Chapter Twelve
-Areila-

            “You look so beautiful.” Teresa pulled a brown curl away from my face and smiled at me in the mirror.

“Absolutely gorgeous.” Val agreed. I blushed and smiled softly.

“Thank you. Both of you.” Rafe’s mother nodded before politely excusing herself. There was only minutes before I’d be walking down the aisle. Val turned to me and we spoke at the same time,

“Ar—”

“Val—”

“You go first,” She insisted.

“Val. . .you’re my best friend. I know you might not agree with this whole deal, to be honest, I don’t think I do either, and I know you’ve tried to talk me out of it, and now. . .all I can think about is how I should’ve listened to you. I’m in love with someone who is incapeble of loving me back, and marrying him just to keep his image safe. I’m not even sure he’ll be a good father to my children. I waited all this time and now I’m only minutes away from tying the knot with that man forever, is it too late to turn back?”

“No, Ar,” My best friend grabbed my hands and shook her head violently, “I know what I said, but I couldn’t have been more wrong! Rafaello. . .I judged him before I knew him. I still don’t know him, but what I do know is that he’s a good man. Ar, don’t give up, he loves—”

“Are you ready, Areila?” We both turned to see Rafe’s father poke his head inside the door of my small changing room. He was a quiet-spoken man, with rough features identical to his son, but he was nothing less than a kind, gentle giant. When I asked, he’d told me he would be honored to walk me down the aisle. I forced a smile and nodded,

“Yes, I’m coming.” I faced my best friend and maid of honor once more amd hugged her tightly. “Sorry I didn’t listen to you sooner.” I whispered. I pulled away and approached Rafe’s father, who held the crook of his elbow out to me. I slid my small hand through and held my bouquet of red roses in the other.

He led me to the doors service room of the church and the moment I heard soft music begin to play, we turned the corner and entered a room of people. I’d asked for a small wedding, only family and close friends.

Well, he’s Italian, what did you expect, Ar? I could practically hear Val’s voice in my head.

At least it’s small.

I walked slowly, led my Rafe’s father, down the aisle, nearly fifty pairs of eyes on me as they all stood unmovingly. I kept my eyes forward, glued on the two stairs leading to where Val and Owen had just parted and taken their places by the minister.

One step. . .two. . .three. . .

I reached four, and paused as I was given away.

“Thank you, Toni,” I whispered before he pulled away, kissing my for forehead, he replied softly,

“Call me Dad from now on.” His gentle kiss reminded me of my childhood, when my own father would kiss me goodnight, and I reveled in the memory. He took his seat and I advanced, looking up for the first time. The sight that greeted me haulted my breath and almost my steps.

Rafe stood there, nearly open mouthed, gazing at me like I was the most beautiful woman in the world. His eyes shone with lust and. . .love?

“We’ve gathered you here today. . .to celebrate the holy matrimony of these two people.” The surprisingly booming voice erupted from the elderly priest’s throat, startling me. “The eternal bonding of this young woman,” his frail hand touched mine before his other connected with Rafe’s, “and this fine man.”

The wedding had officially begun.

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“Now, if you’ll exchange vows.” The priest guestured to us, open bible in his hands, and I think I caught a glimpse of a smile.

“Areila,” Rafe started, and I faced him once again to find his eyes boaring into mine. “I met you at a bar, you were working, filling in for someone else, and at the first glance, as unholy as this sounds, I knew I had to have you. You intrigued me in some way that I wasn’t sure of. You were too skinny, too pale, too innocent. Not anything like I was used to.” Owen coughed behind him and the two men cracked a smile, although Rafe’s disappeared quickly. “You took weeks to even look at me in the eye. But now, here we are.” He paused, looking so deeply into my eyes, I couldn’t look away even if I wanted to. He glanced back down at the paper he held in his hand, “You’ve put me through hell, I’ll give you that. And the thought of being a father scared me. But now, after these few months, I’m not that scared any more. If there’s one thing that I learned so far is. . . I’m completely and utterly in love with you.”

My heart skipped a beat. And then another. He. . .loves me? Is he serious? Or is it just an act? For the sake of the guests?

“I love the way you smile at the little things, I love the way you lick the frosting off cupcakes before even taking a bite, I love how you waltz into my office to yell at me instead of just calling my phone, I love the way you refuse to curse, and when you do you immidiately apologize, I love the way you look at the world through rose-colored glasses, Areila. I love you. I truely do. And so with this ring, I promise to hold you, support you, and love you in everything you do, in sickness and in health, for rich or for poor, and the whole to death do us part thing.” Rafe slid the silver ring up my finger as tears brewed in my eyes.

“Areila?” The priest urged me. I cleared my throat and tried to hold back the tears.

“Um. . .” I’d written my own vows, and tried to memorize them, but right now I was wishing I’d kept the little note card in the bodice of my dress like normal brides. “Rafaello,” I started, my voice coming out scratchy and wet. I cleared my throat again. “I, uh. . .don’t have my vows with me,” Rafe chuckled as well as the rest of the congregation, I laughed nervously before taking a deep breath and drying my eyes. For once in my life, I was going to wing it. “I don’t have my paper with me. So I’m just gonna say what I’m feeling, I guess.”

“At first. . .I hated you. I came to work for you and assumed you were a cold hearted man, but now I know that’s not true. You’re a strong man and good with kids and simple. Sometimes you’re over-protective and possessive and jealous, but now I see that you do it all for me. Because you’re completely and utterly in love with me,” I gazed intensely into his black eyes, smiling softly, “Just as I am completely and utterly in love with you.” I felt like tome stood still until Rafe’s kissable lips split into a wide grin. “So with this ring,” I continued, “I promise to hold you, support you, and love you in everything you do. In sickness and in health, for rich or for poor, and the whole to death do us part thing.” By the time I finished, we were both grinning for ear to ear as the priest announced,

“And by the power vested in me by the Lord above, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

I wasn’t aware of the fifty or so people standing up from their seats in the pews to clap and hollar and cheer, I wasn’t aware of my new in-laws crying in the first row, I wasn’t aware of the priest or Owen or Val grinning like mad, because the moment the elderly man spoke those words, Rafe grabbed me tight up against him and his hot lips molded with mine. Everything just fell away. All I knew was his taste, his smell, his feel.

When he finally pulled away, leaving us both breathless, he pressed his forehead to mine. “Do you really love me?” He whispered. I nodded my head against his.

“Yes. Undeniably and incrediably. I love you. Do you really love me?” I whispered back. He nodded his head.

“Undeniably and incrediably.” And with that, he captured my mouth with his again in a passionate, loving kiss.

Because he really loved me.