Page 7 of Without Bound
“Grazie, Bishop. It is quite unexpected but I couldn’t be happier,” he replies with a smile bigger than I have ever seen before.
“So I guess there'll be another wedding soon,” Vaughan chimes in and Luca’s smile immediately deflates.
“Th-there’s something else.” CeCe pushes out of Cat’sembrace and twists her fingers together nervously. “So, um, remember how Luca and I went to San Diego early to spend a few days alone last month?”
“Yes. You told Viv you guys wanted some alone time, and she pouted because she couldn’t understand why you wouldn’t want us to be alone with you two.” Cami snuggles up to Vaughan and wraps her arms around his waist and rests her head on his shoulder.
“Yeah. That trip. Well, you see, we weren’t entirely alone. My parents came along,” she goes on and it has us all scratching our heads.
CeCe takes a few steps back, reaching for Luca’s hand and gripping it tight.
“My parents came with us because…because we kind of got married.”
“What the fuck!” Vivian screeches, blasting me in the ear, and I wince.
“CeCe…how could you?” Cami asks, her voice full of sadness.
“Sunshine. That’s not fair.” Vaughan taps Cami under the chin, giving her a little kiss on the nose.
“Alright. Listen here, you big cannoli.” Vivian steps toe to toe with Luca and props a hand on her hip while the other points a long nail in his face.
In his face is a stretch for Viv. She more like points a finger up in the direction of his face. It’s quite cute, the way she looks, and it’s hard to take her seriously. But I swear I see smoke spilling from her nostrils and I eat my words.
“Theonlyrequirement we have all agreed on since we were little girls was that we would stand up in each other's weddings. We even figured out who would be whose maid of honor so that we all had a turn. Now you’ve gone off and stolen that away from us.” The tough girl exterior cracks and her lower lip begins to quiver.
“No babes. We didn’t take it away. We’re still going to have the giant Indian wedding with excess and–”
“And an elephant?” the littlespitfire asks.
“No elephant Vivian,” CeCe tells her to which Viv replies with a pout.
“How about a horse?” Luca pipes up from beside his wife.
Viv blows out a breath and concedes, “Fine. I guess a horse will do. But I want the traditional three day shindig.”
Luca gives her a crooked smile and agrees. “Deal. Three days, a horse, and a special outfit for the occasion, on me.”
“Deal!” she replies with excitement and shakes his hand. “Sorry I called you a cannoli.”
“You’ve called me worse, so no worries.”
“But still,” Cat chimes in. “We would’ve loved to have been there for you. We’re all just a little disappointed that we couldn’t see how beautiful you were.”
“I know. But I need to explain.”
CeCe goes on to tell us that she and Luca just wanted a quiet, private moment for themselves after all of the craziness that has consumed them. Between CeCe’s “accident” in Switzerland, and Luca’s psycho wife of convenience shooting C in Paris right after they got engaged, I can understand why they needed something quiet and controlled.
“I never meant to hurt anyone, but we just really needed a moment without all the chaos. It was very short and sweet,” she turns to look over her right shoulder at Luca. “And exactly what we wanted.”
The girls grow teary eyed all over again, and it isn’t long before Cami’s tears turn to a sob.
“Don’t cry, Cam. I’m sure Luca will buy you an outfit, too,” Viv soothes.
“It’s-it’s not that,” Cami cries and lifts her head to reveal a wide smile and her eyes alight. Vaughan squeezes her hand and a wink and this time, I think I know where this is going. “I’m pregnant, too.”
“No. Fucking…way!” Hayes hollers then lunges to grab Cami. “I’m gonna be an uncle again?” He hugs Cami tight to him and spins her around.
“Woah woah. Watch it, man. You’re getting a little handsy withmy pregnant wife.” Vaughan pulls Hayes to a stop and pries Cami from his arms.
