Page 131 of The Great Dating Fake Off
A truck with a Celebrations by El painted on the side barrels into the lot.
“Excellent, dinner has arrived!” Alessia shoots Giuseppe a look. “For after the ceremony.”
“Are we all allowed inside the courthouse?” Mamma V asks, nearly frantic. “Will we fit?”
“We’ll fit,” Enzo assures her.
“Wait for us!” Nonna Gloria and Santino yell in unison from deeper in the parking lot, hand in hand as they rush toward us.
“Shit, I forgot to tell them,” Enzo says, smacking his forehead.
“I told Nonna Gloria the plan,” Alessia says. “I know it was supposed to be a secret, but…”
“I told my grandpa,” Benji admits.
Sebastian puts his hand over his eyebrows as he looks toward the entrance to the lot. “And apparently the grandparents called a few people.”
“Wait, are those cars all our people?” Ro asks, mouth hanging open.
Vinny studies the processional. “I see my cousin’s GMC, and that’s Great Aunt Bella’s Hyundai.”
“My brother’s the one in that white Mercedes sprinter van, probably toting his kids,” Giuseppe adds.
That’s the thing about big, meddlesome Italian families. Nothing stays secret for long.
A dozen or so vehicles pull into spots near El’s catering truck. The doors to the Mercedes van open and an army of teenage Italian boys in hoodies hop out. One opens the trunk and pulls out four large poles, while another grabs a giant, white folded tarp. The rest all snag colorful beach chairs.
They set to work assembling the canopy over the cracked concrete in the corner of the lot. Twenty people could fit under that thing.
And they’re not the only ones who brought their own party supplies. The Hyundai came loaded with a foldable banquet table and several chairs and a lot of plastic water bottles that have been filled with red wine, perhaps for ease of drinking.
El throws open the window to her catering truck, looking ready to serve lamb and/or beef through the window. She blows Alessia a kiss.
As the party takes shape, chaos, laughter, and excitement swirl in the air, carried by wind that holds the faintest cool bite of the approaching fall.
“Is this allowed?” I ask, incredulous. “Can we really take over the courthouse like this?”
Alessia puts on a winning grin. “Money talks, babe.”
“But are government buildings allowed to take money in exchange—”
“Fear not,” Alessia ruffles my hair and shoots me a wink. “It’s a wedding. Everything is allowed.”
“Seven-minute warning!” Enzo calls as a few more cars flood the lot. “Sergio, can you stay out here for four more minutes and help with the reception tent? We’re heading in.” He grabs his future wife’s hand. “I’m not missing my wedding a second time. Not for anything.”
…
Only a beautiful, intimate wedding ceremony could hold my attention when Sebastian freaking Rossi is seated next to me in a courthouse pew.
Good thing I can’t take my eyes off the bride.
Not even a minute after the judge declares them husband and wife, Sebastian’s mouth finds my ear. Really finds it, his lips brushing the shell.
I nearly launch off the pew in shock.
“Can we talk?” he whispers.
I forget to breathe as claps and cheers fill the room. “Sure. After the wedding?”
