‘I will,’ Georgia replied. ‘But only if you’ll both come to our wedding. Luca, I’m sure your mother won’t mind finding space for two more guests, will she?’
Luca pulled her close and kissed her temple. ‘For the people who’ve found a way to tempt you to stay here?’ he asked. ‘She might just find them space at the bridal table.’
EPILOGUE
Georgia had never been the little girl who’d grown up imagining her wedding day. She’d never pictured herself in a big white dress, or having a brood of children, but now that she was standing in her wedding dress, her emotions were starting to get the better of her. Her life had changed so much over the past year, both personally and professionally, and she was suddenly finding it all very overwhelming.
She turned from the full-length mirror and walked away, dabbing at her eyes and wishing she wasn’t feeling so emotional. Her parents had died when she was a teenager, and because of that she remembered them as young parents, their smiles wide and their eyes bright. Today, she wondered if her father’s hair would be grey, whether her mother would be fretting over her appearance or happy in her own skin; if they’d both seem as vibrant and full of life as they’d been before they’d gone on that fateful trip. The truth was, she would never know; but she did know without a shadow of doubt that her father would have been there to walk her down the aisle.Nothing would have stopped you, Dad. I know that.
There was a soft knock at the door then, and after dabbing at her eyes again, she called out to come in, and Sam appeared.She was dressed in a blush-pink silk dress that clung to her figure, and Georgia smiled the moment she saw her. She looked beautiful.
‘I thought we agreed no tears today,’ Sam teased, immediately coming over to her and giving her a big hug, her palm warm against her back as she stroked in big circles. ‘You are the most gorgeous bride, Georgia. Absolutely jaw-droppingly gorgeous.’
‘Thank you,’ Georgia said. ‘Pity about my make-up. I can’t seem to stop crying.’
‘Let me take a look,’ Sam said. ‘Sit down over here. We don’t have long.’
Georgia followed her and sat down, watching as Sam opened a bottle of champagne and popped the cork, before pouring two glasses.
‘I thought we didn’t have long?’
‘We don’t,’ Sam said. ‘But that gorgeous man of yours can wait a little. You need this.’
She wasn’t wrong. Georgia did need time with her friend; she needed a moment to just sit and let her mind still.
‘Are your tears because you’re scared or because you miss your family?’ Sam asked, as she dabbed some concealer gently beneath Georgia’s eyes. ‘Or both?’
‘Family,’ Georgia said. ‘I just…I can’t stop thinking about them. My dad walking me down the aisle, my mum fussing over me, the look on her face when she sees me in my dress for the first time. I’ve missed out on so many things with them.’
She watched as Sam looked up at the ceiling, her bottom lip quivering as she blinked away her own tears.
‘I know we would have stayed friends no matter what, but when you came to live with us, G, you truly became my sister,’ Sam said. ‘I want you to know that I’ll never think of you as anything less.’
Georgia reached for her hand. ‘I know. I feel the same. You know I do.’
They both laughed as they wiped away fresh tears.
‘Look at us! We’re both a mess,’ Sam scolded, just as there was another knock at the door.
‘Knock, knock,’ someone called out as it slowly opened.
Sam’s mother and father appeared then, and Georgia and Sam both laughed at the looks of concern etched on their faces.
‘Is everything okay here?’ Sam’s mum asked.
‘Sweetheart, if you want to run, I’ll drive you,’ Sam’s dad said, looking deadly serious. ‘You still have time to change your mind.’
‘She hasn’t changed her mind!’ Sam said. ‘Dad, you’re not driving her anywhere.’
Once Georgia started laughing, she couldn’t stop. The image of Sam’s darling father grabbing her hand and running out of the house to make a getaway with her was too much. Within seconds they were all hugging, the four of them with their heads bent, all either laughing or crying.
‘Okay, how about you give me a few minutes? I’ll meet you downstairs soon,’ Georgia eventually said.
They hugged her again and kissed her, and Georgia took a deep breath as Sam’s hand lingered on her shoulder.
‘You’re sure you don’t want me to stay?’
‘I’m sure,’ she said. ‘I’ll be down soon. I promise.’
