Page 27 of Italian Professor

“No, I guess not. You’d steal the spotlight wearing a paper bag. You might as well wear what makes you happy.”

“Look at that necklace,” she holds the diamond heart in her hand and examines it. “That’s Andreoli. Very expensive. Was it a gift from Anthony?”

“Yes, it was.”

She sees my shocked expression and scoffs, “You didn’t know it was expensive? Have you learned nothing from your mother?”

“Let’s get out of here before next year’s class graduates, please,” I reply.

* * *

I slipmy gown and ropes over my matching purple dress as my mother fixes my cap. As Anthony makes his way to the stage, he stops to shake hands with all of the graduating students. There’s one empty seat in the auditorium. It’s the one reserved for Lanz. Anthony glances down at the empty seat and his face grimaces, but when he looks up and sees me, the light returns to his eyes.

“You look amazing,” he tells me, holding his hand out to me.

I touch the heart pendant with my other hand and say, “Thank you.”

He winks and turns to continue his ascent toward the stage.

As I wait for my name to be called, I think about the magnitude of this day. It’s not just about ending one long phase of life to begin another. It’s also about finally being able to freely express my feelings for Anthony and that feels more significant to me.

“Aria Kane,” Anthony calls me to the stage and my shaky legs move in that direction. If it wasn’t for him standing there with my diploma in hand, I would be mortified. Afterward, my mother would lecture me about having no idea how to walk a runway. It is Anthony and our eyes connect with a sort of secret communication that no one else can hear or see.

He takes my right hand in his and places the diploma in my left hand. He leans forward and kisses my cheek as the crowd of parents and students cheer. This is it. This rolled-up piece of paper is my license to be with the only man I’ve ever wanted.

15

THE WAIT IS OVER

ANTHONY

Aria texts me to let me know that she and her mother are in the parking lot. They’re about fifteen minutes late for our dinner reservation but Aria told me to expect that. Her mother is habitually late for everything. I rise and walk to the door to meet them just as they round the corner.

“Jennifer,” I kiss her mother’s cheek.

“Thank you for the invitation, Anthony,” she replies.

“We can’t celebrate Aria’s big day without you. Congratulations, Princess,” I kiss Aria’s sweet lips.

It is a big day but not just because Aria graduated. It’s the first day of our new chapter, and I want it to be one to remember.

“I haven’t been here in ages,” Jennifer says as I hold out her chair.

“Anthony took me here for our first date,” Aria tells her. The look on her face is absolutely priceless as she reveals another secret to her mother.

“I took the liberty of ordering champagne and appetizers. They should arrive shortly.”

“That was nice of you, Anthony, but while we wait, I have something that I’d like to give Aria,” Jennifer tells us.

She reaches into her purse and pulls out a long white envelope.

“What is it? You could have given it to me at home,” Aria says, taking it from her mother’s hand.

“I wanted us all to be together,” Jennifer shrugs.

Aria opens the envelope and removes a travel itinerary along with two first-class plane tickets.

“What is this?” she gasps as her eyes move through the information on the page.

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