Page 40 of The Marriage Auction 2: Part 3

Unfortunately, my phone disturbed our private time, and I groaned.

He mashed his mouth to mine and muttered, “Don’t answer it.”

I kissed him hard once, twice, and then pulled back while reaching for my phone in my jacket pocket. The display said it was my lawyer calling. The judge had taken a week to review the handwriting experts’ reports and findings and was supposed to make a decision on the additional information regarding my contesting of my parents will. This call was possibly the answer I’d been hoping for.

“Ms. Christoffersen, yes, hello. What do you have for me?” I spoke into the phone while Gio put his hand to my nape and started to rub the tension he found there. Just thinking about this case made all my muscles tighten.

“The judge made his ruling. The last will received was marked a forgery. It is null and void. The most recent version from months before the accident was confirmed legit. That version was entered into the court as the actual last will and testament for both Lewis and Rachel Myers.”

“Oh my god!” I lit up from the inside out and pressed my hand over Gio’s heart. “The judge sided with us,” I whispered to him.

He smiled so wide I wanted to kiss him again, but instead had to hold the phone closer to my ear as my lawyer reiterated everything I’d hoped to hear.

“You now own half of everything included in your parents’ estate and business holdings. It’s over. Congratulations, Mrs. Myers-Falco.”

“Thank you, thank you! This is amazing news. I’m going to go celebrate with my husband. I’ll be in touch.” I turned off the phone, reached both of my hands into the air and cheered up into the sky. “We won!”

Giovanni pulled me into his arms, flat against his chest and lifted me up until my feet dangled in the air. Then he spun us both around like children, laughing and cheering right along with me.

When he came to a halt, I was dizzy, my hair all over the place, my cheeks and the tip of my nose felt warm, and pure joy flooded my body. I was like a sparkler on the Fourth of July, every pore flickering and simmering with energized excitement.

“I’m so happy,” I croaked, the emotions skittering over me like confetti.

He grinned, cupped my cheeks, then kissed me so completely my knees weakened. I didn’t worry about falling because Gio was holding me and kissing me like he’d never get another chance.

“This is amazing news.” He threaded his fingers with mine and ushered me toward the park exit. “I know just the place we should go to celebrate.”

“You mean we’re not going home to boink it out?”

He stopped mid stride. “If you’d rather have a fuck fest than a drink fest, I’m all for it.” His gaze lit with passion.

I chuckled and dragged him toward the exit. “Why not both? Drink first, dinner second. Then we fuck all night.”

He let my hand go to wrap his arm around my shoulders and kissed the top of my head. “My wife. Always surprising me with her intelligent ideas.”

“Stick with me, sir, and you’ll learn a thing or two,” I joked.

“Oh, I plan on never letting you leave my side. You’re stuck with me, Jules. To love and to cherish. For richer or for poorer. In sickness and in health. Until death do us part,” he hummed against my hair.

* * * *

Lee pulled up to a hole-in-the-wall Italian restaurant where my family dined when my parents were alive.

“Gio,” I breathed, placing my hand on his knee to give it a squeeze.

“Some of my fondest memories are eating here with our parents. I thought after the news we received, we should bring their memory with us as we celebrate.”

“Baby,” I rasped while fighting back the tears. This was a happy time but our loss remained fresh, the wound still raw and painful when touched. It hadn’t been but a handful of months since we’d lost them.

He pressed his forehead to mine as the car idled. “They’d be so proud of you. Fighting for what was right. For what they wanted as their legacy. You are amazing, Julianne. Never doubt that.”

My stomach was completely aflutter at his ample praise. So much so, I cupped his cheeks and gave him a soft kiss. “Let’s celebrate. I need a drink and some pasta, stat!”

“What my wife wants, she gets.” He winked and opened the door and held out his hand, helping me out of the car.

When we entered, I recognized a familiar face standing at the hostess podium.

“Joel Castellanos in the flesh!” Gio boomed, and the handsome man turned around. A small brown-haired child with hazel eyes was propped on his trim hip. Gio clapped the man on the shoulder. “What in the world are you doing here?”

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