Chapter 33

I smooth my hands down my ivory wedding dress. It’s classy elegance and understated top is lined with a simple sleeveless fitted bodice and tiny pearl detailing. It has a full wispy floating skirt, and layers and layers of chiffon puffing out to a full-length cloud of loveliness. It’s a fairy-tale princess dress and matches beautifully with the elegant engagement ring twinkling on my hand, sparkling in all its shining glory.

I admire my flawless natural make-up in the mirror, touching up my nude lipstick. My tawny hair is wild and curled in its loose romantic style, tiny tendrils hang around my face and I appraise my reflection with pride.

I look beautiful! I feel beautiful and serene. There is no fear whatsoever.

I look like a woman hopelessly in love, about to marry the man of her dreams.

I am that woman.

I slide on my satin ivory stilettos that almost mirror the shoes I used to adore so much. It feels weird to be back in heels after so long and I turn around, hearing movement from the room behind me, alerting me to tropical blue

eyes catching mine in the reflection as I straighten up.

“Oh, my God, Ems … God, you look stunning,” Sarah holds back a tear, touching her eyes with a tissue and waving her hands to save her mascara from running, as I watch

her in the mirror behind me. She’s wearing her fitted

aqua bridesmaid dress and her messy blonde short hair is pinned up in a loose half up style like mine and I’m overcome with a huge surge of love. Her bright blue eyes are heavy with emotion as she’s watches me intensely in a way that has my heart lifting with excitement.

“It’s happening, Sarah.” I smile widely, a tremor of passion rippling through me. My nerves are tingling, my stomach is fluttering, and my knees are turning to mush. I spin around lifting my delicate veil and let my eyes skim that flawless silhouette in the mirror, flat stomach once more and a body that looks like it never changed. I’ hit with that familiar tug of emptiness at no longer feeling her life growing within me.

The vacuum of emptiness inside never leaves me, but I smile to myself, weakly, and push it down, lifting my chin defiantly, looking like old PA Emma, yet so different in so many ways. This is my happy day; no tears unless they are ones of joy. I remind myself that I’m not going to cloud this day with running make-up and emotional breakdowns unless they’re related to taking my vows.

“Oh, my God, Emma.” Leila bursts into tears when she sees me, sliding into the room behind Sarah. They only left me for a few minutes, so I could step into my dress, yet they’re acting like this is the first time they’ve seen it too, even though they’re the ones who helped me choose it.

It took me endless shopping trips to find the perfect one and constant boring fittings with selfies that Leila just had to litter over Instagram. I banned Jake from using any social media the entire time we were planning the big day, for fear of trending posts giving away ideas of which shops I was heading into and people snapping sneaky photos of me trying on gowns in shops. Leila saw them, on more than one occasion and promptly chased them off, but still, pictures would still find themselves all over the social media sites. The world still loves their Carrero hotty after all and his hashtag on anything wedding related seemed to top the bill on a weekly basis.

“You’re ruining your make-up.” I chide Leila softly, but she shakes her head and smiles back through a wave of tears. Her eyeliner is already making a quick exit down her face.

“Daniel likes me looking like a train wreck nowadays … Will just turn him on seeing me with mascara down my chin yet again.” She sniffs, and Sarah starts fussing with the hankies, cleaning Leila’s face up in a desperate attempt to salvage her perfected make-up. Leila is so hopelessly cute when she cries, and I agree with her on the Daniel point. The boy clucks around her like a mother hen anytime she burst into tears. Daniel is turning as hopeless as Jake nowadays and never far from his lady’s side; gone is the Hunter of old who partied and messed around with women galore. Leila is his world.

“I think the fact that you’ve done nothing but cry non-stop since he got you pregnant means he has no choice but to love that train wreck … Invest in waterproof mascara.” Sarah chides, and I watch as Leila runs a hand over her bulging bump. I am hit with another hint of rising tears and a small tug of envy. Her growing bump is twins, much to Daniel’s shock when they found out she was even carrying. That day I really thought we needed an ambulance for him since he literally passed out in the doctor’s office.

I run my hand over my own flat stomach automatically with an internal sharp pain to my heart, the familiar wave of emotion I get every time I realize there’s nothing there anymore. I was warned that it would take a long time for the feeling of emptiness to go away, and maybe not until I try for another child, but even the thought of having another baby brings fresh tears to my eyes. The hormones are still messing with me even now. There is gut-wrenching heartache at the emptiness of my body, so I try to push it aside mentally with a deep inhale, slowly letting it back out.

“Guess I’ll have to marry him now then, huh?” Leila

dabs her face with Sarah’s tissue and sniffs a little to reel in her tears. “He’s asked enough times and I’m really only saying no because I’m such a fucking mess all the time. Why would he want this?” Leila sighs back her tears again and tries to limit the damage to her face with a compact, squinting at it disapprovingly then dabbing manically over the streaky areas in a bid to fix it. I predict it will happen many more times today.

“You’re asking me?” I look at her with a knowing expression; one that says you do remember the crazy mess I’ve been this past year?

My recovery from a head fracture and small brain bruise was a large ordeal and included a very long and messy recovery. I had a lot of counseling to deal with my past as well as the emotional aftereffects of what Vanquis did to me. Recovery involved rehabilitation to get past some of the brain damage I incurred from the incident, such as impaired balance, bouts of severe low mood, and awful headaches for months on end. My crying and psychotic behavior consumed me these last few months and really tested everyone’s love around me. It has been a very trying period in my life and Jake has been my absolute rock throughout, the perfect fiancée with the patience of a saint.

Now I’m throwing myself into my new path and studying to become a counselor for abused children within Sylvana’s charity. I want to be a beacon of hope and a hand to guide children to a better life. I want to do for the Sophies” of the world what Jake did for me. It was hard to study and go to classes, still seeing my therapist weekly to keep on top of everything while aiming for a new future. Jake supported me in everything and finally let some of his domineering side relax.

“Well, Leila, you’d better hurry up because my wedding is in a month and you’ll be the only single one of our trio.” Sarah has given up on salvaging Leila’s make-up, and instead hands her a wet wipe. It’s a safe bet to say Leila has looked better but it’s no surprise that her cute face can pull off the smudgy look any day of the week.

I gaze at Sarah’s flawless happy face and smile at the radiance I see reflected at me. Marcus surprised everyone by proposing to Sarah, rather publicly, at her birthday bash which Jake organized for me, as a thank you to Sarah for being my friend. The proposal was beautiful, and I admit that Marcus really is right for her. Sarah was bowled over, not only by my public appreciation of ‘the girl who loved me when no one else did and persevered anyway’ but the sheer spontaneity of Marcus’s proposal. She didn’t see it coming at all, none of us did, except maybe Jake. I’m sure Marcus had a few whispered conversations with Jake to organize the whole thing.

“Okay!” Sarah turns to me and takes a deep breath. “Ready?” She holds out an arm to me, bossily, being the only one who seems to be organizing things today and I tilt my head with a last final breath. I don’t feel any of the nerves or inner doubts I’d been expecting to sweep over me when this moment arrived. Instead I just feel impatient at knowing he’s out there waiting, picturing those devastating green eyes smiling back at me and his unbelievably kissable mouth.

“Feels like I’ve been waiting for this for an eternity.” I smile and allow my best friends to guide me from the room, one on each arm, out into the hallway, they pick up my dress to avoid catching it on the door.

We make our way down the hall and I’m met with the almost unemotional face of Giovanni Carrero. He extends an arm to me with a smile and a nod, his eyes appraising my dress and I slide my own into his. He smiles wider and brighter, inclining his head approvingly. This is about as far as the man ever gets with any real show of emotion, but I get it. I know him better nowadays and I smile, sighing with indulgence at the father-in-law who is so completely loveable. It has taken some time to figure out this rogue enigma, but I’m sure I have some understanding of him now, after all we’re similar kinds of people. The type to be more reserved in affection than Jake and Sylvana and subtle in how we show it to those who don’t know us well.

“Ready to walk me down the aisle and present me to your son?” I nudge him gently, a little affectionate grin on my face and that huge warmth runs through me when I see a little softening of his stern focus. The subtle tells that underneath the cool Giovanni exterior beats a warm and loving heart.

“Of, course. I can imagine nothing more I’d rather be doing today.” He winks, smugness appearing on his face and I shake my head at him. He reminds me so much of Jake at times, but I know neither would ever admit to it.

“Glad you feel that way.” I lean up and plant an impromptu kiss on his cheek, with absolutely no qualms about bestowing loving affection on my family members, even the males. From the corner of my eye I catch

his eyebrow twitch, much like Arrick’s, showing a betrayal of flat emotion. My happy heart is too full of warmth and

excited energy today and it must be rubbing off on him.

“Well, I didn’t go to the bother of losing an assistant and sending her back to my son on a whim.” He winks at me, surprisingly, because he’s not a winker … and that’s twice now, but I’m flabbergasted more because of what he said.

“What?” I blink up at him nonplussed, suddenly, thinking I maybe misheard him and can’t quite compute what he’s saying. I blink at him while gripping his arm tightly and look confused.

“My son was in pain and hiding from what he wanted most,” he says so factually, looking down at me, “I put you back in his path, so he would stop being a coward.” Giovanni grins and all words leave my brain in an open-mouthed silent gawp; realization dawning on me so suddenly that I am literally rendered speechless.

He sent me back to Carrero House? Making me believe that he was going to fire me if I didn’t … an ultimatum that led us to where we are now.

Giovanni is admitting to maneuvering me back into Jake’s building, so we would end up back in each other’s arms, crafty jerk that he is. He giggles like a schoolboy at my obviously shocked expression and pats my hand tenderly over his inner elbow. That self-confident effortless look on a man who always sees all and knows everything.

“No need to thank me, Emma.” He raises his brows in an almost smug manner and I clear my throat, finding my voice, still shocked that if he hadn’t done that one simple thing, then I wouldn’t be here today, with him, getting ready to do this.

“You sent me back to him, so he would? So, we would? How did you even know?” I am completely blown away by his confession, emotions brimming to the surface and a deep aching pain in my heart, so touched by a man who always seemed indifferent toward me. We’re still standing in the hall as the two girls mess about nearby with their dresses and hair while we wait for the rest of our party. They haven’t heard any of Giovanni’s confession, since they’re further back and neither are paying attention to my almost tearful expression.

“He’s my son, I see everything. I know him even if he doesn’t like to admit it. You were actually a very competent assistant.” That wily look and lift of a satisfied smile have me shaking my head at him again in complete disbelief. Giovanni is a sneaky man, but I absolutely love him for it, for every sneaky underhanded card he has ever played in the final happiness of his son. I squeeze his arm and throw caution to the wind by throwing my arms around him instead, giving him my best version of a Jake hug that I can muster. He tenses for a second awkwardly, Giovanni is not a man who does public displays of affection, and then hugs me back, a solid sort of fatherly hug for just a moment, but it means the world to me. He lets me go and straightens his jacket, returning the mask of effortless grace and poise I know only too well.

“Move down the hall a bit, we’ll wait for Sophie nearer the door … She better hurry up.” Leila huffs impatiently, pushing us gently, bossy pants back on and face flawless once more. She’s checking the time on her wristwatch and frowning at Sarah who is looking up and down the hall for any sign of our missing bridesmaid. I don’t expect anything else from Sophie nowadays, the girl is a fifteen-year-old ball of fun, but we all adore her mercilessly.

Giovanni begins to lead me out of the hallway toward the larger area outside the main hall doors, a brighter and airier half circle room with ceiling windows letting the sun stream in. I lift my chin a little with each step, my heart expanding more with the realization that this really is it and it’s really happening. The Carreros are making me one of their own and I am getting my Jake for an eternity, never to be parted again.

This crazy man is taking me as a daughter with his terrifying family and secrets I’d never like to guess at or even know.

Like what exactly he did with Ray Vanquis after he handed me to Mathews.

Not that I want to know and it’s something I’ve never pressed Jake about either. Giovanni took care of things because I am family and the less I know the more I can pretend it never happened at all. Jake never speaks of Vanquis either, and as much as I know that Jake would’ve never been involved in anything like that, I also know he’s probably relieved that his father swooped in. I don’t want to know if Vanquis is dead or alive, all we got was a promise that Vanquis is never going to come back. Giovanni assured us of that and by now I’ve learned that his word is his bond.

Jake changed toward Giovanni after that. He no longer disapproves of his father’s less than legal ties, especially when they swoop in and deal with a problem that is over Jake’s head. Jake couldn’t exactly take a moral high ground with his father’s dealings when he told his father to do whatever it was that needed to be done to keep his family safe.

The relationship between them is far more level now because of it, changing with every passing month and I’m happy to see some sort of genuine bond building on both sides; I’m sure Sylvana feels the same way.

Here I am, arm in arm, with the man who is possibly capable of making a human disappear to the waiting arms of the man who spent a lifetime misunderstanding him. Now the two of them have some sort of mutual bond because Giovanni saved me in place of his son. He won Jake over, by saving the one person in the world who mattered to him the most … Me.

We are a family. All of us.

My heart catches in my throat as we reach the double doors that hold my life inside and pause to wait. My heart and my happiness await me; and very soon I’m about to take that step inside and finalize it all. Just a few more minutes of waiting and we will be going in there, to end one chapter of my life and start a new one with the person I adore more than anything in the universe. My heart growing with excitement and my nerves rising in anticipation; even though I know I have nothing to be frightened of.

“Do you think she’ll be in there, Emma?” Sarah whispers behind me and I shake my head, already knowing who she means without asking. Nothing registers in my heart at her question, not a flicker, no feeling at all about knowing my mother won’t be among the sea of friends and faces in that room to watch me marry my soul mate. I am long healed over the absence of her in my life. I just feel a sense of freedom, much like the day, over a year ago, when I walked out of her building.

She never made contact again, even when the papers reported my near-death experience and four-day coma at the hands of an intruder at ‘Billionaire Business Entrepreneur Jacob Carreros New Family Home’. The media had a field day with that story and ran it for weeks, even long after my exit from the private care hospital and back home. My mother never graced me with a phone call or even a text or email in that whole time. I didn’t have a single visit from her in my several weeks at recovery in the private hospital, not even a bunch of flowers or a get-well card. I ceased to care about her at all. It only helped me move on.

“Are you okay about it?” Leila soothes in and I turn to both my girls and nod, honestly, smiling happily. I am worth far more than any effort she ever put into my life and I am surrounded by people who genuinely care, showing a real kind of love and affection, not some cold shadow of an attempt at it.

“Wait! Wait.” Sophie’s panicked voice is coming at us anxiously and she appears, down the hall, looking a little flustered. Her dress is barely zipped up and her hair already working loose. She’s rushing down the hall with Mrs. Huntsberger in tow looking every bit like the wild teen she has become lately. The poor woman looks flustered and tired, chasing down that energetic girl and trying to bring calm to the chaos of the child she loves so much.

“That’s what we were doing.” Giovanni winks at her and Leila and Sarah start fussing with her hair in a bid to calm the wildness that is Sophie nowadays. She is fast taking Leila’s place of ‘wild child’ and is excelling at being more than a handful lately. Sometimes she’s exhausting but we all love her dearly and we all understand that this is Sophie’s way of dealing with her past; much like it had been Leila’s …

Teenage girls!

“Is that everyone?” Giovanni smiles at me and I nod back at him, taking another steadying deep breath. Nerves overtaking me, not because I have doubts, but because this

is the most important day of our lives and I am tingling all over with suppressed excitement. I am finally becoming a Carrero … Mrs. Emma Carrero. Jake’s wife. I can barely stand still with the urge to burst through the door and get to him now that we’re all assembled in the right positions. The girls take their places behind me; Sarah fixing my veil at the back and fluffing my dress one last time; Leila handing me my simple eloquent bouquet of lilies and beautiful tropical flowers and I close my eyes to take a moment for myself.

With a deep breath, Giovanni opens the door that throws open my view to the sea of people who mean everything in the world to me. The room is fit to bursting with standing guests all waiting patiently, looking this way, and the immediate melody of music echoing toward us.

Christina Perri ‘A Thousand Years’ plays down the aisle and I frown back at Leila, questioningly, with a half-smile on my face. It’s not a song I would’ve chosen myself.

“Sophie picked it,” Leila mutters, rolling her eyes. “She’s a Twilight fanatic and we drew straws.” Leila and the others fought over the job of head bridesmaid almost ruthlessly in the run up to this day and drawing straws became commonplace for decisions. I let them squabble over who picked my wedding march song while I focused on my studies. They took away the wedding stress from me by organizing most of it between them.

“Nice … I suppose it fits.” I giggle at Sarah’s eye roll and disapproving look at Sophie, the girl just shrugs, mischievously, with a huge smile.

The music drifting over me brings my attention back to the front, making me emotional, and for the first time I really listening to the words of this very beautiful song. I take a deep breath and gesture to my ‘father-in-law to be’ that I am ready, so, we move forward. Slowly and surely, held safe in his gentle embrace as we walk down the aisle together, followed by my beautiful girls.

The room is huge with high ceilings and the smell is overpowering with the array of a hundred flower arrangements placed on every wall and row of seats. There are beautiful garlands at every high arched window and colored sashes acting as a walkway to my red carpeted aisle. It’s a glorious and stunning wedding venue, made more magnificent by the people standing and watching me with beaming happy faces as I pass by.

I scan the aisles as we walk on and take in the faces as we go, the Carreros at my left in their droves. Rows and rows of beautiful Italian looking people with big smiles, most of whom I’ve only briefly met in these past few months. Then there are all Jake’s friends, now people I consider myself close to. He seriously has too many people in the world that he classes as family or friends. I feel like I’ll never get to the end of all the people he knows.

On the right are those from Carrero Tower and Carrero House that worked alongside me and knew me when I was a different person. I am not ashamed that they sit in place of my family, because really my family are all here with me, watching me walk down toward him and he’s all I need.

I catch sight of some of my favorite women on the right-hand side of the aisle. Margo is wiping a tear from her eye and nudging Wilma in her side as both woman wave to me. They’re blowing their noses and crying as Donna throws tissues their way. My crazy trio of motherly hens. Donna’s mascara is pouring down her normally flawless face and I spot Rosalie wave from behind a very handsome man, grinning wildly and looping arms with him, a look of radiant happiness on her pretty face. I beam back at them with a tiny wave before moving on in time to the music, slow steps, with Giovanni leading the way.

I catch sight of the Huntsbergers, my new extended family sitting close by and smile warmly at them. The row of adopted children and Huntsberger father looking so proud of his family. Ben and his baby son are near the end of the row. He’s cuddling him proudly and looking every bit the doting dad. He is now the soul parent of him, seeing as Marissa lost all interest in a baby that she had no purpose for anymore. She went under the communication radar soon after giving birth, not that I’m complaining, I’m happy that Marissa stopped being our problem and we’ll most likely never have to deal with her again.

The girl Ben has been dating for the last six months, sits beside him in the row and smiles my way, shyly. Grace is everything Marissa isn’t, and she dotes on little Adam as much as Ben does. We’ve all started to become friends recently and she seems to be looking like a permanent fixture in Ben’s life; a new mummy for the most beautiful little mini-Ben you could ever see. It’s obvious Ben has found his Emma, and Jake has regained some sort of friendship with him over the last few months. Hunter is obviously a little jealous that someone is moving in on his bestie in a very manly ‘bromance’ kind of way and it’s endearingly amusing.

Jake’s staff from the Manhattan apartment are sitting nearer the front as part of the family. Nora, Jefferson, the array of security guards, and of course, good old Mathews, another of my heroes that never leaves my side nowadays. He is like a guardian angel and makes my life in our Hamptons home safe and secure. He rarely leaves my presence when I go anywhere, Jake didn’t need to ask that of him, he just naturally became a father figure to me and took it upon himself to always watch over me in a very protective manner since he felt like he failed me when Vanquis came after me.

He hauled ass to a hospital with me and saved my life that night. I was suffering from a bleeding brain injury caused by the blow to my head which would’ve been my end if Vanquis managed to take me from the house, as intended. I only lived because of the fast-medical attention given to me, because of Giovanni and Mathews showing up when they did.

I catch his eye and smile warmly as he and his wife grasp hands and I swear I see a tear. It tugs my heart and makes me smile widely. I would trust my life under his care and protection for an eternity and I never doubt my safety when I am with him.

My eyes scan the room as I walk the long white aisle, rows of white benches edged with wildflowers and lilies and my eyes can’t help but travel the last distance to the most beautiful thing in the entire room getting achingly closer … That gorgeous man smiling my way. I’m drawn to him and know that once I meet his glorious face I’ll never turn away for anything in the world ever again.

He’s watching me walk toward him with his steadfast green gaze and attractive smile, giving me courage, grounding me to him in the way he always does. He’s looking every bit the billionaire playboy in a flawless navy suit and gray cravat and waist sash, perfectly tailored and groomed, every bit the man of my fantasies. He can pull off the groom-to-be look effortlessly. His calm façade not failing once, as he stands gazing at me in his usual casual yet cocky pose. I smile back radiantly, my heart swelling with pride at the picture he makes, and I quell the urge to run the last few steps and jump into his arms.

He’s standing between Arrick and Daniel, holding the most precious little blue-eyed bundle of mischief in his

arms near his face. My chubby legged little heart, my

tiny perfection of blonde curls and happy smiles that can make my whole day better with a mere sigh. They’re beckoning me to come and finally join them in name and make our family unit complete. The most enticing reason to ever walk toward anyone ever in the whole wide world. These two precious faces hold my entire universe. My

little girl, so like me and almost three months old already; adoringly gazing up at the daddy who is as smitten with her as I am.

Jake pulls her up to his face and kisses her tenderly on the forehead, hugging her one last time before handing Mia to Sylvana with a beaming smile. He’s unable to conceal the adoration of a daddy, rarely prized from his daughter, since the day she was born. She’s as much his world as she is mine. Our reason for living.

I reach instinctively for my little one as we close the last gap, my heart swelling with overpowering love and my stomach aches with pride at that flawless piece of perfection being held in her grandmother’s arms. I kiss her tiny little head, inhaling Mia’s unique smell with closed eyes and take a moment to make her laugh for my enjoyment, a sound that brings my heart unbelievable swelling completion.

She always has laughter for her mother, a smile, and a little cheeky face. I coo at her, biting my lip with overwhelming love as her grandmother moves aside, both Jake and I watch her go, for a moment, before turning back to one another. Our eyes lock, filling with tears as we take each other in and realize what this moment is. He looks as stunning as the first time I ever laid eyes on him and I can’t help instantly longing for him, despite having been with him for as long as I have.

Giovanni releases me to Jake and takes Sylvana’s arm to help his wife and grandchild back to the waiting seats close by. They are amazing loving grandparents and spend as much time trying to steal her from us as Leila and Sarah do, everyone loves Mia to death and fight over her affections endlessly.

I turn to look at the men before me, they look gorgeous, the three most handsome men you ever did see; and I know Leila will be behind me bawling her eyes out the sight of the man who has been begging her to marry him for months. Daniel is well and truly a changed man and Leila is close to giving in and trusting him for once. The boy is so obviously smitten; the wild party animal with an endless stream of porn stars, booze and drugs is long gone is. He treats her like she’s his princess and bought her a house almost across from ours in the Hamptons. I’m rather proud of how fast Hunter is becoming another domesticated good boy; much like Jake.

The fiery nature of Leila and Daniel’s relationship still exists but in a much healthier way, despite her sometimes-violent outbursts and he’s sticking around for an eternity. She never has anything to worry about with him ever again and I have a feeling Hunter is going to be a surprisingly good daddy. He’s already amazing with Mia and little Adam; after the first shocks of learning he was going to be a father wore off.

Jake’s eyes hold mine, his hand slides into my fingers and he pulls me toward him with a determined tug and a naughty smile on his handsome face. He doesn’t wait for permission but kisses me fully on the mouth. His lips molding to mine and cupping my jaw so he can get as close as possible while naughtily gliding his tongue, passionately, across mine. He puts an arm around my waist and brings me to meet his body with another tug. I’m not sure full-on tongue is appropriate, but I have no chance of resisting given the way that he kisses; I never could. His kisses always have that ability to make me forget where we are.

“I think you’re meant to wait for the ‘you may now kiss the bride’ bit.” Daniel smirks at us when Jake pulls back and fixes my lipstick with his thumb, he throws Daniel a defiant smile looking like the cat who got the cream.

“Fuck off. I can kiss her whenever I damn well please … It’s a perk of being hers.” Jake grins, his effortlessly ‘I’m hot and I don’t give a fuck’ smile that melts my panties on sight. He turns back to me, almost ignoring the uneasy shuffling of the man, above us, ready to take us through our vows. “Sorry, Father,” Jake mumbles apologetically. “She’s irresistible and I can’t help it.” He smiles up at the poor priest with a look that’s decidedly unapologetic. The man just nods with a rather blushed face and rattled expression. I guess he doesn’t like his service being played out backward. I nudge Jake with my bouquet to tell him to behave but he only winks at me and earns himself a sigh.

Jake has never cared about making public displays of affection and he isn’t going to change now; the small titter of laughter running from the audience confirms it. I can’t really say that I’m mad, this is the guy I fell in love with after all and this is part of him, I wouldn’t change for the world.

“You look breathtaking, bambino … woman of my dreams. My angel.” He lifts my hand and kisses it, his eyes never leaving mine the whole time. The man in black uses throat clearing coughs to bring us back to attention and back to the reality of the few hundred people staring at us, patiently waiting on the end of Casanova Carrero. I glance at Jake as he moves me to stand before him, taking my hand in his and holding it tightly.

Daniel moves to one side, pulling Leila, gently, with him to stand at the step below us, fingers entwined, kissing her on the cheek lovingly and proudly.

“You look stunning, baby girl,” he whispers at her and I catch the rise of color in her cheeks, and a small giggle escape the lips of a girl who is completely smitten. I have no worries that the wedding is coming, since I know Leila is ready to put him out of his misery and say yes the next time he asks. I’m sure it won’t be long, seeing as asking her to marry him has become a fortnightly habit until she does.

Arrick takes his place behind them and smirks, looking from us to Sophie as she sashays into the space next to him, taking his arm with a cheeky grin. She is becoming a cute and feisty little woman, developing so fast it’s terrifying and Arrick is probably the only one she ever listens to nowadays. They have an almost sibling bond. His calm Jake-like nature cools her jets when other’s fail to get her to listen. They look adorably cute side by side, and he’s whispering something in her ear that makes her giggle. She adjusts her dress to smooth it down before using her hip to bump into him and grin his way. He reaches up and tucks a stray hair behind her ear and they look our way like an innocent pair of teens who could do no wrong. It’s hard to believe there’s a five-year age difference between them, especially when stood side by side, looking like the most adorable couple ever.

Sarah finds her place next to Marcus who has wandered over from the side, looping his arm in hers with a smile and a gentle kiss to her cheek. They look like the ultimate example of happiness, despite turbulent ups and downs which now seem forgotten, and he looks good for his part today. I smile at them all with such an embracing love in my heart. They are my new family and I wouldn’t have this day any other way, they make it as much as Jake does.

Now it’s only Jake and I standing on the top step. The others have taken their places on the podium below us and we turn to face the man who will join us forever in vows and love and step up to meet him. Jake keeps a firm hold of my hand and pulls me to his side, close enough so no one else will hear. His strong body making me weak with his mere touch as he leans in closer and turns his head my way with a flash of those bewitching hazy greens of his.

“I love you, bambino.” He throws me a sexy wink, and a Carrero Casanova smile then tilts his head to lean down to me, rubbing his nose against mine in the way that Jake has perfected.

“I love you more.” I lean up and kiss him on the nose cutely, dying to be alone with him, to see what he’s hiding under that sexy tailored suit and cheeky grin.

We turn to face the voice of the man who will join us in marriage and feel nothing but love, devotion, and certainty, standing hand in hand with bodies touching. I tell the man of my dreams, without a doubt in my heart, that I’ll be his forever.