A Love Restored

I had just stepped out of the shower when my phone rang. It was Julian, on a facetime call. I was wrapped up in a towel, but I still answered the call.

I was in my new house. It had been a few weeks since Julian and my conversation. He had helped me move into a small condo maybe ten minutes away from his place. It was beautiful, with high ceilings, white floors, and full windows so it was always lit up with natural light. I had filled it with plants and flowers and was in the process of making my daughter’s nursery.

“Hello” Isang He took in my state, and I saw his eyes darken. “Did you just step out of the shower?”

I nodded. “Yeah, you can’t tell?” I playfully shook my head so the wet hair moved around in the air. He cracked a smile, but it was not filled with any mirth. But a second emotion I knew very well

“Step back.” He ordered.

I did so. I placed my phone against a cushion and took a few steps back till my whole body was in his view. My towel was tiny and barely covered anything. Julian just looked at

me for a second.

“Want me to drop this?” I teased, playing with the hem of my towel. I was only half teasing. If he told me to drop it, I knew I would.

*Sure, if you want me to come over, put you on all fours, and fuck you till you’re screaming my name.”

I would not mind that in the slightest, honestly. I would get on all fours for him right now if he told me to.

ot yet, not yet,

But not yet, not yet, not yet, I had to tell myself.

I walked towards the phone and picked it up, showing him just my face again. 1 laughed a little. “You know how it is. Don’t tease me.”

“Believe me, I’m the one who is being teased, Ginevra.”

I rolled my eyes at him. “Don’t you h

have a wedding to get to?”

He nodded, groaning. He fell back on the bed. This angle was so flattering on him. It accentuated his sharp cheekbones and his blue/green eyes. “Not particularly in the mood to go, darlin‘”

I smiled sadly. I knew. I wouldn’t be either. It would be too awkward for him. “I know, Jules.”

His eyes widened. “Jules?”

“It’s cute, right?”

“No. But this is the first nickname you gave me, so I like it.”

I giggled. “Go, it won’t be so bad. And after you’re done there, come and see me?”

“What are you gonna wear?”

He jumped out of bed. He did the same thing I did, making his phone rest on a solid surface before walking back. He disappeared from the frame for a moment before coming back to the screen. He had two shirts in his hand.

“I have two options.”

Julian nonchalantly took off his shirt. He was only changing clothes. It made my breath stop. I gulped at the sight of his chiseled torso, decorated with

so many tattoos. So many tattoos that I had given him. He looked so good. He had always been so beautiful

He put on a grey shirt first. He was already wearing dress pants. “This, with a black jacket. Or the white one with a black jacket.”

“Can I see the white one on you

He nodded and began unbuttoning the shirt he had on. Truthfully, I had already decided to to wear the grey shirt. It looked dapper on him. But

I wanted to see him naked again. Besides, the small strip tease was so hot. Or maybe it was just the pregnancy hormones

“This?”

God, the white looked so good, too.

“The

grey one,” I said finally.

“I’ll be back.”

I waited five minutes for him to come back into the frame. Meanwhile, I got dressed too. A simple tie–dye hoodie and dark blue sweats

When Julian came back into the frame, he had on his full suit, and his hair was styled to perfection. I think he had just gotten a haircut. It was more

noticeable when he had

styled it like this. It looked different. It was shorter and made him look slightly older. Maybe even more mature. He looked kind and responsible, not like his usual shaggy,

gangster hair.

But I liked that, too.

“You look amazing,” I told him truthfully,

He was terrible at taking compliments, but he still smiled shyly.

“I’m only excited about this wedding because I get to see you after.”

I smiled. “Will you send me pictures?”

“Of course. I am planning to text you the entire while

“Good”

We hung up. He told me he would reach the venue in about forty–five minutes and then text me..

I couldn’t even imagine how hard the few hours were going to be for Julian. The way people would look at him. The things they would say. And the judgement to everyone. I

was sure someone would make a comment about me that would drive him mad.

Plus, he would have to face Nua’s family.

If I was him, I would never have gone.

But Julian was doing it for the family. Anything he ever did since I had known him had been for the family. And then he had wanted one thing, just one thing for himself, and been denied that. But he still loved them and respected the mafia.

And I loved him and respected

d him for it.

But I also couldn’t even imagine how hard it would be for both Nua and Nico. Maybe less so for Nico. She had been expecting this kind of marriage, even trained for it. But I knew Nico had left the mafia for this reason to not have other people dictate his life, and now they were. He was probably afraid and tensed and bummed about it

-up guy in the world. He would take care of Nua, and 1 knew she would love

But I knew Nico. He did his duty and he did it well. Nico was the most stand–a him. She wouldn’t be able to help it.

While I waited for Julian’s text, I did some accounting work for the shop. I now went to work less and less and did more work from home. It was comfortable and didn’t really make much of a difference.

When my p phone finally buzzed with a text, I jumped off the table to go grab my phone. It was indeed, fullon.

“Tas here. I’m kind of early

Better than being late! I responded.

“Im. The place looks good. Mariano’s farm is huge. We should come here someday. Staycation.”

I would absolutely love that. The idea of a vacation or this staycation with him made me feel all giddy and excited. And the fact that he had suggested

amplified my excitement about ten times.

ing me

As I was writing my text back, my phone buzzed with Julian’s Facetime call. I answered, in my head, I was going to proceed to scold him for calling at a wedding. But when I answered, I saw that he was standing with Nico.

Nico was dressed in a tux, his hair cropped short and styled. They were presumably inside the farmhouse somewhere, getting dressed.

Nico said loudly.

“He’s drank,” was Julian’s comment from the side. Julian handed his phone over to Nico, who held it to close to his face and began to sing, “I don’t know why! I run awayys, save your tears for another day.”

I laughed very hard. Nico’s terrible singing and the close–up of his nose combined were hilarious,

“Nico!” I whisper–yelled. “You shouldn’t be this drunk. It’s your wedding!”

He nodded, pulling the phone away so I could see his face better. “Yeah, yeah. Dante is getting me coffee or something to sober me up, I didn’t mean to get drunk. I guess I’m more bummed about this than I thought I was! Oh and Ginny, I really wish you were here. Do you know who my best man is

now? Patrick.

I frowned. “But you like Patrick. He’s your friend.”

“You’re my best friend, though.”

I smiled. “I know, I wish I could be there too. And that these were different circumstances”

He started singing again, continuing on with this song. “Girl, take me back cause I wanna stay, save your tears for another…I realize that I’m much too

late

He trailed off when Jullan appeared, and I saw him forcefully hand a mug to Nico, Julian took the phone from him and walked out of the room.

He rolled his eyes. “Of course, he had to get absolutely hammered two hears before he has to say I do.”

I smiled, “You should take care of him.”

“I am.” He scowled. “But I’d much rather be with you.”

“In normal circumstances, we’d have attended together. That would be nice,

no?”

“Another wedding.” His eyes darkened. “Would be fun to fuck you at one.” He cracked a small smile at a thought of his own.

“Nothing.” His expression was smug, “I was just thinking of hour beautiful you’d look in a wedding dress. One you bought for me. And how before you

walk down the aisle, I’m gonna fuck you in that dress.”

My cheeks reddened. Despite myself, I teased, “Don’t you mean after 1 walk down the aisle?”

“No, baby. I meant what I said. Now, do you wanna see how things look?”

Julian showed me around the decorated farm. At least, most of it. The aisle, and the gardens for the reception. They were doing it right beside the lake, It would be so

beautiful! The décor was amazing and all properly themed. It was amazing how they had pulled all this together in such a short time.

We spoke for a bit more while he got a drink and drank it. Then, he had to go. But he promised me he would text me again and send pictures.

I realized I had spent more than an hour and a half just speaking to Julian, so I got back to work, not wanting to be behind, I loved working in my new house. I liked the sunlit interior and the light breeze that would come in if I opened up a window. It was great. Refreshing in the best way possible.

A while later, my phone buzzed with another text. A picture from Julian. Of Nua, in her wedding dress. She looked ethereal. The dress was white and lacy. It was lowy but hugged her figure in the right places. Her hair was up in an intricate–looking updo. The sheer white veil somehow enhanced her already pretty pictures.

Beautiful. That was all I texted back. But I meant it fully and completely.

a

We didn’t really talk more after that. He was probably busy meeting people. Which was a good thing. It was rude of him to text me all the time, but he had told me wanted me to feel like I wasn’t missing out my best friend’s wedding.

Julian didn’t send me any pictures of himself, but that wasn’t a surprise. He barely took any. I wanted to change that. I had many pictures of him. I took them all the time.

When he was eating, sleeping, or just simply lounging around. And so many of us. I looked at them so often, I had almost memorized the sequence,

Around late evening, I ate a light dinner. Salad and a drink.

After this, Julian sent me another text. “On

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