Extended Epilogue
Twenty years later …
Hannah
I checked my reflection in the mirror, making sure my dress and hair were perfect. My blond hair was pinned up, a few tendrils framing my face. My makeup was minimal, and the pale pink dress I chose tonight went well with my coloring. The only jewelry I wore was the gold locket that I rarely took off and the sparkling diamond engagement ring that had been on my finger for three months. Taking the pendant between my fingers, I rubbed the well-worn locket. I didn’t have to open it to know what was inside, as I could always see it in my head. A picture of Mommy and Daddy on one side and Papa and Mama on the other. They gave it to me the day the adoption papers went through twenty years ago. Since that day, I started calling Aunt Holly and Dante, Mama and Papa.
After months of planning, it was finally here. The Hannah Taylor Muccino Bridal Boutique was having its grand opening, and I wanted to make sure everything was perfect. My staff had put up the various mannequins showcasing my spring collection for the following year. It was ironic that I would be the first one to walk down the aisle in my very own creation in just three weeks from now on Christmas Day.
“Hey gorgeous.”
I turned around and, as always, my stomach did a flip flop at the sight of the tall, handsome man behind me. Mama said this always happened to her when she looked at Papa, and I hoped that I would always feel this way.
“You should be studying for the bar,” I told my fiancé. His handsome face lit up into a smile, his teeth a dazzling white against the smooth, tawny skin of his face. Light hazel eyes twinkled at me as he came closer and wrapped an arm around my waist.
“I couldn’t miss this,” Anthony said as he nuzzled my neck. “Not your big opening. And I needed a break from studying Court of Appeals decisions anyway. Not the most stimulating stuff, you know.”
I laughed and gave him a kiss on the cheek. A warmth spread over me, and I still couldn’t believe that in a few weeks, this wonderful man was going to be my husband.
Lizzie had told me that the day Anthony saw me, he told her he was going to marry me someday. Fine words for a five-year-old, but, hey, look at us now. We all grew up together and were neighbors, but he’s two years younger than me, which is why I was apprehensive at what I had felt toward him once we were grown.
I also thought he would forget about me when I left for Paris three years ago to intern at a famous fashion house, but when I came back after a year, he confessed that he’d loved me from the beginning. I wasn’t sure what to tell our parents, but everyone, including Aunt Selena and Uncle Quinn were happy for us. “About time. I thought for sure Anthony was going to be moping around forever if you didn’t start giving him the time of day,” Uncle Quinn had said when we announced we were officially dating.
“C’mon, lovebirds,” a voice from the doorway said. “Knock it off.”
I turned to the sound of the familiar voice. “Papa! Mama!” I gently pushed Anthony away and took his hand. We walked toward my mama and papa, who were standing by the door. Papa had his hand around Mama’s waist, and she blushed like a bride on her wedding day when he whispered something in her ear.
“I was just telling your mama how beautiful you look. Just like the first day I saw her.”
“You mean when you pretended to be my vegetable supplier?” Mama said wryly.
Papa laughed. “And you looked at me like I was a delicious piece of steak. Oh, don’t deny it Holly, I can still remember your face.”
“Sir,” Anthony said, extending his hand to Papa. Anthony was soft-spoken and polite (which was a contrast to his mom, dad, and sister, who were all quite loud, opinionated, and boisterous) and always called Papa “sir” after we started dating, instead of Uncle Dante. I rolled my eyes at Mama as Papa gave him a stern look. Mama said he was still having a hard time accepting that I wasn’t a little girl anymore, but he would, in time.
“Anthony,” he acknowledged with a nod. “How’s the studying going?”
“It’s going well, sir,” he said.
“You think you’re going to pass?” Papa asked, narrowing his mismatched eyes.
“Papa,” I began. “You know Anthony graduated top of his class at Harvard Law. He’s going to crush the bar exam.” And I knew it. Anthony had always dreamed of becoming a lawyer. As soon as he got his license, he was going to work for a non-profit that helped protect women, children, and the underprivileged. I was so proud of him, and I knew he was one of those people who would be making a big difference in the world.
“Good luck to you, son,” he said. The last word caught Anthony off guard, but he regained his composure and thanked Papa.
“Now,” Mama began, “do you have everything ready? I think Andres came a while ago to set up the food.”
“Uh-huh.” I nodded. “Thank you, by the way.”
“Of course,” Papa said. “We want to make your opening a smashing success.”
Papa and Mama weren’t disappointed that I went into fashion design instead of cooking. It’s not that I didn’t like cooking, but it wasn’t my thing. Besides, I had two brothers who would be taking up the family businesses. Dominic and Gio both loved to cook, and it seemed Mama and Papa had one successor each. Our youngest, Maxine, on the other hand, looked like she would be taking after me. She loved fashion and clothes and begged me for a part-time job in the summer as an intern.
“C’mon now, let’s go out to the showroom. Everyone’s here!” Mama said excitedly. We walked out of my office and into the showroom. Aside from the bridal gowns, I also had the place fully decked-out in Christmas decorations, including a large Christmas tree with white bridal-themed decorations.
And when Mama said everyone, she meant everyone. The New York and New Jersey Lycan clans had come in full force to support me, as they always did. Growing up around them had made the biggest difference in the world. I was always surrounded by people who loved and supported me. Most of them showed up for my very first student show when I graduated from the New York Fashion School and every single event I had since then, even in Paris and London. Of course they’d all be here today as well.
Lucas and Adrianna Anderson, my two best friends, were the first to come up to greet us.
“Congrats, Hannah,” Lucas said as he drew me in for a hug.
“It’s amazing. It’s all amazing,” Adrianna exclaimed as she gave me a kiss on the cheek. “Mama and Papa are on the way. They just got stuck in traffic picking up Julianna at work.”
“Hannah! This is soooo cool!” Isabelle, Lucas and Adrianna’s youngest sister squealed. “Can I please be an intern here in the summer, too? Maxine said you were taking her in.”
I laughed. “Let’s see, okay? Maybe you guys can take turns.” Not that I didn’t like Isabelle, but her and Maxine in the same room together might make my head explode. Aunt Frankie had Isabelle around the same time as Mama had Maxine. The two cousins were like two peas in a pod, attached at the hip, and looked so alike with their dark hair and mismatched eyes that people thought they were twins. They both were also obsessed with fashion, clothing, shopping, and amassing followers on their various social media accounts.
More people poured in as the night wore on. Aunt Selena and Uncle Quinn, of course, plus Lizzie. Uncle Killian, Aunt Luna, and Olivia were there, too. Jacob and Arch had to work late at Lone Wolf Security, but they got here once the party was in full swing. Aunt Evie and Uncle Connor had arrived right after them. I was especially glad to see Aunt Evie, as I wanted to show her the gown I was working on for her for next year when she accepted her Special Achievement Award at the Tonys. Of course, Uncle Daric and Aunt Meredith came with two of their kids, Cross and Astrid, plus her best friend Desiree Desmond Creed, who we all called Deedee.
“We just picked up Deedee at the airport,” Cross explained. Cross Jonasson was very much a carbon copy of his dad—tall, handsome, and with long blond hair tied back in a ponytail.
Deedee stepped forward to give me a hug as I welcomed her back. I had to strain to look up at her. Although she looked like Aunt Jade, she definitely got her height from her father. Even in flats, she was nearly six feet tall. “Zac sends his regards,” Deedee said. “He didn’t make it to the flight. Sorry about that. Traffic to Heathrow was awful and if we didn’t take off, I would have missed your big opening.” Deedee had started her Master’s degree in Archeology at Oxford at the same time Zachary Vrost was doing his MBA at the London School of Economics. “He says he’ll definitely be here for the wedding.”
“I have to apologize for my daughter,” Aunt Meredith said with an eye roll at Astrid. “Please know that I did not advise her to wear that.” She wrinkled her nose at her daughter.
Astrid let out a huff. The annoyed look on her face made her look like a younger version of her mother. “What I’m wearing is fine, Mom. Hannah’s invitation said casual dress.”
“Er, it certainly is interesting,” I said, trying to be polite. Astrid was wearing stonewashed jeans rolled up at the ankles, a tie-dyed shirt in alarming shades of neon orange and green, and combat boots that had seen better days. Fashion was not her strong suit, though she was only twenty years old after all.
“At least you haven’t dyed your hair again,” Aunt Meredith grumbled. I laughed, remembering the incident when Astrid was fourteen. In a fit of what could have only been teenage rebellion, Astrid shaved off all her beautiful golden hair and sported a buzz cut. Her mother cried for a week until Uncle Daric grew it back and made Astrid promise to never cut it again. So, instead, she dyed her hair black and kept it that color for a year just to annoy her mother.
“We’ll leave you to your guests,” Uncle Daric said as more people poured in.
“We’ll chat later,” Aunt Meredith said.
I greeted more of the guests. Aunt Alynna and her daughters Amanda and Mika were there, as well as Aunt Cady and her youngest, Victoria. Aunt Frankie, Uncle Grant, and Julianna arrived not much later, followed by Uncle Enzo, Aunt Sharice, and their three kids. My brothers arrived later on, after they had closed Petite Louve and Muccino’s, Maxine tagging along. I had video chatted with Uncle Matt a few hours ago, as he was still in California where he was based. When the app he had been working on for years finally took off, he decided to move to Silicon Valley where he eventually met his wife. Uncle Rafe and Aunt Jenny had decided to join him, especially since Uncle Matt needed a partner to help run his company. Grandpa Noah, who was still going strong for a man his age, had actually settled in a clan deep in the Shenandoah Valley. There was work to be done at the farm, so he couldn’t come tonight. But, all of them would be here for the wedding.
“So,” Papa said much later when were talking with Aunt Frankie, Uncle Grant, and their kids. “It’s kinda great that we have a wedding gown designer in the family.”
“Oh?” Mama asked. “Why?”
“Well, you know, the kids all growing up.” He eyed Lucas, Adrianna, and Julianna, then looked around at the rest of the brood. “Maybe business will be good in the next few years.”
“Hell no,” Adrianna said with a shake of her head.
“Don’t look at me,” Julianna added.
“Oohh! I’d love a wedding gown by Hannah,” Isabelle squealed. “Actually, I already have a design in mind.”
“C’mon, now, Dante,” Uncle Grant said, then shook his head as his sixteen-year-old daughter continued describing her ideal wedding gown. “Just because your little girl’s getting married, doesn’t mean mine are following soon.”
Aunt Frankie laughed. “Well, it was going to happen sometime.”
He smiled down at Aunt Frankie. “It seems only like yesterday that we were waiting for Adrianna and Lucas to arrive. I’m not ready to be a grandfather yet.”
“I’m not ready,” Adrianna piped in.
“Oh, honey, you’ll never be ready,” Mama said, then looked up at Papa. “It’ll happen, and it’ll knock you off your feet.”
I gave Anthony a warm smile. I couldn’t believe it myself, but, sometimes, you just know, right? Like that first time I saw Papa walk into the principal’s office with Mama. I knew he was special and that he was going to change our lives, I just didn’t know how much.
The End
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