“There’s nowhere else I’d rather be, brother. It would be my honor to be your best man.”
I hug him again, being way more touchy-feely with Vinnie than I probably have ever been in my life. But he’s growing up and we’re getting older, and the age difference doesn’t seem to be as big anymore. We’re going to both be fathers, and this is a time to celebrate.
I spot Tilly across the room, staring at the table of food, and I walk toward her, needing to know what’s wrong and unable to wait any longer.
I grab her hips and turn her to face me. “Baby, what’s wrong? Tell me. It’s killing me.”
She places her hand on my chest and smiles up at me. “Nothing, sweetheart. I’m just overwhelmed. I promise there’s nothing wrong. I’m just tired from this long, but very exciting week.”
I press my lips to her forehead, smelling the sweetness of her skin. “I understand. Only a few more days and things will be quieter.”
She wraps her arms around my middle. “I love having them here. It’s been nice getting to know everyone, baby.”
“Yes, but it’s also nice to get back to our life,” I tell her against her hair as I close my eyes. “I love the little world we’ve created.”
“Me too,” she says softly, curling her fingers into the back of my T-shirt.
“I ordered champagne,” Daphne announces. “My brother’s getting married!”
“You’re really lucky, Angelo,” Tilly says softly into my shirt. “You have all these people in your life.”
I stare down at her, placing my finger under her chin and forcing her eyes to mine. “They’re in your life too, Tilly. They’re every bit as much your family now as they are mine.”
She smiles, but there’s still sadness in her eyes. “I know. I wish I’d had cousins and siblings when I was young. Someone I could’ve bonded with and had inside jokes with and to tell stories about when we were young. I don’t have that. I never will.”
“Baby,” I whisper and touch my lips to her mouth as I keep my gaze fixed on hers. “We’ll make new memories and inside jokes. Before too long, we’ll be old and have stories of when we were young.”
“Oh God. I’m not ready to get old.”
“We have a lot of years before we get there, sweetheart. But you’re not alone anymore. You have three sisters, four brothers, and a bunch of cousins.”
Her smile brightens. “I do—and the most wonderful, loving husband in the world.”
“That too,” I say with a smirk. “You did get pretty lucky.”
“Hey, what happened about the thing?”
“The thing?” I ask.
She nods. “The man Morgan was going after?”
“We decided not to do it. It was too dangerous, and none of us wanted to put our lives at risk. We’re too old for that shit, and I have a wife and kids to take care of.”
The tension that had filled her seems to evaporate as she sags against me. “Thank God. I was so worried.”
“Tilly, don’t hold back your feelings about anything. I always want you to be happy, and I never want you to worry that something bad will happen.”
She rests her cheek against my chest, holding me tighter than before. “I can’t lose you. Losing you would kill me, Angelo. Not only would I lose you, but I’d lose this family too.”
“You’d never lose this family. Once you’re in, you’re stuck for life. They wouldn’t let you go without a fight. But I’m not going anywhere anytime soon, Til. I promise not to be an idiot and to always think of you first.”
I wonder if Tilly will ever let her guard down about something happening to me. I get it, though. After losing Marissa, I worry about what may come, but I know shit’s out of my hands. Only time will tell what the future holds, and no matter how hard I try, I can’t control what happens next.
19
Tilly
Everyone’s inside, but I needed a moment alone, preferring to sit on the front porch and listen to the distant noise of the city. My ears are practically ringing from the multiple conversations happening at once inside the house.
