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I kiss him. My fiancé. The thought makes me pull back.

“Oh my God.”

“What?”

“You’re my fiancé.”

His nose wrinkles, and I burst out laughing.

“You hate that word!”

“Sounds stupid.”

“Fiancé.”

“Nora.”

“My fiancé.”

“Stop.”

“Jude Hawthorne is my fiancé.”

He stands with me in his arms, and I squeal, clinging to him.

“What are you doing?”

“Making you stop talking.”

His mouth finds mine, and for once, I’m perfectly happy to let Grumpy have the last word.

CHAPTER 28

Eleonora

THE FOLLOWING MAY

The sun is beginning to set behind the mountains when Papà takes my arm.

“You ready, tesoro?”

I look down at the sunflowers in my hands. A small gold medallion is woven into the ribbon around the stems, resting against the yellow petals. I touch it with the tip of my finger and turn it over.

Damiano smiles back at me.

My throat tightens.

“Yeah.” I take a breath and look up at Papà. “I’m ready.”

He kisses my temple. “Then let’s go.”

The first notes of Favola begin to play on the piano and I close my eyes for just a second. Then I step forward.

The ranch has never looked more beautiful.

Rows of chairs sit in the open field, with white fences and grazing horses beyond them. Sunflowers and tiny white flowers line the aisle, moving gently in the May breeze. The mountains rise behind everything, their peaks still touched with snow, while the setting sun paints the sky gold.

Everyone is here. The Hawthornes, my family, Damiano’s family. People who crossed an ocean to stand here with us. People who loved me through every version of myself.