Page 96 of Wild and Wicked

The hockey announcement had shocked everyone to silence for a split second or two. This pronouncement struck harder, no one saying anything for much longer. Gianna got the impression everyone was waiting for one of them to add a “just kidding” to the end of his statement.

“We’re dating,” she added, when no one spoke.

“Exclusively,” Elio stressed, specifically to his sister. “So she won’t need your help uploading her profile to those stupid dating sites.”

Liza sighed. “Another wingman down.”

Luca chuckled, wrapping his arm around her neck. “No worries, cuz. I’ll be your wingman if you want. Looks like you and I are starting to be in the minority here. All our rowdy, single friends and family are settling down.”

“You’re gonna be sorry you offered that,” Liza warned. “Because I’m probably going to take you up on it.”

“So to recap,” Aldo said. “You’re quitting hockey, moving home, dating Gianna, and running a haunted inn?”

Elio nodded. “In a nutshell.”

“Maybe you should have chunked some of that information up. That’s a lot to take in for one sitting,” Aldo joked.

Elio’s fingers tightened against her waist, and Gianna struggled not to laugh. They had chunked it up, unbeknownst to his brother. Because there was still an even bigger bomb to drop.

But the deejay saved them from having to say anything more when he invited the married couple to the floor. Penny sat on a chair as Gage “retrieved” the garter, his head disappearing under the skirt of Penny’s wedding dress—staying there for a little longer than necessary, much to the amusement of the guests. He slipped the garter down her leg with his teeth, waiting as the single men in attendance lined the edge of the floor.

Elio, Gio, and Rafe stood amongst the other Morettis with beers in their hands. Keeley admonished Gio and Rafe, claiming they weren’t even trying to catch the thing and that they should have left their drinks at the table. Gage sling-shotted the garter straight into Tony’s hands. Tony swung it around on his finger before pointing at Jess, the maid of honor, as she laughed.

Then the deejay invited the single ladies to the dance floor for the bouquet toss. Liza and Keeley pulled Gianna from her chair, the three joining the throng of women gathered there.

Penny turned her back to them, tossing the bouquet with an impressive amount of loft. The bouquet flew high and far. Gianna had placed herself at the back of the crowd, which turned out to be the perfect spot to catch the bouquet.

Elio winked at her, laughing when she walked over and handed the bouquet to Jess.

“Chicken shit,” he teased her when she returned to the table.

“I just think it’s time for Tony and Rhys to propose to Jess,” she replied, justifying her decision to give up the bouquet.

“I think they’re struggling to figure out how to make that work. But given the way the three of them are looking at each other right now, I’d say this wedding has convinced them to come up with a plan sooner rather than later.”

Gianna looked over at the trio, so wrapped up in each other, it took her breath away, and she couldn’t help but agree with Elio.

“Come on,” she replied, dragging him to the side of the room so they could watch Penny and Gage cut the wedding cake. “Thought you might appreciate being at the front of the line since you missed dinner.”

They ate their cake, then returned to the dance floor when the deejay slowed things down, playing “Tenerife Sea,” one of her favorite Ed Sheeran songs.

Elio hummed along, his lips next to her ears, lightly singing the line “all that you are is all that I’ll ever need” to her. Gianna pressed more tightly to him, holding him like she’d never let go, and she knew in an instant they’d found “their song.”

He kissed her—a long, slow, passionate one—when the song ended, and it appeared he was no longer willing to hide anything from their friends.

“This has been one of the best nights of my life,” she said, as he led her back to their table.

“And it’s not over yet,” he murmured, kissing her on the cheek.

He was coming home with her. And there was no question what was going to happen when they got there.

“Want something to drink?” Elio asked.

“No, thanks.”

“I’m ready for another,” Luca said, rising. “Gotta take advantage of an open bar the Russos are paying for because God knows this lightning will never strike twice.”

Elio and Luca drifted over to the bar as Gianna excused herself to go to the restroom.

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