Page 61 of A Table for Two
“Nice to meet you, Pam,” Gabriel said.
“Same here, Gabriel. Are you new in town?”
“I’ve been here for a couple of months. And who is this little one?”
“This is my daughter, Brianna. Brianna, say hello to Mr. Cunningham.”
“Hi, Mr. Cunni…cummi…You have a big name.”
Gabriel chuckled and squatted down to Brianna’s level. “How about you call me Mr. C. That’s easier. It’s very nice to meet you, Brianna.”
She shook his outstretched hand and shyly said, “Okay. Hi, Mr. C.”
“Brianna, Mr. Cunningham is Mrs. Williams’s grandson. Do you remember the lady who gave you the candy when you were at the doctor’s office?”
She bounced up and down. “Yes. She was nice.” Brianna looked up at Gabriel. “I like your grandma. When you see her, can you tell her I finished my book?”
Smiling, he said, “I sure will. I’ve heard you have the best tea parties.”
Her eyes widened, and she giggled, nodding vigorously. “I do. Ask Ms. Wheeler. She came to my house and she had a hat on. You can come next time.”
Serenity’s heart warmed as she viewed the exchange.
“Thanks for the invitation, but I didn’t know guys could go to a tea party.”
Brianna put her hand on her hip. “My daddy is a guy, and he always comes to my tea parties.”
Pam rolled her eyes, and Serenity outright laughed, then said, “Well, there you have it.”
Gabriel shook his head. “Since you put it that way, I’d be honored. Just let me know when and I’ll be there.” He rose to his full height.
She clapped. “Goody! Mommy, Mr. C is going to come to my house. Ooh, and Ms. Wheeler can come, too. It’s gonna be fun.”
“I heard, baby. Gabriel, I hope she didn’t—”
“Like I said, I’d be honored,” he said.
As they moved up in the line, Gabriel and Brianna kept up a steady stream of conversation. Serenity marveled at his patience and the way he gave the little girl his undivided attention.
“Does he have children?” Pam whispered to Serenity.
“No.”
“You could’ve fooled me. I’ve rarely seen a man be that thoughtful when it comes to someone else’s child. He’s going to be a great father.”
Still watching them, Serenity agreed. And she felt herself fall for him a little more. After they purchased their ice cream and said goodbye to Pam and Brianna, Gabriel drove them home.
“Brianna is a beautiful little girl,” Gabriel said, following Serenity inside. “And she cantalk.”
Serenity laughed and placed her dessert in the freezer. “Oh, you just got a little taste. She talks my ear off every time she comes into the doctor’s office or when I visit. You were really good with her.”
He shrugged. “I haven’t spent a lot of time around kids, but I like them, especially kids like Brianna.”
She had no idea why his confession made her happy. It wasn’t like she planned to campaign for the role of mother of his children. “Let me cut you a piece of pie.”
“Okay. Then I can get out of your hair. I don’t want to mess up your relaxation day.”
“I’m going to read and, later, take a long candlelit bubble bath. I’ll schedule a massage for sometime soon.” She cut him a large slice and placed it into a plastic container.
