Publication date: March 19th 2024
Genres: Adult, Comedy, Contemporary, Romance
Synopsis:
Can you really reject a surprise last-minute, all-expense paid trip to Italy from your sister? For Diana, a sensible CPA in Atlanta, you most certainly can.
But within the last week, Diana turned forty-five, got engaged, purchased a wedding cake and agreed to join her fiancé in another state where his current work project has been extended for several months.
Diana’s younger sister, Harper, uses these uncharacteristic life changes as proof that Diana definitely can meet her in Italy. Besides, Harper’s already cleared the trip with Diana’s boss and fiancé. So begrudgingly, Diana agrees to go.
Little did she know that her whole world would be turned upside down the second she stepped foot on Italian soil.
As Diana falls deeper into Italy’s culture, countryside and cuisine, she reconnects with the ghosts of her past and reignites passions she thought had long been extinguished – proving that life and love are full of phases.
Excerpt
Navigating the tight space, Diana found a small table in the back of the café, where she could see people exiting into the arrival area.
She wasn’t sure where the thought or even the motivation came from, but she pulled out her phone, chose the camera app, held up the cup and took a selfie.
She carefully put the cup down and looked at the picture; actually thought about deleting it, but then on a whim, posted it to her account that Harper insisted she needed to set up for this trip. And why the hell not?
“Pisa, Italy. First espresso,” she wrote and posted the picture.
She took a few sips, closing her eyes to savor the bitter hot loveliness.
Finally, a message from Harper came in, demanding Diana call her right away. This was why she’d activated an international calling plan for her phone.
Diana excitedly grinned when Harper picked up on the first ring and exclaimed. “You must be nearby!”
“Well …” Harper drew out the word, “Lu, you have the itinerary, right?”
“Yes, I printed it off before I left and it's on my phone. Where are you?”
“Happy engagement!” Harper sang.
“Harper ...” Diana laughed and looked around the part of the airport she could see, as if her younger sister would appear at any moment.
“Look, if I told you the truth you wouldn’t have gone, and you needed to go; Hell, if anyone needs a vacation it’s you.”
“Harper,” Diana’s heart began to thump wildly in her chest, “where are you?”
In almost a whisper, Harper answered, “New York.”
Diana turned so no one could see her anger. She cupped a hand over the receiver of her phone. “What the hell do you mean you’re in New York?”
“I couldn’t afford to pay for both of us. But I wanted you to have something different … I wanted to get you out of the house before you got married. I wanted you to see … more, something bigger, something inspiring before you got married.”
“Harper,” Diana choked out in disbelief.
“I wanted to get you out of your fucking comfort zone,” Harper admitted, with all the loving passion she could.
Diana was certainly out of her comfort zone now, that was for sure, and she’d be damned if she was going to stay in a foreign country by herself. “I’m not staying here alone,” she hissed. “You got me into this Harper, you need to get me a return ticket and get me out of this. Now.”
“No.”
“Then I need to go, I need to figure out how to get home.”
“No. Please. You have ten days paid vacation in Italy. Do you know how many people dream of something like that?”
“Harper.” Diana’s throat was closing with the urge to cry.
“Luna, if you can’t figure out how to do this for yourself, then do this for me.“ Harper’s voice hitched with the same emotion. “Please Lu, you deserve something like this. You deserve to see something beautiful. You deserve to … sit in a Piazza in a world-famous café and sip an espresso. You deserve to be moved to tears by a painting.“ It was Harper who was crying now. “Jesus, Diana, you deserve to stand in the middle of Rome and be inspired. I understand this is the scariest thing anyone has ever asked you to do, I get that it’s a scary ass thing that I am asking you to do, but please … please, if you can’t do this for yourself, then do it for me.”
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