That's Amore! - Janelle Denison [28]
"I'd like to propose a toast, to my daughter, Leila, and her husband, Jason." He raised his glass of champagne to the couple, as did all the guests. "Getting used to this marriage hasn't been easy for us for many reasons, but we can clearly see how happy the two of you are, and that you truly belong together. Leila's happiness is all that matters to us, and she's found that with you."
Keneke's gaze sought out his wife's, who gave him a subtle, encouraging nod to continue. "Jason, Nyla and I embrace you with the respect you deserve. We want you to know that from this day forward we consider you one of us. Welcome to the family, keikikane!"
While everyone clicked their glasses and drank to the sentiment, Jason cast Leila a curious look that asked her to translate that last word, because he had no idea what it meant and could only imagine what Keneke had just called him.
Leila glanced up at him with tears in her eyes and an amazingly happy smile on her lips. "Keikikane means 'son'," she said, stunning him with that admission.
"By the way," Keneke went on, this time with humor in his tone. "Your best man, Nick, told me that it's an Italian wedding custom that however many candied almonds are in the gold box is how many children the married couple will have. We may not be Italian, but I'm a firm believer in customs and traditions and we're not about to dismiss this one. I counted five almonds."
"So did I," someone else yelled from the crowd, and everyone laughed.
"Well, we want all those grandbabies," Keneke said meaningfully.
Jason chuckled. "I have absolutely no problem with that request," he replied as he wrapped an arm around his wife's waist and drew her close to his side.
Leila just groaned and rolled her eyes.
Keneke grew serious once more. He raised his glass for another toast and gave them a small, but very significant blessing. "Hoomau Maua Kealoha. May your love last forever."
"Here, here!" the guests cheered.
In that one perfect moment. Jason knew that everything was going to be just fine.
"WE'RE FINALLY MARRIED." Leila exhaled a long sigh of contentment as she and Jason drove away from the reception in his rented sports car, and toward the hotel they were spending the night at before taking off for their honeymoon to the Bahamas the following morning. "After everything we've been through, I can hardly believe it really happened."
"Oh, you'd better believe it happened," he said with a playfully wicked growl. "And tonight I'm going to show you just how married we are."
"Mmm." She reached across the console and gave his thigh a seductive squeeze. "I can't wait." It had been too long since they'd made love, and while Jason had been generous with pleasuring her this week, she ached for that intimate, full-body contact with him.
She rested her head against the back of her seat and glanced at her husband's handsome profile, seeing the smile that seemed to be permanently attached to Jason's face. It no doubt mirrored her own happiness.
The tension and stress of the past week had finally eased for the two of them, and she knew it was a direct result of her father's heartfelt toast this evening at the reception. She was grateful for his peace offering, and it was a wonderful, uplifting feeling to know that they were starting their marriage without any more opposition from her parents.
"It seems my parents are making a valiant effort to make things work for all of us," she said softly. "And I think your talk with them this afternoon made a big difference."
"I know there's still going to be issues, but we'll work through them as they come," he said, and placed his hand over the one still resting on his thigh. "But I do have to say that I no longer feel like an outsider in your family."
Her heart swelled in her chest, because she knew how much her parents' acceptance meant to him. "You're absolutely one of our own now."
He grinned at her. "And it feels damned good."
She laughed, and ten minutes later they pulled up to a house she didn't recognize.