The Wedding Menu (Love & Other Recipes)

by Letizia Lorini

“The color orange.” “Not nearly as good as green.”

“Really. Rainy days are better than sunny days, making your bed in the morning is a waste of time, pumpkin lattes taste nothing like pumpkin, and Christmas isn’t the best holiday.”

“She’s not the pretty one. She’s—” He narrows his eyes. “Yes, she’s beautiful, but . . . come on.” When he points at me, waving his hand up and down, I stifle a chuckle. Being told you’re pretty is a wonderful ego-boost. Even more so when it comes from a handsome and quick-witted guy like Ian,

“He asked me to sit in his chair so he’d have an excuse to talk to you. He said you were the most beautiful woman he’d ever seen.”

“Ian Roberts?” I ask at the same moment as he bursts, “Amelie Preston?” Oh, this is definitely a meet-atrocious.

“The problem isn’t that you didn’t choose me. The problem is that you didn’t choose yourself.”

“So when the queen died and the whole kingdom mourned her loss, the prince found out he’d been left fifty percent of her inheritance, and he’d only receive the other half on one condition.” Bursting into a smile that takes over my whole face, I say, “He had to get married.”

“Mm-hmm. Can you believe this lunatic?” “Not only can I believe her, but I love her.” Ian mumbles, “Yeah. I love her too.”

“I meant it when I said I’m not looking for a girlfriend, Amelie. But you . . .” He shrugs. “You’re my favorite notification.”

“I don’t think I’d ever stop looking at you that way. If you were mine.”

I finally recognize the way he looks at me. It’s like that couple at the Quinns’ wedding looked at each other. With the same intensity. The same drive. Like he’s looking at everything he’s ever wished to have.

“You do this one thing. This huge, terrifying, necessary thing, and there will never be more conditions from me, Amelie. Never again. I’ll be in your life unconditionally.”

“And then I met you. And it feels like . . . like you taught me what love is.”

He turns around, looking for me. When his eyes meet mine across the crowd of people on the stage, they soften. “I love you, Amelie.” My lips quirk for a second, tears falling down my cheeks as soon as I blink. “I know,” I whisper. “I love you too.”

“You’ve become my best friend, and my home, and my safe place, and at the same time, my craziest adventure. Until at some point, you weren’t just in my life. You were all of it.”