Chapter 5 Gabe #2
“What’s not to think about, dear?” Julie asked, carrying a tea service that looked far too elegant for mid-morning in a work zone.
“Trinity invited me to join them for carriage rides tonight,” Jane said, her tone making it clear she was looking for backup in declining.
“What a marvelous idea!” Julie set the tea service down on a table someone had covered with a protective cloth. “Jane’s been cooped up working on the Winter Ball for days. Fresh air and a night out with people her own age would do her good. That was such a nice gesture to invite her, Trinity.”
Gabe watched Jane’s expression shift from hopeful to resigned. Apparently, when Julie Christmas decided something was a good idea, arguing was pointless.
“I suppose I could take a few hours,” Jane said, and Gabe could hear the reluctance in every word.
“Wonderful!” Trinity clapped her hands together. “It’s going to be so much fun!”
Jane’s gaze met his again, and this time Gabe saw something different in her eyes. Resignation, yes, but also something else. A flash of the same pain he carried. The look of someone who’d lost something irreplaceable and was just trying to survive each day.
He recognized it because he saw it in his own mirror every morning.
The Christmas market in St. Augustine’s historic district bustled with activity despite the early hour.
Vendors had set up booths selling everything from handmade ornaments to local crafts to gourmet hot chocolate.
The smell of cinnamon and pine filled the air, mixing with the salt breeze from the ocean.
Trinity and Maddy darted from booth to booth with the endless energy only twelve-year-olds possessed, exclaiming over every discovery. Gabe and Christopher followed at a more sedate pace, his boot making quick movements awkward.
“Look at this one, Dad!” Trinity held up a delicate glass snowflake ornament that caught the morning light and scattered tiny rainbows. Her eyes shone with delight. “Can we get this for the tree in our suite?”
Gabe pulled out his wallet without hesitation. “Of course.” He glanced at Maddy, who was admiring a similar ornament in blue. “Maddy, pick one out. My treat.”
“Really?” Maddy’s face lit up. “Thank you, Mr. Bennett!”
“Just Gabe is fine,” he said, handing bills to the vendor.
Christopher watched the exchange with a small smile, and Gabe caught his friend’s eye. Something warm passed between them. Understanding. This was good. This was what life should feel like.
Their next stop was an elaborate toy shop that someone had decorated to look like Santa’s workshop. Red and white striped poles flanked the entrance, and mechanical elves moved in the windows. The girls were immediately drawn to a display of nutcrackers and intricate music boxes.
“Mom would love this,” Maddy said softly, holding a wind-up ballerina that played Swan Lake when she opened the lid. The longing in her voice was impossible to miss.
Christopher didn’t hesitate. “We’ll take it,” he told the shop owner.
“You don’t have to,” Maddy protested, but her eyes stayed glued to the music box.
“I know,” Christopher said simply. “But your mom has been incredibly kind to me. Consider it a thank you.”
Gabe caught his friend’s eye as they waited for the music box to be wrapped, and Christopher shrugged, but he couldn’t hide the pleased expression on his face. His friend was falling hard for Isabella, even if he hadn’t fully admitted it to himself yet.
The outdoor Christmas fair was in full swing when they arrived. Fake snow had been scattered around to create the illusion of winter in Florida’s mild December weather. Carnival games lined the walkways, and food vendors offered everything from funnel cakes to roasted chestnuts.
“Can we play some games?” Trinity asked, already eyeing a ring toss booth.
“Have at it,” Gabe said, handing her money for tickets.
Christopher and Gabe took turns helping the girls with the various games. Trinity won a stuffed reindeer at the balloon dart throw after her fifth try. Maddy won a snowman at the ring toss with Christopher’s not-so-subtle assistance, positioning her for the best angle.
Laughter flowed easily. The girls’ excitement was contagious, and Gabe couldn’t remember the last time he’d felt this light. This free. Like maybe the weight he’d been carrying for six years might not crush him after all.
They stopped at a vendor for hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls, settling at an outdoor table under a cheerful red-and-white striped awning. The girls chattered about the Winter Ball decorations and the traditions they wanted to help revive.
“They’re like little event planners,” Christopher observed, his tone amused as he watched them gesture enthusiastically while discussing lighting options.
“Little dictators,” Gabe teased, which earned him an indignant look from Trinity, and her tongue stuck out at him.
“Very mature, sweetheart,” he said dryly.
“I learned from the best,” she shot back, making Christopher laugh.
The girls spotted another vendor cart and asked if they could go look. “Stay where we can see you,” Gabe warned, and they promised before running off, heads already bent together in conversation.
Comfortable silence stretched between the two men as they sipped their cooling hot chocolate. Christopher had been Gabe’s best friend since they could walk. Sometimes words weren’t necessary.
“So,” Gabe said after a moment. “You and Isabella.”
It wasn’t a question. Christopher’s expression shifted slightly, becoming guarded. “What about me and Isabella?”
“I’ve known you a long time, Christopher. I see how you look at her.” Gabe paused, choosing his words carefully. “She’s not your usual type.”
Christopher’s jaw tightened almost imperceptibly. “I don’t have a usual type.”
“You have a pattern,” Gabe corrected gently.
“Nice women. Fun women. Women you leave when orders come through and never look back.” He met his friend’s eyes directly.
“You heard how Isabella struggles. How she’s given her entire life to make sure her daughter has everything she needs.
What she’s trying to do for Maddy with the special school.
” He paused. “Don’t mess around with her, Christopher.
Don’t start something you’re not going to finish. ”
The tone was friendly, but the warning underneath was clear.
Christopher was quiet for a long moment, his gaze fixed on where the girls were examining jewelry at a craft booth.
When he spoke, his voice was serious in a way Gabe rarely heard.
“I’m not messing around with her, Gabe.” He paused, and something vulnerable flickered across his face.
“Something’s happening to me. Something I didn’t expect and don’t quite know what to do with. ”
Gabe started to respond, but movement caught his eye. The girls were heading back toward them, Trinity holding a small bag and Maddy gesturing animatedly about something.
Gabe looked at his friend with genuine astonishment. “It’s about time you fell in love.”
Christopher’s eyes widened. “It’s too soon to be love. Wait. No. You think...” He trailed off, looking genuinely stunned by the possibility.
Gabe laughed, not unkindly. “It happens like that sometimes, my friend. Sometimes it’s a slow burn. Other times it hits you like a freight train.”
The girls reached them before Christopher could respond, both talking over each other about the handmade earrings they’d found.
“Can we go to the dance studio now?” Trinity asked. “Please? The matinee performance should be starting soon.”
“Let’s go,” Gabe said, standing and trying not to wince at the protest from his leg.
They arrived at the dance studio just as the Christmas pageant was ending its first act. The small theater was packed with families, but they found seats near the back. The stage was beautifully decorated to look like a winter wonderland, complete with a backdrop of snow-covered trees.
The young dancers performed excerpts from The Nutcracker with the kind of earnest dedication that made even imperfect techniques charming. Trinity sat on the edge of her seat, completely mesmerized. She leaned forward, her trained eye catching every movement, every technique.
Maddy was equally captivated, though Gabe suspected she was more enthralled by the costumes and story than the technical aspects.
He glanced at Christopher and saw his friend watching Maddy’s rapt expression with a soft smile. There it was again. That tender look that spoke volumes about feelings Christopher probably hadn’t even fully processed yet.
After the performance ended, the girls discussed what they’d seen with the kind of detailed analysis usually reserved for professional critics.
“Did you see those fouettés in the second act?” Trinity asked as they walked toward the parking lot. “They were really good for such a young company.”
“The snow scene was so beautiful,” Maddy agreed. “I loved all the sparkles on the costumes.”
They stopped at the public library’s gingerbread showcase next, a local tradition where bakers displayed elaborate gingerbread houses in competition. The creations ranged from classic cottages to elaborate castles to a full-sized replica of the Castillo de San Marcos.
The girls explored while Christopher and Gabe followed at a distance, giving them space while keeping them in sight.
“You’ll figure it out,” Gabe said quietly.
“Just don’t break Isabella’s heart. Because it’s not just her heart you’ll break.
” He looked meaningfully toward Maddy. “She’s a package deal.
That little girl in there comes with her.
And from what I’ve seen, she is already getting attached to you,” Gabe said.
Christopher nodded, taking that in. “I know.”
“Good.”