Chapter 63
Aknock had the wedding party swiveling our heads toward the door. I hopped out of my seat, smoothing down the wine-red tea-length gown the bride had chosen for us. Luca, our lone groomsman, stood on the other side of the door with a basket hooked over his arm, and a hand covering his eyes.
“Is everyone dressed?”
“Nope. I opened the door butt naked.”
The fingers over his eyes parted a fraction of an inch. “Liar.”
I laughed, taking the basket of water bottles, programs, and granola bars from him. “Sorry to disappoint.”
Luca snorted, his brown eyes luminous. “It’s not possible for you to be a disappointment. You look beautiful, by the way. Red looks really nice on you.”
My cheeks warmed, but luckily I’d already been through makeup so there were layers to hide any blushing from him. Being complimented was nothing new for me. Clients at my weekend job poured them out as easily as breathing, but something about the sweet sincerity of Luca Marino complimenting me dug a little deeper. “Thanks. You look pretty snazzy yourself.”
His cheeks flushed pink, and his nervous fingers went to fuss with his hair. I snatched them out of the air. “Don’t ruin the stylist’s work. He made you look so cute.”
That only made his blush deeper. He stared down at me, his mouth opening and then closing, and I could practically see the words he wanted to ask. You think I’m cute?
Instead, he said, “Make sure Allie drinks one of those waters. Can’t have the bride shriveling into a raisin.” Luca beamed at me, looking unfairly dashing in his tux, his cheeks flushed with excitement, brown eyes bright, and his dark hair neat and tidy. “Any other errands for me to run?”
“I think we’re all set for the moment.”
We’d been sending him on errands all day and the affable beta had completed each task without a hint of complaint. Refreshing was a word that kept coming to my mind. Adorable was another. I didn’t generally classify grown men as cute, but Luca was. With a perpetual smile and a penchant for helping, it was basically impossible to dislike him.
His older brother was marrying my bestie today. Sidney seemed like a decent guy—certainly better than a lot I had encountered over the years—and I was doing my damndest to keep happiness for Allie at the forefront today.
Weddings and I didn’t have a fabulous history. My mom was on her fourth marriage right now, or maybe fifth? I had only met the third at the wedding and never met the fourth at all. Who knew if she’d tossed him aside and found another by now? And my older sister, Stella, was in the midst of a vicious divorce to a man I’d never wanted her to marry to begin with. But Sidney wasn’t Rodney, and he wasn’t my dad or stepdads, and I had to keep reminding myself of that.
Seeing Allie absolutely radiant with joy every time she was around Sidney helped convince my brain, but didn’t completely silence the pessimistic voices in the back of my mind. Allie deserved to be happy, though. I loved her like a sister, and even though she was familiar with my views, she knew I’d be there for her regardless. Which was why I was in an excessively crinolined bridesmaid gown, had woken up at the asscrack of dawn, and had put on my biggest smile to get my bestie down the aisle.
Even so, beyond my pessimism, weddings always made me feel weird. Like I was pressed against the glass, looking in on something I’d never have, even if I didn’t want it. There was always that quiet question: was it possible for people to make it work, for them to stay happy with each other for a lifetime?
Luca poked me in the forehead. My oldest niece did the same to me sometimes when I got too up in my thoughts. “That expression is way too serious for a wedding day. Want to get some air?”
I glanced back at the others—Allie, the bride; Meg, the maid of honor; and Nicky, the sister of the groom. “Anyone mind if I go for a little walk?”
“Go right ahead,” Meg replied, taking the basket from me. “I’m going to get one of these granola bars into Allie.”
I slipped into the hall, closed the door behind me, and leaned against it before looking up at Luca.
“Everything okay?” He offered me the crook of his arm.
“Absolutely,” I lied, tucking my arm through his. “Just tired.”
“The gardens have a little café in the lobby if you need a pick-me-up. I’ve heard their hot chocolate is pretty good.” Luca led me down the hallway, past a dozen ornate doors, and out into the main facility where glass domes housed the greenery. The crisp, beachy scent of him kept the humidity and smell of soil from being too cloying, and I tucked a little closer.
“I might need to Irish up that hot chocolate.”
Luca hummed and pulled us to a stop, turning to face me. “That doesn’t sound like a cure for being tired. You don’t have to tell me what’s wrong, but I’m a pretty good listener. If you want to talk.”
Of course Luca would be a good listener. I’d already witnessed it for myself when he was endlessly attentive during the wedding planning discussions. He hadn’t yawned once when we’d gone over the gigantic book of color swatches.
He didn’t speak while he waited for me to decide, only looked at me like whatever I might say was important…like he was ready to hang on every word. Clients looked at me like that sometimes, but only when I was praising them and pulling compliments out of my ass. Luca certainly wasn’t expecting either of those things from me.
The second forehead poke startled me out of my thoughts again. “Sorry. I have a lot on my mind today. Bridesmaid duties and whatnot.”
I knew by his frown he’d been hoping for more, but I didn’t want to get into my family’s disaster marriages or my disbelief in romantic love. Today wasn’t for any of that.
“Come on, cutie.” I tugged him toward the café. “Let’s get me some sugar.”
Luca paid for the hot chocolate, insisting, “Sad days require free treats.”
Who was I to argue?
We did a quick loop of the building so I could sort out some of the chaos in my brain, letting the drink work its magic before he returned me to the door to the bridal suite. “Come find me if you want to talk later. Offer stands all night.”
I stood on tiptoe, tugged him down to my level, and kissed his cheek. “Go support your brother. I promise I’ll be just peachy.”
The moment I stepped inside the suite, I was yanked into bride-fanning duty as it became apparent one of Allie’s relatives had caused an incident with the florist. They’d sent Nicky to deal with it while Meg kept our bride calm, and with my return I was in charge of keeping Allie from stress-sweating. Luckily, Allie responded well to affection and Meg was more than happy to keep her cocooned in a hug until Nicky’s return.
I lost track of how long I used one of the programs as a makeshift fan, offering reassurance whenever Allie started to get nervous. The uncle had specifically not been invited because of the bullshit he tended to pull at events, but Allie’s mom had overridden the ban and invited him anyway. My own mother would probably have done the same.
Nicky swept back into the suite some time later with a brilliant smile, a bottle of sparkling lemonade, and a handful of glasses. “High fives for the best groomswoman in history!”
I gratefully accepted my share of lemonade and swallowed half of it before slapping my free hand against Nicky’s. “Done! Why are we high-fiving?”
Nicky looked so damn proud of herself and it was the cutest thing ever. She and Luca both got that look when they accomplished something. “Well, for one, I got the florist to agree to stay as long as we kept ‘Druncle’ Ted away from her. Luca escorted him to his hotel room, and I bribed the florist with a box of chocolates I stole from here and a generous tip. And, for two, I have our moms guarding each other so neither of them get into trouble bothering the bride or groom.”
“Damn.” I laughed. Using the moms against each other was both ruthless and brilliant. “Someone’s efficient. You even thought of sugar instead of alcohol for our girl so she doesn’t stumble down the aisle with a tummy full of champagne.”
“I need her stone-cold sober when she becomes my sister-in-law.” Nicky beamed. “You gotta enter the Marino family with both eyes open.”
The Marinos seemed like a good bunch. Nicky was an absolute sweetheart, if a bit neurotic in the day to day (a trait we unfortunately shared); Sidney made my bestie the happiest I’d ever seen her; and Luca…well, it was best not to think too hard about him.
Instead of letting myself dwell on the beta cutie who bought me hot chocolate, I focused on the bride, snuggling up against her back with a wistful sigh. “I still can’t believe you’re getting married. I know you’re already bonded but still. All this ceremony and fanciness is really highlighting my singledom.”
Nicky barked a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand as she choked on her lemonade. “Do not complain about being single anywhere near my mom or she might load Luca into a trebuchet and launch him at you.”
The downside of someone like Luca catching my attention was the closeness of his family. It wasn’t bad, exactly. It was good…for him. But for me? Holy hell was that pressure. I wasn’t even planning on dating Luca and the mere idea of the possibility, of the Marinos being aware of that hypothetical situation, made my palms sweaty.
Shoving those thoughts into the pit of my stomach, I layered over them with some concrete optimism and humor so no one could tell the turn my thoughts had taken.
“Oh nooo. However would I cope with having an adorable beta land in my lap?” I fake-swooned and Allie cackled.
“Listen, you don’t want to catch Mom’s eye,” Nicky warned. “As we speak she’s probably scanning every remotely attractive guest for bond bites and wedding rings and keeping a tally so she can casually trip me into her top choices at the reception.”
Ugh. No thank you. Mama Marino was not someone I wanted staring me down.
“So, what’s up with the cuddling?” Nicky asked as she settled into one of the suite chairs. “Did Meg finally tell you the videographer has food poisoning?”
Aw, fuck.
“What?!” Allie shoved away from Meg, but I caught her by the wrist and pushed her into the chair next to Nicky, starting up my fanning again.
We had definitely not intended to tell her about the videographer since there was nothing we could do at the last minute. Everyone we had reached out to was unavailable to cover the event.
“We’re breathing, remember?” I said. “Inhale the good vibes. Exhale the urge to strangle any of the bridal party.”
Allie snorted. “No strangling urges. I just wanted cute videos of the wedding.” Her expression was far too sad for her wedding day.
“We’re getting everyone to take videos on their phones and send them to me,” said Meg. “I can edit them into a cute wedding montage.”
Bless Meg. She was good at diffusing situations. It wasn’t one of my natural skills. If you needed someone to escalate shit, I was your girl.
“The important thing,” declared Nicky, “is that you look gorgeous as fuck and my brother is going to simply pass away when he sees you.”
Nicky was right. Allie did look impressively gorgeous in the white satin gown that fit her like she was a movie star in the golden age of Hollywood.
“He’d better not.” Allie laughed, her smile returning. “He’s stuck with me forever, so there will be no passing away from how cute I look.”
A knock at the door stole our attention, and I scampered to answer it, annoyed with myself when I was disappointed it wasn’t Luca on the other side. The staffer who had settled us in the suite earlier had returned to let us know everything was ready to start. “The officiant is all set up, guests are seated, and the musician is going ham on that Pachelbel song. We’re ready to start your entrances in fifteen minutes.”
“I guess that’s my cue to head back to the boys.” Nicky rose out of her chair and kissed Allie’s cheek. “You’re going to do fine. I’ll see you at the other end of the aisle.”
With Nicky gone to see her brothers, Meg and I made sure Allie was sheer perfection before we joined them as well.
Luca met me with a bright smile and offered his arm to me again. “Hey there, partner. Ready to walk down the aisle with me?”