“Sure.” Was that a gleam of disappointment in her eyes? I didn’t understand her. She’d made it a point to tell me Ian seemed nice, and now she was trying to block me from seeing him. The usual frustration shot through me every time I tried to deal with her. It was a miracle she wasn’t racing back to her room to dive into her work. I couldn’t believe she’d managed not to disappear all day to jump on a conference call. “I guess I’ll retire, too. Are you going to freshen up first?”

I rolled my eyes. “No, Mom. It’s not a date, and I don’t need to paste a bunch of makeup on my face so I can feel better about myself. I have my phone and key and that’s enough.”

Nonni chuckled and squeezed my shoulder. “Oh, you are so like your mom. She was never into high fashion, cosmetics, or anything too girly. It was one of her best assets. Being comfortable with who she is.”

Mom’s mouth dropped a bit in surprise, like she had no clue Nonni thought something nice about her. Was she just as insecure with their relationship? Were we all completely fucked up, or were we normal? I knew Mom and Nonni disagreed on a ton of viewpoints like religion, work, and family responsibilities, but I figured Mom didn’t care about her approval. Maybe I was wrong.

I headed upstairs to the terrace. The bar was crowded, but around the corner was a high table with two chairs that was deserted. I slid onto one of the seats and studied the view while I waited for Ian.

Up this high, the city of Florence stretched out for miles. I caught the peak of the Duomo, and terra-cotta rooftops filled my sight. Bright flowers spilled from pots that seemed to make the skyline a bit of a garden. The angles and slopes of the buildings gave it a beautiful symmetry that demanded to be captured.

I felt his presence before I even heard his steps. “This is a beautiful spot,” he commented, smiling as he slid into the opposite chair. “I can’t believe we’re already halfway through the tour. It’s going so fast.”

I agreed, especially since I’d fought coming here. “I know. I’m looking forward to Venice, though. Have there been any places we skipped that you wanted to check out?”

He cocked his head. “We picked this tour because it covered all of our must-sees, but I think I may head to Assisi to stay a few nights. I want to visit the church and the monastery. I also heard that’s the place to get the best lasagna in the world. The nuns spend all morning cooking to serve the meal at lunch near the monastery.”

“Was the town named after a saint?”

“Yeah, St. Francis of Assisi.”