Second Chances (50 page)

And Gabriel responded with a surety that shocked both of them.  “It doesn’t.”

She sat upright in her bed.  “All fairy tales end, Gabriel,” she murmured seriously, and with a small degree of fear.

“It doesn’t have to.”  Gabriel replied, wistfully.

She sighed, completely unconvinced, wondering what to say to fill the void when Gabriel spoke again.

“Fine, Bella.  If you insist on an ending, I’ll tell you the one I’m envisioning.”  She braced herself, prepared for the worst, but nothing could have prepared her for the phrase he next spoke.

“And they lived happily ever after,” he murmured into the phone.

Chills ran down her spine.

Gabriel lay awake in his bed long after he hung up.  What had made him say such things to her?  What could he possibly hope to accomplish?  In the past, he had learned what to say to charm a woman into bed.  He respected Bella too much for that.  With her it was something…more.  He didn’t understand it one bit.  He had this uncanny knack for saying things to her that he realized much to his surprise he meant.  He really did want a happy ever after for her, and the more time he spent with her, he realized he wanted it to be with him.  Given the circumstances, however, he didn’t see how that was possible.

The summer wore on and Gabriel continued to bring her word from Dr. Pam.  Apparently the preparations for her exchange were complete.  Her excitement level soared as she was overly eager to spend her year abroad.  She hoped to do some extensive traveling in Europe and photograph everything she saw.

“I would go back to France and Italy in a heart beat,” Isabella announced over the phone during one particular conversation.  She had toured France, Italy, and everything in between for ten memorable days in high school.  “Italy was my favorite.” 

Every once in a while, Gabriel brought up his own preparations, how he dreaded having to pack up and return to Montreal.  Isabella shuddered every time she heard those words, but accepted his departure as being inevitable.  She had grown to love their talks and their meetings.  And she had discovered that Gabriel had a wonderful way of constantly surprising her. 

One night he rented out the Juniper dinner cruise.  He paid for the entire boat so that it was just the two of them dining by candlelight on the water, dancing under the stars, and holding each other as they traveled down Lake Champlain.  It was amazing. 

Of course, there was also the night that he packed them an irresistible picnic dinner to enjoy at the park.  After they were done, he pushed her for what seemed like hours on the swing as she giggled and laughed.  All of that because he remembered that she had once confessed her continued love of swings.

Her personal favorite date, however, had to be the night that he took her to dinner at Cafe Mooney Bay.  There was an awkward moment when their waiter turned out to be Jack, who had taken on a second job for the summer, but he was uncharacteristically professional and served them undeniably well.  Isabella had introduced them, reluctantly.  Gabriel pushed back his chair, stood up, and shook Jack’s hand while thanking him profusely.  Jack was, naturally, a bit confused, so he called Isabella bright and early the next
morning to have her explain what he had missed.  And following dinner that evening, Gabriel had taken Isabella to see a foreign flick playing at the Strand.

It was like being a teenager all over again. Gabriel demonstrated an incredible devotion to Isabella.  He called her every weekend from Montreal, and almost every night from his place in town.  He left her messages on the machine when they didn’t connect, messages which Isabella saved and played when she couldn’t see him for a few days.  Always he called her Bella, or even more charming, Beautiful One.  And for the first time in a long time, Isabella began to feel beautiful. 

Still, it came as a great shock to her when, as she chatted with him one evening, she wandered into the bathroom to grab some aloe for her sunburned nose, only to pause for a moment and observe the look on her face.  Isabella had a glow.  In that instant, she realized that she had grown attached to him.  Isabella wouldn’t admit she could be falling in love, since she couldn’t believe that emotion possible so soon, but definitely an attachment existed. 
Great
, she admonished herself,
another hopeless relationship
.

The day she had been agonizing over for so long arrived.  Gabriel called to tell her he would be heading home the next afternoon, moving back to Montreal.  Isabella wished instantly that she had been able to take Jessie’s advice and just have fun.  She reproached herself for allowing any type of useless feelings for Gabriel to grow. 

The longer Isabella and Gabriel spoke, the more obvious it became that he wasn’t upset over his departure. 
Of course, why should he be
?  Isabella noted. 
The only thing keeping him here would be...me
.  This wasn’t the first time in her life that Isabella felt as though she wasn’t enough.  Those same feelings of inadequacy plagued her after discovering Jack and Angelica together at the mall.  She had tormented herself then, believing that if she could have only been...more, then Jack would have been faithful.

Gabriel still talked, though Isabella couldn’t help but be distracted.  “I will have my own place, starting in January.  I picked it out already, but it will be under construction until the end of December.  I will have to stay at my father’s house until then.”

“Your father doesn’t have a house,” Isabella managed a weak laugh.  “He has a mansion, or even an estate, but certainly not a house.” 

“Listen,” Gabriel tried to defend his claim, “just because the place sprawls over three stories, and has an elevator...”  His voice trailed off as he realized how it truly was perceived.  “Okay.  I guess you’re right.  He owns a mansion.”  His tone changed.  “The place we had in Saudi Arabia was even bigger.  We had to give up a lot of our money to move here.  Did I ever tell you that over there I was...”

“Royalty?”  Isabella interrupted.  “Yes, you mentioned it once or twice.  And you were born in Casablanca, romantic locale of the famous Bogart-Bergman flick.  Your mother came from Egypt.  You speak four languages fluently and are learning several more.  Oh, and one day you will rule over the family empire.  Have I forgotten anything?”    Isabella spoke as though reading off items on a grocery list.  She sighed knowing her feelings were beginning to show.  A heavy silence permeated through the phone lines.  “I’m sorry.  I know you are amazing and come from an impressive family.”  She swallowed hard.  “You are unlike anyone I have ever known, ever thought I might know.  I guess I’m just tense.  The kids go back to school in a few weeks and I’m not ready.  I’m not ready for my summer to end.”  Isabella hoped that explained away what she had said, wondering if he would truly understand why she wished her summer would never end.

“I’m sorry, too, Bella.”  He spoke very carefully now, as though each phrase was produced after much thought.  “I am not trying to brag.  I guess I just want you to see...”  He stopped, unable to admit the truth aloud.  How could he explain that this was all he had to make himself worthy of her?  She had the best heart of anyone he knew.  It was painfully obvious she experienced hurt and sorrow in her life, yet had persevered.  And what had he done with his life but take the easy route and work for his father, and worse squander time and money partying.  He sighed then totally changed the direction of the conversation.  “So, will you help me decorate my new apartment?”  And as soon as the words escaped his lips, Gabriel discovered he was as shocked as she was.

“What?”  Isabella asked stunned.  January happened to be a long way away.  What could he be asking?  “Listen, Gabriel.  I think we need to talk.  Can I meet you in fifteen minutes?” 

“Sure,” he responded quizzically. 

Isabella had him meet her in front of the Koffee Kat.  Luckily, Jessie wasn’t Isabella’s only sitter.  The teenager next door always seemed to be available on a moment’s notice.  Today would be no different.  Jane walked in and headed immediately for the kitchen.  “I’ll be back later.  I’m not sure when.  Do you need a time frame?”  Jane shook her head, still looking intently at the contents of the fridge.