Page 129 of The Great Dating Fake Off
We both shut our mouths in tandem.
“We’ll talk later?” he asks, his expression inscrutable.
I can only nod.
Mamma V and Giuseppe link arms as they approach Vinny.
Giuseppe turns his nose up, but his tone is neutral enough. “Nice car, Mazzelli.”
Vinny waves a hand. “Thanks. It’s my spare.”
Giuseppe’s eye twitches. “Great.”
“Banger of a start,” Alessia mutters.
Ro’s heels click on the concrete as she slowly approaches Enzo. She takes the flowers from his hand. “What is this?”
“This”—Enzo gestures at the group of us as he drops down on one knee—“is me trying. I’m not going to sugarcoat it: this has been the worst few weeks of my life. I was stubborn at times, but so were you. And we were both irrational.”
“Banger of a continuation,” Alessia mutters even more quietly.
Enzo hears and shoots her a silencing look. “But every struggle makes us stronger. And I’ve never been surer of my love for you than when faced with a life without you.” He peers down the line, his gaze settling on the three parents. “We can do this the easy way. The way you’re used to. You can hate me, object to our union, and raise hell.”
He pauses.
“Or,” he continues, reaching in his pocket. “We could do it the hard way.”
Ro’s hand trembles as she lifts it. “I already have my ring.”
“I know. And it looks good on you.” He pulls out his phone. “Here’s the other option. The lot of you accept this invitation for a standing monthly dinner at Santino’s place. We work through the fight, the hate, and frustration. We become a proper family, even when it’s hard. Vinny, you accept my wife as your daughter, and Veronica and Giuseppe, you accept me as your son. Any kids we are lucky enough to have will regard the feud as nothing more than family lore. Either way, I will spend every single day of my life loving this woman with all that I am. The question is, will you be a part of it or not?”
I shift to look at the families to gauge their reactions, but I catch Sebastian’s eyes on me.
It is unwavering. He makes no attempt to hide it. I tumble headfirst into his gaze, forgetting briefly where I am, what we’re doing here, and even my own name.
Several phones beep at once, even mine and Sebastian’s. I startle out of the moment, my heart racing at a dangerous clip.
Enzo actually had a calendar invite ready to deploy.
“What do you think?” Ro asks, a different font of Enzo’s hope written on her face as she looks to her parents. “Can we do this?”
All eyes turn to the parents.
Mamma V wipes beneath her eye. “We can. And we will.”
Giuseppe nods once. “It’s done.”
Vinny lifts the phone close to his face to read. “How negotiable is the Santino’s place part of this?”
“Dad, please,” Alessia groans.
“I’m kidding!” Vinny lifts his arms. “Rosalina, I’m sorry for not making you feel welcome. I’m not always good at…words, really. In surgery, emotions are a liability. But I hope you know I’m more than happy to welcome another daughter. That will bring my total to three.” His gaze turns hopeful as he turns to Alessia and Eloise. “I’m a very lucky father, and I know I don’t say it enough. But it’s never too late to start. Eloise, I hope you feel welcome in this family, too.”
Alessia beams as she takes Eloise’s hand. “Thanks, Dad. We appreciate that more than you know.”
“Which is why I will happily pay for both weddings,” he continues, back to business. “No matter the cost.”
“Two weddings. You may have to sell the spare Tesla,” Giuseppe offers with a charitable smirk.
