Page 126 of Luca

Looking up, I notice Broadie and my cousin standing beside us.

“You know, that can be arranged.”

“What?”

“I mean, weareall here.”

“What? Today?”

“I’m pretty sure they have weddings here all the time.” Giovanni laughs. “I attended one not that long ago.” He nudges the doctor.

“You got married here?”

“Yes and no. We actually got married at Dunn’s River Falls. They do weddings there too. We just came here afterward for the reception. But your guests are all going to be here for a few days. It would be no problem to arrange everything. Hell, Poppy would be happier than a dog with two tails to plan your wedding here.”

I think my face is going to need a muscle relaxer for all the overtime my smiles are doing. “I’ll ask her. That might be perfect.”

“Are you all ready for the big day tomorrow?” Grabbing Juliette’s hand, I kiss it over her engagement ring.

“Yes.” She sighs, looking out over the deep blue sea. “If you’d told me a year ago, I’d be marrying the hottest guy around on a beach in Jamaica, surrounded by the people we love… I would’ve laughed.”

I scrunch my face. Maybe I heard her wrong over the breaking waves. “Laughed?”

“Everything seemed so impossible back then.”

“I’m glad you kept your faith in me.”

She shakes her head, laughing. This creature is stunning. And she’s all mine. “My mother said I needed to have faith. To be strong, do the right thing by my children, and have faith that everything will work out, in time. I didn’t believe her. But she was so right. She’s always right.”

“I love your mother.” I look out over the ocean and grin. “It’s a good thing I met you first.”

Juliette smacks my arm. “You know, I secretly hope she finds someone to spend her golden years with.”

“Maybe at next year’s UFO Festival.” I shrug, looking over my shoulder at her and her bawdy bridge club enjoying the sun in one of the private cabanas. They’re giving their attendant a workout for all of the trips to the bar he’s made since we’ve been down here.

“I can’t believe you arranged to have my mother’s whole bridge club flown here.”

“It’s not the Big Foot Festival, but they don’t seem to mind.” I chuckle. “It was Giovanni’s doing. I asked him to get your mother an alias to safely fly in without being traced, then her group booked theirs, and he coordinated their flights. Besides, I was dying to meet these ladies. If they’re half the woman your mother is, I want to join their bridge club.”

Juliette sits up straighter on her beach mat. “No, no. I’m not letting those sassy seniors anywhere near my man.”

I snort at the mental picture of her waving her pool noodle, threatening these blue-haired women if they get closer. We’d come down here to try to relax before our impending nuptials. The kids took Mimmo to the kids’ club for a while. I thought this would be the perfect time to encourage my soon to be wifeto embrace meditation. She claims she does this in the salt cave, but I think it’s more likely she takes a cat nap. Life can get stressful, even living here, between work and homeschooling the kids. She needs to find ways to be still amongst the chaos.

“Okay, where were we before we started laughing about your mother? Ah, that’s right. We need to find a way to build stillness into our day. Tune out the world around us. Close your eyes and focus on either your breathing or the sound of the ocean.” I relax my arms by my sides and close my eyes, hoping she’ll give it a try. “If you get distracted, count one, two on the inhale, and exhale for two.”

Keeping my eyes closed, I relax my shoulders and try to focus on my breathing. But it feels as if someone is shining a flashlight on my face. I gently open one eye to find her staring at me. Caught in the act, she bites down on her lower lip.

I smirk. “You’re supposed to be clearing your mind, not filling it with dirty thoughts.” I love that her cheeks have a steady glow from the summer sun, but I still love to make her blush.

“That would be easier if my Zen Master wasn’t so hot.”

“Husband, sounds better.”

“Don’t be in a rush. I still have twenty-four hours to change my mind.” She huffs.

My eyes trail down to her bright yellow bikini. Her nipples are so hard I’m surprised they haven’t torn through the fabric. “In the words of the great Cecilia Hill, fat chance.”

On a sunny afternoon in June, standing under a teak gazebo by the ocean, I pledge my love to my new wife and our children in front of the people we hold most dear. Juliette’s hair is in a loose braid pulled over her shoulder, adorned with tiny white flowers.She’s wearing a short white dress that flutters with the ocean breeze, revealing her toned, tan legs beneath. But my favorite part of her ensemble are those fuck hot stilettos. They’re white with a large white satin bow tied at each of her ankles. I’ve had to stop looking down at them to avoid being hard as a rock the entire ceremony, but I have definite plans for those later.

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