“So did I! Wasn’t it killer? They put some type of herb in the meat I can’t place. Even Nonni couldn’t figure it out. She said when we get back home, she’s buying every herb to experiment until she finds the match.”

“Why didn’t she just ask the chef?”

I shook my head in disappointment. “Never. It’s a challenge to figure it out yourself. She doesn’t believe in sharing recipes.”

“Good to know.” He turned and glanced at Mom and Nonni, who were a few feet behind talking to Mary and Ray. “Hey, my parents are tired so they’re heading to bed early. I don’t feel like reading and it’s too late to go anywhere. Enzo said it’s a full moon tonight and there’s this nice sitting area upstairs on the terrace around the corner from the bar. Want to hang out?”

Giddy bubbles of pleasure burst in my veins. I shrugged and tried to be casual. “Yeah, sure. What time?”

“Fifteen minutes? Your mom won’t mind?”

“No, I’ll tell her where we’ll be. I agree—it’s too nice of a night to be inside.”

“Cool, see you in a bit.”

He disappeared, and Mom and Nonni came over. “Are you heading to bed?” I asked.

Mom lifted her brow. “Trying to get rid of us?”

I knew she was teasing but I tried hard not to blush. Awkward. “Umm, Ian wants to hang out upstairs on the terrace for a bit. Enzo said it was a full moon, so we thought we’d check it out.”

Nonni smiled. “Sounds like fun. I’ll be asleep by the time you come back. You have your key?”

I nodded. Mom got this weird look on her face like she’d swallowed a sharp object. “The terrace?” she asked in a high-pitched voice. “Where the bar is?”

I tensed. If she dared to question an innocent hangout, I was going to lose it. I was eighteen years old, we were completely chaperoned, and I hadn’t left her sight since the beginning of the tour. One mistake shouldn’t erase all the years I managed to stay out of trouble. “It’s not like we’re drinking. We just want to talk. I’m all packed to head into Venice, so my luggage will be ready in the morning.”