Sylvain Reynard - Gabriel's Rapture

before and after the wedding. You’d be most welcome. I know

my father would be happy to see you again too.

You’ve been nothing but a good friend to me, and I hope that

someday I’ll be able to repay the favor.

Sylvain Reynard

With affection,

Julia.

P.S. Gabriel didn’t want me to mention this, but he’s the one

who persuaded Professor Picton to supervise your dissertation.

I asked her but she refused. Surely he isn’t as bad as you

thought?

Paul’s gratitude for Gabriel’s generosity didn’t erase the sudden

sharp pain he felt at the realization that he’d just lost Julia. Again.

Yes, he’d already lost her, but before Gabriel’s return there was

the possibility that Julia would change her mind, even if that possibility was remote. Somehow the knowledge that she was going to

marry him smarted so much more than if she had been marrying, say, some other schmuck called Gabriel. Like Gabriel-the-plumber or Gabriel-the-cable-guy .

Shortly after she emailed Paul, Julia received a package in her

mailbox at Harvard. Seeing that it was postmarked in Essex Junction, Vermont, she opened it eagerly.

Paul had sent her a limited edition copy of The Velveteen Rabbit .

He’d written a short inscription to her on the flyleaf, which tugged at her heart, and enclosed a letter.

Dear Julia,

I was surprised by your news. Congratulations.

Thanks for inviting me to your wedding but I won’t be able

to attend. My father had a heart attack a few days ago and

is in the hospital. I’m helping out on the farm. (My mother

says hello, by the way. She is making something for you as a

wedding present. Where should she send it? I’m assuming you

won’t be living on campus once you’re married)

From the first time I met you, I wanted you to be happy. To be

more confident. To have a good life. You deserve these things,

and I’d hate to see you throw them away.

I wouldn’t be your friend if I didn’t ask you if Emerson is what

you really want. You shouldn’t settle for less than the best. And

if you have any doubt about it, you shouldn’t marry him.

I promise I’m not trying to be an asshole.

Yours,

Paul.

With sadness, Julia folded up Paul’s letter and placed it back

inside the book.

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Chapter 54

Despite the fact that Tom gave his blessing to Julia and Gabriel

(albeit begrudgingly), conflict ensued when the happy couple

announced the destination of their wedding.

While the Clarks were only too glad to spend a week in Italy

during the winter, Tom, who had never traveled outside of North

America, was less than enthused. As the father of the bride, he’d

intended on paying for his only daughter’s wedding even if he had

to mortgage his new house in order to do so. Julia wouldn’t hear of him doing such a thing.

Though the wedding would be small, the estimated costs were

high enough that they would effectively damage Tom financially if he paid for everything. Gabriel was more than comfortable covering the costs, much to Tom’s chagrin. It was more important to Gabriel that Julia have the day of her dreams than for her father to be placated.

Julia tried to smooth over the conflict between the two men by

pointing out that there were things that her father could pay for, such as her wedding dress and the flowers.

In late November, she was on Newbury Street in Boston when

she saw the dress in the window of an elegant boutique. The dress was ivory silk organza with a v-neck and little wisps of sleeves that sat high on the shoulders. While the top was covered in lace, the

skirt was full and layered like a cloud.

Without further thought, she walked into the shop and asked to

try it on. The shopkeeper complimented her, saying that Monique

Lhuillier’s gowns were very popular.

Julia didn’t recognize the designer’s name, and she didn’t look at the price tag because there wasn’t one. When she stood in front of Sylvain Reynard

the mirrors in the dressing room, she knew. This was her dress . It was classically beautiful and would complement the color of her skin and the shape of her body. And Gabriel would adore the fact that much

of her upper back would be exposed. Tastefully, of course.

She sent a picture of herself in the gown to Tom via her iPhone,

asking him what he thought. He called her immediately, telling her that he’d never seen a bride as absolutely beautiful as she.

Tom asked to speak to the boutique manager, and without Julia

discovering the substantial price, he made arrangements to purchase the dress. Knowing that he was able to buy his only daughter the dress of her dreams enabled him to accept the fact that Gabriel would be paying for most of the wedding.

After saying good-bye to Tom, Julia spent several hours shopping

for the rest of her trousseau. Among other things, she chose a veil that was almost ankle length, a pair of satin heels that she could walk in successfully, and a long, white velvet cape that would protect her and her dress from the January weather in Assisi. Then she went home.

P

Two weeks before the wedding, Tom called Julia to ask her an

important question. “I know the invitations have been sent out but would there be room for one more?”

Julia was surprised.

“Sure. Is there a long lost cousin I wasn’t aware of?”

“Not exactly,” hedged Tom.

“Then who?”

He took a very deep breath and held it.

“Dad, spit it out. Who do you want to bring?” Julia closed her

eyes and silently begged the gods of daughters whose fathers were

single to intervene on her behalf and keep Deb Lundy from attend-

ing her wedding or worse — getting back together with her father.

“Um, Diane.”

Julia’s eyes flew open. “Diane who?”

“Diane Stewart.”

394

Gabriel’s Rapture

“Diane from Kinfolks restaurant?”

“That’s right.” Tom’s gruff reply immediately telegraphed to Julia far more than he realized.

Her jaw dropped in shock.

“Jules? You still there?”

“Yeah, I’m here. Um, sure, I’ll add her to the guest list. Uh, is

Diane a — special friend of yours?”

Tom fell silent for a moment. “You could say that.”

“Huh,” said Julia.

Tom ended the conversation quickly and Julia put down her

cell phone, wondering which blue plate special had precipitated her father’s new romance.

Definitely not the meatloaf , she thought.

395

Chapter 55

On January twenty-first, Tom paced nervously at the entrance to

the Basilica in Assisi. He was nervous. And the fact that Julia

and her bridesmaids were late didn’t help matters. He tugged at his bow tie as he waited. Then, a vision in white velvet over organza

floated through the front doors like a luminescent cloud.

He was speechless.

“Dad,” Julia breathed, smiling with excitement as she walked

toward him.

Tammy and Rachel helped divest her of her cape and adjust the

layers of her skirt, unfolding the train that extended behind her. Then Christina, the wedding planner who was hovering nearby, handed

Rachel and Tammy their bouquets, which were a mixture of irises

and white roses, designed to match their iris-colored dresses.

“You look pretty,” Tom mumbled, pressing a shy peck to Julia’s

cheek through her long veil.

“Thank you.” She flushed, looking down at her bouquet, which

consisted of two dozen white roses and a few springs of holly.