“That’s why we haven’t been able to find the fucker, he’s been in hospital dying from cancer. The audacity of the fucker.”
“Are you one hundred percent sure?”
“Lombardi Industry have a week of mourning starting tomorrow. All their brothels are closing as a mark of respect.”
I think for a moment, “So…he did actually have cancer?”
He shrugs. “Must have.”
Val returns carrying a tray of drinks. “What?” he says as he sees my face.
“Lombardi’s dead.”
“What?” He falls into the chair. “Who?”
“Cancer.”
“Fuck….” He says shocked.
Carlo holds his glass in the air to symbolize a toast. “To us.”
Val and I chuckle, typical Carlo, everything comes back to him.
“To us.”
Francesca
Giuliano lies on the couch watching television and I sit on the chair with my pen and pad in my hand. My mind is in overdrive. “What about if we put a huge arch window in the far wall next to the entry?” I talk to myself out loud.
“Aren’t you supposed to be finalizing the hotel plans not thinking of more ways for us to demolish this house?” he murmurs, distracted.
“Yes, I’m nearly done with the hotel, thank goodness they let me do everything remotely.”
“Well, you weren’t going back to Rome, that was for sure.”
I go back to my topic. “What do you think about the arch window? A really huge one with the metal gable.”
He glances over. “That wall?”
“Yeah.”
“Why would you want to put a window in that wall?”
“So that when we put our Christmas tree up you can see it from the front.”
He smirks as his eyes stay fixed on the television. “Why are you so obsessed with Christmas?”
“Because it’s my favorite time of the year.”
“You’re like a big baby.”
I smile broadly. “I was thinking for Christmas Day, we could go to church and then my mother’s for breakfast but then come back here for the rest of the day. What do you think?”
He looks over at me, “Or….”
“Or what?”
“Or we could go to Switzerland and get married.”
My eyes widen. “That’s a choice?”
“Why not?” He shrugs casually. “You always said you wanted to get married in the snow.” He stands and goes to retrieve something from his office, he returns and passes it to me. It’s a brochure from a resort in Switzerland, there’s a glass atrium chapel in the side of the mountain, nestled in the snow. It’s incredible and looks like a fairy tale.
“Oh my God…,” I whisper in awe as I study the brochure.
“We could get married on Christmas Eve night, that way your favorite time of the year would be mine too.”
My wide eyes rise to meet his. “But…everyone.”
“Is on board, ready and waiting to come with us.”
“They can come too?”
“Of course, I already asked them.”
I stare at him as my mind begins to race a million miles per minute, “That’s only a month away, I have so much to….” I stand and begin to pace. “I need a dress and then there’s the….” I put my hands in my hair. “Jules, I don’t think I can pull this off in only a month.”
He stands and takes me into his arms, he puts his hand under my jaw and brings my face up to meet his. “Francesca.”
“What?”
“I want you as my wife.”
I smile goofily up at my handsome man. “I want that too, more than anything.”
“Do you want to marry me in Switzerland on Christmas Eve or not?”
“Yes.” Excitement bubbles in my stomach. “I do.”
“Then.” He kisses me softly. “We will make it work.”
We.
I smile goofily up at him. “What exactly are you going to do?”
Who is he kidding? I run our whole lives.
“Fuck you until you’re calm each night,” he replies casually.
I burst out laughing. “That’s what you’re going to do to plan our wedding, fuck me until I’m calm?”
He holds his hands out wide as if offended. “It’s very helpful to keep calm, Francesca.”
My mouth falls open as I fake horror.
“It’s a full-time fucking job keeping you sexually sated.”
He picks me up and throws me over his shoulder and begins to walk to the stairs. “Speaking of which.”
I laugh out loud. “I don’t have time for sex, Giuliano,” I tease as I rest my hands on his lower back. “I have a wedding to plan.”
He slaps me hard on the behind. “You’re going to suck my cock first.” He slaps me again. “And you’re swallowing.”
I laugh out loud again. “Wives don’t do those sorts of dirty things.”
He slaps me again. “Mine does.”
The plane touches down on the runway and I can hardly keep the beaming smile from my face. Giuliano smiles as he kisses my hand. “Are you ready, my love?”
Switzerland.
The place of our upcoming nuptials, in just three days I am marrying the love of my life. Everyone who is important to us is on this plane.
My mother, Lorenzo, Andrea and Matteo, my brothers. Anna and Giovanna, Valentino, Carlo and Alex.
The intimate wedding party that I never imagined would be so perfect.
Our guards unload our luggage and we get off the plane and walk down the stairs, snow is falling and already this feels uber romantic.
“I’m so excited,” I yell and everyone laughs.
Giuliano smiles and kisses me softly, and I know that he’s just as excited as me. This is such a happy time.
We load into our cars and Giuliano takes my hand in his as we sit in the back seat.
“You still want to do this?” He smiles over at me.
“Try and stop me.”
An hour later we pull into the resort. “This place is incredible,” I whisper in awe as I look around. We make our way to reception. “Party for Jones,” Giuliano says to the receptionist.
“Yes.” She smiles. “You’re the wedding party?” She turns her attention to me, “Are you the bride to be?”
Excitement runs through me, “Uh-huh.”
She laughs at my over-the-top excitement. “We have you all staying in the summit wing. Ten rooms in total.”
“Okay.” Giuliano smiles.
“And….” She types into her computer. “Francesca…is it?”
“Yes.”
“We have your pre-wedding schedule planned. Tomorrow at one p.m., you have a meeting with our wedding planner.”
“Okay.”
“And the day after that you have a wedding rehearsal in the atrium at five p.m.”
Giuliano smiles broadly as he puts his arm around me.
Oh my God, can you die from excitement?
Because I just might.
She slides the keys over the counter to us. “The conditions are perfect today, get out on the slopes before dark if you can. The powder coverage is just incredible.”