Chapter 43
The sun was shining, and birds were chirping.
Bruno couldn’t have wished for a better wedding day.
He and Marissa didn’t get married on a coveted estate that most people didn’t know about or couldn’t afford, and they weren’t surrounded by hundreds of people. Instead, they tied the knot at the home where he grew up.
Marissa had insisted on a small, intimate ceremony, so they said their vows in front of a wooden arch adorned with wildflowers while family and close friends looked on. Her brother, John, flew in, but his wife and daughters stayed at home.
Bruno chose Ignacio to stand beside him since he was the one who sent him to Executive Match. Marissa’s best friend, Lark, was her maid of honor.
Wearing a navy blue suit, Bruno drank champagne and surveyed the guests mingling and sipping refreshing drinks under the white tent in the backyard. Theo and Audra’s little ones raced in and out, giggling and laughing with the sound of soft music playing in the background.
His eyes landed on Marissa, absolutely exquisite in a simple satin dress as she chatted with Skye and Audra. She hadn’t chosen a high-end designer but had known exactly the dress she wanted. The mermaid design was off the shoulder and backless and showed off her curves. Her hair was pulled back from her face with floral clips, and she’d added additional hair to give length and volume to the curls that cascaded to the middle of her back.
Damn, he was lucky.
Bruno headed in that direction, but before he could approach her, Monica stepped in front of him.
“Hey.”
“Hey. What’s going on?” Bruno asked.
Monica pulled him to the side. “Do Mommy and Papa Ben seem different to you?” she whispered.
“Different? How?”
“I don’t know, just different. Closer, maybe?”
Bruno followed his sister’s line of sight to where their parents were chatting near an empty table. He’d been preoccupied all day, but now that he paid closer attention, he understood what Monica meant. Their parents almost seemed to be… flirting.
“Huh.” He stroked his chin.
“You see what I mean, right?” Monica whispered.
“Yes, I do.”
“I said something to Audra, but she didn’t agree. She said they’ve always been close since the divorce.”
“She’s right, but there is something a little different,” Bruno said slowly.
Their parents walked away from each other and went in separate directions.
“What do you think their behavior means?” Bruno asked.
Monica shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe it’s nothing. I noticed the difference last time Papa Ben came to the house to visit. He was giving off a different energy, and at first I thought it was my imagination. I’m at Andre’s a lot and don’t see them together much anymore, but then today…” She shook her head.
“Could be nothing,” Bruno said, eyes locked on their father, who walked over to Ethan and started talking.
“Yeah.” Monica sighed. “You know what, never mind. It’s probably wishful thinking on my part because I want them back together.”
“We all do, but they’ll do it in their own time—if getting back together is right for them,” Bruno said.
Monica pursed her lips. “I guess.”
Marissa came over, and he slipped an arm around her waist.
“Hello, Mrs. Santana.” He kissed her cheek. The floral bouquet of her perfume filled his nostrils and made his body stir.
“Hello, Mr. Santana,” she greeted him back.
“Oh boy, how long will we have to put up with this?” Monica asked.
“Why don’t you go find your fiancé and finalize your own wedding, hm?” Bruno said.
“Touché.” Before she left, Monica pulled Marissa into a quick hug. “If I haven’t mentioned it before, welcome to the family. And now I have a new nephew.” She did a little shimmy.
“He’s a handful,” Marissa warned.
“He can’t be any worse than Junior. Matter-of-fact, we might want to keep them apart before Junior corrupts him.”
The three of them burst into laughter, and then Monica left them alone.
Bruno linked his fingers together with his wife’s and guided her outside the tent.
“Where are we going?” she asked.
“Away from everyone else.”
They climbed the back stairs and entered the house. Once inside, he released a sigh of relief. “Finally, we’re alone.”
Marissa laughed and wrapped her arms around his waist, tilting her face up toward his. He dropped a kiss to her soft lips and smoothed his hands over her bottom.
“I’m not sure I made the right decision giving credit to Ignacio for us meeting. I have a feeling he’s never going to let me forget.”
She laughed. “I’m in a similar predicament. Lark has said ‘I told you so’ several times since our engagement and managed to fit in another one today. Although, I guess I don’t mind much. Today I married the man of my dreams. A man I adore and love with every fiber of my being.”
Her dark eyes were bright with happiness, and he felt immense pride knowing he was the reason for that expression on her face.
“A man who loves you with every fiber of his being,” Bruno said.
They kissed again, this time with heat and vigor. He pressed her against the wall and showered kisses along her delicate jawline and throat.
“You know we can’t get carried away, right?” Marissa breathed huskily.
“I know.” Bruno rested his head on her shoulder and sighed.
She chuckled, smoothing her fingers along the back of his head. “One more hour and we’ll be all alone, the two of us, for more than a week.”
They were flying to Fiji for ten days. When they returned from the trip, she and Theo would move into his home outside Atlanta.
He and Chet had gone for drinks one night and talked. Once Chet was certain he wasn’t trying to replace him as Theo’s father, their conversation progressed a lot better. He couldn’t call them friends, but they should be able to get along moving forward.
Theo was staying with his father while Marissa and Bruno were on their honeymoon. For his part, Theo was ecstatic to learn Audra and Damon’s kids were now his cousins. He had already resorted to calling Audra and Damon and Bruno’s other siblings “Auntie” and “Uncle,” excited his family had expanded.
Bruno lifted his head. “We better go back before they start looking for us.”
Marissa pouted, and it was his turn to chuckle.
“Come on, Mrs. Santana.”
He took her hand and led the way outside, anticipating that soon they would start their new life together.