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Dad-to-be Aubry, whom Berry, now 41, met while making an ad for Versace in 2005, is described as quiet, down-to-earth and self-assured by friends. Says Stephane Bibeau, his friend and partner in Cafe Fuego, the Cuban restaurant Aubry opened in Manhattan's East Village last year: "He loves her – not the movie star. Their relationship is based on love and friendship."
That, says Berry's friend, Access Hollywood host Nancy O'Dell, makes everything easy. "She always talks about how great Gabriel treats her. She's wanted kids for a long time, and she knew she would have to wait until she found the right man."
Or better. "She thinks of Gabriel as an angel," says Berry's friend and former stylist Phillip Bloch. "He's very secure and allows Halle to sparkle as brightly as she does. She hasn't had the easiest time along the way, and she deserves it."
For more on Halle Berry's rocky road to happiness, including her fear of abandonment and what her Type 2 diabetes could mean for her pregnancy, pick up this week's PEOPLE, on newsstands Friday
