Page 61 of Surprise Baby for the Mafia Boss

I hear Enzo softly tell Grazia to follow him and their footsteps pad along the black and white tiles of the kitchen as they leave.

Emelia looks hurt by my sister’s response. I know that the two of them have been planning their weddings with each other since they were kids.

A part of me is devastated that I can’t give her everything she wants. I pull her face up to mine and kiss her, feeling her mouth respond to mine.

“Okay,” I say, pulling away and turning the page in her wedding planner. She's had this little book within arm's reach ever since I proposed and we knew we'd only have a week to make everything happen, “what flavor cake should we get?”

Chapter Thirty-Two

Emelia

“You look lovely!” the make-up artist squeals, and I give her my best attempt at a thank-you smile.

She’s annoying as hell, but she has done a good job. I stand in front of the mirror and look at my tan body in this cream and gold wedding dress. It’s unique, just like mine and Luca’s love story.

This day has been a dream of mine for so long. It’s almost unreal that today I am marrying Luca Baldini. By the time I fall asleep tonight—if we end up sleeping at all, that is—I will have legally signed a document that makes me a Baldini too.

Luca and I are going to raise this baby in the house that Ginny raised us all in, and we’re going to show his brother and sister that we don’t need to be sneaky to make a success of our story.

Everything that has happened since Ginny’s death has happened for a reason, I fully believe that. If my story with Luca had looked any different, I might not be standing here in a wedding dress, with a Baldini baby inside of me, about to marry the man of my dreams.

I know that the house looks stunning, because I checked before I came into my makeshift bridal suite to get ready. I was also secretly looking for Grazia, hoping she’d changed her mind about not being here today, but I haven’t seen her all morning.

I hear a knock on the door and turn around, clutching at my dress. “Luca? You can’t come in here!” I yell.

The door opens a crack and I hear a voice—familiar, but not Luca’s—say from the other side, “No, honey, it’s me.” My father peeks his head around the door, a stupid smile on his face. I turn back to the mirror.

“What do you want?” I ask him, refusing to look at him.

We haven’t spoken since I left the house after his and Grazia’s little "intervention" and I’m not in the mood to deal with any of the drama now. I want happy and positive vibes before I walk down the aisle.

I know that he was sent an invite. He even texted me to ask if I wanted him to walk me down the aisle, but I still haven’t been able to talk to him—or trust him—so how does he expect me to have him "give me away" on the most important day of my life? Especially when he was so ready, just a few days before, to declare my relationship with Luca fake. All in the name of some quick money. That’s how it always seems to be with my father.

“I…just want to see my daughter on her wedding day.” He sounds sad, and I can’t blame him. This isn’t how things were supposed to go, not with him or with Grazia. But today is a happy day, and I refuse to let either of them make me sad.

“Daddy,” I sigh. “I’m angry with you. But I love you. I can’t do this emotional stuff right now.” He nods, a disappointed look on his face that only makes my irritation with him worse.

“Why don’t you go and find your seat and we can talk later, okay?” I smile slightly at him and he returns the expression before leaving the room. I let out a long sigh and get back to finishing up my look.

***

It’s finally time. One of the organizers comes in to tell me that they’re ready for me.

I stand up and take the deepest breath I can manage. I’m about to marry Luca Baldini. I have his firstborn child growing inside me. Emelia, I say to myself, you’ve done a damn good job.

I look up and smile. Ginny might not be here, but she is a big reason why this day has even come to pass. Straightening my posture, I take a few steps out of the room and stop at the doors leading outside.

I can already see everyone sitting in front of the lookout house, Luca standing near the doors with the priest. Carlos has brought so many more people than we expected, almost everyone who was at the quinceañera, and I know that Luca had to organize last-minute seating for everyone.

We also have most of the neighborhood here, since we couldn’t let this look like a party we threw solely for our Mexican visitors.

The difference with this wedding, compared to others I’ve been to, is that I don’t have bridesmaids, a flower girl, or my Maid of Honor. Luca is also standing up there by himself.

It’s not traditional, but in my heart, it feels symbolic of our love. It’s he and I against the world. Forever.

As soon as I hear my song playing, I make my way down the aisle, smiling at Luca.

He’s also smiling, which I know is so much more special than if he’d cried as he saw me. All I want is to see that smile every day for the rest of my life.

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