“This is so clever,” I said, marveling at the setup. “Who knew you were so talented?”

She laughed. “Don’t think I don’t know that’s a major compliment, coming from you. My day is officially complete.”

“Sounds like you’re happy.”

She looked at me in surprise. “I am. I really am. I’m so happy. Thank you.” Then she shocked me by hugging me again.

I had to blink back tears. “Okay. Good.”

“Okay.” She sniffled. “That’s enough of that crap.”

“No kidding. Now what can I do to help?”

She sent me back to the stockroom to help Mom, who sat at the computer checking what was selling. She would tell me what to look for, I would find the items and take them out to the store to restock the shelves. After a while, Dad joined me and I lost track of time as we ran around adding more spatulas and baskets and canisters and dishware and linens to the shelves.

I must’ve been working for over an hour and my arms were aching from stretching up to reach the higher shelves and carrying thirty-pound Dutch ovens and cappuccino machines back and forth from the stockroom. “Mom, will you tell Dad I’m just going to step outside for a quick break?”

“Okay, sweetie.”

I made my way through the store, which was still crowded but maneuverable, and stepped outside to enjoy the beautiful day. The temperature was mild and people were out taking advantage of it, strolling the wide sidewalks, chatting and window-shopping. I waved to a few of the locals and felt a wave of nostalgia sweep over me. Guru Bob was right. I really did need to get back here more often.

I glanced up the road and saw Gabriel walking into town. From two blocks away, he saw me and grinned. I could see his stunning smile from here. I had to laugh. Damn, but the man was tall, gorgeous, and incorrigible. He was wearing the black leather duster he’d been wearing the first time I saw him in that noodle shop on Fillmore Street.

I’d thought of him as the man in black that day. A mysterious stranger. My hero. And that’s what he looked like now as he moved forward inexorably, like a force of nature, the duster brushing his strong calves as he approached.

I waved and his grin broadened.

A car backfired and I jolted in surprise, then chuckled at my own foolishness. I looked at the passing cars, wondering which one was to blame for making me look silly. I gazed back at Gabriel, expecting to see his sexy eyes trained on me, but he was gone.

No. He wasn’t gone. He wasn’t grinning. Instead, he lay sprawled on the sidewalk.

I screamed and ran. As I got closer and saw the blood streaming from his head, I knew it wasn’t a car backfiring I’d heard a moment ago.

Gabriel had been shot.

Chapter 11

“Call nine-one-one!” I shouted.

“What the hell’s going on?” Joey Turturino asked as he pushed open the door of his dad’s fishmonger’s shop.

“Somebody’s been shot!” I cried. “Call nine-one-one.”

“I’m calling right now.”

The shop door slammed and I turned back to Gabriel.

“Don’t you dare die,” I said fiercely. My hands shook too much as I felt his neck for a pulse, so I laid my head on his chest to listen for a heartbeat. I had another quick flash of déjà vu and realized I’d been checking for signs of life a lot lately.

Gabriel groaned.

I raised my head. “You stay alive, damn it. I’m sick of people dying on me. And yeah, that’s right. It’s all about me.” Tears sprang to my eyes and I brushed them away. I’d get emotional later.

He moaned softly.

“My feelings exactly,” I whispered, trying to keep it light. It wasn’t easy. I finally risked a glance at his head. I could see where the bullet had grazed his temple, taking a big chunk of skin off the side of his head. Blood was everywhere. Dear God, how close had he come to having his head blown off?

My stomach reeled and I had to sit back on my ankles, staring at the sky, gulping in air.

Sirens screamed, and within seconds a fire engine and a paramedic truck blocked the Lane.

One of the firemen helped me stand up. He walked me over to Joey’s shop, where I sat on the brick ledge under the store window. I stared in mute disbelief at the paramedics scampering around. Seconds later, my mother and Robin ran over.

“Somebody said you were hurt,” Mom cried and grabbed me in her arms.

“Not me,” I whispered. “Gabriel.”

“Gabriel?” Robin asked. “The same Gabriel from—”

“Yeah,” I said quickly, stopping her. She’d been in Edinburgh and knew the whole story.

“That nice young man who works for Robson?” Mom said, baffled. “What happened?”

“I don’t know for sure. I thought I heard a car backfire, but when I turned, Gabriel was on the ground. It was a gunshot. His head is all bloody. There’s so much blood.”

“Okay, sweetie, calm down.”

Robin walked around, looked at the ground. “If a bullet grazed his head, I bet we can find it.”

“Good idea.” I started to jump up, but Mom held me down by my shoulders.

“No. Just wait until your equilibrium returns. You’ve had a shock and your dosha balance is skewed.”

“But if there’s evidence, we should—”

“No,” she said fiercely.

“Mom?”

Her whole body shuddered and she squeezed me tight again. “Maybe it’s my own balance that’s skewed, but I need you to just sit still for a minute, please, sweetie?”

“Sure,” I said, holding on to her. “Mom, you’re shaking.”

“They said you were hurt,” she whispered.

“I’m fine,” I said, resting my head against her shoulder. “It’s okay.”

“You may be fine, but I just aged ten years.”

We stood on the walkway, holding each other and watching as the paramedics worked on Gabriel.

“Don’t let him die, Mama,” I whispered.

Mom began to rock slightly and I knew she was chanting. She tended to blend Buddhist chants with Grateful Dead lyrics when she prayed. Maybe she was adding a little witchcraft this time. Whatever worked. I just wanted Gabriel to stand up, dust himself off, and flash me a wink and a grin.

It was wrong, seeing him laid out on the ground like that. He was too big, too strong. Too invincible. I began making deals with the gods, if only they would keep him alive.

Two paramedics wheeled a collapsible gurney over, and four men lifted Gabriel onto the pad. They’d attached a thick brace to his neck and wrapped a bunch of gauze around his head.

All good, right? It meant they were taking him to a hospital, not a morgue.

“Come on,” I said, pulling Mom with me. “I want to make sure he’s going to be okay.”

A female EMT turned and looked at me. “Are you a relative?”

“Yes,” I said immediately. Lying for a good cause didn’t count against karma, did it? And even if it did, I was beyond caring. “He’s my brother.”

She nodded. “He’s unconscious. We’ll know more when we get him to the hospital.”

“His head . . .”

“Yeah, he took a blow, but he’s alive, and he’s strong.”

“Right,” I said, nodding. “Yes, he is.”

As they rolled Gabriel to the truck, Dad ran up to us, followed by Annie, Savannah, China, and Alice.

Dad grabbed me in a hug. “You’re all right?”

“I’m fine, Dad. It’s Gabriel.”

He looked at me, stroked my head as if to make sure it was all in one piece, then turned and jogged over to talk to the paramedics and check on Gabriel.

“What happened?” Annie asked.

“Who was hurt?” Savannah demanded.

“Are you okay?”Alice asked, taking my hand and squeezing it.

“Thanks,” I said, answering Alice first. “I’m fine.”

Mom pulled Annie and Savannah aside to explain what had happened while I talked to Alice.

“Did you have a good massage?” I asked, to distract myself.

“Oh, my goodness,” she said, her eyes staring off at the horizon. “It was like no other massage I’ve ever had.”

“Yeah, I’ll bet.”

“But I feel so . . . clean.” She sounded dazed, but happy.