I have to agree. No draft before or after this one will ever come close to the feelings of pride and joy I experienced hearing my little brother’s name being called.
Daphne stands, placing her purse under her arm. “Let’s do this. I have liquor to consume.”
“I feel a hangover coming on,” Tilly says as she slides her hand into mine, standing from the table. “Don’t let me get too drunk.”
“I got you, baby,” I say against her lips. “Always.”
The entire table is staring at the menu in silence as we sit in the swanky steakhouse at our hotel. We’re stalling and sipping champagne as we wait for Vinnie to finish up with the press. The day has already been monumental, and there’s one more thing that needs to happen to make it perfect.
Something I’ve been planning on doing for weeks but haven’t found the balls or the moment to pull the trigger. This isn’t the most romantic location, but I don’t think Tilly will care.
I lift my ass and kick the chair backward, dropping down on one knee. Tilly’s eyes widen. She knows what’s coming. I fish the ring out of my pocket after carrying it with me every day for just the right moment.
“Tilly, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife?”
Tilly gasps as tears fill her eyes.
“Shut up.” Daphne peers over Tilly’s shoulder to get a look at the ring. “Say yes,” she begs her.
Tilly covers her mouth with her hand and stares at me as tears stream down her face. “Yes,” she whispers so quietly, I barely hear her.
I grab her hand away from her face and slip the two-carat princess-cut ring onto her finger. “I love you, Tilly.”
She falls forward into my lap, almost knocking me over. “I love you, Angelo. Yes. Yes. I want to be your wife.”
Epilogue
Tilly
I step in front of the full-length mirror and blink a few times. I never thought I’d be here again, wearing a dress made of decadent lace and the smoothest silk.
The door opens, and there’s a small gasp. “You’re so pretty,” Tate says as she stands in the doorway at her grandmother’s side.
She looks like such a little princess in her light pink lace dress, which matches mine exactly, and her crystal tiara I bought for her to wear today. This day is just as much about her and Brax as it is about Angelo and me. Their world is going to change forever, as will mine.
I turn, motioning for her. “Come here, sweetheart.”
She runs toward me and wraps her tiny arms around my body, smashing her face into my dress. “I’m so happy,” she says.
“Can you give us a minute?” I ask Betty, wanting to talk to Tate before the wedding.
“Sure, dear.” Betty gives me a quick nod before closing the door, leaving us alone.
I take Tate’s hand and guide her toward the couch. She practically jumps into my lap, not caring that we’re all dressed up, ready to walk down the aisle. She swipes her long brown hair away from her face and stares up at me with her big blue eyes.
“Are you ready?” I ask her.
She nods. “I’m so happy,” she whispers, somehow containing her excitement, but she’s shaking.
“How’s your daddy?”
“He looks so handsome.”
Angelo looks handsome in everything he wears. The man wears pajama pants like nobody’s business, and when he’s shirtless…don’t even get me started.
“Is he okay?”
She nods quickly. “He’s excited.”
