Secrets & Lies

Epilogue

It had been ten years since Alex and Gia had seen each other, ten long years since that fateful night when they had cancelled their wedding. Gia had finished her degree at the University of Denver after she had moved back to the states, ultimately becoming a lawyer and working with her mother. Alex stayed mostly in Europe and had worked on several independent films. He stopped modeling to focus purely on acting which had brought him to the United States a few years before where he had been an overnight success. His natural talent and incredible good looks had kept the offers rolling in.

Gia hadn't kept in touch with Alex nor had she paid very close attention to what he had been doing with his career until the day she was enjoying lunch with Mallory who now lived in California. They were at one of Mallory's favorite hangouts, Joan's on Third in LA.

"Gia...look...look over there...isn't that Alex?" Mallory said nodding her head toward the door where two guys had just entered.

"What?" Gia said turning to look at the door. "No it's not!" She said not really sure one way or the other.

"Yes it is. I would never forget how fucking tall he was and that blond hair I know it's him." Mallory insisted.

"He would never be in the states." Gia said with confidence in her voice.

"I know it's him. I'll prove it to you." Mallory insisted. "Hey Alex!" She yelled over at him. He turned slowly and looked directly at them. Sure enough it was him. Gia felt her heart melt as he smiled at them and began to walk over to their table.

"Gia?" Alex said, "I can't believe it's you after all these years.

"Hi Alex! What are you doing here in California?" She asked cautiously.

"I live here now and I'm starting work in a few days on a new movie." He answered.

"Wow! That's incredible. I always knew you would be a star one day." Gia responded in genuine shock.

"What about you?" Alex asked.

"I'm a lawyer working with my mother." Gia answered looking into those familiar aquamarine eyes.

"Well it was good to see you again. You look exactly the same." Alex said as he began to move away from their table.

"Thanks so do you." Gia said as she watched him walk away from her and back to where his friend stood waiting. As Gia watched him she noticed several women watching him with greedy eyes. They seemed to know exactly who he was. Gia thought to herself about what a fool she had been to walk away from him all those years ago, he had been the love of her life but she had been too afraid to take that chance and now as he walked into the throng of women at the restaurant she realized that he might have his fame, fortune and any one he could possibly want but she had had him first and no one could take away that special feeling of her first true love.

Alex turned back and smiled at Gia, "I have never forgotten you." He said.

"I could never forget you and all that happened between us." Gia said and stood up and walked slowly toward him. She reached up and gave him a hug, "I'm so sorry for everything." She said and gave him a kiss on the cheek.

"I only wish I could have talked you into marrying me then my life would have been perfect." Alex said and kissed her back. Gia looked up into his aquamarine eyes and nodded her agreement.

"I have loved you all these years and will always love you." She said and turned to walk back to Mallory. Alex grabbed her arm and pulled her back to him and kissed her deeply with all the longing and pent up feelings of the past ten years. She returned his kiss with just as much passion remembering all the love that they had shared in their early twenties. Gia felt every eye in the restaurant staring at them but she didn't care at all she just wanted to feel him.

"Mom? Who is that?" A voice asked curiously.

Alex pulled away and looked at the tall boy of about ten years in age with his exact aquamarine eyes and Gia's thick dark hair.

THE END