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“When do you plan on flying back to the US?”
“In a few weeks. I’m trying to spend as much time with you guys as I can before I go.”
“You know, I’m not sure if Quinn told you about her story, but she took a risk in her career, too. She gave up a well-paying job to follow her dreams.”
“That doesn’t surprise me.” Luciana smiles. “Maybe I should have asked her for some advice about my plans about starting a bakery.”
“Maybe. Have you thought about doing that here in Europe instead of the US? I could help you a lot better if you were nearby.”
“I want to do it on my own, Dad,” she says, “I know you don’t want me living so far away, but it’s what is for the best for me. I’ll never grow if keep relying on you to get me places.”
“Is it because you’re seeing someone? In the States, that is.”
She looks at me, surprised, and then bursts out laughing.
“No, Dad. I don’t want to stay back because of some boy. You know me better than that.”
“Right, I was just curious. This is your time to date and meet new people.”
The word ‘date’reminds me of Quinn again. At this point, there was very little that didn’t.
What we had together wasn’t really ‘dating,’ but it didn’t stop me from falling for her.
“I’m not interested in that sort of stuff right now. Not for me.”
“Good.” With how much of a wild child Alessio turned out, it’s comforting to know at least my daughter isn’t like that.
“It’s just too distracting. Right now, I want to focus on myself.” She bites down on her lip, “Maybe when I’m older, I’ll start wanting that sort of companionship. You and mom set too high of a standard for what relationships can look like, and I’m afraid no one will fit the bill.”
“That’s not true. Sometimes the right person walks into your life when you least expect it.”
Like clockwork, my mind trails over to Quinn again.
And sometimes, we let them walk away from us without even putting up a fight.
My jaw tightens, and Luciana notices the subtle shift. “What about you? It’s been a while since…well, since Mom passed. Have you seen anyone since?”
“Luciana, it’s a bit strange that you’re asking your dad about his love life.”
“Oh, come on, Dad.” She playfully slaps my arm. “I’m not a kid anymore, and I think it’s okay for us to have this conversation. Didn’t Mom always say we should treat our parents like they’re our best friends?”
She’s staring at me now, and I think she knows I’m hiding something.
“Do we really need to discuss this?”
“You’re practically blushing.” She laughs. “There’s someone in your life that you’re not telling me about, right? You’re not a very good liar, Dad.”
“It’s more complicated than that.” I avoid her gaze. “At my age, things usually are.”
“Well, then you’re in luck. My friends always come to me with their relationship problems. I seem to be great at solving them, despite not being in one myself. So, try me.”
If there’s one thing Luciana has taken from her mother, it’s her obstinance. She could be quite insistent when there was something she wanted to know.
“I’m not really sure how to even start.”
“Okay, let’s start from the beginning then. Since Mom passed, have you seen any women at all?” she asks. “It’s okay if you have, you know. It’s been many years now, and none of us will hold that against you. If anything, Mom would have wanted you to go out and meet people.”
“For the longest time, there was no one.” I sigh. “No one really caught my interest enough for me to ask them out.”