<h4>Chapter 419: Chapter 419 : Gratitude</h4>


    *Olivia*


    Iughed joyfully as I sat at the beautifully set table before us, between my amazing husband and my supportive best friend. Gio had gone a little overboard and rented out the entire restaurant for the night.


    "I think we need another congrattory toast!" shouted Dolly.


    Half a dozen sses were raised into the air, various liquids sshing around the rims as they were carelessly tossed around. After a moment, each ss was raised to the respective lips of their owners and downed.


    "That hits the spot!" Dahliaughed, putting down her empty ss.


    A waiter quickly came by to refill it, and she thanked him quietly, sending the college boy a saucy wink.


    He blushed, dipping his head as he stepped away.


    "Uh, slut," Tallon pretended to cough into his hand.


    "Whatever." Dahlia rolled her eyes. "At least I’m gettingid."


    "Not nearly as much as Olivia," Tallon grinned, sending me a wink from where I sat next to Dahlia.


    I choked on my own drink, and Gio leaned over to rub my back as I struggled to catch my breath again.


    "Please don’t," Alessandro sighed, shaking his head unhappily as he refused to meet either mine or Gio’s eyes.


    "Don’t be a prude, Alex," Dahlia smirked. "I could tell them about the various girls you used to bring home–"


    A lump of buttery bread hit her square in the face,nding straight on the empty te in front of her.


    "My makeup!" Dahlia cried, wrinkling her nose as she grabbed the nearest napkin and dabbed it across her now shiny and buttered face.


    "I really don’t think that’s your color, Dolly," I shot at her with a smile, taking a sip from my ss as she gave me a feigned look of betrayal.


    Gio had made sure the restaurant had sparkling cider, and he and I had chosen that for our drinks so that Elena didn’t feel left out. Of course, Dahlia, Alessandro, and Tallon had opted for the wine, though I was hoping they wouldn’t get too crazy in front of our guest of honor.


    I should have known better.


    "How dare you?" she spat back, only half-kidding as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. "I can pull off butter any day."


    Adorned in candlelight and with two bottles of wine already cracked open for the three siblings to share, I knew it was going to be a long night. We’d invited Gabriele, but he decided to pass on this one, probably so he wouldn’t have to put up with the siblings’ antics.


    But Elena just smiled, looking amused as she nced at the bickering siblings. From the confusion in her eyes, I thought she must be an only child like me.


    "Are they always like this?" Elena asked, a bit in awe as Dahlia grabbed Tallon in a headlock while eating the buttered roll her other brother had thrown at her face. Alessandro just sighed, shaking his head as if he hadn’t been the one to throw the first roll.


    "Mostly," I replied, giving her a beaming smile. "They’re just excited for us. It’s a big day. We might really have a baby. Thank you so much for giving us a chance to be parents."


    I’d said the word–parents–but I still couldn’t wrap my head around how close Gio and I were to being just that. We were just sitting here eating dinner as if the whole world hadn’tpletely changed for us, and there was Elena, sitting right across the table, possibly already pregnant with our child.


    We had finally made a significant step in our journey to starting a family, and it was all thanks to Elena and her willingness to helpplete strangers. My heart was filled to the brim with warmth for her. She was quickly bing like a close friend to me, and I hoped it wouldst longer than just these few months.


    "No problem, Olivia," Elena beamed. "You’ll be amazing parents, and I’m just happy to be a part of your journey."


    "I hope so," Iughed, turning to Gio with a loving look.


    I couldn’t wait to meet our child. Whether a boy or a girl, I hoped they had the same courage and strength as their dad.


    Gio gave me an adoring smile, raising ourbined hands to press a kiss to my knuckles. Elena watched us with a small smile as a bunch of servers rounded the corner with piles of food.


    Dahlia and Tallon cheered, pping as the feast of dishes was lowered and ced on the table between us. The delicious smells of cooked meats and tes of pasta—every one of my favorite dishes—had my stomach rumbling for a taste.


    Before we dug in, I cleared my throat and raised my ss for one more toast. I beamed at Elena as I gave her a respectful nod.


    "I want to thank you for celebrating with us, Elena. It is a miracle that science and love have allowed us to start the family we wanted. It’s thanks to you that we are getting a chance we never would’ve had before. This experience has brought us all closer together." I nced at each of my friends and family members with shiny eyes and a wide smile beforending back on Elena. She looked absolutely touched as she sped a hand on her heart, her eyes wide and just as shiny. "So thank you, Elena, for helping to change our lives."


    "Aww," Dahlia cooed.


    "Pretty cute," Tallon nodded in approval.


    "Thank you so much, Olivia." Elena wore a radiant smile, in the center stage as she humbly bowed her head, just as emotional as I was. "I’m so grateful for the immense trust you’ve ced in me. I am privileged to be carrying your hopes and dreams."


    A bit choked up, I bit my lip, unable to continue unless I burst into tears right here and now. Gio rubbed my back, smiling as he tipped his ss and said, "To Elena."


    "To Elena!" the others followed quickly, Dahlia being the most enthusiastic and Alessandro being less so.


    The room was filled withughter as we relished in these precious shared moments that brought us so much closer together. We dug into our food, savoring more than the taste of the garlic pasta and steaks.


    Tallon and Alessandro got into a steak-eating contest, with Tallon barely beating Alessandro with four whole fifteen-ounce steaks. Alessandro grumbled, but he was too sick to his stomach toin. But he had thestugh when Tallon went running for the restroom.


    Dahlia drank nearly an entire bottle of wine. Her speech was so slurred it sounded like she was talking in gibberish, but Gio was the first to realize she was speaking in a very drunken version of French–which was weird because Dahlia had never even learned French.


    But soon, the night winded down. The drive home was quieter than we’d been in the restaurant, probably because we were all stuffed from the feast and it was gettingte. Gio and I stepped out of the limo when we reached Elena’s house. I gave her a friendly hug while Gio gave her a polite farewell, along with more thanks.


    Back at thepound, Alessandro took over caring for the drunken toddler that was Dahlia, who would no doubt be embarrassed tomorrow at how she’d repeatedly chased down that cute server to get his number—even though he waspletely freaked out by her attempts to flirt in French.


    Tallon looked a bit pale as he headed toward the guest room, but he assured us he was fine and proudly dered that he did not throw up in the restroom.


    I giggled at my dear friends while thinking about how much I appreciated everything I had in my life. There was nothing more I could want or need than having my family, my friends, and soon enough, a child by my side.


    I hoped we would have asting rtionship with Elena. Her presence in our lives had made a deeper impact than she had realized, and I was honored to call her a friend.


    As the others dispersed throughout thepound, Gio swept me into his arms, nuzzling my neck as he carried me to our room.


    Anticipation filled the air as we entered our suite with matching grins, and Gio lightly tossed me onto the couch, leaning down to press our lips together. He took control, dominating me easily as our tongues met. I could still taste the dessert we had devoured on his lips.


    Somehow, we were so different but matched perfectly, a pair that could never be pulled apart. The love we shared hung in the air over us, igniting the me of desire as our kiss turned from sweet to passionate.


    Gio pushed me onto my back, cornering me on the couch, and Iughed, carried away by the mood as I gazed up at him with all the trust and love I had in my heart.


    "Mrs. Valentino," Gio smirked, my reflection staring back at me in his eyes.


    I brushed my hands across his chin and cheeks, beaming brightly at the man I loved. "Mr. Valentino," I replied back.


    I still couldn’t believe sometimes that we were married, that he was officially mine and mine alone–to love, to hold, to cherish.


    I was his, and he was mine, just the way it was supposed to be.


    "Ready to be a daddy?" I grinned, tilting my head in half-curiosity and half-humor.


    "Of course," Gio answered without missing a beat. "I’m more than ready to start a family with you, carina. I will love our child just as I love you–deeper than the ocean and brighter than any star in the sky."


    It would still be a bit before we knew for sure whether the imnt had taken and Elena was truly pregnant, but I felt that the world was on our side. I had no doubt in my mind that Gio would be the best father for any child–a much better father than I’d had growing up.


    I was so lucky to have such a wonderful, loving man by my side.


    I pulled Gio down to meet me, taking control of this kiss, and he let me all too happily, entangling our tongues together as soon our hands couldn’t be kept still. Clothes were shed andnded in piles on the floor, my need for my husband was more important than tidiness right now.


    "I love you," I panted, letting Gio’s weight pin me to the leather as I wrapped my arms and legs around him.


    "I love you too, Olivia." He sighed, tucking his head into my neck. "More than I can ever say."


    Our desires swallowed us whole, and Gio took me right there on the couch. I moaned long into the night, letting him satisfy every inch of me as I did the same.


    For tonight, our two hearts beat as one as we marked the hope of what would be the start of our family.