Heading to the sink, I brushed my teeth for the third time and then paced around the room, feeling caged. It was so warm in here. Heat crawled beneath my skin, and with the five-foot train pinned up, my dress felt like it weighed twenty pounds.
“Gosh, it’s hot,” I complained. “Mamma, take this dress off. I gotta go outside and get some air.”
“No!” Mamma shouted.
Nonna’s gaze narrowed at her, and my senses were immediately on alert. I eyed the both of them. “What’s wrong?”
“Nothing, cara mia.” Nonna waved a hand. “But you can’t go out. Your hair and makeup’s all done. We don’t want your husband to see.”
“He won’t care—”
“You’ve already gone and ruined your engagement by rolling around in the hay with him how many times and then eloping, for goodness’ sake. Now listen to me—you don’t want to jinx your marriage.”
I wasn’t a superstitious person, but I didn’t want to argue with them about it. Besides, the room dimmed as clouds began to overcast the sky. “It’s going to rain, isn’t it?” I sighed. “That would be my luck.”
“Oh no, cara mia, rain is good luck on a wedding day. It symbolizes fertility.” Nonna paused, pursed her lips, and then glanced back at her magazine, muttering, “But I suppose we already know there’s no issue with that.”
I shook my head, amusement rising in me. I wasn’t pregnant and wasn’t planning to be soon. I was only twenty-one—I wanted a couple years to walk around naked, have sex on the couch, and smother myself in my husband. But I couldn’t say the idea of a mini Nico and me didn’t make my heart fill with warmth. I at least had to learn how to cook first, though that endeavor was looking a little grim.
Nerves vibrated beneath my skin and I dropped into a chair. I rested my head on the back but then lifted it when Mamma shouted that I was ruining my hair.
The door burst open. Sophia stepped inside, holding two bottles of champagne, and squealed, “Let’s get this party started!”
A smile pulled on my lips.
Indeed.
A cold whisper brushed my back as my steps grew in sync with the soft piano notes. My clammy hands gripped my bouquet in front of me, and three-hundred pairs of eyes touched my skin, though for a moment there was only one I was aware of.
A few rays of sun shone through the stained glass windows and stopped before his feet.
Whiskey and flame. Sleepless nights. Tattooed skin, white t-shirts, and rough hands. Love and lust and happiness. He was everything.
The violins of Canon in D drifted through the church and a shiver erupted at the base of my spine. I couldn’t breathe as he watched me walk toward him. He could convey so much with one look, with an intensity powerful enough I’d freeze in my spot or warm enough to make my heart beat just for him.
His mamma might not have been a good parent, but without her he wouldn’t exist, and without Nico—and the way he was looking at me—well, that wasn’t a world I wanted to be in.
My heartbeats jumped and dived in my chest, and I broke free of his gaze so I could catch my breath. My eyes landed on Mamma, who was sobbing—in sorrow or happiness, I didn’t know which—to Papà, who gave me a small nod. Maybe things would be all right, after all, because if my father made me choose between him and my husband for good, I wouldn’t have to even think it through.
Pure bliss flowed in my veins. The only thing keeping me from dissolving into happiness was this heavy dress weighing me down.
My eyes burned when Benito caught my gaze, his thumb and forefinger forming the “perfect” sign. Tony shot me a wink, and Jenny, who stood next to him in a flashy red dress, mouthed, “Ohmygod.”
This time I repeated the priest’s words with conviction.
This time I burned under the timbre of Nico’s voice.
This time I kissed my husband on the lips like I meant it.
The guests whooped and hollered, and Nico chuckled at my enthusiasm.
“You’re all mine,” I breathed against his lips.
A rumble of satisfaction traveled up his throat and he pressed another kiss to my mouth. He slipped his hand in mine and walked me down the aisle. As soon as we made it into the entrance hall, I blurted, “It was perfect.”
Nico laughed quietly, turned to face me, and brushed a thumb across my cheek. “You’re perfect.”
I flushed and blinked at him. “You like my dress?”
His hand ran to the back of my neck and he kissed me deeply. “You’re beautiful, baby.”