Page 112 of The Whole Package

I’d also been invited to several of the Ivers’ family events since we’d all found out the truth, my relationship with William was still a work in progress, but it was better than nothing. Sarah was open to having another sister and had invited me to be in her wedding when that had happened. I couldn’t have been more honored. The twins couldn’t care less. They weren’t cold toward me, but they weren’t exactly warm, and their mother was polite but distant, which was completely understandable.

“I told Sofia we would be there by eight,” he says in a rush, carefully storing his art before digging around in his bag. I let him do his thing and get ready as I think of the sweet old lady who had adopted us since we got here.

We’d arrived in Italy to check out Warren’s art in the gallery that Freddie has here and were blown away by the amazing reception we’d received. They basically threw a party for him and I was so proud of all he’d accomplished.

That was where we’d met Tommaso, a local who worked at the gallery and was so kind to us, he’d invited us to his family’s restaurant to eat with him and his family.

That was where we had met his grandmother, Sofia. Sofia was one-hundred-percent smitten with Warren.

It was more amusing than anything, and Sofia had even gotten me to appreciate specific wines while we were here, I wouldn’t say I loved it, but paired with the right food, it wasn’t so bad.

“Come on, Janie, we gotta go!”

I smirk as we leave our little house and smile at Warren when he laces our fingers without a thought and tugs me along.

This isn’t exactly what I had in mind for my future.

It’s even better.

Warren

There was something to be said about this country. One thing was, it was fucking amazing.

I wasn’t completely opposed to Jane’s idea of moving here permanently. It had beautiful weather, amazing food, and wonderful people. I loved being able to work on my art and just have Jane sitting beside me, reading her books and enjoying her break.

The woman worked too hard.

She was a marvel, though. She’d taken to her position as CEO even more so in the past year and had turned the company around for the better.

Everything she did was appreciated by her employees, they all worked harder just to please her because she made them feel important.

It was one of the many reasons I loved her so damn much.

Which was why I wanted to make her my wife as soon as possible.

Sofia had set it all up for me with the help of her children and grandchildren. The back patio of the restaurant was strung with tiny lights, the table set for two and a low playing record player was on, playing romantic melodies to dance to.

I pull Jane into my arms the second we arrived, my heart settling now that we were here.

She looks up at me with a content smile on her face, the glow that I love so much shining in full force. “What are you up to? Aren’t you hungry?”

“I haven’t had you in my arms in at least four hours,” I explain, letting a slow grin spread across my lips. “I need to hold you.” I also couldn’t wait through an entire meal before I asked what I wanted to ask.

“Can’t argue with that.” She doesn’t question the magical setting, but that’s probably because—like me—this entire trip has been nothing but magical since we arrived here.

I sway with her in my arms, her head resting on my shoulder for a few songs before I can’t take it anymore and I gently nudge her head back.

“Janie,” I whisper, letting my lips graze hers in a soft kiss. “I love you.”

She smiles at me and whispers back, “I love you too.”

“I want to spend the rest of my life with you,” I tell her, a slow build of emotion trying to clog my throat, but I push through. “I want more days just like today. I want more trips with you, with our future children. I want to wake up every day and see your beautiful face and know that you’re mine, forever and always.”

“War,” she whispers, a tear tracking down her cheek.

I take the pause in my declaration of love to get down on one knee. She covers her mouth with her right hand, and I take her left, reaching into my pocket and producing the ring that’s been in my possession for several months.

“I want slow mornings and slow weekends. I want to draw you all the time, showing you how beautiful I think you are. I want to show you every single day just how much I love you, how much you mean to me.”

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