Page 68 of Gabriel's Angel

With his hands in his pockets, Gabe walked to the window. It was easier than he could have imagined to talk to her about it. “I’d badgered him to sit for me off and on for years. It became a family joke. I won five sittings from him in a poker game. A heart flush to his three of a kind.” The pain clawed at him, no longer fresh, but still sharp. “That was the last time we played.”

“What happened to him?”

“An accident. I’ve never believed in accidents. Luck, fate, destiny, but they called it an accident. He was researching a case in Virginia and took a small commuter plane to New York. Minutes after takeoff it went down. He was coming to New York because I was having a showing.”

Her heart broke for him. This time there was no hesitation as she went to him and put her arms around him. “You’ve blamed yourself all this time. You can’t.”

“He was coming to New York for me, to be there for me. I watched my mother fall apart for the first and only time in her life. I saw my father walk through his own home as if he’d never seen it before, and I didn’t know what to say or do.”

She stroked his back, aching for him. There was no use telling him that being there was sometimes all that could be done. “I’ve never lost anyone I’ve loved, but having you and Michael now, I can imagine how devastating it would be. Sometimes things happen and there’s no one to blame. Whether that’s an accident or fate, I don’t know.”

He rested his cheek on her hair and looked out at the flowers she’d planted. “I went to Colorado to get away for a while, to be alone and see if I could paint again. I hadn’t been able to here. When I found you, I’d begun to pull myself back. I could work again, I could think about coming home and picking up my life. But there was still something missing.” He drew back and cupped her face in his hand. “You filled in those last pieces for me.”

She curled her fingers around his wrist. “I’m glad.”

When he held her, she closed her eyes. They would make it, Laura told herself. Whatever happened, they would make it. Sometimes need was enough.

“Gabe.” She slid her hands down until they gripped his. “The paintings in your studio. They don’t belong there.” She squeezed his fingers with hers before he could speak or turn away. “It’s wrong to keep them there, facing the wall and pretending they don’t exist. If your brother was proud enough of you to want to be there for one of your showings, it’s time you had one. Dedicate it to him. Maybe you didn’t say the words, but there can’t be any better way to show that you loved him.”

He had started to brush it aside, to make excuses, but her last words hit home. “He would have liked you.”

Her lips curved. “Will you do it?”

“Yes.” He kissed her while she was still smiling. “Yes, it’s time. I’ve known that, but I haven’t been able to take the last step. I’ll have Marion start the arrangements.” She stiffened, and though the change was only slight he drew her away to study her face. “Problem?”

“No, of course not.”

“You do a lot of things well, angel. Lying isn’t one of them.”

“Gabe, nothing could please me more than you going ahead with this. That’s the truth.”

“But?”

“Nothing. All of this has really put me behind schedule. I need to give Michael his bath.”

“He’ll hold a minute.” He kept her with him by doing no more than running his hands down her arms. “I know there’s some tension between you and Marion. I’ve already told you there’s nothing between us but business.”

“I understand that. I’ve told you what I would have done if I thought otherwise.”

“Yes, you did.” Amusement moved over his face. She would have packed her bags and headed for the door, but she would have gotten no more than five feet. “So what’s the problem?”

“There is no problem.”

“I’d prefer not going to Marion with this.”

“So would I.” Her chin came up. “Don’t push this, Gabe. And don’t push me.”

“Well, well.” He brought his hands to her shoulders as he nodded. “It’s a rare thing for you to get that look on your face. Whenever you do, I have this deep-seated urge to drag you down on the floor and let loose.” When color flooded her face, he laughed and drew her closer.

“Don’t laugh at me.” She would have twisted away, but his hands were firm.

“Sorry. I wasn’t, really, more at the situation.” He thought that perhaps delicacy was called for, but then he rejected the idea. “Want to fight?”

“Not at the moment.”

“If you can’t lie better than that, we’ll have to keep you out of poker games,” he murmured, and watched her eyes cool. “I overheard your discussion with Marion at the gallery.”

“Then you obviously don’t need me to spell things out for you. She believes I’m going to hold you back, prevent you from reaching your full potential, and she took steps to stop it. I realize that the Eagletons would have found us, probably in a matter of days, but I won’t forgive her for calling them. The fact that you’re associated with her gallery means I have to be polite to her in public, but that’s the extent of it.”

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