After a few moments, he rolled them over. “Come on, sweetheart. Time for us to get up. We have a long day ahead of us.”
“What? How? I thought this was going to be a lazy weekend.”
Yes, that’s what Rhys had promised, but that was mainly because he wanted to make sure she did not know what he had planned. He had worked closely with Beverly, Hyacinth’s mom, to make many of the arrangements. Leo and Marco had arrived last night, along with Arturo and his wife, Sydney, as well as Angelo. Tristan and his wife Camille were due to arrive this morning. Some of her family friends, the uncles she always bragged about from Vegas, had also come into town.
“Come on baby. Trust me, you’re going to love this. You have thirty minutes to get dressed or I’ll drag you out to the car naked.”
“Sadist,” she accused.
“Yeah, and you love me.”
“I do. I really do,” she mumbled into the pillow.
One hour later, they arrived at another house overlooking the beach. Her mother was waiting out front, along with two other black women Hyacinth didn’t know.
“Hi, I’m Camille Lucarelli, wife to Rhys’s friend Tristan, from Providence.”
“Hey. I’m Sydney Sabatino, wife to his cousin Arturo from Boston.”
At the deer in the headlights look on her face, Hyacinth’s mother stepped up. “Close your mouth, dear. This is a special day that your husband has been planning for a while. He wanted to make things special for you. His close family and friends flew in to meet you.” She motioned toward the two women. “They’re going to help you get dressed and prepare. Are you ready for your surprise?”
The two beautiful women smiled before turning to walk away.
“Mom,” Hyacinth hissed. “Did you say Lucarelli?”
Just as low, Beverly responded. “Yes. I think he’s mentioned before that they’re childhood friends. His brother Leo apparently works for Tristan, but you knew that already. Apparently, he wasn’t kidding when he said they’re all very close. Oh, and there are two other guys here that you should know. Max Bishop and Nico Mitchell, and they’re both with their wives. Those guys… let’s just say, I’m glad they’re on our side. Sweetheart, with who your husband has in attendance, your father and I will never have to worry about you again. I think your circle of protection just got much larger.”
“Yeah, I think you’re right.”
Four hours later, Hyacinth walked out into a beautiful garden with flowers surrounding the guests on all sides. The crowd of onlookers wasn’t overly large, but she couldn’t help but notice the men sitting on Rhys’s side, along with their beautiful wives. Camille and Sydney were sitting with their husbands. While she chose not to have them walk in front of her down the aisle, she asked if they would sit in the front row as a sign of thanks. They readily agreed.
Then she looked up at the front and saw Rhys waiting for her with the priest. Looping her arm around her fathers, she looked up at him and saw the emotion on his face. “Dad, you know we’re already married, right?”
Her father shook his head at her smart remark. “Of course, I do. I just never thought we’d get to see this day. That man of yours… I have a feeling he’s going to do right by you. You’ve found what your mother and I have. Our only wish is for you to be happy.”
Looking at Rhys before turning back to her father, she nodded. “I am. He makes me happy.” Shifting back to the front, she walked toward her future.
When she arrived at the altar, Rhys grabbed her face and leaned in for a kiss. The priest cleared his throat, but neither of them were paying any attention. As their kiss broke, she stared up at her husband and smiled.
“Thank you.”
“Oh, sweetheart, you never have to thank me.” He kissed her again before leaning back. “And don’t worry, we’ll do more of that tonight.”
She motioned to the surrounding area and the wedding guests staring up at them. “You are amazing. I don’t know how you pulled this off. You even arranged for my mermaid wedding dress, which fits perfectly, by the way.”
“I had a little help.” He turned to look at her parents. “Your mom loves her new son-in-law. But the picture isn’t quite done yet. Look up, sweetheart.”
As Hyacinth raised her head, she saw the moon sitting in the sky. It wasn’t completely dark yet, but it was enough to see the moonlight shining down on them. The sound of the beach and the ocean waves crashing against the shore seemed to play as a soundtrack for their night. Tears filled her eyes as she stood ready to marry Rhys again. Her heart swelled with so much love for her husband. The man who loved her with an intensity she had never experienced before.
“The day you saved me was the best day of my life. No matter what happens from now on, I’ll be by your side. I love you Mr. Mannetti.”
“From the moment you crashed into my life,” he began, but he was stopped as everyone laughed. The story of their fated meeting had been shared with others many times over and had become almost lore. With a smile, he looked down at Hyacinth and started speaking again. “After one look in your eyes, I knew you were meant to be mine. No matter that you can wield a knife and a gun like nobody’s business—” he paused as Hyacinth glanced over at her dad.
“Thanks, Dad,” she said with a smile.
He nodded in return, placing one hand over his heart. “You’re welcome, princess.”
Not that she ever intended to use those skills again, but it was good that she could hold her own if needed. Plus, considering who her husband’s friends were, she had a feeling their life together wouldn’t be all flowery goodness.