Page 89 of An Italian Wedding Adventure

‘Life partner? Those are big words from you.’

‘I have been saying big words in every way I can think of for the past ten minutes. After everything we’ve been through, it’s all or nothing. I won’t take a risk on anything in between and “nothing” isn’t something I even want to imagine.’

‘Andreas, you—’ She took a moment to drop her head between them, taking deep breaths. ‘Phew,’ she said, straightening slowly. ‘I thought I was an idiot to still love you so much.’

‘Oi, Sophie, I made a mess of this.’ He tucked her head into his shoulder and wrapped his arms more tightly around her. ‘I don’t know how we’ll work out the details, but it’s just another mountain to climb. Up on a summit or down at sea level, I want you to know that I’myours. I want to come back to you. If you really think that’s enough for you.’

Her hands lifted to his face.

‘You’reenough for me,’ she said softly. ‘Just the way you are. I know your drive to go up. It’s part of you and I can’t separate that bit. And there’s something you don’t realise about yourself.’

‘What?’

‘Yes, you take risks, but you also take responsibility. You keep yourself safe because you love your family. I know there are no guarantees, but there are no guarantees of anything in life – even the promises we make ourselves. I trust you and you’re allowed to trust yourself too, the way you taught me to.’

Simple words, but they contained more meaning than anything anyone else had ever said to him. And it was fitting that they were on an adventure, about to make a summit push, if the storm ever let up.

But she wasn’t finished altering the foundations of his existence. ‘I love you,’ she whispered in his ear. ‘And if we ever have problems, I’ll climb a mountain with you until you can talk about it.’

There was only one way he could respond to that: he kissed her.

It was clumsy like a first kiss but also hot and charged with all of the mistakes they’d made and all of the years they’d waited. Catcalls and cheering made Sophie pull back too quickly for his liking. ‘I knew I didn’t like weddings,’ he grumbled, but he spoke around a smile.

‘I thought you might have made peace with sentimentality. You certainly came through with the romantic speech.’

‘It wasn’t romantic. It was real.’

Pressing another light kiss to his lips, she said, ‘And so is Lily and Roman’s marriage.’

‘Your confidence is restored?’

Her smile was precious. ‘It turns out I was right after all.’

‘About loving me?’

‘Andthat you’d cry at this wedding. You’ll have to get your own Foo Fighters T-shirt.’

* * *

‘Well, this is the strangest wedding breakfast I’ve ever attended!’ Mrs Welbon sat perched on a damp rock, surrounded by bushes, as she unwrapped her energy bar.

‘Cheers!’ her husband said, clinking his water bottle with hers.

‘It’s not the wedding breakfast when we haven’t had the wedding yet,’ Adelaide pointed out.

‘I never understood why people call it a wedding breakfast anyway,’ Mr Tran piped up. ‘Are we supposed to eat bacon?’

‘God, I could murder a bacon roll right now,’ Lucia said with a groan.

After nearly an hour of holing up, the wedding party had cautiously emerged up the long ladder out of the tunnels and into bright sunshine that might have felt as though it were taunting them, if anyone had any cynicism left. But despite the smudges of mud, the limp hairstyles and Lucia’s bandaged knee, everyone was in high spirits.

Sophie listened to the contented voices with a smile as she fussed over Lily with the help of her mother. The photographer would have to remove the speck of blood on Lily’s blouse with Photoshop, but it was near the hem and it wouldn’t show up in all the photos. Her face was clean, however, with subtle make-up, and Sophie had fixed her hair and fitted the short veil they’d smuggled up in Lily’s rucksack as a surprise for Roman. The floral wreath Sophie had carried was a little wilted, but Lily’s bright smile more than made up for the hints of browning on the white rose petals and the odd crushed carnation.

Behind the rocks on the other side of the summit cross, Andreas waited with Roman and the groomsmen. Sophie couldn’t stop shooting glances in their direction, wondering what Andreas was doing with the groom, what they were talking about. The photographer had set up her equipment, the drone ready to take group shots from a wide angle after the ceremony.

‘I can’t believe we made it,’ Lily said softly.

Sophie gave a dry laugh. ‘I can’t either. This has been without a doubt the most memorable wedding I’ve ever planned, right from the beginning.’ She gave Lily an approving smile. ‘Mostly because you and Roman are so much in love that you wanted something unique. It’s been inspiring working with you.’

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