23. Chapter 22 Ginevra
We’re in a small room in a white cathedral. The building itself is stunning and has this positive ambiance that stokes an excitement in me that has my heart fluttering. I spray a spritz of perfume and twirl in the mist. The smells of dust and incense float away as my scent takes over the room.
My mother positions my veil and it flows over my shoulders to the middle of my back. Memories of the last time she did this for me, my communion, flood my brain and I find myself thankful that she’s here to do it one last time.
My reflection in the mirror portrays a beautiful bride. I never thought anyone would want to marry me, but Soren does. He loves me.
I haven’t seen Jude since the scene at our house, but I hope, for Soren’s sake, that he comes. They’re best friends, after all. Soren and I decided to go minimal on our bridal party. I have Eva and my friend Sienna.
Soren has his two brothers standing for him, but I suspect it bothers him that Jude hasn’t tried to make contact with him or me since he stormed out of our family house. His mother offered to have Alesso walk me down the aisle, but I want my mother to do it.
A knock on the door has me pausing. Soren’s mother, Bria, steps in. “I wasn’t sure if you had something borrowed yet,” she says. “This was a clip that I used on my wedding day.” She holds out a small hair comb with diamonds on the edge meant to stand out in the hair.
“It’s gorgeous.” I accept the hair accessory. “Thank you.”
Soren’s mother smiles. “I should get back in there. It’s almost time.”
As the door closes behind her, I take a moment to soak in the silence and smile gently at my mother.
She gets a little stronger each day. She loops her arm around my elbow and music begins as the doors open up to the church’s congregation. The room stands with my arrival and the sheer number of people assembled takes my breath away. I search for anyone I recognize, but most of the faces I can see are those of strangers.
I swallow down my trepidation, keeping my head high and face forward. My eyes lock with Soren’s and the rest of the room melts away. One step after another, I walk closer as Soren draws me in with his gaze. He has that type of power over me.
When we reach the front row, Soren steps down, kissing my mother on both cheeks before taking my hand in his. Together, we take the step up, becoming front and center for the entire room.
Soren leans in. “You look stunning,” he compliments, squeezing my hand reassuringly.
I smile, feeling my cheeks grow warm. I want to tell him how handsome he looks, but the priest begins speaking before I can form the words. The entire time, neither of us can take our eyes off each other. I feel like we’re in an alternate reality.
“I, Ginevra Pasello, take you, Soren Moretti, for my lawful husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better, for worse, for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, until death do us part.…” My words are barely a whisper. The words until death do us part stay on a loop in my mind. This is forever. There’s no backing out. It closes a chapter in my life and a new one starts. Eva has told me many times that divorce is not an option in their family.
Soren says his section of the vows, his words stronger and louder than mine. His deep brown eyes haven’t once blinked or looked away from me as he recites his vows.
We exchange rings, saying all the right words that go along with them.
“I now pronounce you man and wife.” The room explodes in applause and Soren wraps me in his embrace, dipping me, and gives me one hell of a kiss. I forget we have an audience and lose myself in him. I drink him up like a cold glass of water.
When he places me back on my feet, my head is dizzy and the room slowly comes back into focus. I look for Jude, but he’s nowhere to be seen. Relief floods my limbs and I immediately feel guilty for my reaction. I rarely have anything that I can call my own and I don’t want anyone or thing to ruin it.
Soren is mine. This day is mine.
In our receiving line, our wedding party and parents come through first. My heart rate doubles, not sure how his father is going to treat me. My hands are clammy. How can cold hands be so sweaty at the same time?
His mother hugs me, then holds on to my shoulders as she looks at me. “I have another daughter,” she says, hugging me again. Relief like I’ve never felt before floods through me. She’s always been kind to me, but there has been this unsaid animosity that runs between my family and the Morettis.
Soren’s father is next, and he awkwardly gives me a hug. I hold my breath, scared he may say something mean. Throughout the years, I’ve heard him say things about me. Like on my sweet sixteenth birthday, my mother told me she was throwing me a birthday party in one of the Moretti party tents. I didn’t even want to go because I hated when they tried to flash their money around my family. Then I heard him telling everyone that he was footing the bill. I was mortified and beyond angry at them and my mother.
I wait for him to say the wedding was too fancy for a person like me. Or that it was a waste of his money. I know my family didn’t pay a dime for this. Instead, he smiles. It’s not a true, warm, welcoming one, but he’s never smiled at me before.
“Welcome to the family. Your father was my best friend. I see him in you every day.”
The comment catches me off guard, it’s so unexpected. He walks away and I’m left staring at his back until my best friend in the whole world, Sienna, comes up.
She practically jumps on me, giving me a bear hug. We rarely get to see each other, but when we do it’s like the time apart has been nonexistent.
“Soren, this is my best friend, Sienna, and her husband,” I introduce proudly.
“Max Mancini,” Soren greets without me having said his name. “It’s been a while.”
“How do you two know each other?” I ask, shocked.
“We have mutual business that has us dealing with each other throughout the year.”
“What a small world,” I say, my eyes darting between the two. “The four of us will have to get together one day soon then.”
Max and Sienna say their goodbyes and the line continues. I’m hugged by complete strangers, many of whom hand Soren an envelope of what I can only assume is cash as they say their congratulations.
“We have a box for cards and money,” I whisper to remind Soren.
“I know, but these guys are old school,” he replies before a new person stands in front of us. Our receiving line takes an hour before the last person is done.
The entire time, Soren has not stopped holding my hand. Photos go in a blur, and once again, Soren keeps me in his embrace. It’s almost as if he’s scared someone might steal me away. I’ve never had anyone ever fawn over me like this. It feels nice.
By the time our first song is announced, my face hurts from smiling so much. I can’t say this has ever been a problem before. Soren leads me in a small circle, his hands holding me tight. I’m swept away by the unabashed feeling of love. My head rests on his shoulder as I soak in the moment. This dance is nothing fancy, just our feet moving back and forth at a slight angle, but in my heart, it is everything.
“Look at me,” my husband whispers in my ear.
I lift my head, our eyes connecting. Is it possible for a heart to burst from being too happy? Each thud hurts in the best possible way.
“I love you,” I confess. The way he smiles, his eyes shining, shows me this isn’t one sided.
“You’re the best thing to ever happen to me.” He dips his head down and his lips brush against mine. My hands pull on the back of this neck to keep him there and he deepens the kiss. The kiss is perfect. The song ends the same time the kiss does and the room claps in celebration of our first dance.
“I love you,” he says, taking my hand and bringing it up into the air, acknowledging everyone in the room. We walk off the dance floor and other couples enter, enjoying themselves.
Sienna walks over and Soren steps away, saying he has some business to attend to. “I can’t believe we’re both married,” Sienna gushes. She has been there for me through thick and thin, even though we rarely ever see each other.
“I can’t believe how right this feels.” I look for Soren in the crowd but can’t find him, much to my disappointment.
“Oh, girl, you have it bad.”
“That’s a good thing, right?”
Sienna gives me a hug. “It’s the best thing.”
Her husband, Max, stands next to us, and holds her in a protective embrace with one arm securely wrapped around her. “Is he always like this with you?” I tease her so he can’t hear me.
“I’ve been told he’s placed me on his throne of obsession, and he’s never going to let me go.” She giggles while sneaking a loving peek at him. They look so perfect together. That’s what I want.
“I’m happy for you.”
She takes my hand and gives it a small squeeze. “I’m happy for you. You deserve this.”
Eva walks up with a bit of a swagger in her step. “Ginevra. I always wanted a sister, and now I have one.” She hugs me, clearly having had a few drinks. Her brothers are going to blow a gasket when they see her.
Sienna and her husband say goodbye and I walk Eva toward the bar. “Yay, more drinks!” She claps her hands.
“Maybe a water first.”
She pouts for a moment. “Don’t be like one of them,” she says.
“Trust me, I will never be like them.” I mean it, too. Eva and I have always been friends. Throughout our lives we have been constantly tossed toward each other and some of my fondest memories have her in it.
“Can you keep a secret?” Her brows rise as she waits for my answer and she looks around like her brothers could be secretly listening. It’s way too loud in here for anyone but us to hear what we are saying, so the gesture seems a little over the top.
“You don’t even have to ask, of course I can.”
“Just making sure you’re still team Eva and not team Soren.” Eva is adorable when she’s had a few.
“Cross my heart and hope to die.” I do the motions over my heart, but in the back of my mind I wonder if I should be making this promise. Soren is my husband now.
A large smile replaces her frown and she stumbles into me. “I’m going to go to Vegas.”
She steps away with a confident head nod. Yup, her brothers are going to toss her in the dungeon with this one. “We should go together!” Excitement lights up her face.
“I think that might tip them off.”
She thinks for a moment. “You’re probably right,” she says seriously. “You can’t come.”
I signal for the bartender, and because I’m the bride, we’re served immediately. “Two waters.”
I place the glass in Eva’s hand and take a sip of mine. “I’m only doing this because you’re the bride.” She lifts the glass and downs the water in three seconds.
We place our glasses down and she gives me another hug. “Welcome to the family.” She holds me tight before releasing me. I was a little apprehensive about how his family was going to accept me because of our family history, even though everyone but his father has been nothing but kind.
They have done everything to help me feel welcome and a part of their family. If you asked me a year ago, I would have said the Morettis would never feel like family to me, but that’s changing.
“Stop hugging Ginevra, she’s mine,” Soren teases his sister while bringing me to his side. He presses a soft kiss to the side of my forehead. “Dance with me,” he says, ignoring his sister, his entire attention focused on me.
I nod and he leads us onto the packed dance floor. Soren holds me closely and I can feel his erection sticking into me. I can’t help myself; I rotate my hips into him as we dance.
A low, husky groan vibrates from his lips. “I can’t wait to claim you in every way a husband should.” His gravelly voice is at my ear as we dance.
“I look forward to experiencing it.”
He groans again, his knees buckling lightly. “You keep moving your hips like that and I won’t be able to wait until we’re back at home.”
“That sounds like a you problem.” I smirk playfully.
“Come on, let’s go say goodbye to everyone so I can tear off this dress.” Mid song, he takes my hand and pulls me off the dance floor while I giggle like a schoolgirl. My pulse hammers in my throat with the knowledge of what else is to come tonight.