Epilogue
Ava’s heart fluttered as she took slow steps down the aisle, her eyes locked on Luca at the end, his tall figure radiating elegance in his dark suit.
He looked more handsome than ever, his white shirt gleaming under the soft light of the evening.
The stars above shimmered like tiny diamonds, and the scent of fresh flowers surrounded them.
The ceremony was small—intimate, even—but it felt grand, more perfect than she could have hoped for.
She glanced around at their closest friends: Max, Dimitri, Franco, Leone, and a few other beloved faces.
As she reached Luca, she couldn’t help but notice the way his eyes softened when he saw her, as if the world around him ceased to exist. His lips curled into a smile that made her feel like the luckiest woman alive.
To the side, the string quartet played a gentle melody, filling the air with romantic notes that fluttered around them like a sweet breeze.
Suddenly, there was a commotion. Ava turned to see Puff and Mike, the adorable puppies she and Luca had adopted, prancing proudly down the aisle.
Their paws barely made a sound as they trotted up to Luca, each carrying a ring on a small pillow between them.
The small crowd chuckled as the puppies, in their excitement, started barking and spinning in circles, their tails wagging furiously.
Puff, the more adventurous of the pair, let out a little growl, causing another wave of laughter.
Luca took the rings from the puppies, shaking his head with a smile that made Ava’s heart swell with joy. She had known that Puff and Mike would bring joy to their lives, but today they were adding a delightful touch of chaos to their perfect day.
Finally, when she took Luca’s hand, she repeated the vows she had written, her voice steady and full of love.
“I promise to always come to you when I have a problem, not that I’m asking you to solve it, but because we are a team and we’ll figure life out together.
I promise to love and protect you,” she added with a soft laugh, remembering the cage incident.
The audience joined in with their laughter, and Luca squeezed her hand, a spark of warm understanding in his eyes. “And honor you with all my heart.”
Luca’s turn came, and he spoke from his soul.
“I promise to talk to you about my past, present, and future. I vow to love and honor you, and respect your wishes, and will try very hard not to tell you what to do.” The crowd laughed again, knowing all too well that Ava would do the opposite on principle.
“I will love you with all my heart, and will give you so much happiness that you’ll never want to walk away. ”
Before the justice of the peace could speak, Puff began to growl loudly. The little dog’s protective instincts kicked in, and Mike immediately joined as well, wagging his tail furiously.
“Puff!” Leone called out, snapping his fingers. The tiny dog instantly stopped growling and sat down, its tail wagging happily. Mike tried to chase Puff’s tail, adding a few more rounds of chuckles from the guests. Ava shook her head, smiling at the adorable sight.
With the puppies now calm, the justice of the peace beamed at the couple. “By the power vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”
The quartet picked up the pace, launching into a spirited rendition of You’re the One That I Want from the classic movie.
The guests cheered, Puff and Mike barked excitedly, and Luca and Ava, now husband and wife, locked eyes.
Without hesitation, they kissed as the music and laughter surrounding them rose up like a sweet, tender embrace.
In that moment, it was as if the world had fallen away, leaving just them, united and filled with the boundless joy of finally being together.
A note from Elizabeth:
From running her business on sheer grit to suddenly being surrounded by a man like Luca—Ava’s world turned upside down in the most unexpected way. What did you think? Did their story grip you the way it gripped me while writing it?
I had a blast crafting their push-and-pull dynamic, especially the moments that made me laugh and hold my breath. I hope their journey left you smiling—and maybe a little breathless too.