“As I am of her. I have her and you to thank for allowing me to come home.”
“This will always be your home.” Gabriel shifted in his chair. “She thinks that if God is like a father, he must be like you.”
Richard chuckled. “A high compliment, but an unwarranted one. I’m imperfect like everyone else.”
“Would that I could have one quarter of your imperfection,” Gabriel muttered, lowering his head.
“Grace and I always thought of you as a gift. But since she died, I’ve realized something even more profound.”
Gabriel lifted his head, turning to look at his father.
“I know that you feel some sort of gratitude to us for adopting you—as if we did you a favor. But you’re looking at things the wrong way.”
Richard’s eyes met Gabriel’s.
“God gave you to us because he knew we needed you.”
The two men exchanged a long look before gazing out at the orchard and losing themselves in silence. And if anyone had commented on the fact that Gabriel’s eyes were wet, he would have said it was because of his allergies.
Chapter Forty-four September 9, 2011
Durham, North Carolina
April Hudson exited her apartment building with the intention of driving to campus, but she was stopped abruptly by a man carrying roses.
“Hi,” he said, smiling.
“Simon!” She ran to him, wrapping her arms around his neck and squealing. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see you. And to give you these.” He lifted the dozen long-stemmed red roses he held in his left hand.
“They’re beautiful. Thank you.” She jumped up and down and hugged him.
He laughed at her exuberance and returned her embrace, burying his nose in her long, blond hair.
“I was worried I wouldn’t see you again. Do you want to come in?” she murmured against his neck.
He nodded, and she led him to the elevator.
“These are really beautiful.” She held the bouquet close to her face, inhaling the scent. “And you chose red this time. The first time we went out, you bought white.”
“White symbolizes virginity.” He reached out to touch her long, straight hair. “That doesn’t apply anymore.”
She cringed as if he’d struck her and quickly handed him back the flowers.
He was going to ask what the problem was when the elevator door opened. She stepped around him and walked quickly to her apartment, her flip-flops snapping down the hall.
“April? Wait up.” He jogged after her, still clutching the bouquet.
She pulled her keys out of her backpack and opened the door to her apartment. She moved behind the door as if she were going to close it in his face.
“Wait a second.” He placed his palm against the door, holding it open.
“Look, you didn’t have to fly all the way down here and give me flowers just to gloat. I know I’m not a virgin anymore.”
“What are you talking about? I’m not here to gloat.”
“Did you tell all your friends? I’m sure they had a big laugh over it. Take the nice Christian girl out a couple of times and she gives it up like it’s prom night.”
“That isn’t what happened.” Simon glared.
“After we spent the weekend together, you didn’t contact me. No phone calls, no texts. Now it’s the weekend and you show up on my doorstep. Did you fly all the way down here for a booty call?”
“Of course not. If you’d let me explain, I—”
“I’m not a booty call, Simon. Take your red roses and go back to Washington. I can’t keep you from bragging about what happened, but it would be nice if you let me tell my parents first. I don’t want my father reading in the newspaper about how I got drunk and slept with you on our second date.”
She started to close the door, but he flexed his arm, stopping her.
“Just hold on. Can I come in?”
“No.”
He leaned closer, dropping his voice.
“I came here because I wanted to see you. And I chose red roses because I thought you’d like them.”
April clutched the edge of the door tightly but didn’t respond.
“Let me take you to dinner and we’ll talk. If you don’t like what I have to say, I’ll get back on a plane and you’ll never see me again.”
Her green eyes narrowed suspiciously. “What’s your angle?”
“I like you.”
“That’s it?”
“That’s it. Isn’t that reason enough?”
“What about your father and the presidential campaign?”
Simon’s eyes widened. It took a moment for him to recover himself.
“He asked me to take you out. I did. That’s where the politics ended.”
“I don’t believe you.” Her voice was soft and she looked like she was about to cry.
“Have a little more confidence in yourself, April. You’re pretty, you’re sweet. I wouldn’t have invited you to the Hamptons and taken you out for mojitos simply for politics.”
Her expression telegraphed her disbelief.
“I mean it. Now put those things in water and let me take you to dinner.” He handed her the roses and flashed a smile.