He hesitated, and Julia felt hopeful.
Gabriel groaned again in frustration. “I’m sorry, I need to go. I love you.”
“Good night.”
Julia shook her head somewhat resignedly as she ended the call.
* * *
Despite the absence of her mother, Rachel almost had a fairy-tale wedding. She and Aaron were married in a beautiful garden in Philadelphia, and although Aaron had initially rejected the idea of having fifty doves released at the moment the priest pronounced them husband and wife, Rachel wore him down.
(At least none of his relatives decided to practice their target shooting.)
As maid of honor and groomsman, Julia and Gabriel found themselves standing near the bride and groom, flanked by Scott. Julia spent much of the ceremony peeking over at Gabriel, and he stared at her unashamedly.
After the photographs were taken and the wedding dinner and toasts were complete, Rachel and Aaron enjoyed the first dance. They melted into one another’s arms before their parents were invited to join them on the dance floor.
There was a moment of nervousness amongst the guests when Richard stood, alone, before walking over to Julia and asking if she would honor him by being his partner. She was stunned by his request, as she had assumed that he would choose an aging aunt or friend, but she accepted quickly. Ever the consummate gentleman, Richard held Julia firmly but respectfully as he moved her across the dance floor.
“Your father seems to be enjoying himself.” He nodded at Tom, who was standing with a drink in his hand and engaged in an animated conversation with one of the female professors from Susquehanna University.
“Thank you for inviting him,” she said shyly as they danced to the strains of Etta James’s “At Last.”
“He’s an old friend and a good friend. Grace and I owe him a great deal from when we were having trouble with Gabriel.”
Julia nodded and tried to concentrate on her feet, lest she stumble. “Gabriel’s toast to Grace was very moving.”
Richard smiled. “He’s never called us Mom and Dad before. I’m sure that Grace is watching and that she’s very, very happy. I know that part of her happiness is seeing the transformation in our son. You brought that about, Julia. Thank you.”
She smiled. “I can’t take credit for that. Some things are beyond all of us.”
“I don’t disagree. But sometimes relationships can be conduits of grace, and I know you’ve been one for my son. Thank you.
“It took a long time for Gabriel to forgive himself for what happened to Maia and for not being with Grace when she died. He’s a very different man than he was a year ago. I hope that I’ll be able to dance with you at another wedding in the near future. One in which you and my son take center stage.”
An earnest expression came over her face. “We’re taking things one day at a time, but I love him.”
“Don’t wait too long. Life takes unexpected turns, and we don’t always have the time we think we have.” As the song ended, he kissed her hand and escorted her back to Gabriel.
Julia wiped away a tear as she sat down. Instantly, Gabriel’s lips were at her ear. “Is my father making you cry?”
“No. He’s just reminding me of what’s important.” She wound their hands together and brought their connection to her mouth so she could kiss his knuckles. “I love you.”
“And I love you, my sweet, sweet girl.” He leaned over to kiss her, and for a moment they forgot where they were as she reached up to wind her arm around his neck and pull him closer.
As their lips met and their breath commingled, the noise of the room slipped away. Gabriel pulled Julia so she was leaning across his lap, clasping her to his heart as he kissed her passionately. When they came apart, they were both breathing heavily.
“I had no idea weddings brought out such reactions.” He smirked. “Or I would have taken you to one sooner.”
After dancing several slow dances with Gabriel, Julia took a turn with Scott and with Aaron, and finally, with her father. It was clear that Tom and Julia had a lot to say to one another, and their expressions weren’t always happy ones. But by the end of the dance they seemed to have come to some sort of understanding, and Gabriel felt marginally relieved when she returned to him, wearing a smile.
Near the end of the evening, Aaron requested Marc Cohn’s “True Companion” and dedicated it to Rachel. Immediately, a throng of married couples scurried toward the dance floor. Tammy surprised everyone by bringing little Quinn over to Julia and asking her to hold him while she danced with Scott.
Julia was afraid that Quinn wouldn’t like her.
“He looks good on you,” Gabriel whispered as Quinn fell asleep snuggled into her neck.
“I’m worried he’ll wake up.”
“He won’t.” Gabriel reached over to lightly stroke the fine hair that decorated the boy’s head, smiling widely as he seemed to offer a contented sigh.
“Why do you want to get married and have children all of a sudden?” Julia blurted.
He shrugged uncomfortably. “Things happened while we were separated. I realized what was important—what I wanted for a happy life. And I went to an orphanage.”
“An orphanage? Why?”
“I volunteered with the Franciscans in Florence and they used to bring candy and toys to the children at the orphanage. I went along.”
Julia’s jaw dropped. “You didn’t tell me about that.”
“It wasn’t a secret. I planned to stay in Assisi indefinitely, but I met an American family who were going to run a medical clinic for the poor in Florence. I decided to join them.”
“Did you like it?”
“I wasn’t especially good at it. But I found my niche, eventually, telling stories about Dante in Italian.”
Julia grinned. “That’s a good job for a Dante specialist. What about the orphanage?”
“The children were well looked after, but it was a sad place. They had babies there, some of whom had AIDS or fetal alcohol syndrome. Then there were older children who would never be adopted. Most adoptive parents want younger kids.”
Julia placed her hand on his arm. “I’m sorry.”
Gabriel turned and gently touched the little boy’s head. “When Grace found me, I was at an age that would have been considered unadoptable. She wanted me anyway. I’ve been blessed.”
Julia heard his sudden vulnerability and was struck by how much he’d changed. She couldn’t have imagined the old Professor Emerson talking about his blessings, or stroking a little boy’s head. Especially if the boy had ruined his new Armani suit.
Just before the last dance, Gabriel walked over to the DJ and spoke to him in hushed tones. Then, with a wide smile, he returned to Julia and extended his hand.
They walked slowly onto the dance floor just as “Return to Me” filled the air.
“I’m surprised you didn’t choose ‘Besame Mucho,’” she said.
Gabriel gazed into her eyes intensely. “I thought that we needed a new song. A new song for a new chapter.”
“I liked the old one.”
“We don’t have to forget the past,” he whispered. “But we can make the future better.”
She gave him a half-smile and changed the subject. “I remember the first time we danced.”
“I was an ass that evening. When I think of how I behaved…” His tone was remorseful. “I had a strong reaction to you but didn’t know how to act.”
“You know how to act around me now.” She touched his face and pressed their lips together before tentatively fingering his black silk bow tie. “I remember admiring your ties when I was just your student. You always dressed impeccably.”
Gabriel caught her hand in his and pressed his open mouth to her palm. “Julianne, you were never just my student. You’re my soul mate. My bashert.”
He pulled her to his chest, and she hummed against his tuxedo. And when Dean Martin switched to Italian, it was Gabriel’s voice that sang in her ear.
* * *
As Gabriel stood outside of Julia’s hotel room in the wee hours of the morning, he looked at her appraisingly. Her long, curled hair, her beautiful skin and flushed cheeks, her eyes sparkling with champagne and happiness. The way her dark red strapless dress complemented her figure. His brown-eyed angel still had the power to enchant him.
As he gently caressed her cheek, she gazed up into the hazy blue eyes he was now hiding behind his glasses. He was so handsome in his tuxedo. So very, very sexy.
Boldly, she reached out to pull the edge of his bow tie and felt the silk come apart in her fingers. She wrapped the tie around her hand once to tug his lips to hers.
As they kissed, Julia suddenly realized how difficult it must have been at the beginning of their relationship for Gabriel to keep his hands off her. The boiling of blood and heating of flesh when one knew what lay beyond kissing in the voluptuary dance that was foreplay. She could barely contain her need for him.
“Please,” she whispered, straining on tiptoe to place tiny kisses across his neck as she tugged on his tie once again.
He groaned. “Don’t tempt me.”
“I promise I’ll be gentle.”
Gabriel laughed gruffly. “This is a stunning reversal.”