"Olivia?" I stare wide-eyed as her features light up.
"Long time, no see, eh?" She grins and comes to a stop in front of us. Penny steps out of my embrace, and Olivia looks me up and down. Her chin trembles, and her eyes shine. Yeah, Olivia acts like she’s the tough one, but inside, she’s a softie. The one’s who pretend to be hard-hearted always are.
"Wh-what are the two of you doing here?"
They look at each other. "We got a call from your Mafioso." Olivia half smiles. "He told us the two of you decided to elope, but he felt you’d prefer if the two of us were there as your bridesmaids—"
"He had Massimo pick us up and take us to this darling little boutique where we picked out our bridesmaid's dresses—" Penny gestures to the short blue dresses they’re both wearing— "then Massimo took us to their private jet, and here we are."
He made sure my friends had bridesmaids dresses? The man thinks of everything. Speaking of... "We flew in a private jet," I say slowly, "then he sent you another private jet?"
"So, he has a lot of private jets?" Olivia raises a shoulder. "Also, your dress is gorgeous."
"He had this waiting for me."
"You mean, he had this all tailored and ready for you?" Penny asks.
"It would seem so."
"It fits you beautifully," Olivia murmurs.
"I’m so happy both of you are here." I glance between them, then throw my arms around both of them again.
"Your dress," Olivia protests.
"I don’t care." I hold onto them.
"We care." Penny shrugs out of my embrace and I let them go.
"What are you doing to your hair?"
Half an hour later, I glance at myself in the mirror. Penny helped me put my hair up in a twist of some kind, and Olivia helped me with my make-up. The result is that I look radiant. Like a bride, I suppose. I am a bride… Even though it’s all fake, it doesn’t feel fake. That’s the problem. It feels too real. It’s happening; it’s really happening. I squeeze my fingers together. I draw in a breath and my stomach protests. I taste bile on my tongue, and sweat breaks out on my hair line. "Oh, god, I’m going to be sick, I think."
"Don’t you dare." Penny rubs my back. "Breathe, babe, breathe. Everything is going to be okay."
"You have no idea." I meet her gaze in the mirror. My face is almost as white as the dress. "Penny." I swallow. "I have something to tell you guys."
She and Olivia exchange worried glances. "What is it? You can tell us anything."
"It’s… it’s not what it seems." I twist my fingers together. I know I shouldn’t tell anyone that all this is a farce, but it’s killing me not to. "Luca and I, we—"
There’s a knock on the door.
"Hold that thought—" Penny turns and flounces to the doorway and opens it. I peer in that direction in the mirror, but can’t see who’s on the other side. It has to be him, right? Who else could it be?
I hear the low rumble of his voice, though he’s too far away for me to make out the words. Penny nods. Then she shuts the door and turns around with a gorgeous bouquet, filled with white and blue flowers, in her arms.
"What’s that?" I ask.
She walks toward me, holding the bouquet in a reverential way. As she comes closer, the scent of jasmine drifts toward me. There are strands of star-shaped flowers on stalks and bluebells. Like the dress, it’s simple, elegant, and utterly memorable.
"It’s a bridal bouquet," Penny says in a hushed voice.
She holds it out to me. Tears gather in my eyes, and the bouquet fades in and out of my vision.
"Don’t cry, babe, you’ll spoil your make up," Olivia warns as she pats my shoulder.
I reach for the bouquet, and Olivia grabs a tissue and pats my cheek. "Are you ready?"