LENNOX ▸ RUBEN LOFTUS-CHEEK

FORTY • WHERE DO WE START

On their fifth day in Italy, all the parents had gone on a boat tour of the coast of souther Italy for the day, leaving the kids to do as they wished for the day. Even Callum Hudson-Odoi had joined them at their villa, per Ruben's invite. The two had become great friends in the span of a few months and Lenny enjoyed having Callum's company around.

 As the eleven sets of siblings and friends relaxed either by the pool or through the open door into the kitchen close by, Logan brought the popular topic of conversation back up again.

"So are you guys ever going to get married?"

From their position on a shared lounge seat by the pool, Ruben and Lennox looked at each other before he nudged her with his elbow. "Your turn, baby."

The couple had been bothered by many friends, family and even strangers who knew them asking when they were going to get married. They were so tired of answering the question, they took on the situation in turns. And since Ruben had answered the question last, when posed by a fan, it just so happened to be Lenny's turn.

"Lo," Lennox groaned, leaning her head back on Ruben's bare chest. "We're both busy right now. It'll happen when it happens. When we have time."

Emma sat up from her own lounge chair beside Lennox's. "You do you, girl. Besides, you guys are still so young. I don't see the point in getting married so early. What's the rush? You've got the rest of your lives ahead of you."

"Thank you, Em!" Finally, someone who understood their point of view. 

"I just don't want this to be a long engagement and then you guys keep pushing it back and never get married, you know. Let's plan it now. Come on. Just basics," Rebekah encouraged. "When do you want to get married?"

They both shrugged.

"Where do you guys want to get married?"

"Doesn't matter."

"Guys! You're making they really hard."

Lennox looked at Callum, who had just hopped out of the pool and was headed their way with a smirk on his face. "That's what she said."

Herself and Cal had been getting close recently, due to all the time he spent with Ruben, and in doing so, had bonded over binging The Office, where a multitude of That's What She Said jokes were made by both parties watching.

As Cal passed to sit on the free lunge chair on Lenny and Ruben's other side, he held his arm out to share in a small handshake him and Lenny had created. They executed it perfectly, smiling at one another as they did so; they were slowly but surely becoming the best of friends and Lenny couldn't believe he'd been at Chelsea all this time and she hadn't talked to him before.

"Bekah," Ruben started, taking both Lenny and Cal's attention away from one another and towards him. "We don't care how we get married. Just as long as our families and close friends are there. That's all that matters."

Suddenly, Bekah was smirking. After the subject matter had dropped and she was sure Lenny's mind was on something else, she pulled Ruben out of his chair and towards the house, hearing Lenny complain at the loss of physical support from her boyfriend's chest.

Once they were out of earshot, sitting on the island barstools in the kitchen, she began to speak.

"You said you didn't care how you got married."

"Bex, what?" Ruben asked, confused as hell about where this conversation came from.

"As long as family and friends were there. That's what you said." He nodded, slowly following along. As soon as the softest and happiest smile graced Rebekah's face, he understood. "Well, we're all here. And you and Lenny are more in love than ever. In Italy. With gorgeous views and the most breathtaking villa. You should get married. Here. Now."

Rebekah watched as Ruben digested her words, his own gentle smile growing on his face. His eyes watered lightly as he thought of how they had been in paradise for nearly a week, in the most perfect wedding location, surrounded by the love of their closest friends and family. It had been staring him right in the face. Of course.

His smile only grew as he looked out of the kitchen window and saw Lenny and Isaac pushing each other into the pool, echoes of their laughter warming his heart. 

He finally turned to Bex, his smile still apparent, and stated, "Where do we start?"

He recalled a conversation himself and Lenny had when people had first started asking about their wedding.

"I'll marry you in a court house right now," Ruben had told her. "I don't care where or when or how we get married. I just want to marry the love of my life."

Lennox's heart melted at that. Truth be told, she wouldn't have minded getting a marriage license right then and there but she'd promised both their moms a real wedding, white dress and all. And Lennox Rousseau was one who stuck to her word.

"I can't wait to be married. I want to spend all my mornings and nights and Christmases and holidays with you. I can't wait to spend the rest of my life with you."

And that warmed Ruben's heart.

"Our wedding is going to be pretty crazy, huh?" Lenny stated, thinking of Ruben's big extended family, as well as her own, thinking of all their work friends and childhood friends. "It'll be big."

"Do you want a small wedding?" Ruben asked.

Lenny shrugged. "I don't care where or when or how we get married," she reiterated his words back to him. "I just want to marry the love of my life."

This certainly wasn't the big wedding they imagined they'd have. But, that didn't mean it was worse. If anything, Ruben thought a small wedding suited them better. Just the two of them and their closest family and friends. In the most perfect place in the world.

Maybe if they wanted, they could have a bigger celebration back home in England.

And, even though he said he didn't care where or when or how they got married, he had to admit that the location, timing and circumstances all seemed to line up perfectly for them to get married in Tuscany.