AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“God, I hope this is the right time.” He lifted his hand towards her. In the centre of it was a perfect yellow diamond ring, surrounded by a circlet of white diamonds. Jane stared at it in total shock.
“I’ve heard someone say, once, ‘you make me want to be a better person’. I always thought that a trite idea. After all, why not just be the best version of yourself possible?” He shook his head. “Then I met you, and I realised that no matter how hard I try, I will never be as good as your worth dictates. I can only promise, Jane, that I will spend the rest of my life trying to be the man you deserve. I thought keeping you safe was all that mattered, but now I understand how wrong I was. Your happiness is what matters, and knowing how much I love you is what makes you happy. So, if you agree to once more become Mrs Santini, I will spend every day showing you that my love begins and ends with you, darling, beautiful, perfect Jane.”
She stared at him, completely incapable of speech.
His laugh was hoarse. “But, if your answer is no, please tell me now so that I can breathe again, either way.”
She shook her head, and lifted a shaking hand to her lips. “Oh, Carlo. How can you think my answer would be no?”
He let out a breath of relief and kneeled higher. He took her hand from her lips and gently eased the ring on to her ring finger.
“I have your old ring, too,” he said, when she didn’t say anything. “But I quickly felt a new ring better represented a new us.”
“Yes.” Her voice was thick with unshed tears. “It’s perfect.” She looked at him with tears in her eyes. “But you’re completely wrong, Carlo.”
“What about?” Panic stole into his words.
She heard it, and smiled to reassure him. “You’re a wonderful man. I don’t ever want to hear you say that you don’t deserve me. You are the love of my life.”
His heart was in his throat. Not prone to emotions, he felt his own eyes moisten. He leaned forward and kissed her, with all the passion, love and gratitude he felt for this beautiful, graceful woman.
“And you are my life,” he responded against her mouth. “My soul, my universe, and my all. Please, let us marry quickly.”
EPILOGUE
In the end, the wedding was only a week before their daughter was born. Jane wore an elegant black maternity dress that hugged her bump and still-slender frame to her knees. “Second time around, I didn’t need white,” she explained to a scandalised Anna.
“But you’re the bride,” Liz argued, with perfectly sound logic.
Jane laughed happily. “I know. But I like this dress. And it’s perfect for the casual wedding we’re having.”
Liz crossed her arms and pursed her lips. “If you’re sure…”
And Jane was. About everything. About the dress. The choice to have a small ceremony in the gardens of Carlo’s villa, and most of all, her choice to pledge, again, to live the rest of her life with the man who had held her heart from that first fateful moment.
As she looked back at the wedding photos on her phone, a sleeping newborn baby cradled in her arms, her smile was still firmly tacked in place.
“Buonasera,” Carlo’s smile was equally bright.
Jane looked up at him, and felt a stab of envy when she saw that he had showered. “You look refreshed,” she said with mock hurt.
“Two days of labour, I needed it.”
Jane glared at him. “Oh, how hard that must have been for you.”
He laughed apologetically. “You were amazing.”
“She is amazing,” Jane corrected, dropping her eyes to their little baby. “Did you tell Anna?”
Carlo nodded, and sat gently on the edge of the bed. “She was thrilled. She sends her love, and says she will come to see little Anna as soon as you’re up to visitors.”
Jane nodded, and stroked their daughter’s soft head. “I feel so lucky,” Jane confided with a sigh. “After last time, I thought maybe it would never happen for me. For us.” She shrugged her shoulders, and then froze, when baby Anna wriggled a little. She lowered her voice to a whisper. “I was so sure you and I were a disaster zone, and look at us now.”
He pressed a kiss to her lips, then slipped a jewellery box out of his shirt pocket. “I had this made for you.”
Jane looked down at Anna. “You’re going to have to open it for me.”
He nodded and clicked the lid off. Jane gasped when she saw what lay within. “It’s my engagement ring. From last time.”
