Page 290 of Lorenzo

“And I promise I will spend the rest of my life making sure you never regret saying yes to me.”

Donatella takes a breath and looks at me for a long moment before she begins.

“I had a very good speech prepared.”

“I am sure you did.”

“And now, I'm going to cry through the whole thing.”

She blows out a breath. I squeeze her hands in reassurance.

“When I met you, I thought I knew what I wanted and what came next. But I was just lying to myself. I had no idea. I was starting over and learning how to trust myself again.

“Then I met you. And somewhere between arguing with you, navigating life with your family, and watching you become one of Mocha’s favorite people, I realized you had become mine too. That's when my life really started to feel like mine again.”

She looks at me, and there is nothing uncertain in her expression now.

“You never made me feel like I had to become someone else to fit into your life. You trusted me to do the work I know how to do, and you taught me that trusting someone does not mean giving up who I am.”

She looks down briefly at her stomach before meeting my eyes again.

“And now we’re doing this.”

I smile.

“I love you. I love your sons. I love the life we have built together, and I love knowing there is still so much of it ahead of us.”

She smiles through the tears in her eyes.

“I choose you, too, Lorenzo. For all of it.”

The officiant asks for the rings, and Alessio steps forward with Mocha beside him.

Mocha sits when he stops, looking entirely serious about the responsibility he has been given. Alessio crouches and unfastens the small pouch secured to his collar, then takes out the rings and hands them over.

I take Donna’s first.

She holds out her left hand, and I slide the ring onto her finger beside the engagement ring, repeating the officiant’s words.

Then she takes mine.

Her hands are still a little unsteady from crying, but she smiles as she pushes the band into place, saying the same words.

I turn my hand slightly, looking at it for a moment before I look back at her.

The officiant continues, and I reach for both of her hands again as we wait for the words that will make this official.

The officiant looks between us and smiles.

“By the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife.”

Donna’s fingers tighten around mine.

“You may now kiss your bride.”

I pull her toward me and kiss her as our family erupts into applause behind us.

For a long time, I believed I had already had my great love.