Page 89 of The Wrong Move

I think about their simple life together. Happy to just be as long as they have one another. I find it hard to imagine Byron and me at their age, content watching the rain. It’s hard to imagine Byron ever slowing down with his endless energy.

“I don’t want you worrying about us. We’ll be fine,” Mom adds.

I want to believe her. I head upstairs to paint until Byron finishes practice.

An hour later, Mom comes into my studio. “It’s beautiful, Giana. You really do have a gift.”

“Thank you, Mom.” I dab color on the canvas. “It’s almost complete, though Isabella demanded another five designs.”

“You’ll be fine, my sweet girl.” She places a gentle hand on my shoulder. Why do I get the notion there is more to her words than the pressure of a deadline? She squeezes my shoulder. “Wherever you are in the world, we’ll support you.”

“And if I decide to stay… for me.” Not for Byron or my parents. “What if LA is where I’m supposed to be to expand my business?”

“As long as you make the decision that’s in your best interest, for youandyour career, how can I tell you otherwise? All I’ve ever wanted is for you to have the chances I never got. I wish I got to spend time in Italy… explore my roots. It’s my one last regret.”

“It’s never too late, Mom.”

She pats my shoulder, but her eyes tell me otherwise. “I’ll leave you to paint.”

Her silence speaks volumes.

Time. Regret. Choices. Is she telling me to go? I lied about staying in LA for me. My heart beats fast when I think about telling Byron I’m returning to Italy for a year or two with only short trips home. Could we manage a long-distance love? My stomach churns, already knowing the answer.

22

BYRON

Before arriving at my parents’house, my mother warned me they were going all out this year and making it special. Every year, there is an abundance of food, so I wasn’t sure what Mom had planned until now.

Seated at the table beside Brandon, his open mouth tells me he is equally stunned as we read the menu on the table.

Main

Whole turkey with seafood bread stuffing (Alaskan king crab, Maine lobster, Southern Bluefin tuna otoro, and golden caviar from the Caspian Sea),

seasoned with imported saffron and spices and covered in edible gold flakes

Sides

Candied sweet potatoes andbutternut squash seasoned with spices from India

Caramelized onions with spices from Egypt

Sauces

Cranberry sauce with Sembikiya Queen strawberries and dekopon citrus from Japan

Asparagus vinaigrette with Pappy Van Winkle Family Reserve Bourbon

Gravy infused with Louis XIII Cognac

Dessert

Pumpkin and pecan pies with apple and coconut custard

“Jesus,” I mutter under my breath to Brandon. “We’ll need to train five times a day to be ready for our next game.”

“In three days, we’ll still be over the limit to drive,” he whispers as Dad stands with Franklin’s favorite bottle of Michter’s whiskey.

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