“Yeah,” I say, taking another deep breath. I can’t wait to see Leo. “Yeah, I’m ready.”
The chapel is as far from St. Patrick’s Cathedral as possible, with its worn wooden pews, stained glass windows, and candles flickering along the aisle. There are maybe forty people total, which feels right.
Leo’s family is there in force. His mother in the front row, already crying happy tears into a handkerchief. Other Santoros are scattered throughout the pews—cousins, uncles, family friends. Dante stands up at the altar as best man, looking solemn even though I know he’s happy.
He’s especially happy that Leo gave him and his wife an all-expenses paid vacation away from their two little girls. And it clearly was good for them as Alicia’s dress barely hides the swell of her pregnant belly.
My side is…sparser.
My mother is in the front row, still crying but trying to hide it, sitting next to a few cousins who were brave enough to defy my father’s wishes and show up anyway. That’s it. I sigh as I look for familiar faces. Looks like Bridget and Cillian, my favorite cousins, didn’t come.
The empty spaces feel loud and my father’s absence is a weight I can feel pressing down on me.
But then the music starts and I look up and see Leo.
And suddenly nothing else matters.
He’s standing at the altar in a charcoal gray suit that fits him perfectly. It hugs his broad shoulders, emphasizing his height,and makes him look every inch the powerful man he is. His dark hair is styled back from his face, showing off those sharp cheekbones and that strong jaw. He’s clean-shaven, and I can see the cut of his jawline, the curve of his lips.
He looks like every romance novel hero I’ve ever read about come to life.
And he’s looking at me like I’m the only person in the entire world.
His eyes—those dark eyes that have looked at me with anger, with desire, with frustration, with love—are fixed on me with such intensity that I swear I actually feel it. His hand comes up to his chest like he’s trying to steady his heart. Is seeing me overwhelming to him? I tuck that bit of knowledge away for later.
He looks nervous and excited and so completely, utterly, devastatingly in love that it’s almost saccharine sweet. If I was watching this, I would have complained it was so sweet it would have given me a cavity.
I start walking down the aisle—alone—and Leo’s eyes track my every step I take toward him. His throat works as he swallows hard. His jaw clenches slightly, and I can see him fighting to keep his composure.
When I get close enough to see his face clearly, I see the tears in his eyes. Leo Santoro is crying at our wedding.
Oh, I’mdefinitelyteasing him about that later.
I reach him and he takes my hand immediately, pulling me close. Well, as close as we can get with my belly between us.
“You’re late,” he murmurs.
I raise an eyebrow. “I’m pregnant. I had to pee. Twice.”
He chuckles, his thumb stroking over my knuckles. “Fair point.”
“Also,” I add, unable to resist, “I figured you owed me after making me wait six months for this. Payback’s a bitch.”
He grins at that and leans down to whisper in my ear. “It was worth every second of waiting. Though if you’d made me wait any longer, I might have dragged you to a courthouse myself.”
I grin back. “What a romantic.”
“I kidnapped you from your first wedding,” he points out. “My bar for romance was already pretty low.”
The priest clears his throat and we both turn to face him, still holding hands. Leo’s thumb is rubbing circles on my knuckles, and I can feel him trembling slightly. Or maybe that’s me. Or both.
We chose traditional vows because neither of us trusts ourselves to speak without breaking down, but even the traditional vows feel weighted with meaning when Leo says them.
“I, Leonardo, take you, Emma, to be my lawfully wedded wife…” His voice is strong and clear. “To have and to hold, from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death do us part.”
His eyes never leave mine as he speaks. I can see everything in them—the love, the promise to be the husband I deserve and to protect our family.
When it’s my turn, my voice shakes slightly on the first few words but then steadies.