Suckered

by Gina LaManna

  “Then let’s get married now. It’ll be our secret—we don’t have to tell a soul. Nora will get her ceremony, we’ll have a party to celebrate with our friends and family, but we’ll know. The whole time, we’ll know that it’s all pomp and circumstance. We’ll know that the important part…” Anthony held me close, his lips brushing against my neck. “The most important part is already taken care of—just me and you. The way it should be.”

  Anthony’s voice turned to music, light and lilting, and by the time we pulled apart, I was nodding, a shy smile on my face. “I’m guessing this place is special for some reason?”

  He grinned. “It’s not all that special yet, but I hope it will be. I hope it’ll be the place where you agree to be mine forever.”

  I took his hand, let him turn me around and guide me over a cobblestone path winding into the hill. We took the path for a quarter of a mile or so, twisting through the high hills until we stumbled upon a teensy stone cottage.

  A giggle bubbled up in my throat, and I clasped a hand over my mouth. “What is this place?”

  “The best Sweet Shop in all of Italy,” Anthony said. “It used to be a church, and they transformed it into a bakery. What do you think?”

  I stepped forward, the warm smell of cookies and sweets and espresso beans floating over the air. A small courtyard boasted flowers of all colors, with vines hanging from the stone walls. A crooked red mailbox sat out front, its mouth hanging wide open.

  “How does anyone get up here to buy sweets?” I asked, glancing at the steep hill behind us. “Seems like a lot of work for a piece of chocolate.”

  Anthony led me to the far side of the courtyard and pointed out a small town on the other side of the hills. “Tiny town tucked away from the coast. Most tourists never realize it’s here—there’s no direct route from the coastal road. It would’ve taken us an hour to go around by car.”

  “How did you know about it?”

  “We used to come here with my family. It’s where we bought all the pastries for birthdays, Easter, Christmas…” Anthony let his words lapse as he looked out over the sleepy village, one or two older women carrying baskets of blankets and fruits, one toothless old man sitting behind a stand of gaudy jewelry in every size, shape, and color. “My grandmother was from here.”

  I rubbed his back, my arm linked in his. The secrets between us were becoming fewer and fewer, and the more I knew about him, the more I loved him. I didn’t know how the love could continue to grow, but it never seemed to stop.

  “Come on.” Anthony pulled me toward the village, stopping in front of the jewelry stand. “This is temporary, but I figure it should work for today.”

  We each selected a tiny ring, paid the toothless old man, and returned to the quiet courtyard. I stopped, holding Anthony’s ring in my hand, my stomach flipping and flopping with nerves. “Are we really doing this?”

  Anthony’s chocolatey eyes met mine. “Do you want to?”

  I gave a brief nod. “Yes.”

  “I got ahold of the pastor before we arrived. He’s waiting inside.”

  I smiled, took Anthony’s hand, and pushed open the door to the old church. At once, we were submerged in the somber silence of a religious space. Pews lined both edges, the altar still intact at the front. The quiet was all-encompassing, relaxing even. Time felt like it was winding to a stop; as long as we stayed safe in the cocoon of these stone walls, maybe we could live forever.

  “Buona sera,” said a voice from off to one side. Along the left side of the church was a wide stone countertop. On it had been spread a variety of sweets, cakes, and cookies, the design intricate and detail astounding.

  As Anthony exchanged Italian snippets with the man behind the counter, I let my feet carry me over to the spread of goodies. I surveyed them all, one by one, until Anthony’s voice called me away.

  “Are you ready?” he asked, his words echoing through the chambers.

  I hesitated for one second, letting the nerves, the excitement, the fear wash over me. Once those emotions had vanished, in their place settled a peacefulness, a happiness that painted a smile across my lips, a smile that wouldn’t stop shining once it’d started.

  “I’m ready.” I turned around, laughing as I found Anthony standing with a bouquet in his hands. In it was tucked a variety of long-stemmed suckers, a few cake pops accenting the mix of lollipops. “Is that for me?”

  “I didn’t have time to order flowers.” Anthony gave a wry grin. “What do you think? Not bad on short notice?”

  “I think you guys are bogus!” Meg huffed, climbing through the front doors and wiping a hand across her forehead. “What the heck, Anthony? I thought you were going to wait for me.”

  Anthony turned toward Meg. “I thought you said two blinks meant you were going to stay behind.”

  “No, three blinks meant I was gonna stay behind. Two blinks meant that I could escape the party and come with you.” She put a hand on her hip. “I tell you, it was like running a marathon to get up here. Are those cake pops? I need cake. This diet is ruining my endurance.” Meg stomped toward Anthony, plucked a sprinkled pop from his bouquet, and swallowed it in one gulp. “That’s better.”

  “You were in on this, too?” I asked Meg. “I thought this was spur of the moment.”

  “We talked about it while you were in the shower this afternoon,” Meg said. “I told Anthony he’d better marry you before the nightmares gave you a heart attack in your sleep. We discussed things, and we agreed that maybe you’d be better off eloping. Which was great, because I brought this little thing.”

  “What in the…” I trailed off as Meg slid a small backpack from her shoulders. She took a package from inside and handed it to me. My heart raced as I recognized it. “How did you get this?”

  “I know you found a big poofy dress yesterday at the fitting with Lizabeth, but I got the inkling you didn’t like it all that much.” Meg shrugged. “I saw you eyeing this one, but Nora pretty much picked that fat one for you. I asked the lady how much the skinny dress cost, and it wasn’t expensive. So I picked it up for you. Figured maybe you’d change your mind and go with this one, instead. Worked out pretty good, huh?”

  I unfolded the package. The dress Meg had selected was simple. Silky, almost opal in color, without any frills, poofs, or sparkles. I held the fabric against my face, the softness cool against my cheek.

  “Put it on,” Meg said. “Then go get married because the party will only wait so long down there.”

  Swallowing back a rush of emotions, I hugged Meg, and then stumbled my way toward the bathroom. Inside, I slipped into the dress, touched up my hair, and realized I couldn’t do a whole lot about my makeup.

  Then I realized I didn’t care a whole lot about that, either. I did, however, care a whole lot about the man waiting for me at the end of the aisle, and I found nothing but excitement in my heart as I left the stall, washed my hands, and prepared for my wedding day.

  The second I stepped out of the restroom, music began to play. Meg had set her phone up on a stand, the opening strains of Here Comes the Bride filtering through the small church.

  I couldn’t see Anthony when I emerged, but Meg was waiting for me with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes.

  “You look beautiful,” she said softly. “Your mother would be so proud.”

  I choked back my own waterworks, falling into my friend’s arms for a hug that lasted almost the entire song. I couldn’t seem to peel my arms from around her, and when one of her tears fell onto the bare skin of my shoulder, I hugged her tighter.

  “Start it up again, Romeo,” Meg sniffed, waving a finger as she shouted toward the Italian man behind the counter. “I accidentally let that first round slip by us.”

  I laughed, wiping my eyes as Meg thrust the makeshift bouquet of sweets into my hands. “Thank you,” I whispered. “For being here. For always being there.”

  “Chickadee, I got my certificate to marry people online for you,” she said
. “I wouldn’t do that for just anyone. Me and Romeo are gonna marry you together.”

  My jaw opened in surprise, but I didn’t have time for a response because Meg pushed me toward the back of the church.

  “Honey, I’m sorry to rush you, but I’ve only got four percent battery on my phone, and I want you to walk down the aisle to music,” she said, shuffling me along. “Are you ready?”

  “Ready as I’ll ever be.” I swallowed as Romeo hit the repeat button, and the song re-started.

  Meg and the pastor made their way to the front of the church and got situated, probably next to Anthony. I wouldn’t know, because I couldn’t look. Not yet.

  In the back, I sucked in a breath, saying a quick prayer in my head that my mom was watching. Then I took my first steps down the aisle. My eyes remained locked on the floor, focused on the royal red rug laid over the uneven stones, as I let one foot swing in front of the other.

  When Anthony cleared his throat, I looked up. I met his eyes for the first time, and I saw an indescribable emotion there. I wouldn’t say there were tears, but I wouldn’t say there were no tears, either. It was his smile, the curve of his lips, the contented happiness gracing his face that had me shaking as I continued to walk toward him.

  When I reached the altar, Anthony stepped forward and brushed a kiss against my cheek. Then he took both of my hands in his, and he faced me with the softest look. “I love you,” he mouthed, and I mouthed those three little words right back.

  Meg cleared her throat three times. Loudly, and proudly, she addressed the empty church. “Let us eat cake.”

  “I think it’s let us pray,” I muttered.

  “Can’t we do both?” Meg hissed back. “I was getting to that part. Be patient.”

  “Okay,” I agreed, facing Anthony again, his smile drawing me away into a whole other world. I could hardly remember who said what—all of the words were a blur until Meg got to the vows part. Finally, she poked me and told me to pay attention.

  I listened, repeated the vows with my whole heart, and then murmured I do while slipping the gaudy ring onto Anthony’s finger. He did the same.

  “Now, let us eat cake,” Meg said again.

  “Ora, può baciare la sposa!” the Italian gentleman shouted. “Kiss! Kiss!”

  “Yes, kiss!” Meg agreed, which was all the enthusiasm Anthony needed.

  He swept me into a dip that melted my soul and set my heart on fire. His lips met mine, gentle at first, promising a lifetime together. Happiness, sadness, everything in between. Then he swept me off my feet, cradled me to his chest, and turned the kiss into something so fun that when it ended, I was laughing, crying, and smiling at him.

  From somewhere, Meg pulled bits of confetti and threw them high, the itty bitty papers raining down over us. Anthony marched toward the rear of the church just as Meg’s phone died, and the music stopped.

  Anthony put me down. “Now, we can eat cake.”

  “World!” Meg stepped out of the church shouting across the open land for anyone to hear. “Let me introduce you to Mr. & Mrs.—” she paused, and then tilted her head as she surveyed Anthony. “Dang, I don’t know your last name. I can’t picture you as anything but a Luzzi. You either, Lacey.”

  “Well—”

  “Mr. and Mrs. Luzzi!” Meg called. Then she turned to face us, her expression torn in confusion. “Oh, darn it. I’m supposed to keep that a secret, aren’t I?”

  I looked to Anthony, but he merely smiled and held my hand tighter.

  “Smile bigger,” Meg said. “And Anthony, give me your phone. It’s not a wedding day without photos.”

  Meg spent most of the next five minutes snapping selfies with the three of us. When she’d had her fill, she returned Anthony’s phone to his back pocket and tapped his butt, just to make sure it was safe.

  Then she grinned. “Time for cake?”

  ** **

  We made it back to the restaurant. The sight wasn’t pretty, all three of us getting back down the hill on a single bike, but somehow we made it work. I threw my bouquet of suckers straight to Meg, who caught it on the third try. She finished most of them off by the time we hit the main road so she didn’t have to carry it any further.

  I stashed the dress back in Meg’s bag, and by the time we returned to the restaurant, it was as if we’d never left. Except for a little dirt, some secret smiles, and a brand new marriage.

  “There you are,” one of the waiters said, as we re-entered the main room. “You’re Ms. Luzzi, correct?”

  “Yes,” I said with a frown. “Is there a problem?”

  “This arrived for you,” he said, shuffling a tray of champagne to one hand as he reached for a napkin in his pocket. “I didn’t see who dropped it off, but it has your name on it.”

  I peered down at the napkin. On it was a hastily drawn key—a four-pronged skeleton key. Below it was a message:

  To my queen of hearts,

  Congratulations to you and the lucky man.

  Thank you for everything.

  —B

  I smiled, tucked the note away. “Nothing important,” I mumbled to Meg and Anthony. “A joke. Anyway, shall we eat?”

  As the food appeared, everyone at the long table was relaxed, happy, jolly even. The wine flowed, the Prosecco bubbled, and the dessert course lasted for an hour. As the sun set over the waves, I held my husband’s hand tightly in mine and sat back, watching, listening to the soft sounds of my family over dinner.

  I wished my mother and father could be here—together even, but there’d be another ceremony for the rest of the family, and that would have to do. In the meantime, I would rest knowing that Anthony and I were married, and everything else would work out. The nightmares would disappear, and we’d return Arnold…

  “Oh crap!” I muttered to Anthony. “Did we leave Arnold down on the rocks?”

  He stiffened. Then he pointed. “Is that…”

  We turned, watching as Arnold bobbed in the waves below the restaurant. I met his gaze, my eyes wide. “That’s horrible.”

  “Maybe Clay can make a double?” Anthony suggested.

  “I’ve got this,” Meg said. “Babe Watch to the rescue!”

  Before I could stop her, she made her way down to the edge of the rocks, and took a flying leap into the water. When she returned five minutes later, she held Arnold by one leg.

  “Got him,” she said. “Now, I need a change of clothes. Good thing I have an extra dress in my bag.”

  An hour later, dinner had been cleared, the espresso and grappa had been served, and the light sounds of music filtered under the starlight. Anthony extended his hand. “May I have this dance?”

  I folded into his arms, ignoring Meg’s obvious winks and her whispers of first dance!

  Anthony and I swayed together, his strong arms around me as the moonlight touched his hair, lighting it in a silvery glow. His cheek pressed against my forehead, and I lost track of our bodies entirely. Maybe we moved, maybe we stood still—I couldn’t say. All that I could say was that my heart was full, and I was in the arms of my soul mate. Everything else was noise.

  Until that noise was Carlos, tapping on Anthony’s shoulder, insisting that he get the next dance. Respectfully, Anthony bowed out and passed me off to my grandfather. I watched as Anthony then went to his sister, her eyes lighting with happiness as he asked her for a dance.

  I turned my attention back to Carlos, who came up to my shoulder, his skinny little legs moving with surprising skill. “Nora made me learn,” he said as an explanation to my wide eyes.

  “Thanks for setting up this party,” I said, meaning it in more ways than he could ever know. “It’s really special to have so many of us here.”

  Carlos’s eyes alighted on me, sharper than I expected. “It is, isn’t it?”

  I nodded, feeling suddenly uncomfortable in his arms. “Yep,” I chirped, sounding fake, even to myself. “Super special.”

  He twirled me until the song wound down to a close. So
mehow, he managed to make me feel like I was under intense scrutiny for the whole three-minute ditty. I exhaled a sigh of relief as the music paused. I took a step back as Anthony approached from behind, his hand extended.

  “Not so fast.” Carlos tightened his grip on me. Then, he raised one hand and carefully picked a stray strand of confetti from my hair. He held it up so I could see, and then he let it fall to his palm. He closed his eyes and blew, the small scrap drifting away in the night breeze. When he opened his eyes and met mine, I knew that he knew. “You’re not going to deprive Nora of her wedding, are you?”

  “Of course not,” I said. “We’re—”

  “Good,” Carlos said, cutting me off mid-sentence. “In that case, you look beautiful. And I’m proud of you.”

  His words caught me off guard, and before I could swallow, or blink back my shock, or even murmur a thank you, he was gone.

  “What was that all about?” I asked, as Anthony looped me into his arms. “He says that, and then he walks away! He can’t just walk away. What does he mean by all of that?”

  “I think he means what he said,” Anthony whispered against me. “And I can’t agree more. Now, relax, because I think this is the start of our honeymoon.”

  The End

  ** **

  OTHER FUN STUFF.

  Are you curious to see some of the places mentioned in this book? Well, come on over to www.ginalamanna.com where there will be pictures! I’m headed to Italy on release day for Suckered with my family, and I’ll be visiting many of the places mentioned by Lacey. A few places include The Milano D’uomo, the city of Bari, and the location for the final scene at the restaurant. I’ll also be posting to Facebook and Instagram, and you can find all of these links at my website! Thanks again for reading!

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  Next Releases

  Jinx & Tonic – November 11th, 2016. Preorder link here: http://bit.ly/JinxAndTonic!

  Lacey’s next adventure – release date TBD.