“Mangia?” I kissed him. “Somehow, that’s fitting.”
“Everything about us fits.”
Chapter Seven
We’d decided to hold the ceremony in the living room of the brownstone Torre’s mother owned and have the reception at Mangia. Val helped me get dressed in Torre’s old basement apartment while he was upstairs with his mother and Mike. Her long fingers did up my bowtie with precision, and she smiled with satisfaction as she admired her handiwork.
“I told you it was the right idea to get a new tux.” She smoothed her hand over the lapel. “You look gorgeous.”
“I had a perfectly good one in my closet,” I grumbled.
“Perfectly good isn’t good enough when it comes to your wedding.” Her eyes turned dreamy. “I can see you two walking down the aisle now. And your first kiss. So romantic.” She sighed.
“Maybe you want to be there for the honeymoon and orchestrate that too? Give us some tips?” I snickered as she turned red, then tossed her hair over her shoulders.
“Oh, I think you two have that part well covered. I forgot to tell you, but the night of the event, I’d left my purse in the restaurant and came back in. When I unlocked the front door, I thought someone was being attacked with all the sounds I heard. Once I realized what it was, I couldn’t wait to leave.”
It was my turn to blush, and Val reveled in it. She tucked her arm through mine. “Don’t be such a prude. Mike and I were like that the first few years. We’d sneak away and fool around no matter where we were. Sometimes you gotta go with the flow.” She gave me a saucy wink, and I couldn’t help but laugh.
“You little devil. And Mike? I thought he was all about business.”
“He is. He takes care of his number one business—his family.” She turned serious and put her hand on my arm. “Don’t ever forget that. No matter what life throws at you, Torre and your marriage are your first priority. Not the business.”
“I know. I’ll never let anyone come between us. Coming from such a dysfunctional home, I used to envy Presley. His parents were always there for him. And later me as well. Torre will always be first with me, because he’s the reason behind everything I do. Without him, I wouldn’t be who I am today. I know I’m the lucky one.”
Val fanned her face with her hand and sniffled. “Stop that. You’re making me cry.” And then she threw her arms around me. “I love you, Frisco. You deserve the best. And you’re getting it with Torre. I’ve never seen him happier than when he’s with you. He loves you to death.”
The door burst open and Tina rushed in, her buttery yellow dress swirling over her knees. “Are you ready?Nonnasent me to get you.” She lifted her arms. “I want a hug too.”
I picked up the little girl who smelled like sunshine and roses. “I’m ready. But you need to hold my hand when we go upstairs.”
“I will. Mommy did that for my first day of school, ’cause I was scared. Are you scared, Uncle Frisco?” We mounted the steps and entered the house. Maureen wore a beautiful blue dress and was wiping her eyes. Torre stood beside her, and when he saw us enter, a smile brighter than I’d ever seen broke out across his face.
“Not anymore,polpetto. You helped me.” I set her down, and within two strides I was next to Torre. “And you look good enough to eat.” I grinned. “Oh, wait. I think I already covered that this morning.”
His eyes widened and a red flush crept up his neck. “You’re insane.” But he took my fingers in his and laced them together. “This is it. No second thoughts, right?”
“Only that I shouldn’t have waited as long as I did to make you mine.”
Torre framed my face between the palms of his hands. “I’ve been yours since that first night. And you’ve been mine.”
My greatest fear was becoming my parents—the snarling, hate-filled fights I grew up listening to, had left me scarred and damaged when it came to relationships. I’d thought my heart was too damaged to ever find love, but Torre healed my broken pieces.
“Forever.”
We kissed, not coming up for air until I heard the piercing sound of a whistle behind me. Mike stood there, grinning.
“Save it for the honeymoon. Where’re you kids going?”
“We haven’t decided,” Torre answered.
Oh yeah, we had—or rather, I’d planned it. It was just one of the surprises I had in store for him. A week on the Isle of Capri, then off to Mykonos and a tour of the Greek Islands. To finish up, we’d stop in Tuscany. We’d met some of my father’s family and they’d fallen in love with Torre, especially when he spoke Italian to them.
The doorbell rang, and Press and Nate walked inside. Behind them I saw Edward’s silver hair gleaming in the sun. Spying me, Press left Nate’s side and ran to me.
“How are you?” He hugged me tight, and I recalled all those nights I stayed with his family growing up, wondering why I couldn’t really be his brother and his parents mine as well.
“Better than I ever thought I could be.”
