Sabrina nodded, her throat feeling tight with emotion. “I’d really like to speak with Cesare before we join everyone else.”
Maribella clicked her tongue. “It’s bad luck for the groom to see the bride before the wedding.”
Sabrina pursed her lips, mulling over her response carefully before looking up to meet Maribella’s gaze. “It’s also bad luck for the bride to leave before the ceremony begins.”
Maribella’s eyes lit up with amused delight before giving the slightest nod of approval. “You’ll fit in just fine.”
Maribella left the room to find Sabrina’s Cesare, and Sabrina remained where she was; carefully picking up Eva Lombardi’s original wedding veil, brainstorming different ways to style it.
Standing alone in the quiet room, her chest gave a deep pang at the absence of her mother. She sniffed, closing her eyes in an attempt to prevent tears from starting.
What the hell was she doing? Was she really going to go through with this? What she felt for Cesare was deep and profound, andreal. But in all reality, they hardly knew each other.
Was she doing this out of loneliness, or because it was the right thing to do? How she wished her parents were alive to talk to; to ask for their advice; alive tobe there.
It occured to Sabrina the wedding was so sudden her parents wouldn’t have been physically present even if theyhadbeen alive. Somehow, this thought helped her feel a little less orphaned and a little more spontaneous.
Sabrina swallowed thickly, composing herself once more, and opened her eyes as the door to the room opened with a quiet knock.
Cesare stepped in, dressed in a fine tuxedo. He looked her over with a hunger and a tenderness that left her feeling warm, seen, and known.
“You look…” He paused mid sentence, working his jaw as he swallowed thickly. “Can I touch you?” He asked, with a hesitance Sabrina hadn’t seen in him before.
Sabrina immediately reached her arms out to him, and he crossed the room, pulling her into his arms. She returned the embrace, letting out a gasp of delight when he lifted her a few inches and spun her around the room.
“My beautiful, beautiful girl.” He murmured, kissing her forehead. He flashed a smile as he took a step back, just enough to look her over again. “This was my mother’s dress. I had no idea Auntie Mari still had it.” He shook his head. “Do you like it?” His brow furrowed.
“I love it.” Sabrina quietly answered, with a genuine smile.
She watched as Cesare’s shoulders relaxed, and his expression softened. He swallowed thickly before taking her hand in his. “I’m not going to pretend I don’t want this, because I do. I want everything you’ll give me, Sabrina. But I need you to want it too.”
Sabrina was silent for a moment before standing up on her tiptoes to press a kiss against his lips. “I want you.” She murmured against his lips. She pulled back, her brows furrowing slightly as she continued.
“My only concern is you’re going to wake up a month from now and realize this is the stupidest thing you’ve ever done, and be stuck with me.” She gave a rueful shrug.
“I’ll be honest, I’m an adrenaline junkie. So the diving part, I can do. But worrying someone is with me because they want me versus if they’re just stuck next to me; I could never do that.”
Cesare listened, his expression open but serious. “I don’t suppose you have a pen, do you?” He asked after a moment.
Sabrina looked around them for anything that looked like a pen.
Cesare walked to a small in-table in the corner and opened it, rifling around its contents. He pulled out a box of Mike-and-Ike’s, and a black Sharpie.
He opened the bright green candy box and looked inside. “Hold out your hand.” He instructed.
Sabrina immediately followed the instruction, her nervous system already primed to follow his command out of pure instinct. Did he realize how much she trusted him? How much that meant? Cesare poured out what was left of the multicolored candies into her palm with a grin.
“Cesare, this belongs to the priest!” She gasped.
“Pops has been hinting left and right that he’s dropping an obscene amount of money on the parish for today’s last-minuteaccommodations. Father Patrick will be able to buy several thousands of these when we’re done.” Cesare answered smugly.
He methodically opened the box and tore off the side tab. He then flattened out the thick cardstock box, andeffectively turned the Mike-and-Ike’s box into a thick piece of cardstock paper. What had once been the beige inside of the box was now a writable surface.
“It’s going to be a long evening, tesoro, you should eat something anyway.” Cesare added.
Sabrina considered this before putting one of the brightly colored candies in her mouth.
Cesare opened the Sharpie and gave Sabrina an evaluating look. “If you wake up one day, and want to start over, what amount of money would you need to walk away and be comfortable?” He asked.
