“What’s consummated?” Gia asked, crinkling her nose. “Isn’t that an entree?”

“That’s consommé,” Vivienne answered. “It’s a French broth.”

“Let me see that paper.” Leo’s dad accosted Jack, who had taken a seat behind his desk. But Jack suddenly gripped it with both hands.

“It’s official, Mr. Castorini.” Jack tucked the marriage certificate efficiently under his desk pad and folded his hands over it. “The only thing that will take it back is divorce.”

“Oh Dio mio,” Leo’s dad exclaimed, sitting down on one of the extra chairs against the wall and rubbing his forehead.

“I feel faint.” Tessa’s mom collapsed beside him.

“Does somebody have water?” Juliet asked. Jack reached into a mini fridge behind his desk and pulled out a few bottles for Juliet to pass around.

“You wouldn’t happen to have anything stronger in there, would you?” Juliet asked.

Tessa would have seconded that, except then Leo’s dad said to her mom, “I think very highly of your daughter. She’s a talented baker and a good person. It’s just her family I’m worried about.”

Her mother crossed her arms. “I just hope your son will be more faithful than his great-great-grandfather.”

“Guido Castorini was not unfaithful,” Leo’s dad said. “He simply chose not to marry your deceitful ancestor, who wanted him for his money.”

“He went on to father twelve children with three different women,” Gram said.

“Gram!” Tessa said. She caught Leo’s eye. And strangely, in the middle of all this confusion, he looked like he was holding back a laugh. Which had an odd effect of making her feel that he was seeing the ridiculousness of all of this, too.

“I’m sorry, Tessa,” her grandmother said solemnly. “But it’s the truth.”

What was true was that her wedding day had officially turned into a farce.

“Well, everyone might need a little time to adjust,” Leo said in a level voice. “But in the meantime, we’ve had a long day, and we’re going home.”

That made Leo’s father perk up. “Home? Where’s home?”

“We bought a house,” Leo said. “In the Blossom District.”

Gia jumped up and clapped her hands a little. “Oh, that’s so close.”

“Hold on a second, people,” Jack said, standing and waving his hands. “I need Tessa and Leo back up here.”

Too weary to do anything else, they obeyed his summons.

“You may now kiss…each other,” Jack said.

Leo looked at Tessa. She barely knew him, but she saw something in his eyes. A steady conviction. Determination.

He was telling her silently, let’s make this convincing.

She gave a silent nod.

And then he went in for the kiss.