked quite thoughtful.

  “So, where do you worship when you’re in Ireland?” she asked.

  “All Saints. I find that the doctrine is sound, and I enjoy the community of worshippers. You should come. Actually…” he gave her a long look as something occurred to him. “…this Sunday is ‘Bring a Friend’ Sunday. It would be grand if you’d accompany me.”

  “Actually, Gabriel, thanks for your kind invitation, but I can’t attend church with you.”

  “Why on earth not?” he asked.

  She glanced away. “I just can’t.”

  “Is it because I said it was ‘Bring a Friend’ Sunday? Are you afraid that people will think we are friends? Do you have a problem with being considered my friend?”

  “No. Of course not.”

  “What then? You were just asking me about my church, and all of a sudden, you’re backing away.”

  “I asked about your church, but I didn’t say I wanted to go.”

  “Why not? What have you got against my church?”

  She rolled her eyes. “I have nothing against your church, Gabriel.”

  “It’s because of the friends thing, isn’t it? The moment it left my mouth, I chided myself for that. I said to myself, ‘you shouldn’t have said that. You’re going to scare her off. Now, if you’d said it’s ‘Professional Relations Sunday,’ she would have been more comfortable.’”

  She gave him an exasperated look. “Why can’t you simply accept that I can’t go like a normal person would?”

  “Because I’m interested in ensuring you get spiritual nourishment.”

  “My goodness, you are too much, Gabriel Walsh! I can’t believe you’re harassing me about going to church.”

  “So, come on now. Fess up. Why don’t you want to go to church with me?”

  “I just think we’re spending too much time together, that’s all,” she murmured.

  Gabriel rubbed his chin and watched Leiliana closely. If she wanted space to talk herself out of falling in love with him, that was precisely what he would not give her.

  “So, be ready by 9 am tomorrow, hai?” he said.

  She threw her hands up in the air. “Hai.”

  Chapter 15

  L eiliana peered at her face in the mirror as she carefully put on liquid makeup. She had freckles and always liked to ensure that they were well covered before she went out. Next, she applied light powder, a little blush, eye makeup, and, finally, lip color.

  Satisfied, she pulled her hair into a top knot, then stepped into her white sleeveless paint splatter design dress. She pulled the zipper up halfway and then had to reach over her shoulder to pull it all the way up. As she completed the action, she couldn’t help thinking of Gabriel and what it would be like to have him pulling up her zippers. Or pulling them down for that matter. She felt a wave of desire grip her and stabilized herself against the armoire. She couldn’t believe her inappropriate thoughts concerning that man.

  And it was getting worse. All last week, there had been so many instances where she had wanted to throw caution to the wind and kiss him. Of course, such a thing was completely out of the question. She couldn’t get romantically involved with a man she was embarking on a business partnership with.

  But it was so hard not to feel this way. Each day, her admiration for him grew. Take yesterday when he had told her he didn’t work on Sundays as it was his Sabbath. She had been immediately convicted. There had been a time that she didn’t work on Sundays either, but in recent times she had been going into the office after she left church most Sundays. Even though her parents admonished her about it, she made the excuse that there were matters that couldn't wait.

  It wasn’t hard to see that it all led back to her reluctance to relinquish her work to God.

  Still, she was improving. Following Gabriel’s advice, she had sent an email to her staff, letting them know she would be out of commission for the next couple of weeks. She had felt a little like a fish out of water at first and had found herself checking her phone often to see if she had missed a call. She still fought the temptation to check her emails. But she discovered that reciting the relevant scripture that spoke about God being in control helped. Like Isaiah 41:10, which said, “Fear not, for I am with you; Be not dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, Yes, I will help you, I will uphold you with My righteous right hand.” And Philippians 4: 6-7 which reminded her, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

  Just as she was pushing a pair of small pearl earrings in her ears, her phone rang. It was Gabriel telling her he had just arrived.

  Leiliana quickly put on her shoes and grabbed her purse. When she reached the foyer, she saw Gabriel walk in. Her heart skipped a little beat. He looked so handsome in a black sweater, worn over a white open-necked shirt and fitted dark blue jeans, and his gold aviator shades covered his eyes. He quickly spotted her and smiled in greeting. She met him halfway across the lobby.

  He placed a hand at the small of her back as he ushered her to the exit. “Nice dress,” he said. “But look, you spilled paint all over it.”

  She elbowed him in the ribs as she slid on her big sunglasses. He feigned hurt and then laughed as he guided her to his car.

  She stopped and stared at the car for a moment.

  “This is your car?”

  “Aye. Do you like it?”

  “I’ve never seen you drive this car before.” The car he usually drove was a grey
Audi.

  “It was in the shop. Having a routine check-up as they say.”

  Leiliana walked around the car, running her hand over its shiny champagne gold exterior. “This is the Jaguar E-type. Manufactured in 1961. This car is a classic.”

  He whistled low. “The lady knows her cars.”

  “My father owns one of these.”

  “Really? Well, I’ve got a secret to share. This isn’t the standard E-type, there’s something special about this car.”

  Leiliana suddenly remembered the lateness of the hour. “Oh my goodness, we’ll be late for church,” she said as she hurried over to the passenger side.

  As she reached for the door, Gabriel beat her to it.

  “Allow me,” he said, opening the door with a flourish.

  Leiliana strapped in. “You were saying something about your car being special,” she reminded him as they left the hotel.

  Gabriel pulled onto the main street. “Did you notice our acceleration just now. How quickly it went from 0 to 100?”

  “I did notice, and I was thinking that as much as I’d like to get to church, I’d prefer to get there in one piece.”

  He laughed. “Does your father’s vintage model do that?”

  She thought hard. It had been a few years since she had gone for a spin in that car, but she didn’t remember it accelerating so quickly. “I don’t think so.”

  “I guarantee you it doesn’t. You know why? This model has undergone an electronic conversion.”

  “A what?” she asked, holding on to the side of her seat as Gabriel overtook another car. “Gabriel, slow down!”

  He grinned and reduced the speed slightly. “Sorry. I think I took your request not to be late to heart.”

  She glared at him. “You’re incorrigible. I should have driven myself.”

  “And miss out on this fun? So, as I was saying, the engine is battery powered.”

  “This is an electric car?” she asked in surprise.

  “A hybrid, actually.”

  “This is amazing. I notice the difference now. It’s so quiet.”

  His smile reached across his face, like a little boy showing off his new toy.

  “I fell in love with this car the moment I saw it, and since its conversion, I love it more.”

  She laughed at the glee in his face. “You sound like you’re talking about a Damascus road experience.”

  “In a way, it reminds me of that. Interestingly enough, the car had its conversion around the same time I had mine. I never thought about that before. That’s kind of symbolic, I think.”

  A moment later, they pulled unto a driveway, and she spotted the church. She glanced at her watch. It was 9:04 a.m.

  “Oh, Gabriel. I hate being late.”

  He pulled into a car spot, turned off the ignition and hopped out.

  When he got around to her side, he opened the door for her. “We’re technically not late. They have worship music for 20 minutes before the official start.”

  When they got into the church, they slipped into a pew and joined in the singing. The church had a live band playing drums, keyboard, and guitar as the singers led the worship singing. The song being sung was one Leiliana knew by heart, so she had no trouble following along. Beside her, Gabriel was singing loudly, passionately. She felt happy about being here and was glad he had insisted she come.

  In no time, her hands were in the air, and her hips were swaying back and forth to the music. A few more songs with similar positive messages and reminders of God’s grace followed. Then the tempo dropped to a slower beat. The song was Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone).

  Leiliana cast a glance at Gabriel. His eyes were closed as he sang, and his hands were up in the air. Clearly, he was not a sedate worshipper.

  The next song was called Grace and Mercy. It was familiar to Leiliana because it was one of the songs from her brother’s band, Redeemed. It featured Nia, her brother’s wife, on vocals. Nia sang about how living life wild and free had finally caught up and left her broken and hopeless, but that was where she had met Jesus.

  When the song ended, and they took their seats, Leiliana turned to Gabriel. She could see him wiping away moisture from his eyes with the back of his thumb. Had he been crying just now?

  She felt a lump form in her own throat. After a while, she leaned towards him and whispered, “My brother wrote that song.”

  His eyebrows shot up. “Your brother wrote Grace and Mercy?”

  She nodded vigorously. “He’s Liam Lamport, the lead singer of Redeemed.”

  “I love that song. When I first heard it, I felt as though it was my song. I like songs from that band. I wasn’t aware of the family connection.”

  ~*~*~*~

  Gabriel was contemplating whether he should show Leiliana around after service, but he decided against it. She had seemed so skittish when he had mentioned that it was ‘Bring a Friend Sunday.’ He didn’t want to make her uncomfortable. So, as soon as service was over, he stood and planned on leaving by a side door.

  That was his plan, but several church members approached him with greetings, hugs, and kisses. Then a married couple who were his friends came over and greeted him and introduced themselves to Leiliana. They had a baby and a toddler, and he noticed the way Leiliana’s eyes lit up when she looked at the children. She smiled and chatted with his friends and couldn’t seem to stop herself leaning forward and cooing to the baby. Then she asked the mother to hold her.

  The mother cautioned that the baby didn’t really go with strangers. Still, the baby immediately reached out her hands to Leiliana. Leiliana wasted no time. She nestled her in her arms and began rocking her, making baby faces at her, tickling her chin. After she gave the baby back, with seeming reluctance, she leaned over to make small talk with the couple’s four-year-old son, commenting on his toy truck.

  Gabriel was seeing Leiliana in a new light, and it was surreal. For the last few days, she was the businesswoman, the tough negotiator. Who would have thought that this corporate princess would be so engaged with his friends, simple folk that they were, and so enraptured with their children? Why hadn’t a woman like this, so obviously intelligent, beautiful, successful, and maternal gotten married and had children of her own? Not that he was complaining. He thanked God that she was still free.

  “You’re great with children,” he told her as they descended the church steps and headed to the parking lot.

  She smiled. “Thanks. I really love them. I’ve got the most gorgeous nieces, Liam’s children. I’ve also got a few godchildren. I love that role. I especially love the gift buying part. That is the most fun. At Christmas time, I try to get them and their parents over to Belfield manor to celebrate with us.”

  “I wouldn’t have thought you cared for children given your focus on business.”

  “People enjoy jumping to conclusions, don’t they,” she said, sticking out her tongue at him before getting into the car.

  He laughed out loud as he closed her car door.

  “They do, but that’s usually because they can only speculate. Especially when someone’s as private as you,” he said as he strapped in.

  “I’m private?”

  “People say you’re very private. You restrict interviews to business alone. They say you’re a mystery.”

  “I don’t see why my life should be a mystery to anyone. Why do they want to know my business? Don’t they have business of their own?”

  “Because you’re a novelty in a world where people are used to putting even the most intimate details out there for public fodder.”

  She shook her head. “Not me. I enjoy my privacy. Only those in my close circle of family and friends know the real me, and I like it that way.”

  “What makes you so afraid of sharing yourself with others?”

  “I’m not afraid.”

  “Yes, you are. You seem to be very careful about letting people in.”

  She looked down. “When you come from the family I do, it’s har
d to know sometimes if people like you for you or because of who you are and who your family is. No one likes to feel used. And I have felt that way more than once.”

  “I’m sorry,” he said, giving her a sympathetic smile.

  She shook her head. “I don’t mean to sound like ‘poor me.’ I know I’ve lived a very privileged life. I have nothing to complain about. Some people haven’t had the advantages I’ve had.”

  “We all have our challenges. No matter how rich, beautiful, or talented, people have their challenges. Don’t let anyone make you believe that because you have a privileged life, you aren’t allowed to have doubts or fears or concerns. You have legitimate concerns, the same as everyone else. It’s what you do with them that matter. You can choose whether to let them define you or debilitate you or instead choose to trust in Jesus and give your fears to him.”

  “You should be a motivational speaker,” she said quietly.

  He shrugged. “I’m just an honest guy, that’s all.”

  He glanced at his watch. It was just after 12pm.

  “Let’s get some lunch, shall we? I’m getting hungry.”

  They left the church and drove for half an hour to the restaurant he selected. During the time, they discussed the service.

  “I can see you were really moved by the service. Can you tell me a little more about how you came to know the Lord?” she asked.

  He turned down the radio a bit and contemplated how much he would share with her. While his conversion wasn’t a secret to those who knew him, he was a little more guarded with other people about his former misdeeds. And they were many. Yet, he need not be ashamed, he reminded himself, he was a free man. He had repented of his sins and had experienced Christ’s saving grace. He was no longer a slave. His chains were gone and his shame with them. He decided to be as honest as possible.

  “Well, I guess you can say that I had an intimate encounter with Jesus one day. I had a choice to make, and I chose him. It was around the time my father got wind that he would be indicted on criminal charges. He left town that very day. I wasn’t even aware of what was happening until he called me from Switzerland. He asked me to destroy certain documents that could be incriminating. Afterward, I sat on the bed for what seemed like an eternity as I contemplated what to do. I weighed the options, and it seemed to me that there was only one thing to do. Go to the office and destroy everything. I reasoned that the alternative, going to prison and losing our company, was not an acceptable option. I tried to tell myself it made sense to follow my father’s instructions. But for some strange reason, I couldn’t get up and go do it. I can’t explain what happened. I felt an overwhelming weariness come over me. It was as though I was drugged. I told myself that I would just rest ten minutes then go to the office. But when I slept, I felt as if I went into a trance. I saw Jesus. He told me, ‘Gabriel, choose this day whom you will serve. Your choice now will determine the course of your life.’”