He wondered if there was a costume shop in Florence that he could visit.
He was contemplating that (and other naughty things) when he felt someone’s eyes on him. He looked down and saw a small blond girl. She had her fingers in her mouth and was staring up at him.
He smiled. “Ciao, tesoro.”
She took her fingers out of her mouth and extended her arms.
At first, he didn’t understand what she wanted. She lifted her arms higher and waved them slightly.
“She’s asking you to pick her up, Man of Steel.” Julia was suddenly beside him.
Gabriel lifted the girl into his arms and she smiled briefly before placing her fingers back in her mouth.
It was at this moment that Julia’s eyes met his and a long look passed between them. She greeted the child and patted her on the back. Then she returned to the gift table.
“Maria doesn’t speak.”
Gabriel turned to face Elena, Brother Silvestro’s most capable assistant.
Elena reached out to tuck a blond curl behind the child’s ear. “I’m surprised she went to you. She usually avoids strangers.”
“How old is she?” Gabriel asked.
“Three.” Elena switched to English. “But she hasn’t spoken since she arrived almost a year ago.”
“Why not?”
“Too much trauma.”
Gabriel looked at the cherubic face of the child and suppressed a series of curses.
“Will she ever speak?”
“We hope so. She needs a family, certainly.”
Unconsciously, Gabriel held the child more closely.
“Is it difficult to find families?”
“Sometimes.” Elena smiled at Maria and spoke Italian, asking if she was enjoying the party.
Maria nodded and pointed in the direction of the ponies.
“Ah. I think you would like a pony ride. Shall I?” Elena gestured as if to take the girl, but Gabriel shook his head.
“I’ll take her.”
He walked over to the ponies and asked her in Italian which one was her favorite. She pointed to the smallest one, a black pony with white patches on his coat. He had a braided tail with a red ribbon tied to the end of it. He was called Cioccolato.
Carefully, Gabriel placed Maria on the saddle and rested his hand on her back while the pony’s owner began to lead them in a circle.
Maria smiled and clutched the pony’s mane between her tiny fingers.
As Gabriel walked the circuit with the child and the pony, he mused on the fact that his life could have turned out very differently. He was not an orphan, but a man with a family. And he had a family because Grace and Richard had opened their home and their hearts to him.
Although the darkness that was currently eating away at him had not abated, he found himself grateful for the hope that had shone in his life. And he vowed to share that hope with others. Somehow.
Julia watched her husband with the crowd of children and later, with the little girl, and found herself transfixed. Something about the sight of a tall, handsome man explaining why he wasn’t Superman warmed her.
She hadn’t had many opportunities to watch Gabriel interact with children. She never accompanied him on his volunteer work at the Italian Home for Children. She’d seen him interact with Quinn, of course, but only on a few occasions.
Seeing how Gabriel was protective and sweet with Maria tugged at her heart.
The Professor was intimidating. He had his moments when he could be cold and prim. Certainly, there were times such as when she’d found him smoking on the balcony in Umbria when she worried about him. But the surprising gentleness with which he treated children made her wonder what he would be like with their child. He’d ruffle their son’s hair and talk about Superman. He’d carry their daughter in his arms and treat her like a princess.
As she saw Gabriel smiling and chattering to the silent child, Julia realized that what Tammy had told her was true—children bring out a special side of a good man.
And Julia desperately wanted to give Gabriel that opportunity.
Someday.
At the end of what had been a fulfilling but long day, Julia sat with Gabriel on the terrace of their favorite room at the Gallery Hotel Art. The terrace and the room itself held so many memories for them. It was the place Julia had given him her virginity, and the place he returned to when he felt himself in danger of succumbing to his addictions after their separation.
He was lying on the banquette, hands behind his head, looking up at the star-studded sky. She was next to him, sipping a glass of San Pellegrino.
“You could have wine,” he said, pointing to her glass.
“I’m fine with water, Superman.”
His mouth twitched. “That was an interesting conversation. I’ve been called a lot of things in my life. But no one has ever called me Superman.”
She ran her fingers up and down his arm.
“Only because they haven’t got the nerve. I rather like the idea of you being the handsome but slightly nerdy professor by day, and the sexy Man of Steel by night.”
“What did I say about calling me a nerd?” Gabriel caught her wrist, pulling her so she was lying half on him.
The water sloshed in her glass, so he took it from her, setting it aside.
He brought their noses together.
“I can show you some steel tonight.”
“I’m counting on it,” she whispered.
“I never thought of you as Lois Lane before. But there’s a remarkable likeness.”
Julia rolled her eyes heavenward. “All this time, I thought you were in love with Beatrice, when really, it was Lois Lane. I need to switch literary genres.”
“Hardly. But a little role-playing might be interesting, Miss Lane.”
“We’ll have to have a Halloween party so we can dress up.”
Gabriel traced the line of her jaw with his finger.
“We don’t have to wait until Halloween.”
A thrill coursed up her spine at his tone.
“I look forward to that. Did you have a good time at the party?”
“Of course.” He released her, his gaze returning to the stars.
She sighed, picking up her glass again. She sipped the water as she contemplated how to broach the subject.
“Something happened today, didn’t it?”
“Yes.”
She waited for him to comment further, but he didn’t.
She put her drink on the table and went to him, placing her arm atop his abdomen.
“Do you want to talk about it?”
He shook his head.
Her heart sank. “The list of things you won’t share with me is becoming longer.”