“Yes. Yes. Yes.” She drew him up to his feet. “I love you with all my heart.” And then she took his hand and pressed it to her abdomen. “We both do.”
Luca stared deep into her eyes. “I’m the luckiest man in the world.”
“And I am the luckiest woman. I get to spend the rest of my life with my best friend.”
She lifted up on her tiptoes and pressed her li
ps to his.
EPILOGUE
Eleven months later
ELENA STOOD IN the gardens of the royal palace. Annabelle and Grayson had just been married. Elena and Luca had stood up for them. And the king had attended, now that he was back to being himself.
It was so nice to be back in Mirraccino. She said that every time she and Luca visited, which was often. As much as she loved Halencia, it would never have that special something that Mirraccino did. Maybe it was because this was her childhood home...or maybe it was because it was here that she’d met the man of her dreams, who at that point had been a little boy who didn’t mind getting his formal clothes dirty playing with a girl. Elena smiled at the memories. They seemed so long ago now.
While Luca talked with one of his many cousins, Elena excused herself. European football was something that still didn’t interest her—no matter how much Luca tried to sway her. Although she had enjoyed playing football with Luca as a kid, it didn’t hold her attention in the same way. Now the only thing she recognized about the game was which jersey matched which team. What could she say? Fashion was in her blood. Only in a different way now.
She moved around the vast gardens. The walkways were lit up with torches that gave a soft glow to the fragrant foliage. Their garden in Halencia was just as beautiful, but not nearly as vast. It was where Elena spent a lot of time now that their son, Marco, had been born. Instead of modeling glamorous fashions, she was now doing something she loved—designing. Her debut fashion show was planned for this fall. She couldn’t wait.
When fingers wrapped around her shoulders, she jumped.
“Hey, relax. It’s just me,” Luca murmured very close to her ear. Then he leaned over and pressed his lips to the nape of her neck. “What had you so deep in thought?”
“I was just thinking about the path we took to get here. It’s hard to believe that we once played hide-and-seek in these gardens and now your sister is having her wedding reception here.”
“I was beginning to wonder if she was ever going to get married—”
“Luca, really. Just because you rushed me down the aisle doesn’t mean everyone wants to elope.”
“Are you saying you regret our rush to the altar?”
“Of course not.” She lifted up on her tiptoes and pressed her lips to his. “I love you, Luca. With all my heart.”
“I love you, too.” He kissed her again. “Are you sure you don’t want a wedding do-over?”
“I’m positive. But I must admit that if I was going to have a wedding, I’d want it to be like this one, even if it took your sister a year to plan.”
Luca glanced around. “I guess it isn’t too bad.”
Elena lightly punched him on the shoulder. “It’s gorgeous. I’m so happy for your sister.”
“I’m thinking I might have to hire her.”
“For what?”
“I want to throw a party.”
Elena frowned at her husband. “I told you I don’t want to get married again. We got it right the first time, even if it took us a little bit to figure it out.”
“Who said anything about getting married again?” He arched a dark brow. “I’m thinking that we have our first anniversary coming up and it deserves a party.”
“You really want to go to all that trouble?”
Luca drew her close in his arms. “Mrs. DiSalvo, haven’t you figured out that I would go to the moon and back for you?”
She tilted her chin up. “I wouldn’t let you get that far away.”