Chapter 65
Rachel
“It all worked out in the end, didn’t it?” I said to Dante as he wrapped his arms around me from behind, resting his chin on my shoulder.
“It sure did,” he said, watching Vienna and Gabriella dancing and laughing together.
I’d like to say they were slow-dancing like a regular, basically newlywed couple, but I’d be lying.
Vienna had Gabriella on his shoulders, spinning her around and forcing people to try and join in with his conga line.
“He looks happy, doesn’t he?” I said, stroking along Dante’s arms with the tips of my fingers, tracing his tattoos.
“He does. It’s nice to see.”
“It is,” I murmured, leaning back into my man.
For a moment we just drank in the scene, seeing our club so alive, so happy and bonded.
It was all Dante had ever wanted. And I was blessed that he had taken me on this journey with him.
Something I never would have imagined saying just a year ago, but now? Now everything was perfect.
Well.
Almost perfect.
“I never would have imagined saying this, but… doesn’t he look awful without his beard?”
Dante chuckled in my ear. “He looks like a mole rat.”
“That’s a bit harsh. But his face is giving shaved vagina vibes, and I don’t like it.”
“That’s not harsh, then, no?” he asked.
“Sometimes the truth is harsh.”
He kissed the top of my head, and I felt his lips curve in a smile.
“I give it five days before he starts growing it again.”
“Mate,” I scoffed. “He’s already started.
Look at that stubble. By the time she gets knocked up, he’ll be a full-on wizard again.
I guarantee she’ll be in the labour suite, screaming her heart out as she births his big-headed offspring, and he’ll be harassing the nurses for some lotion for his ratty beard. ”
“You’re getting a bit ahead of yourself, aren’t you?”
I looked at Vienna and Gabriella once more and sighed. “No. Somehow, I don’t think I am. This is just how things were meant to be. It just took a while for them to align.”
We went quiet, gently swaying in time to the music. Dante kept his arms wrapped around me tight, kissing me every so often—the side of my head, my hair, even along my neck, nuzzling against me.
“Who would have thought it?” I sighed.
“Thought what?”
“That after all these years we would still be together—hell, that we would both still be alive. That our best friend would have the love of his life, despite everything. It’s perfect.”
“Why, Rachel, are you getting soft in your old age?”
I slapped his arm in response before leaning back into him, not wanting to be apart from him for a second.
Fucking hell, I was getting soft in my old age.
“Do you know what I would have thought?” Dante asked, chuckling into my neck.
“What’s that?”
“I would have thought that after all these years you would have told me you loved me.”
“What?” I said, twisting around in his arms to see him grinning at me.
“You’ve never said it. You realise that, don’t you?”
“Don’t be so ridiculous,” I scoffed. “Of course I’ve said it.”
“No, Rachel. No, you haven’t.”
“I said it when…”
I racked my brain for an example—any example.
But none came.
Fuck.
“Go on…” he laughed.
“I told you I loved you when we were on your bike together, right after you asked me to be your old lady.”
“Wrong.”
“Well… I’ve definitely said it in therapy. I’m sure doctor Ashleigh would have forced me to.”
“Wrong again.”
I was going to wipe that smug smirk off his face.
“I definitely said it when—”
“Let me interrupt you, Rachel, you didn’t say it. No matter when you’re thinking, it never happened.”
“Alright, fucking hell. I didn’t realise you were keeping a diary.”
“No diary, but it’s an interesting observation. One that I thought you would be interested in knowing. I’ve said it,” he replied smugly.
“Oh, well, aren’t you perfect?”
“I happen to think so, yes.”
I gritted my teeth.
“What’s the matter, Rachel? Do you have something you’d like to say?”
I muttered something, but my teeth were clenched so hard even I couldn’t understand it.
“What was that, darling?”
“I love you,” I muttered, my nose scrunching at the unfamiliar words.
“Ahh, there we are. That wasn’t so hard now, was it?”
“Yes. Yes, it was,” I said. He laughed and lowered his head, kissing me firmly.
“Can I hear it again?”
“Don’t be so needy. I’ve officially told you once. If anything changes, I’ll let you know.”
He laughed even harder, hauling me into his arms.
“Oh, I just bet you will.”