by Paula Kay
Gigi leaned over to kiss Jemma on the cheek. “That’s a great idea. You kids have fun.”
“So what do you think?” Jemma turned toward Rafael seated beside her on the bench in the little town square that she loved so much. They’d stopped at one of her favorite cafes to pick up espressos and delicious-looking Italian pastries. The air was very crisp but the sun was shining. It was the kind of weather that Jemma had always really enjoyed, but she guessed that it was colder than what Rafael was expecting.
Rafael leaned down to kiss the tip of Jemma’s nose. “Your nose is cold.” He laughed and then seemed to be studying her face. “I think it’s beautiful here and I think you’re beautiful too.”
Jemma’s heart felt like it was beating a hundred times faster than normal. She and Rafael had grown close—first while she’d been in Guatemala that past year, and more recently as they’d been texting and talking more and more lately. But they had never officially crossed the boundary that existed between their friendship and anything more than friendship. They hadn’t kissed yet.
She smiled up at him, wrapping her hands around her coffee to warm them up. She loved the look in Rafael’s eyes. She didn’t know how she’d ever left him before—he was the one who had cared for her, even when she’d continued to screw up while she was at the orphanage. His friendship had remained steadfast, and she’d never forget what it had meant to her during that rough time in her life.
Rafael took the coffee from her hands and set it down on the ground beside his own. Then he took both her hands inside his own, blowing on them to warm them up, all the while watching her face. “You’re so cold. Is that better?”
Jemma could only nod and smile. She was sure he could hear her heart beating wildly and when he leaned forward, placing his hands on either side of her face, she felt sure that she was about to have a heart attack. He came closer still and again kissed first the tip of her nose, and then finally she felt his lips on hers, more gentle than she would have even thought possible.
Rafael leaned back and smiled at her. “Do you have any idea how long I’ve been wanting to do that?”
Jemma grinned and somehow willed herself to speak coherent words. “Well, I hope you liked it as much as I did, because I’d like for you to do that again.” She laughed and leaned forward, meeting his lips with her own, and this time the kiss was longer and more intense. Jemma thought that it was by far the best kiss she’d ever experienced in her life and she knew in that instant that there was something incredibly right about kissing this boy—this man—beside her. Rafael had always made her feel safe and secure. He’d given her a reason to trust men after she didn’t think that was ever going to be possible.
“What’s that look?”
They’d finally stopped kissing and now Rafael was definitely studying her intently.
“I love kissing you, Jemma. It was worth the wait.” He leaned in to give her another slow kiss, speaking while his lips were still close to her. “So worth the wait.”
Jemma laughed. She felt like a schoolgirl—all giddy and in love. She’d have to keep her wits about her and not go too totally crazy over the things that were transpiring. But when she looked into Rafael’s eyes, she knew there was no denying her true feelings. There was a time in her life when she wouldn’t have dared to share her deepest feelings with a guy, but Rafael was unlike any of those other guys she’d ever dated. She knew that she could be honest with Rafael—that he deserved nothing but the truth from her ever, even it meant making herself incredibly vulnerable.
She leaned over and kissed him quickly on the lips. “Me too. Well worth the wait, I’d say for sure.” She laughed. “Now, we could sit here on the bench and kiss all day, but I am starting to get a bit hungry. You?”
Rafael looked like he was deep in thought. “That’s a tough one, actually. I almost think I could give up food for more kisses, but yes, I think I should feed you, my dear.”
Jemma laughed and let Rafael pull her from the bench beside him for the single best hug she’d ever received.
Chapter 8
Blu sat at the small breakfast table with Gigi and Isabella. Chase was cleaning up from the delicious salad he’d fixed for them and the girls were off in Gabriella’s room playing.
“Isn’t it just so nice to be here altogether?”
“It is,” said Isabella. “And something I hope we’ll all be doing a lot more of soon.”
Blu caught the message behind the look that Isabella seemed to be trying to send her and laughed. “Gigi and I both are aware of one another’s potential future plans—and including your grandmother, we all think it would be pretty incredible to live so close to one another again.”
“Only then Bella and I will have to choose who we stay with when we come visit,” Jemma said, walking into the room to come over and give Blu a hug.
“Oh, bite your tongue, daughter dear,” said Blu, giving Jemma a playful swat on the behind.
“Nah, I’m betting we’ll all pile back here when the young blood’s in town.” Isabella winked at Jemma.
“Speaking of…” Blu reached out to tug a strand of Jemma’s hair. “Don’t think I missed that little kiss Rafael just gave you before you came in here.”
“Ooh, do tell.” Isabella gave Jemma a big grin.
Blu laughed at the red that was quite apparent on her daughter’s face all of a sudden, something that wasn’t typical for calm and collected Jemma.
“Well, if you must know—”
“—And we must,” Isabella interrupted, laughing.
“Rafael just kissed me for the first time—while we were sitting in the square.”
Blu could see that her daughter was definitely blushing now, and she was delighted that Jemma was opening up to them about her romantic life. She’d been dying to know how things were going herself, but knew better than to try to intrude in her daughter’s love life uninvited. That had never gone well in the past—but she had to remind herself that Jemma was practically a different person these days. She certainly had gone through a lot of positive changes over the past year. And somehow Blu instinctively knew that Jemma’s decisions were the right ones—that she could be trusted to do the things that were right for her and the things that would bring her the most happiness.
Isabella practically squealed and jumped out of her seat to come around and hug Jemma. “Tell me every detail later.”
Blu heard Isabella say this quietly in Jemma’s ear, which made her smile. Whenever she looked at the two of them, she was reminded of herself and Arianna when they were the same age. It was so long ago, yet watching them in front of her brought back the memories as if it were only yesterday.
She reached out and brought Jemma’s hair behind her shoulder as she leaned in to kiss her daughter on the cheek. “Honey, you look very happy and Rafael seems like a really nice young man.”
Blu and Jemma both turned toward Gigi in time to see her wipe a quick tear away from her eyes.
“Gigi, are you crying?” Jemma laughed. “Don’t cry. Is the news that bad?”
“Oh, you. Stop teasing. You know how I feel about you and that boy. Douglas and I love Rafael as if he were our own son. We couldn’t be prouder of the man he’s become, and we also couldn’t want a nicer young woman for him than yourself. So that settles it then—pretty much a perfect match in my book.”
Everyone sitting around the table laughed, and Blu noticed Rafael and Douglas now out on the terrace with Chase, who’d disappeared from the kitchen shortly after the women had started chatting about kisses.
Jemma looked up and seemed to notice at the same time. “Oh, boy. I wonder if I should go out there.”
“And save Rafael, you mean?” said Blu grinning.
Jemma laughed as she started to get up from her chair.
Isabella’s phone rang from where she’d placed it on the table earlier just as Jemma was getting ready to walk away, and Blu didn’t miss the eye contact between the two girls.
“Bella.
Just take the call. Please.”
Isabella was shaking her head. “No, I’m not ready.” She pushed the phone toward Jemma. “You talk to him if you want.”
Jemma picked up the phone and Blu heard her say hello as she walked away.
Blu caught Gigi’s eye and shrugged.
Isabella seemed embarrassed as she turned toward Gigi. “What? I’m not ready to talk to Thomas. But I will be—soon.”
Isabella had told the two women and Lia that she and Thomas were having a bit of a rough patch. Blu didn’t know the details, but Jemma had shared with her that it was pretty serious. Now, Blu could guess by the look on Gigi’s face that she was having a tough time holding her tongue.
“Honey, can I say something to you?” Gigi asked Isabella.
Isabella sighed. “Yes. Sure you can, and I’m sorry for snapping at you, Gigi.”
“No apology necessary, and I do realize that this is none of my business, but I know how much this boy—this young man—means to you, Bella. Don’t forget that I’ve seen the two of you together—and not so long ago, I might add.”
Gigi had filled Blu in on how their time in San Francisco had gone over Thanksgiving, including Isabella’s reaction to being at the house where Arianna had lived—and died—so many years ago. Blu could only imagine what it must have been like for Arianna to be in the house, and Gigi had said that having Thomas there seemed to make it that much more special for Isabella. And she’d told Blu that she thought there was something really incredible between Isabella and her best friend.
Blu didn’t miss the tears that seemed right on the verge of falling as Isabella responded to Gigi.
“I know. You’re right. But you don’t know everything that happened, Gigi.” Isabella looked down and then back at the two women. “Thomas—he hurt my feelings. And I just—I need a little time, that’s all. I’m sure everything is going to be fine.”
Gigi reached over to pull Isabella in for a hug. “I’m sure it will be, darling. I wanted to tell you that this—what looks like a good old-fashioned stubborn streak—reminds me of your mom—of Arianna—when she was your age.”
Isabella grinned. “Really? Was she that stubborn?”
“Oh, was she?” Blu laughed, memories rushing back all at once. “That girl was about the most stubborn person I’ve ever met in my life. Well—”
“—Until the end, you mean?” Gigi had a very serious look on her face and Blu knew instantly what she meant by her words.
“Yeah, that’s what I was going to say. Arianna wasn’t stubborn those last months of her life—not when it mattered most to her and to all of us, really.” Blu reached over for Isabella’s hand. “But can I tell you something about Arianna and her stubbornness?”
Isabella nodded.
“She regretted certain things. Oh, not at the very end—she’d worked through so much by that point—but throughout her life, she hadn’t been great about letting people in, really. You’re better at that, at your age, than Arianna was.” Blu hoped that Isabella was getting the point of what she was trying to convey to her.
“About love? Is that what you mean?” Isabella asked.
“Yes, about love, I suppose.” Blu hesitated and then laughed. “Although far be it for me to talk.”
Gigi laughed also from across the table. “I was gonna say—before you met Chase, you were not so open to the idea of falling in love yourself.”
“This is true.” Blu winked at Isabella. “But my point is, don’t let too much time go by before you fix things with Thomas. He sounds like a good friend—from what Jemma has told me, he’s really pretty amazing and she says he adores you.”
“And it is Christmas,” Gigi chimed in, making Isabella smile.
“Yes, it is Christmas,” Isabella said, smiling. “And I know you’re probably right, so thanks for speaking up. I appreciate you both a lot.” Isabella stood up to give first Gigi and then Blu a big hug, and then she walked outside to join the others on the terrace.
Chapter 9
Gigi laid her head back against Douglas’s chest as they swung back and forth on the glider swing, with a perfect view of Antonio’s vineyard spread out before them that she never tired of, no matter how many times they’d visited now.
“It’s so lovely here, isn’t it, honey?” she murmured.
She felt Douglas’s kiss on the top of her head and his arm tightening around her. “That it is—and quiet all of a sudden. Where’s everyone gone to?” He laughed.
“Isabella, Antonio, Emily, and Richard have gone into town with Lucas and Kate—to show them around before it gets dark. I’m betting that Lia and Chase are in the kitchen cooking up some sort of scrumptious meal—which I should be joining them in shortly. And I think the others are probably still having a tea party with the kids.” Gigi laughed. “Weren’t the girls so sweet with Annie when she arrived? I just love hearing the laughter of the children around here.”
“Mm-hm.”
Gigi lifted her head so that she could look at her husband. “What’s that? And I know that look.” She laughed and poked him in the arm. “I know there’s something on the tip of your tongue, so out with it.”
Douglas pulled her back against him. “Well, I’m just thinking—about our plans with the orphanage.”
“Yes.”
“Honey, I just want to be sure that you’re ready for it, when we decide to do it. You’ve gotten so used to having all your young ones around you. I figure it would be a big change leaving that behind, don’t you agree?”
“Yes, I see your point. And I don’t want to do it until the time feels right. But I love it here. Yes, I miss the kids at home but I know that they’d be in good hands with Tori. And of course, we’d visit all the time, right?”
“That’s right. There’s no reason that we couldn’t.”
“And besides, who knows? In a few years, if things keep going the way they’re going with Rafael and Jemma…”
Douglas laughed. “Now don’t be getting ahead of yourself. They only just shared their first kiss, didn’t they?”
Gigi put her head up again to look Douglas in the eye. “Rafael told you?”
Douglas laughed. “He did. Yes. He was quite sweet about it, actually. Asking my advice and not wanting to rush things with our dear Jemma. But that young man genuinely loves her, I think. We can’t get involved, Gigi, but I sure don’t want either of them to get hurt.”
Gigi nestled her face back against Douglas’s chest. “I think they’ll be married one day. I can just tell.”
“Gigi!” Douglas laughed.
“Oh, I know, I know. I’m only telling you that.”
“Good.” He winked at her. “So, what do you think of Lucas? Does he seem different from the boy you remember so long ago? It must seem a bit odd to you now—seeing him after all these years and with his own family.”
“I always liked Lucas. In truth, I’d wished that Ari and her parents would have been honest with him—about the pregnancy all those years ago. I think he really loved Ari and I always had the feeling that he would have stood by her through it all. But—well, of course it wasn’t my place to say anything. You know how strict Ari’s parents were. Once they’d decided how everything was going to play out, there was no looking back, and of course I needed to be discreet about it all.”
“Which you always were. I know how much they appreciated that about you. They trusted you, not only with Ari while she was growing up, but really with everything.”
“I know, but I do regret that Lucas didn’t know. It wasn’t right. It wasn’t fair to him. I must admit that I’ve been feeling a little anxious about seeing him. I wouldn’t blame him for having feelings about how we all sent him away from the house when he tried so many times to see Ari after everything had happened.”
Douglas pulled Gigi in closer beside him. “Honey, I’m sure that Lucas forgives you, and hopefully the two of you will have a quiet moment to talk while he’s here. If that’s something that would make you fe
el better.”
Gigi nodded. Douglas was right in that she probably would feel better once she and Lucas had a chance to talk. Regardless, it was all worth his coming anyway—to see Isabella’s face when she saw Lucas.
When he’d first arrived, Gigi had seen Isabella tentatively look over at her parents—at Emily and Richard—who’d done nothing but smile and show their steadfast support for their daughter. Then Isabella had allowed herself to be swooped up into the big bear hug from the man who was her own flesh and blood. From everything Gigi had witnessed so far, Emily and Richard seemed at ease and welcoming as they met their daughter’s birth father. It was really a wonderful thing to witness and something that Gigi really commended them for.
Douglas leaned down to tip Gigi’s face up for a quick kiss on the lips. “I hear the troops arriving now. I think Antonio mentioned that he wanted to do some grilling for dinner tonight. I’m going to go see about giving him a hand.” He reached his hand toward Gigi. “Coming?”
“You go on. I think I’ll sit here just another minute. Tell Lia I’ll be in the kitchen shortly to help her.”
Gigi loved helping Lia and Chase in the kitchen. Tonight they were joined by Blu, Emily, and Kate, but Lia had finally convinced them to relax at the small table with some wine while she and Chase finished with the pasta course. The guys were out on the terrace grilling steaks, and Isabella and Jemma seemed to have the younger girls occupied with an intense game of Monopoly.
Kate watched intently as Gigi put more dough through the pasta machine.
“I gotta tell you, I really can’t wait to taste this dinner. Isabella has raved about the meals that go on in this house, and if the smell is anything to go by, whatever you have going on in that pot smells divine.”
Gigi laughed. “Now, I know Isabella wasn’t bragging about my cooking, but these two…honestly, it’s gonna knock your socks off.”