Holiday Hoax (Windy City Holidates #3)

Epilogue

MIA

TWO YEARS LATER

Winter in Lake Como is more beautiful than I could have ever imagined. When Ian and I finally sat down to plan our wedding, I knew without a doubt that I wanted it to be in Italy. It feels like a full circle moment knowing the first time we spent a day alone together was here and it’s where the foundation of our friendship turned love was laid.

Ian has a friend from the UK who owns boutique hotels over Europe with a retired professional soccer player. Their property here was the perfect mix of opulence and coziness for a winter wedding. The village is lit up with thousands of Christmas lights lending the perfect backdrop.

“I’m going to hang your dress in front of this window and get a few shots of it backlit by the golden hour light glistening off the lake.” I watch from over the photographer’s shoulder as she pulls magic out of the mundane.

“I have to say just one more time how grateful I am that you stepped in to photograph the wedding for us,” I tell her as she focuses on her camera.

Fia Brunetto isn’t a wedding photographer, she’s a world renowned, Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist who just happens to be the wife of one of the owners of the hotel. She graciously stepped up when the photographer we hired to travel with us broke her leg ice skating earlier this week. It turns out she’s actually a midwest girl herself, living here in Italy with her husband and raising their children.

“Don’t even worry about it. I just hope I do the photos justice, I’ve never done anything like this before.” She lowers her camera and looks around the room before directing me over to the window and showing me where to look. “You are absolutely stunning, and you’re not even in the dress yet.”

Laughter trickles through the closed door between the living room and bedroom of the suite. My mom, Ian’s mother, and our sisters are all out there together getting ready and sipping champagne. This time around everything is much more amicable between our families. Becoming a grandmother has softened Delia to the point where she placed her hand over my stomach last night and told me she was ready when I was. My jaw dropped while she polished off her wine and walked away with a soft smile.

Fia opens the door as someone knocks softly. Stella pokes her head in and smiles at me. She’s dressed in a beautiful emerald green gown that flows over her statuesque body, highlighting how perfect she is.

“Do you mind if I help you get in your dress? Your sisters had to go wrangle the kids since the guys have disappeared into the wine cellar.”

“Of course I don’t mind.” She’s become as close, if not closer to me, as my sisters.

I pull the lace and satin gown off the hanger and hand it off to Stella while I slip my robe off. Once my arms are through the sleeves I hear the soft sound of the camera’s shutter while she begins to close up the buttons. I can’t look away from my reflection in the mirror as the dress closes to the perfect fit around me.

Tears mist Stella’s eyes as she meets my gaze in the mirror. “You look so beautiful.”

The lavender peekaboo highlights in my hair catch my attention, unease swirling at how they stand out from my naturally dark tresses. I love them but was planning on dying them to match my natural color for the wedding. Ian is the one who stopped me from doing it, though. He said he fell in love with me while I had them and wouldn’t want me to change something so important just to look traditional. It made me fall in love with him all over again.

“Massimo just texted that he has Ian in place for the first look,” Fia says as she looks down at her phone. “Are you ready?”

“Yes.”

Butterflies take flight in my belly as I follow her down the hall to the elevator. I press a hand to my racing heart and draw a deep breath. Deep in my soul I know he’s going to love the gown I chose, but it doesn’t ease the nerves. What if he has last minute second thoughts?

“It’s going to be okay.” Fia reaches over as the elevator doors close. “Massimo and I got married here, too. I remember being in your position and the nerves. But I listened to Ian talk about you and saw the love shining through his eyes.” Her eyes go glassy in a way only a true romantic’s would for someone who is basically a stranger. “It made me reconsider Massimo’s million requests to renew our vows.”

“That’s so sweet, that he wants to do that.”

“He started talking about it on our honeymoon.” She cuts an exasperated but happy look my way. “I think he would do it every year if I said yes.”

I squeeze her hand back. “We’re the lucky ones, huh?”

“We are,” she agrees right as the doors open to the terrace.

I see the love between the two of them so clearly as I stay out of Ian’s line of sight. Before Fia can even say a single word, Massimo’s fingers are sinking into her soft, red curls as he kisses her deeply. Her cheeks flush pink as they break the kiss, and she smiles exasperatedly at him. I watch as she points to the direction she’s going first and then instructs him on where to bring me out.

“May I?” Massimo asks me holding out his hand to help me down a few marble steps.

“Grazie.” I allow him to guide me down to Ian.

Even from the back, he looks too good to be true. His tuxedo is perfectly tailored for his trim body. The soft breeze coming off the lake is cold, causing his breath to puff out in white clouds. I can’t see his face but I can feel his smile as I approach. Massimo gives me a slight bow and then claps Ian on the shoulder.

“Are you ready?” Ian asks as Massimo’s footsteps fade away.

“Yes, so ready.” He begins to turn, but I stop him with a hand on his shoulder. “But also so nervous.”

“Take a deep breath, Mia. I’m turning in three. Two. One.”

He turns and immediately looks into my eyes, holding contact for a minute before looking down at the rest of me. His lips part as his gaze heats taking in every inch of me. My eyes burn at the way love shines through his. He cups my cheeks carefully and brings his lips to mine in the most tender kiss we’ve ever shared.

“Nothing in my life could have prepared me for how breathtakingly beautiful you are,” he says against my lips. “I can’t wait to slip my ring on your finger and call you mine forever.”