“Now?” Maria asked, bouncing on the spot.
Ginevra laughed. “Not yet.”
Haven came to stand in front of Valeria, and for a moment, the rest of the surrounding distractions seemed to disappear. “You okay?”
“So good.”
“That’s what matters. This dress ... wow, babe. Banging, huh?”
Valeria grinned. “You think?”
The form-fitted, sleeveless, heavy lace gown wasn’t what she had envisioned when she first thought about her wedding dress. She found the gown hanging on a back rack in a dress shop. It fit almost perfectly although they had needed to take the fabric in at her sides to make it tight to her curves. The ivory lace, decorated with pearls, covered the gown from top to bottom where the skirt flared out. The three-foot train was just enough, but not too much.
Regal.
Beautiful.
Like Valeria wearing it.
“It’s perfect, Val,” Haven said.
“It’s not at all like my first.”
Haven’s smile slipped. “No?”
She hadn’t talked a lot about her first—forced—marriage, but especially not to Haven. Not even when she was on the run and had lived with Haven for years. It was something she didn’t bring up because she figured ... then she wasn’t putting Haven in danger unwittingly.
“No, that was some stupid princess ... God, it was an ugly thing.”
Haven grinned. “Yeah?”
“Not what I wanted.”
“And this is?”
That’s what she was trying to say.
The emotions made it difficult.
“All of this is exactly what I want,” Valeria whispered. “I’m still trying to convince myself that it’s real, you know?”
“This is so fucking real, Val. That man loves you. His family loves you. Your kid? She’s theirs, now. You did good, okay? You will not wake up tomorrow and find out this was all a lie, I promise. This is real life—your life as long as you want it. Got it?”
Valeria nodded, dragging in a shaky breath to keep the tears lining her eyes at bay, lest she ruin her makeup. What a mess that would be, and they couldn’t fix it when she was a couple minutes away from walking to her future.
“Yeah, I understand,” Valeria whispered.
“Good. Sometimes, we need to hear it, right?”
“Right, Haven.”
Her best friend winked. “You are worthy of this, never forget that. Him? These people? Me? They deserve you. We are lucky to have you, and we are better because we know you.”
“I think it’s the other way around, too.”
“Maybe,” Haven agreed, “but today isn’t their day, either. It’s yours.”
“Yeah.”
“Ready to get married?”
“More than ready.”
“Then, let’s get you married.”
Haven’s pep talk came at the right time because beyond the double oak doors lined with waves of white and red tulle, the music changed to a familiar tune. Ginevra shot a wide smile over her shoulder and lifted her bouquet of red roses high.
“That’s me,” she said.
The doors opened a little. Not enough to show the rest, but it allowed Ginevra to walk through first. Haven gave Valeria a wink.
“Me next. You’re not sad, right?”
“For what?”
“Well, I’m not sure. Maybe because your side of the aisle might be a little ... empty.”
Valeria shook her head. “Not at all. The people who count are already here, and the only other person I might like to see ... well, my parents are dead, and Abril called to congratulate before she asked after Maria. I’m not sad.”
“Good. I love you, huh?”
Valeria nodded. “I love you, too. Thank you ... for everything.”
When she had nothing, Haven was there. Against all odds, Haven had been the one who never gave up on Valeria. Now she had everything, and she was so glad she could share this with her best friend. That was the beauty of life.
“We’re just getting started, Val.”
“Absolutely.”
A minute later, Haven slipped through the doors when they opened for her. That left Valeria and Maria waiting in the corridor. Gian, Chris’s father, had offered to walk her down the aisle, and while it meant the world to her ... she still asked to do this alone.
So much of her life was forced upon her. She wasn’t given any choice, and she had never been free to do something willingly.
More than anything, she wanted to do this.
Gian understood.
“Almost time, Mamá,” Maria whispered, smiling.
She looked so beautiful in her red and white gown.
“Almost,” she echoed.
Maria would walk first, spreading her rose petals down the aisle. When the song changed to the one she chose for her walk, then she would go, too.
“And then we get to keep Chris forever, right?”
“Yeah, baby, we get to keep him forever.”
Maria turned with her basket ready when the doors opened for her. Instead of walking in, she skipped. Chuckles murmured down the line of chairs before the doors closed again, leaving her to her thoughts.
She wouldn’t be alone for long.
Chris promised.
She didn’t have to do anything alone now. And hadn’t he proven that he always kept his promises?
Soon, the song changed behind the closed doors, and Valeria dragged in a heavy breath. Lifting her head to smile, the doors opened wide open to expose her waiting behind them.
Every guest stood.
Valeria smiled wider behind her veil.
She should have taken the time to admire the way the decorations had come together in the hotel's hall where they chose their venue. All the reds and whites, melding together with the roses as accents, and centerpieces. The silk aisle runner dotted with red and white rose petals, compliments of her daughter. The event planner and the small army she brought in to decorate the place had worked so hard to get it ready for this moment.
She looked over the people, noting familiar faces; some she had only recently met, and others she had known for months now, smiling back at her.
And then, she stared forward.
At him.
Chris waited at the end of the aisle, his twin at his left, wearing a custom, tailored tux he filled perfectly. It reminded her how lucky she was to have this gorgeous man waiting on her—smiling for her. Well, he reminded her of that every time he woke her up in the morning, and each night before she fell asleep with him next to her. His white silk vest and tie was a stark contrast to the red set his twin, and other brothers wore for the day.
The chiseled line of his jaw softened when his grin deepened, and his dark gaze drifted down her dress to take her in. The proud glint in his eye said he liked what he saw waiting for him. Just like that, she was the only woman in the world, and he was the one man made for her. She’d been careful to do that for this day. Ensure he didn’t see her dress—that it would be a complete surprise.
Chris had been more than willing to play along.
Whatever she wanted.
He loved her too much.
She understood.
She loved him the same.
From all the way across the room, she sensed his stare. The way he drank her in and appreciated her. Adored her. He never hid it. Not from her, or from anyone else. She couldn’t wait to spend the rest of her life being loved by this amazing man.