Miami seemed to agree with Gabriel, as well. His tanned skin contrasted with the white shirt he wore unbuttoned at his neck. His hair was wavy from the Florida heat and his smiles were easy.
Julia fairly glowed as she drank her champagne and spoke enthusiastically with the waiter, who told her the history of the chef and his passion for food.
“We need to spend more time here.” Julia gazed at the array of Spanish and Cuban tapas that were spread across the table.
“We can. We don’t have anywhere to be until April.” Gabriel served Julia some octopus cooked à la plancha.
“You can’t be serious.”
He served himself and chewed reflectively. “Why not? I’d need someone to courier some of my books and files, so I could work on my lectures. I’m sure Rachel wouldn’t mind.”
“It’s tempting.” Julia sampled the octopus and rolled her eyes heavenward. It was perfectly cooked and seasoned. Delicious. “It would be expensive to stay so long at the hotel.”
Gabriel shrugged. “We’re comfortable. I suppose if we decide to stay into February, we should rent a place.”
“So you’re still working on your lectures?” Julia posed her question nonchalantly.
“Yes.” Gabriel’s eyebrows knitted together. “Did you think I wasn’t?”
“Oh no, not that. You know Katherine is worried you’ll declin
e.”
Gabriel rearranged the napkin on his lap. “Yes, she mentioned something of the sort.
“What about you? You’d need your books.”
“I should be working through Wodehouse’s reading list. It’s been slow going.”
“Bring your books to the pool. Or pull up the articles on the iPad.” Gabriel lifted the chef’s homage to a Cuban sandwich and took a bite. He paused, his eyes darting to Julia’s. Without speaking, he passed the plate to her and gestured for her to take a bite. “It’s incredible.”
Julia sampled the sandwich and quickly agreed. “This reminds me, I want you to take me to Little Havana. I want to eat at the Versailles restaurant.”
“Done. We’ll go tomorrow.”
“When would we go back to Massachusetts?”
Gabriel wiped his mouth with his napkin. He sipped his sparkling water and helped himself to some of the endive salad.
“Darling?” She waited.
“Let’s give it a month for now. After that, I think the possibility that the thief will return becomes even more remote. If he’s keeping an eye on the house, he’ll see it’s empty.” Gabriel reached across the table to take her hand. “Besides, our anniversary is January twenty-first. Why don’t we celebrate here?”
“When we go home, we’ll return to our house?”
“If it’s safe.”
“I miss the house,” Julia blurted. “I miss sleeping in my own bed. I miss the nursery and all of Clare’s things.”
Gabriel stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. “I miss the house, too.”
“But I’m nervous about going back.”
Gabriel dipped his chin, which was the closest to an admission of anxiety Julianne was likely to get.
“Even if we wait a month, there’s no guarantee the thief won’t come after that.” Julia gestured with her champagne. “If he’s truly hunting artwork and he’s decided he wants our Thomson or the Cézanne, he’ll come back eventually.”
Gabriel’s expression grew thunderous. “That is why I don’t want you, Clare, and Rebecca in the house alone.”