Page 70

There he was, at the altar, in his beautiful black suit tailor-made for him in Milan by an old fashion house, hair freshly cut, with his groomsmen arrayed beside him.

Though his brothers had fought for the best man spot, they’d bowed down to Bobby to let him have it.

His face was lit up, and he was smiling at her with encouragement.

As she approached the altar on the soft, white runner now strewn with flowers thanks to Isa and Everly, she ceased to be nervous.

Not because Patrick was keeping her steady or because of her brother.

It was Santino and the way he was looking at her, like she was the one who’d put the sun in his sky.

Like every vow he’d already made was at that very moment rooting even deeper into the soil of his heart, the way it now was in hers.

When she reached him, he held out his hands and took hers. She didn’t know how it was possible that after all this time, after everything they’d been through, this simple touch could still send shocks of electricity dancing along every nerve ending of her body.

“Dearly beloved…” the priest began.

“Prince,” Santino mouthed at her, and she had to hold back a laugh.

When they exchanged the vows they’d written, Vanessa could barely get through hers.

Typically, she hated public crying, but she absolutely couldn’t stop the tears from welling and trickling down her face.

Santino did a better job holding it in, but his eyes were watery too.

Afterward, they placed the brand-new rings on each other’s fingers, and their kiss was long and gentle while everybody applauded.

He hugged her tightly, and she whispered in his ear, “Okay, big ceremony, check.”

“Are you happy?” he whispered back.

“So happy.”

Then it was party time back in the Gold Room at L’Hotel Li.

The enormous ballroom had an old-world elegance with its gold-flecked marble flooring good for dancing and its amber-toned glass chandeliers that made everyone look as if their skin was made of satin.

Even the sconces on the walls were decadent and gave the room a sensuous glow.

They made their entrance to more applause and whistles. The bridesmaids rushed them while the groomsmen shared private jokes that were making Bobby scowl; she could only imagine what they were talking about, but she guessed it might have something to do with the wedding night.

Now this was the fun part. Vanessa couldn’t “turn up” like all the other adults, so she toasted her newish groom with sparkling champagne at the head table.

She didn’t need alcohol. She was already intoxicated by the expression in Santino’s eyes every time he looked at her, the warmth and steadiness of his protective hand at her lower back.

And when he traced circles on her skin with his fingers as they sat side by side, the rush of pleasure and anticipation was heady.

“You should stop touching me like in that public,” she said to him, bending close.

“This isn’t the worst I’ve done to you in public,” he scoffed with a sexy grin that stirred heat in everything already aching for him. “And it’s not the worst I plan to do. Sexy beach time up ahead.” He was referring to their honeymoon, this time in Santorini, Greece.

“Sand in many places up ahead.” Her response made him laugh out loud.

After the groan-worthy speeches by Santino’s brothers, and her friend’s that made her cheeks hot, it was dancing time. Bobby came over and wrapped her in a big hug.

“I’s married now!” she declared, holding up her ring.

Bobby laughed. “You should be used to this already.” He looked at the crowd, then back at her, his face softer.

“I’m glad you didn’t listen to me. When I first saw you and Santino back together, I was ready to —” He threw an imaginary jab.

“But seeing you like this, living your life and enjoying it…it’s good to see it. Really good. I’m proud of you, Van.”

Vanessa pressed her hands to her cheeks, her eyes tearing again. “Y’all really are trying to make me cry, stop it.”

“And I’m proud of you too,” Nadine said, appearing on her right. She was teary-eyed as well. “But I wish you would come back to New York. Bobby is driving me crazy.”

“Aw, come on,” Bobby drawled and pulled them both into a hug that lasted a while.

After Bobby finally let her go to take Nadine out for a dance, Vanessa watched with a big grin.

She spotted Dani and Jade dancing in a circle with the little girls when Jade stopped, staring at the entrance to the ballroom.

When Vanessa turned to see who or what Jade was looking at, her face flamed.

“Oh, hell no,” she muttered. Before Santino could see the uninvited guest, Vanessa rushed to the entrance, her feet quick in her satin ballerina shoes.

Scott Malone, again, right now? He was in conversation with Virgil, who held up his palms when he saw her face.

“He’s just dropped by to say a few words. It’s cool,” Virgil said quickly. “In fact, he’s here to speak to both of you. I’ll go get Santino. It’s cool.”

Exhaling, Vanessa tried to calm her nerves as Virgil squeezed her arm reassuringly and went to find her groom. She looked up at Scott, who was dressed in a dark gray suit and white shirt. He held a wine-colored velvet box tied with a small gold ribbon.

“Okay, I know Virgil wants all his friends to get along, but if you’re here to say something crazy and cause more trouble, it won’t work. You’re too late.” Vanessa held up her hand, showing him the rock on her finger. With the other hand, she touched her belly.

Scott grinned and shook his head. It was partly sarcastic, but faded into the genuine smile she once knew.

“No, ma’am. I’m in town for the festival, and I heard from Virg that this was happening. For you and your husband.” Scott tried handing her the box and chuckled when she looked at it skeptically. “It’s not a bomb, Vanessa. It’s a token of my goodwill. You look beautiful.”

That caught her off guard, coming from him. But the sincerity in the green eyes gazing at her warmed her.

Softly, with a smile, she answered, “Thank you.”

“You’re welcome.”

By then Santino was striding in their direction, with Virgil barely keeping up. When he reached them, he glared at Scott.

“What do you want?” Santino demanded.

“I dropped by to give you a wedding present and to apologize,” Scott said, straightening his shoulders and lifting his chin. “The last time I saw you guys, I said some things that weren’t my place to say. I’d like to let bygones be bygones. I wish you both the best. I really do.”

“Thank you,” Santino responded slowly. When Scott reached out a hand, Santino hesitated, but he shook it.

“Also, I heard about what happened, down in New York. That shit was crazy. I’m glad you’re both alright. You may not be a Saint, but you’re kin to them, which means you are to me, as much as I hate to acknowledge it.”

Santino only nodded, still looking stern, but the hard line of his jaw had softened.

“Thank you,” Vanessa said. She glanced at Santino, who raised an eyebrow at her with a slight shrug as if he knew what she was thinking. “If you’re hungry, we might have an extra plate. Just stay away from the mic, okay?”

Scott grinned. He lifted his chin in Bobby’s direction, who was staring at them from across the room. “My man over there probably wouldn’t be cool with that.”

He was in the middle of shaking Santino’s hand again when he glanced up and paused, his eyes fixed on something over Santino’s shoulder. Vanessa looked over and saw Jade, who was staring back at him with her lips lifting up at the corners into a beautiful smile.

“You sure you want to leave so soon?” Vanessa asked, her eyes shifting between them.

Scott’s eyes narrowed. He turned back to her with a smirk. “On second thought, I might have a drink or two before I head out.” He nodded curtly, then disappeared into the crowd and out of Vanessa’s sight.

Santino, who’d somehow missed that entire development, shrugged his shoulders and took her hand. “That motherfucker better not drink up all our shit.” He glanced down at the box in her hand with a raised eyebrow. “You sure that ain’t a bomb?”

She laughed. “I was wondering the same. Uh-oh. I think I need to find the bathroom. I’ve had a ton of sparkling champagne, and Bambino is using my bladder as a punching bag.”

“I’ll come with you.”

Vanessa made a slight detour to put Scott’s gift on the long table laden with presents.

Ling had put herself in charge of shipping half of them to Parma and the other half to Santino’s — their freshly renovated house in Bronxville.

She was standing nearby, gazing dreamily at the other dancing guests while she chatted with Marcie the shopkeeper, who hopefully hadn’t brought any of those candles as her present.

Ling caught Vanessa’s stare and gave her a smile.

Vanessa had been hoping to introduce her to Jace and maybe make a love connection, but he’d showed up with another one of his “one-hit wonders” and foiled her schemes.

He was out on the dance floor now, spinning Sandy around while his date and Sandy’s looked on with annoyed expressions from their table.

The bathroom was a single person affair down one of the quieter corridors of the hotel. Santino waited outside while she went in. But moments later, after she’d taken care of business and was washing her hands and checking her makeup, there was a knock on the door.

“Can I come in?”

“Back to this again?” she sighed with a shake of her head.

She opened the door, starting to say, “You really can’t wait five min—” But he walked in and locked the door with that devilish smile and that heated look in his eyes.

Clearly, her husband wasn’t interested in chatting and suddenly, she was ravenous.

“You sure we shouldn’t just wait to get to the honeymoon? ”

“Fuck no. I need you now.”