EPILOGUE

LUCA

I looked out over the crowd of people as I anxiously waited for the music to start. It had been a crazy ride so far, falling in love with a woman I wasn't sure I could trust and then marrying her on the sly without telling a soul, but I had a family that was better than anything I'd ever dreamed of now, and I wouldn't change a thing.

My dad smiled at me from his seat in the front pew, squeezed between my mom, who was already crying, and Bernadette who was looking around anxiously while she went through every last minute detail of the wedding she'd helped plan.

Behind them were my siblings and the rest of my family - including most of the wild Texas bunch that had all but adopted me the first time we met.

When the music started, my eyes shot to the door. I watched some of the women I considered family take their turns walking up the aisle. I smiled when Ember and Coco appeared in the doorway, each of them pushing one of the boys slowly up the aisle as they smiled and waved at the people they knew in the crowd.

As soon as Coco and Ember got to the front of the cathedral, the nannies that we'd hired specifically for this event swept in from the side and directed the strollers carrying Zach and Brett's sons outside. Ember grabbed Coco's hand, and they walked slowly up the stairs together to take their place on the stage.

I smiled down at Ember when she stopped on the step right below mine and whispered, "Sei bellissima, principessa."

"Grazie, Papà. Sei molto bello oggi."

I winked at her before I said, "You're always beautiful."

"And you're always handsome."

"Love you, pricipessa."

"Ti amo, Papà."

Finally, the music changed. I looked away from my daughter toward the back of the cathedral. The crowd in front of me stood, but I barely noticed because I only had eyes for the beautiful woman who was standing in the doorway. Her eyes met mine, and she lifted her chin and put her shoulders back, my regal queen who would help rule the empire next to me and my brother until we left this world to spend eternity together.

My Lou. The greatest gift I'd ever been given, and the woman I would cherish for the rest of my days.

I hadn't been searching for her when I found her, but she was the greatest treasure I would ever have. I thanked God every day for bringing her and Ember into my life.

My beautiful wife and daughter made my life complete - at least until our next child was born and I added his or her name to the roster, which I hoped would be sooner rather than later.

I met Tabby at the bottom of the stairs and leaned down to steal a kiss from her before I escorted her up to the priest.

"You're not supposed to kiss me yet," Tabby hissed as she gave me a wide-eyed look.

"You're so beautiful, I forgot myself."

"Well, remember," Tabby whispered before she grinned. "By the way, you look pretty good too. What are you doing later?"

"You."

Tabby's laughter rang out as I swept her up in my arms. Once we were standing in front of the priest, I set her on her feet and said, "I didn't want you to get cold feet and run from me."

"I'm not sure it's good for a woman in my condition to run," Tabby whispered.

"Your condition?" I asked in shock.

Tabby winked at me and then nodded at the priest, who proceeded to talk for what seemed like forever. Finally, it was time to kiss my bride so that we could officially start our new life together as a family - which would soon be a family of four.

"Ti amo, moglie."

"And I love you, my husband."

THE END