Chapter 41

Fiore hands mea champagne flute as Stella buttons the back of my dress. "Bellissima, sorella."

I smile and take a sip, hoping the bubbles will calm my nerves. "Grazie, Fiore."

"I've always wanted a sister."

I smile and squeeze her hand. "Me too."

She clasps a pearl bracelet on my wrist. "I'm just so happy for you both. Mamma and Papà gave this to me on my confirmation day. Something borrowed per mia sorella per sempre. For my forever sister."

"It's beautiful, thank you." I lean in and kiss her cheek. Stella fusses for me to stop moving.

Cara smiles at me from her chair, where she's sipping champagne and taking pictures.

Nonna claps her hands once Stella finishes. "Everyone out, I need to speak to Summer alone, per favore."

Cara kisses my cheek. "I need to go check on Barbara, anyway. When I last saw her, she was asking Great-Uncle Giovanni if he preferred blondes or brunettes."

I laugh. "Oh God, some things never change."

"Great-Uncle Giovanni?" Fiore's face scrunches. "Ugh, no. Get that image out of my head, Cara!"

I give Cara a grateful smile as she shuffles Fiore out the door. Stella gives me a wink before the door closes with a soft click.

The older woman fluffs out the back of my dress and inspects her handiwork. Thousands of seed pearls have been sewn into the bodice and skirt of the dress. It's breathtaking. She's wearing her signature tunic and palazzo pants in oyster-gray silk with seed pearl embroidery along her neckline. She looks elegant and stunning as always. She picks up a navy velvet rectangular box and hands it to me.

"This is from Renzo. He asked me to give it to you."

I open it up and gasp. A delicate gold chain holds three stars made of diamonds. The note attached reads:

Tesoro, a star for you, a star for me, and a star for what will come to be. You are making me the happiest man in the world today. Eternamente tuo, eternally yours, ti amo, Ren

I turn toward the mirror and Nonna helps me put the necklace on. It glitters against my skin.

"You're just missing one more thing, stellina."

She opens my palm and places a diamond pin of an angel holding a sapphire star.

"Oh, Nonna, it's beautiful."

"My nonna gave it to me on my wedding day, and Stella wore it on hers. I know you are missing your grandmother today, and that she would have wanted to be here on this special occasion. This is my way of saying she's here with you in spirit." She hands me a tissue. "Now, don't cry and ruin your makeup. This is a happy day."

I wrap her in a hug. "Grazie, Nonna, for everything…but especially for giving me wings to fly and roots to grow. For giving me a chance."

She takes the pin from me. "La famiglia é la casa del cuore. Family is here, Summer." She points to her heart. "Always remember that." She lifts the skirt of my dress and pins the angel to the inside. "Che gli angeli benedicano te e Lorenzo con una lunga e felice vita insieme. May the angels bless you and Lorenzo with a long and happy life together."

"Grazie, Nonna."

"No, thank you, Summer, for making this old woman's heart a happy one."

"Lorenzo told me about the ring. You always knew we'd end up together, didn't you?"

"From the moment I opened the door and saw you standing on my front step. I was so worried about Renzo taking the house and turning it into another project that would consume his time. I thought, he's never going to produce great-grandbabies for me if he works all the time. You may be small, but you have good birthing hips."

I bite back a laugh as she lays my skirts back into place.

"I knew Nonno had sent you to me. Un segno. And your wish came true, sí?"

"My wish?"

"The one you asked for on the night of San Lorenzo."

I wished for Lorenzo to be mine."How did you know?"

Nonna's eyes twinkle. "A wish made on the night of the falling stars always comes true."

I eye her dubiously, and she chuckles. "I also might have read your journal you kept in your bedroom drawer."

"You mean my diary?"

"Journal, diary…eh." She shrugs.

Oh my God, I'm pretty sure I wrote about Lorenzo's sexual talents in there. I want to vomit. "Nonna, that was personal!"

"You shouldn't leave things lying around."

"It was in a drawer next to my bed!"

"Basta, let this sentimental old woman remember what it's like to be young and in love again, looking for adventure."

"Nonna, your English is perfect, isn't it? The day I met you, you told me you only spoke a little. You could understand everything Harrison and I were saying, couldn't you?"

She grins like Razzo when he watches me scream after he drops a mouse at the back door. "Sí, I understand it and can speak it perfectly."

"Nonna!"

"What? I get bored from time to time." She gently pats my cheek. "You're the best stray cat I've ever taken in, piccola, besides Nonno Rossi, of course."

Laughter bubbles up inside me. I should be angry with Nonna for reading my diary, annoyed by her impertinence, and upset she lied about her English, but I can't find it in me. If it weren't for her, I wouldn't be standing here right now, about to marry the man of my dreams.

"Shall we head down to the courtyard?" I ask, gathering my skirts.

"Change of plans."

"Wait, what do you mean a change of plans?"

"Lorenzo has a surprise for you." Nonna motions for me to follow. "Come with me."

She leads me out of the back door of the villa to a waiting car.

"Nonna, where are we going? I don't like surprises."

"You'll see."

She helps me tuck my dress into the car and climbs in after me. The driver pulls away from the house. He should turn left around the farm to where Lorenzo and I are supposed to get married, overlooking the trees and hills, but he takes a right down the hill to the old house. Thunder rumbles in the distance. I glance wearily at Nonna. "I hope the events staff covered everything with tents. It wasn't supposed to rain today."

"Pazienza, Summer. It will be alright." She pats my hand. The driver pulls up to the front door of the old house. Harrison and Damien are waiting for us out front in suits, looking dashing.

"Why are we here? Why are they here? Everyone's supposed to be at the farm! Wait, Lorenzo said this house is under construction!"

Nonna peers back at me over her shoulder before she exits the car, cackling. "He lied."

"Nonna Rossi, lovely as always." Harrison bows slightly as he helps her out. His jaw drops as I try to scoot out of the limo behind her. He helps me to my feet. "Wow, Summer. You're stunning!"

Despite my confusion of why we're here, his compliment makes me smile. "Grazie, H."

"Did you see smoking-hot Daniella? She looks like a goddess. Not as pretty as you, of course."

"Of course," I deadpan. "Do you call her smoking-hot Daniella to her face?"

Harrison's cheeks bloom pink. "Sometimes? I can't help myself. She's freaking smoking hot." Nonna clears her throat and Harrison ducks his head. "I gotta go. Nonna scares me."

Damien whistles as he lends me his hand. "You look beautiful, Summer. He's a lucky man."

My cheeks heat. "Thanks Dame." I smooth out my dress while we wait for Harrison and Nonna to slip inside the house. "Okay, tell me what's going on."

"You don't know?"

I jab him in the side. "You know I don't. Spill it."

"Sorry, I made an oath to Nonna. She threatened me with bodily harm."

"You're seriously scared of an eighty-eight-year-old woman?"

"Yes," he chuffs and looks at his watch. "Forget about Nonna. Summer, you know you've always been like a sister to me. Cara and I are going to miss you so much, but you deserve all the happiness in the world. We love you. And Lorenzo's a cool dude, too."

"Oh damn, Damien, don't make me start crying now." My nose burns, tears threatening to spill. I wave my hand in front of my face.

"Shit, my bad."

I laugh, my emotions swinging like a pendulum. He looks at his watch. "It's time." He opens the front door.