Page 103 of Silence and Surrender

“Yes, we talk too much?”

“Yes, I’ll marry you.” I slid my arms around his neck, pulling him closer. “Though I hope you have an actual ring, or this proposal is sadly lacking in material evidence.”

He laughed softly, reaching into his pocket. The ring was perfect, a simple platinum band with a single diamond that caught the light from the moon and stars. No ornate settings or flashy designs, just clean lines and quiet elegance.

“It reminded me of you,” he said as he slid it onto my finger. “Beautiful without trying to be. Strong without showing off.”

“Now who’s being poetic?”

“Don’t tell Cooper. He’ll never let me live it down.”

I looked at the ring, then back at him. “When?”

“As soon as possible. Before we go back to London.” His arms tightened around me. “I want us to face whatever comes next together. Completely.”

“Tomorrow might be ambitious, even for your organizational skills.”

“Next week then.” His lips found my temple. “Small ceremony here at the villa. Just family.”

The week that followed passed in a blur of quiet preparation and precious moments. Allegra took charge of arrangements with her usual grace, while Cooper alternated between teasing his brother and making sure every detail was perfect. Steele and Ashlynn came back to stay; the girls were ecstatic about their roles as flower girls, spending hours practicing their petal-throwing technique in the courtyard.

I found myself watching them all, memorizing details I wanted to keep forever. The way Clara and Ember danced through the vines, their laughter echoing off the ancient stones surrounding the property. How Allegra hummed while arranging flowers, her hands moving with artistic precision. The quiet conversations between Cooper and Colton, heads bent together like they were planning a heist instead of a wedding.

One evening, I found Ashlynn in the kitchen, sorting through some of Allegra’s old recipes. Her pregnancy was more visible than mine, her hand resting on her bump as she worked.

“My father should be here,” I said suddenly, the words escaping before I could stop them.

She looked up, understanding in her eyes. “He is, in his own way.”

“He would have liked Colton,” I continued, surprising myself. “Would have appreciated his mind. His determination to do what’s right.”

“He would have been proud of you,” she said softly. “Of everything you’re doing.”

Later that night, Colton found me in our room, staring at old photographs. He didn’t say anything, just held me while I cried for everything lost and everything found.

The morning of our wedding dawned clear and perfect. The courtyard had been transformed with simple elegance—white flowers and twinkling lights woven through the ancient stone archways. A few wooden chairs had been arranged in a row, facing an altar draped in white silk. The Tuscan hills providing a natural backdrop that no cathedral could match.

Allegra helped me dress in the cream silk I’d chosen, its flowing lines perfect for the small bump that held our future. When she pinned my mother’s pearl earrings in place—a gift my father had saved all these years, retrieved from my safe deposit box by Steele—we both pretended not to notice each other’s tears.

“He’d be so proud,” she whispered. “Of who you’ve become. Of the family you’re building.”

Ashlynn appeared with Clara and Ember, both girls already scattering practice rose petals in their pristine white dresses. Their excitement was contagious, filling the room with laughter and light.

“Bella, look!” Clara twirled, her skirt floating around her. “I’m practicing my flower girl dance!”

“No dancing,” Allegra corrected. “Just walking and dropping petals. Remember?”

Ember demonstrated her own petal-dropping technique with grace. “Like this, Clara. See? Elegant.”

The girls’ chatter helped ease the emotions tightening my throat. These people, this family I’d found…made the absence of my own feel less sharp.

When I finally looked in the mirror, I barely recognized myself. Not because of the dress or the careful styling, but because of the joy radiating from within. The woman looking back at me was loved. Was whole. Was ready.

The ceremony itself exceeded every hope. Clara and Ember managed to contain their enthusiasm to a relatively sedate procession, though their smiles could have lit all of Tuscany. Cooper stood beside his brother, both of them handsome in suits that spoke of Italian tailoring rather than London precision.

But it was Colton who took my breath away. He’d always been handsome, but today there was something different about him. A softness beneath his usual precision. When our eyes met, everything else faded away.

We spoke our vows simply, meaning every word. His hands were steady as he slid the wedding band beside my engagement ring. Mine trembled slightly as I gave him his, but his smile told me he understood.

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