“Everything’s perfect,” I reply, clasping my arms around his neck and bringing him down to me to kiss.“I love you,” I say, gazing deep into his eyes. In my wildest dreams, I never thought I could be happy again, but I admit I am. When I’m with Luca, I feel loved. But I don’t think I will ever feel the same rush of emotions or the same heat I felt when Harley used to glance at me with Luca. That was a love that comes around once in a lifetime. I know I won’t be able to experience the same love that I’ve only read about in books.
I will always love Harley for giving me that.
“I love you too, sweetheart,” Luca replies, kissing me again. He pulls back. “Are you ready to head to the reception, Mrs. Clemente?”
I smile. “I sure am.”
The limousine drive to the hotel isn’t far, and once we’re there, the photographer takes pictures of us while the guests are seated inside the wedding marquee.
“Luca?”
“Yes, sweetheart.”
“Why do we need to have all these security men around? Is there something I need to know?”
Luca follows his gaze to where security is watching the hotel gardens. There’s one standing with a watchful eye at each angle, and I do not know why they’re here. I mean, I understand who Luca’s father is, but this is over the top. There are at least ten men.Is there something happening that he’s not telling me?
Luca reaches down and pecks me on my lips. “It’s just to be safe.”
“Safe?” I repeat. “Safe from what?”
He smiles, then places his fingers under my chin. “Nothing to worry your pretty head about.”
“But…”
“Guys, hurry. They’re waiting for you,” Rachel says as she exits the marquee. “What are you both talking about anyway? Serena, honey, you look worried.”
Turning to her, I try to conceal what I can only imagine my facial expression displays. “Nothing… I’m just…”
“Let’s go,” Luca says.
He holds onto my hand, and Rachel winks at us before she steps into the marquee ahead of us.
As we enter the stunning area, the first thing that catches my eye is the beautiful twinkle lights on the ceiling of the marquee, giving off a fairy-tale-like experience. Next, guests stand and clap as the emcee says, “Please welcome Mr. and Mrs. Clemente.”
Butterflies erupt in my stomach at the announcement of my new name, and I smile as we make our way to the center and see everyone’s smiling faces.
My dad seems happy, but something is off. I don’t know what it is, disappointment? Trying not to dwell on it too much as this is supposed to be the happiest day of my life, I ignore it. Staring ahead, the beautiful wedding cake Luca and I chose sits on a table in front of us.
The cake is extravagant, something you would see in movies. It’s a three-layered cake with steps heading from the bottom to the top of the cake, where a wedding carriage and two toppers representing Luca and me sit.
Luca leads me around the table. We stand behind our chairs and glance around the room.
Guests lift their champagne glasses, chanting, “Kiss, kiss, kiss.”
“Well, Mrs. Clemente, looks like the crowd wants a show,” Luca teases, gazing down at me with his hand cupping my cheek.
I gaze back at him and tilt my head, “Well, Mr. Clemente, let’s not disappoint them.”
With a warm smile, he leans down and kisses me softly. Our tongues touch, and an image of Harley comes to my mind without warning. I don’t know why I think of him at this very moment. Maybe it’s because I thought I saw him earlier at the church. But when I compare the kisses, Harley’s used to cause electricity to run through my entire body.
Grrr, why am I thinking about him on my wedding day?
I know why. It’s because I was sure I saw him at the church.
Luca straightens, saying, “I better stop, or else I’m going to have to make an excuse for why I need to escort you to our room early.”
When Luca’s father recommended this hotel for our wedding, I initially hesitated as it seemed so extravagant.