Total pages in book: 116
Estimated words: 110103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 551(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 110103 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 551(@200wpm)___ 440(@250wpm)___ 367(@300wpm)
I kissed her cheek. I’d been trying to be as open as possible with my parents in the eight months since Santino had asked me for my hand. “I won’t lie to you again.” Then I grinned. “And I’m sure you’ll soon have enough to worry about with Leonas.”
Mom sighed. “We’ll see.” She glanced at her elegant gold watch. “We have to hurry. It’s almost time.”
She helped me slip on my dress.
Mom shook her head with a look of admiration. “This dress is absolutely stunning. I’m glad you decided to design your own wedding dress this time.”
“This time meant enough to me that I wanted to put in the effort.”
“And last time you probably knew deep down that you wouldn’t go through with the wedding in the end.”
I nodded, deep down I’d probably always known it.
I loved everything about the dress. I’d found inspiration in nature like I often did with my recent designs. For my wedding dress, I’d taken inspiration from a calla lily. I’d looked at the beautiful flower for days as I’d drawn my gown and then touched the silky flowers until I’d found the right silk fabric to mimic the feel of the petals.
My dress was like an upside-down calla lily. The skirt was shorter in the front and the back had a slightly pointed train like the petal of the flower. The dress looked as smooth as the petal, and felt even smoother to the touch, but not quite as clean as silk. There was a velvety quality to it. But my favorite part was the gentle color progression. It was a subtle ombre effect with the train of the dress being white and then on level with my knees a shift became slowly visible to the eye from pearlescent white to a subtle bluish hue. I’d found a rare cultivation of the calla with a white-blue color gradient and immediately fallen in love. My bodice was a subdued light blue with silver threads and lace. I had chosen white gold jewelry, with the earrings and the pendant in the shape of a calla lily. The blue of the dress accentuated the blue of my eyes, and my shoes, too, had a subtle color shift from white to blue. My bridal bouquet was a tightly bound bouquet consisting only of white calla lilies.
It was out of the ordinary and would certainly cause a bit of a stir. But I wanted to make a statement. As I’d told Santino once, I didn’t want to follow a trend. I wanted to create one.
When I met Dad in front of the double doors of the church, his expression was tender. “Today you look like the Anna I love the most.”
Tears sprang into my eyes. “Dad, don’t make me cry!”
I squeezed his arm hard and pressed a light kiss to his cheek. “I love you too, and today I feel like the Anna I like the most. I feel like myself.”
“Then it’s worth it.”
I gave him a grateful smile. His support meant a lot to me. I wanted to please Dad. He was a role model for me and his continued support even after I didn’t go through with the wedding to Clifford had only elevated my love and admiration for him.
“Ready?” he asked quietly.
“Today, I am.”
The doors swung open and Dad and I stepped into the nave.
My eyes zeroed in on Santino and nothing else mattered anymore. All other sounds around me faded to the background. My heartbeat pounded in my ears and I had to stifle a wide grin, but my smile was definitely wider than I usually allowed it to be in public.
Santino looked marvelous in a slim-fit blue linen suit with a white dress shirt and a white calla lily in his breast pocket. He wasn’t wearing a tie or bowtie. I’d asked him not to because I knew he hated it. His eyes never left mine and everything fell into place.
When I arrived at Santino’s side, he pressed a short kiss against my lips, breaking protocol—another reason why I loved him.
I didn’t care if others approved of our love or how we displayed it.
We linked hands as we faced the priest. It was another priest. I didn’t want any part of my almost wedding with Clifford to spoil this day.
This time my “I do” came without hesitation and it filled the big church with its certainty.
Santino slipped the ring of his late mother onto my finger and I could see in his face how much this meant to him. His dad had given it to him shortly after our engagement because Frederica had no need for it. I really wish I’d met Santino’s mom.
“You may kiss the bride.”
Santino cupped my cheeks and lowered his lips to mine.
I couldn’t believe we were finally allowed to be with each other, that we finally had the blessing of our families. Maybe we could have gotten it before if we’d tried. If I’d had the bravery to say no to my wedding with Clifford sooner, but maybe the long journey to be together made us appreciate each other and our bond so much more.