"Please."
He pours me a glass of wine as we settle into our chairs. "Where's Tristan?" Annie asks, looking around. "I thought he was coming."
"He called about an hour ago," Leila says, reaching for her glass of sparkling cider. "His flight was delayed. He said he was sorry, that he’d be here tomorrow at the latest.”
I see the disappointment flash across Annie's face. Tristan has been… less hostile than Ronan about our relationship. He cornered me two weeks ago when he was in town and told me in no uncertain terms that if I ever hurt Annie, he'd feed me to the sharks in Boston Harbor—sharks that I’m pretty sure don’t exist—but that he was glad she was happy.
Dinner is surprisingly pleasant. The cook did an amazing job as usual—there’s pan-seared salmon with a mustard sauce, roasted vegetables and potatoes, and plenty of wine for Ronan and me to smooth things over. We talk about Leila’s plans for the baby and Annie getting back to work on the finances for the family, and the work I’ve been doing getting all of the former De Luca interests to run smoothly.
"So," Leila says as we're finishing the main course, her eyes sparkling with mischief. "Have you two thought about a real wedding?"
Annie nearly chokes on her water. I feel my own heart stutter.
"Leila," Ronan says, a warning in his voice.
"What?" She looks at him innocently. "They got married in some rushed ceremony to stop that monster from forcing Annie into marriage. Don't you think they deserve a proper wedding? With family and friends and a beautiful dress?"
"We haven't really discussed it," Annie says, glancing at me. There's color in her cheeks, and she bites her lip.
"Well, you should discuss it," Leila says firmly. "Annie, you deserve to have the wedding of your dreams. And Elio—" She turns to me. "Don't you want to see her walk down the aisle toward you? To make those vows in front of everyone who matters?"
"Leila—" Ronan says, but there's less heat in his voice now. He's looking at Annie, seeing the way she’s looking at me, the smile on her lips as she imagines what Leila is describing.
I doubt I’m going to get a better moment.
I push back from the table and stand, my hand going to my pocket. Annie looks up at me, confusion in her eyes, and then her gaze drops to where I'm pulling out the small velvet box.
"Elio," she breathes. "What are you?—"
"I know we're already married," I say, my voice steady despite the way my heart is hammering against my ribs. "I know we already made vows to each other in a church, with a priest, so we basically did it right the first time." That gets a small laugh from her, and it gives me courage. "But Leila's right. You deserve more than that, Annie. You deserve to have the wedding you've always dreamed of. You deserve to walk down the aisle in a beautiful dress, with your brothers giving you away. You deserve to make vows in front of everyone who loves you."
I drop to one knee, and I hear Leila's sharp intake of breath, Annie's soft gasp.
"Elio," Annie whispers, tears already welling in her eyes.
"Annie O'Malley—Annie Cattaneo—" God, I love saying that. Love that she's mine. "You've been mine since we were sixteenyears old, even when I was too stupid to admit it. You've been mine through eleven years of separation, through lies and danger and all the choices we made, right and wrong. You've been mine since the moment I kissed you behind the high school gym.”
I open the box, revealing the ring I spent three weeks choosing: a princess-cut diamond surrounded by smaller stones, set in platinum. It catches the light from the chandelier, throwing rainbow prisms across the place settings.
"I'm asking you now, in front of your family, to be mine in every way that matters. To let me give you the wedding you deserve, the life you deserve, the love you deserve. Annie, will you marry me? Again? Properly this time?"
She's sobbing now, her hands covering her mouth, her eyes wide and shining with tears. For a terrifying moment, she doesn't answer, and I wonder if I've miscalculated. If I shouldn’t have done this yet in front of Ronan.
And then she launches herself at me, nearly knocking me over as she wraps her arms around my neck. "Yes," she gasps against my shoulder. "Yes, yes, yes. A thousand times yes."
Relief floods through me so powerfully I nearly collapse. Instead, I wrap my arms around her waist, holding her tight, breathing in the scent of her perfume. "I love you," I murmur against her hair. "I love you so much,cuore mio."
"I love you too," she says, pulling back just enough to kiss me. “I love you.”
I take her left hand and slide the engagement ring on next to it. It fits perfectly, just like I knew it would. "It's beautiful," she whispers, holding her hand up to watch the diamond catch the light. "Elio, it's perfect."
A throat clears behind us, and I remember with a jolt that we're not alone. I help Annie to her feet and turn to faceRonan, who's still sitting at the head of the table, his expression unreadable.
This is the part I've been dreading. The part where I have to ask the man whose trust I betrayed for his blessing.
I take a deep breath and meet his eyes. "Ronan, I know I don't deserve your blessing. I know I betrayed your trust and went behind your back. But I'm asking for it anyway." I pause, choosing my words carefully. "I love your sister more than anything in this world. She and our child are my entire life. And I swear to you, on everything I hold sacred, that I will spend every day proving I'm worthy of her. That I will protect her and cherish her and give her the life she deserves."
The silence that follows feels like it lasts forever. Ronan's gaze moves from me to Annie, who's still clutching my hand, her other hand resting on her stomach.
