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“And?” he pro his head so he couldto-do list

“I need to keep es of her pale blue silk bathrobe together and moved to stand

Gabriel stopped her

“You don’t need to do anything I said I’d find sorocery list “I’ll go to the store after htly “That will help Thank you”

He cupped her cheek with his hand “Go back to bed You look exhausted”

“There’s still too much to do,” she whispered

“I’ll look after it You need to work on your lecture” He offered her a half-set some sleep first A tired ain and led her upstairs He pulled the covers back on their bed and watched her settle before tucking her in

“I know this is the first tiuests I don’t expect you to be the maid And I certainly don’t want our relatives to keep you fro your deadline Work in the study for the rest of the day Forget about everything else I’ll handle it”

He pressed his lips to her forehead and turned out the light, leaving Julia to her slued, but on thishis mind was distracted Julianne was overwhelmed; it was obvious She wasn’t an early riser and fro, she’d been awake for hours

They probably shouldn’t have invited their relatives to visit prior to her conference But since they were going to Italy for most of the suether

He’d forgotten how ti it was to have company He’d never entertained more than one or two people at a time, and then only with the support of a housekeeper and a bank account that peruests out for meals

Poor Julianne Gabriel recalled his own years at Harvard: how vacations were never true holidays since there was alork to do, languages to learn, and exams to prepare for

He was relieved to be tenured He wouldn’t trade places with Julia for anything Especially since he’d coped with the pressures of grad school by drinking, doing cocaine and P—

Gabriel stuht on the sidewalk He righted hi himself to concentrate on his steps

He didn’t like to think about his years at Harvard Since hisflashbacks so vivid, he would swear he could feel the cocaine entering his nostrils He’d drive down a street or enter a building on the Harvard ca that was so sharp it was painful

Thus far, with the grace of God, he’d resisted Certainly, his weekly Narcotics Anonys had helped, as had his monthly appointments with his therapist

And then, of course, there was Julianne

If Gabriel found his higher power in Assisi last year, Julianne was his guardian angel She loved him, inspired him, made his house a home But he could not shake the fear that Heaven had s her away