Promises in Moonlight

Part 52

Seth spotted Gabriella as she approached them, and given the trouble he had created, he knew that now was his chance to apologise and make amends. He smiled in welcome. He hadn't managed to fix the situation. Gabriella and Evie were still treating each other with some distance. He could see that Gabriella was still very wary and though she had a smile on her lips it did not reach her eyes.

Gabriella came to a halt just in front of them, she kept her smile pinned on her lips as she said with feigned lightness, "Hi. I'm heading off."

"But it's still early." Evie said with a frown, and after Seth had given her a gentle nudge added, "Ella, we need to talk."

"Sure. But not tonight. I'm still a bit jeg lagged." Gabriella kept the smile and shrugged. "I'm calling it a night." She leaned in to kiss Seth's cheek. "Goodbye. Take good care of her." Gabriella whispered. Then she moved to Evie. "Bye Evangeline."

Evie's eyes narrowed in concern. There was something final in the way she had said that. Evie knew she should have apologised to Gabriella, because she knew that her words had hurt.

Gabriella lips brushed Evie's cheek, then with a faked smile she said. "Now to find that head case Ben."

Seth and Evie watched Gabriella as she strolled away from them.

"That didn't feel right." Evie turned worried eyes toward Seth. "I'm going to talk to her." Evie nibbled at her lower lip as she reran the conversation. "She never calls me Evangeline. Never." But before they could follow Gabriella, one of the guests had cornered Evie to ask about the dresses and to ask whether Evie would consider making a bridal outfit for a more mature woman.

So it was several days later, when Seth was able to deal with the mess he had created. He saw Gabriella enter the cafe, and after a few seconds, Seth crossed the road, and walked quickly towards the cafe. He knew he had to do something about this situation, as he knew, Evie was upset. While she recognised she was wrong in the way she had dealt with the event which cause this distance, she just did not know what to do about it.

The cafe was busy, so it took him several seconds to find Gabriella amongst the patrons. He threaded his way past the tables and customers, and took the seat across from Gabriella.

She narrowed her eyes when Seth just sat! "Seth, I do not remember asking you to join me...."

"You didn't." He confirmed, and grinned with utter ease and shrugged. "Have you ordered on your way to this table?" And he retrieved the double-sided laminated card. Perused it, despite the fact he knew the items and his normal order.

She glared and icily said, "Yes."

"Good." He put the card down, and again, grinned, "I'll wait until your order is delivered and order mine."

Ella narrowed her eyes, and flashed with anger, "As I said, Seth, I do not remember asking you to join me..."

"And as I said, you didn't." He leaned back, and made sure she read his determination in his eyes.

Seconds elapsed.

She glowered and asked bluntly, "What do you want, Seth?" She folded her arms, leaned back and pinned him. "And for your information, I do not care what you want. Just please leave!"

Seth nearly laughed. He could understand why Evie and Ella were friends, albeit, estranged friends at the moment, but they had similar traits. And he loved those traits in his wife. Feisty.

His response was stymied by the waiter who brought Ella's coffee to the table. And the waiter took Seth's order for coffee.

She poked her tongue in her cheek, and her eyes told him she was expected a reply to her question. Again, Seth was tempted to laugh. 

Instead he watched her eyes and wondered if she would accept his apology before he said, "I want to apologise."

She snorted, and looked away before saying,"You want to apologise, to me, really? For what?"

"For the situation between my wife and you."

"Any situation," Ella emphasised, "between your wife and me, is none of your bloody business!"

Take a page from her book, Seth said bluntly, "You are wrong, Gabriella." His eyes told her that she could no deflect this with insults or ignorance. "This situation is because Evie heard you talking to me, and she unfortunately did not hear the whole conversation, just heard the snippet where you insulted me, and, she like you protect people that they love."

Gabriella snorted. "You think she loves you."

He nodded vehemently. "Yes." Albeit something that he has not confirmed with Evie!

Again she snorted. "She told you that?"

"Not yet." He opted for the truth.

She snorted. 

The waiter brought Seth's coffee to the table. 

For seconds, neither Seth or Gabriella said anything.

"What makes you think she loves you?" Gabriella asked before taking a sip of her beverage.  She was pretty sure that Evie loved him, given Evie had gone into bat for him.  And Evie only does that for people she loves. The question is how Seth knows Evie loves him.

He put his cup down, and looked straight at Gabriella and said laconically, "She put me first."

Gabriella bristled. But recognised that was true.

Succinctly he continued, "Took my side."

Gabriella shoulders tensed.

And summarily finished, "Despite not knowing the facts of our argument. She put me ahead, of her friends, you."

For seconds their eyes conveyed the acceptance of that fact.

Again she took a sip of her coffee. "The situation I created, albeit not my intention," Seth sighed. "look, I know your reputation..."

Tersely she snapped, "Being?" Her eyes flashed

"Icy. Frigid." He said crisply, before putting his hands up to warned off her interruption, "But beneath that icy layer that you wear with ease, is a woman with a tender heart!" He said softly. 

She blinked in surprise. This man was running circles around her!

Seth rubbed his jaw, before saying, "From my position, Gabriella, you are a loyal friend. Resolute. Brave. Bold. You are the type, who would hurl themselves in front of a speeding truck to save people they love. You inspire confidence in your friends, because they know you, you would have their back. You would defend and protect them, regardless of the situation."

Beneath that guard, Gabriella was reeling.

"I watched you, when you forfeited your pride when you stood up for Evie. And with hind sight, I have seen that before, you do that for Amelia and Mallory.  You defend people you love even if it cost you." His eyes watched as his statements registered with her, but, as per normal, her guard was up so he could not work out if his statements were registered by her. He finished his eulogy, "Gabriella, you are the kind of friend I would want. And my stupidity nearly cost my wife a friendship that she treasured."

"Nearly?" Gabriella murmured.

"Yes, nearly. A temporary disconnection. This is my opportunity, to fix this."