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“Never.”
The familiar faces around us rush forward, enveloping us in hugs and saying, “Welcome back home.”
“Thank you,” Riccardo murmurs quietly under his breath, ensuring that his words are not heard by anyone else. “Thank you for bringing her back to me. Thank you for saving her. Thank you for strengthening her. You’re the reason she breathes. The debt of gratitude I owe you is immeasurable; a lifetime won’t be enough to repay it. For me. Or for her.”
Now it’s my turn to shed tears. Damn it. My emotions are all over the place. What’s going on?
“You don’t have to thank me for anything. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.”
“You’ll always have a place in our family, Angelito.” He plants a gentle kiss on the crown of my head before moving to join Emilie, and then I feel strong arms encircle me from behind.
“When did you plan to tell me?”
As I pivot to look at him, I notice the intensity in his gaze. “I had things to settle before I could talk to her. And I wanted to tell her first so she had time to make her own decision.”
“I love you.” As I lean against his chest, a smile spreads across my face. “Did I already tell you that today?”
“Only a hundred times.” I inhale deeply, taking in the comforting scent of his body as I wrap my arms around his waist.
“Trust me, you’ll hear it at least a hundred more before the day is over,” he says with a grin.
My body is suddenly pressed against his chest as he turns me towards him. “Look around you. Look at our family. Everyone is grateful to have you in their lives. You make the world around you a better place.”
My eyes scan the room, taking in the diverse group of people gathered here. My friends. My family.
Their infectious laughter fills the room and brings a smile to my face, reminding me of how much I appreciate having them in my life.
If only my parents were here, this scene would be complete.
Bailey and Em approach us with smiles on their faces.
Oh no, that’s never a good sign with the two of them.
“Okay, mister muscles, you’re cute, but we have a wedding to plan.” Em’s statement elicits a chuckle from Aidan. I feel his grip loosen as he releases me, and I watch as he raises his hands in a gesture of surrender.
“I’m not going to fight you over it. But you better be efficient. You only have a month to get everything ready,” he says nonchalantly. As one, we turn to look at him, our expressions a mixture of shock and disbelief.
“One month?” Bailey nearly yells.
“Are you out of your mind? We can’t get married in a month,” I exclaim in a high-pitched tone.
“You got it, pretty boy.” With a grin stretching from ear to ear, Em asks, “Unlimited budget?” She can’t be serious. If she thinks everything can be prepared in a month, she’s just as insane as he is.
“You can spend whatever you need as long as it’s set in four weeks' time.” She gives him a high-five and then Bailey, who gives me an astonished look before leaving.
“You can’t be serious?” I ask once the girls leave.
“Oh, but I can. I’d marry you right this second if I could, so one month is me being generous.” No one gets married in one month. It’s just insane.
“You’re being irrational, you know that, right?” I roll my eyes at him because he is ridiculous.
Can’t he wait like a normal person? Of course he can’t.
I shiver as he leans in and whispers in my ear, causing goosebumps to rise on my arms. “Did you just roll your eyes at me? I’ll happily fuck the bratty attitude out of you.” Damn him. His words always have a way of making my stomach do backflips. “I’m pretty sure we can leave without anyone noticing we’re missing.”
As I meet his serious gaze, I feel a laugh bubbling up inside of me that I can’t control. “You know we live here, right? We can’t just leave.” My laughter intensifies when he gazes at me with a beseeching eye.
“You don’t laugh often,” he remarks while tucking away the loose strands that escape my bun. “I love when you laugh. I love when you’re happy. I love the fact that you love me. I don’t deserve you, but fuck if I care.”
