Page 91 of Angel Eyes

I frowned. “What?”

“You should take Juliet to Versailles.” She shoved her hands in her jeans. “Get out of the city and spend some time together without all the interruptions. Plus, it’s beautiful out there. I’m sure she’ll love it.”

I opened my mouth to reply, but she retreated before I could get a word in.

Pausing in the doorway, she threw a glance over her shoulder, her eyes glimmering with moisture.

“Be happy, Gabriel.”

Thirty-One

Juliet

The curious thing about being self-absorbed is one never notices it until it’s been pointed out. It certainly wasn’t a quality I would have attributed to myself. I’d always been kind, thoughtful. Dutiful, committed, gracious. But after talking with Cristian the other night, it occurred to me I might possess another trait, one I had never considered before.

Selfishness.

As soon as I had woken up the morning after the gala, two things became apparent. One, I had a wicked hangover, the likes of which I hadn’t seen since winter ski trip during my senior year of college. And two, Cristian was nowhere to be found.

Glancing at my phone, I flipped to the message I sent him later that day once my bedroom had stopped spinning long enough for me to type a sentence.

Thanks for everything.

Days later, he still hadn’t responded.

I blinked up at the thick clouds gathering overhead as I waited on the train platform.

The night of the gala, I had been so consumed with my feelings that I’d been ready to call it quits with Gabriel. But then Cristian offered me some much-needed perspective and an uncomfortable bit of clarity. The only thing I’d taken into consideration since meeting Gabriel was my wants, my fears. But had I ever stopped to consider what Gabriel needed?

I looked around the crowded platform, shivering as the wind whipped my legs.

Gabriel may care for you, but there may be things in his past, things that might be difficult for him to share.

Despite all the time we’d spent together, I still knew little about Gabriel’s life before he came to Paris. But if there was something in his past, something painful, it would explain his hesitance to open up to me. And as far as him not wanting a relationship, I could see now it had never been about me or anyone else.

It was about him.

Between the two of us, Gabriel had always been the steady one. He’d shown an unwavering confidence in me and my potential as a writer, even when I didn’t. He helped me learn to stand up to Tom when I never would have before. He even defended me against Kyle. He’d supported me in a hundred different ways in the short time we’d known each other and had never asked for anything in return. But maybe he needed someone to show up for him too.

“Juliet.”

I whirled at the familiar tenor.

Gabriel.

“Oh, hi,” I said, suddenly feeling both calm and out of control.

We hovered there as a crush of people moved around us, and he ran a hand up the back of his head, a look of uncertainty forming behind his eyes. I swallowed.

No. I didn’t want him to look at me like that. I wanted him to feel like he could trust me even when he wasn’t at his best, to know he didn’t have to shut me out.

My arms were around him, circling his waist before I was aware of what I was doing, and he stiffened for a half second before relaxing against me, his body folding over mine.

“What’s brought this on?” he murmured into my hair.

“Just happy to see you.”

“Yeah, same here.” He pulled back, the former awkwardness seeming to vanish. “Though I’m not sure today is the best day to venture out to Versailles after all.” He peered up at the darkening sky. “Rain check?”

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