Principessa Diana

Chapter Sixteen: Dave

"Are you sure you don't want to book a church or maybe a ballroom somewhere?"

I couldn't believe that my young bride to be was making the wedding planning process much too easy...and affordable. Unlike my previous wives, Diana wasn't trying to turn our wedding into the social event of the season. She only wanted out families and closest friends in attendance and she wanted to hold the wedding on the bank of the lake that our vacation cabin sat on. The closer we got to out nuptials, the surer I was that I was making the right decision for the first time in my romantic life.

"I'm sure," Diana nodded with a smile as we stood on the porch of the cabin, gazing out over the lake. "The art teacher at Nona's school runs a side business creating custom wedding arches out of flowers. She's going to make us an arch using flowers that come from the regions in Italy where our families are from.

Nona, Diana's kid sister, worked as a teach for an elite D.C. private school. Since Diana had moved in with me, the two sisters spent a lot of their free time together. When I was called out of town on cases, it wasn't uncommon for Nona to stay at our condo. It helped to ease Diana's anxiety and for that I was grateful. Nona was a sweetheart, just like her big sister and she had become like family to me as well.

"I got Apollo's RSVP," Diana continued. "He said he'll be in town a week before the wedding and he offered to walk me down the aisle. Good thing too. My dad's secretary called this morning to inform me that Dad won't be able to make it."

Diana's father was a rich Florida defense attorney who was the poster child for bad parenting. He wasn't a fan of the fact that his daughters chose to have careers instead of marrying rich, socially prominent men right out of college like good little socialites. It didn't matter that Diana continuously made the New York Times Bestseller List or that Nona had been named Teacher of the Year by the District of Columbia after only her first year of teaching. As for their younger brother, Apollo, he really didn't exist to his father because he was gay. Sure, Apollo was a bit of a wild child bit he was also a talented hairstylist who was very much in demand by film studios and the rich and famous alike. That was on top of the fact that he was a genuinely good person.

"What's his excuse this time?" The old asshole who was only fifteen years older than me always had one.

"Get this," Diana snorted out a laugh. "He had to attend the wedding of one of his firm's partners."

"Forget that asshole," I waved a hand dismissively.

"I did...a long time ago," Diana assured me.

I walked over and wrapped my arms around her waist, placing a kiss on her forehead. "I'm sorry he's such a jerk, cara mia."

"It's not your fault, babe," she cuddled up to my chest as she wrapped her arms around me. "I know you'll be a much better father to our kids."

I would. I would do everything in my power to show my children that I loved, supported, and was oh so thankful for them. I would love my kids just as passionately as I loved their incredible, beautiful mother.

"I love you, Diana," I leaned down and softly kissed her.

"I love you too, David." She smiled at me like I was the greatest man in the world...and for her, I would be.