I wasthisclose to grabbing his hand and refusing to let him leave, but as if De Vecchi knew, he gestured to the doors that led out to the garden. “After you.”
It took everything I had not to groan. Was he doing this shit on purpose? Probably.
This was the last place I wanted to go with him. But as he led me down the stairs and out into the garden toward the fountain, memories of a time long ago threatened to resurface.
“So, I heard your parents retired to the Rochester area. How are they liking it?”
“Good.” I shrugged. “No complaints. They were ready to leave city life behind.”
“I don’t blame them. It’s all a little busy for me.”
I grunted my acknowledgment, hating any kind of small talk when I knew there was something bigger coming—and with De Vecchi, there wasalwaysmore.
“I was glad to see you sitting in amongst our parishioners this morning, though.”
“Really?” I smirked, and turned to face the man who’d been part of the worst night of my life. “I thought it might piss—annoy you.”
“That you came to church?”
“No. That I was here with Rafael.”
“Ah, I see.” He nodded and clasped his hands behind his back, walking around me and over to the fountain. “I’m not annoyed at youorRafael. I’m happy to see you back here. Happy to see you both thriving in life.”
“Even though Rafael left the priesthood for me?”
He glanced back at me, smiling. “I think he left it for himself, first and foremost.”
“Well, yeah,” I agreed, and moved up beside him to rest against the stone. “But he also did it because he loves me.”
“Yes. He did. So why would that annoy me?”
“I don’t know.” I shrugged and ran my fingers through the water. “Because I’m not good enough for him.”
“Says who? Certainly not Rafael. And isn’t he the one that counts?”
“Yeah, but?—”
“Do you remember what I said to you that night?”
As if I could ever forget. It was one of the things that had haunted me all these years. “That I needed to let him go. That if I kept him from his calling, he’d never forgive me.”
De Vecchi held out his hands, an ironic twist curling his lips. “Same rules apply here.”
I thought about that for a moment, and then it clicked. He’dhadto let Rafael go. If he didn’t, Rafael would’ve resented De Vecchi, the church, and God.
The tables had turned, and damn, I’d never even thought of it that way.
“This way, we all win,” the archbishop said, and turned to look back to the doors of the church, where Rafael had just stepped out. “But never forget what a gift God has given you.Bothof you. Cherish it. Nurture it. Make it the foundation of your forever.”
My heartbeat quickened when Rafael smiled over at me. But before I left, I had to tell De Vecchiourtruth. One we’d known since we were altar boys, friends, boyfriends, then more.
“We’ve been doing that since the first day we met.”
37
EPILOGUE I
Rafael
