Page 73
Walking into the quaint Italian restaurant, I’m a little surprised it’s nothing grand or fancy, seeing as it was recommended by Dante. But he insisted it’s the best food in the city, so I’ll take his word for it.
I find Isa already seated. She smiles at me happily, but her eyes look tired. “Did you survive your day with Dominique?” I ask before leaning down and kissing her.
She laughs and it turns into a yawn. “Barely. Dominique could outshop a Beverly Hills socialite.”
I take my seat across from her, my shoulders shaking from trying to hold in my laughter. “Did you find a dress?”
Her eyes brighten. “I did, it’s perfect. You’re going to die when you see it.”
“Is it easy to take off?”
Her jaw drops in mock offense. “David Windell, you saucy little minx!”
We laugh until the waiter interrupts to take our order. We both request the lasagna, per Dante’s insistence, and a bottle of red wine. The waiter leaves to put our order in and once he’s gone, I stretch my arms across the table and take Isa’s hands in mine.
“So, where are we going to purchase a flat?”
She bites her bottom lip. “Before you got here, I was going back and forth between Edinburgh and London.”
“London. Definitely London,” I say without hesitation.
She wrinkles her nose. “What’s wrong with Edinburgh?”
“I have a disturbing feeling there’s not a chance we could live in Scotland and you wouldn’t make me wear a kilt at least once.”
She laughs so hard she snorts. “You’re absolutely right. But I think you’d look great in a kilt.”
“I think I’m more of a high-tea kind of guy,” I say dryly. She twists her lips but then finally nods her agreement.
“Should we just get a studio?” she asks before the waiter comes back with garlic bread and our bottle of wine. He carefully pours us each a glass and then heads back toward the kitchen again.
I take a sip of wine. “How about a two bedroom? I can set up an office in one of them. I want to travel with you as much as possible, but sometimes I’ll need to stay behind and work.”
“Okay, that makes sense.” She grabs a breadstick and tears off a piece. “Traveling without you will be a little sad… but knowing you’re in London waiting for me and not all the way back in Kansas makes it better.” She grins and pops the bread into her mouth, chews and swallows it. “You know, this is all so adventurous of you. I never thought you’d leave your home.”
I look into her eyes fervently, so she knows what I’m about to say is serious. She stills and meets my gaze. “Isa, you’re my home now. You’ve helped me discover that there’s value in spontaneity… in fact, I think it’s been good for me.”
Chapter thirty-one
Isabella
The next morning, I wake up in the honeymoon suite that the Vergaras upgraded us to. David stayed in the smaller room with Mo and will join me here tonight after our nuptials.
The thought of sleeping in the same bed with him, not just next to him in a tent… makes goosebumps appear all over my skin.
While I’m getting dressed to meet our families for breakfast, I glance at my lace-embellished slip-dress hanging in the bathroom, which makes me positively giddy. I can’t believe how everything just fell into place… In a few hours, I’ll be David’s wife.
David should be back from the airport soon with our families in tow and I’m meeting them at the hotel café so we can tell them about our impromptu wedding.
Is it considered eloping if your families are there? I’m not sure what constitutes an elopement over a last-minute wedding. But it doesn’t really matter.
I’m taking a little longer than normal on my hair and makeup so I look nice in wedding photos, but I just threw on some leggings and a flowy button down top for breakfast since I’ll change into my dress later.
After making my way downstairs, I take a detour outside to the trellis. Wrought iron chairs from the café make a few small rows for our families and leave an opening for an aisle. My heart skips inside my chest as I imagine walking down the aisle toward David. No decorations were needed for the trellis since it’s covered with vines and flowering plants already. The Adriatic Sea completes the backdrop perfectly.
I walk to the other end of the trellis that leads inside the café and find the long table we reserved. A minute later, David walks into the café followed by our whole families… Well, everyone but Mama.
He shares a secret smile with me before my sisters run and attack me with hugs and kisses.
