Anna and Leo dance together, Anna looking particularly ethereal as she twirls on the axis of Leo’s hand, a massive manta ray floating directly behind her as if they’re engaged in some kind of cross-species pas de deux.
Leo’s parents sit at the table closest to the dance floor, feeding bits of cake to Leo’s little sister Natasha who will be celebrating her own first birthday soon. The surprise baby seems to have revitalized his parents. As they laugh and tickle the giggling, frosting-smeared infant, Sebastian and Yelena look barely any older than Leo and Anna.
Miles’ parents are deep in conversation at their own table, their knees close together and their heads almost touching as Aida tells her husband some animated anecdote with much gesturing of hands. Callum Griffin listens to her intently, occasionally chuckling, and always keeping his steel-blue eyes fixed on her face.
I was terrified to meet them. I could hardly breathe when the taxi pulled up to their house. Then Aida came running out onto the lawn, barefoot and wearing a pair of cut off denim shorts, immediately pulled me into the longest, warmest hug of my life. She started peppering me with questions, teasing Miles, and fussing over Cat and me, until I was too distracted to be nervous.
Miles’ father Callum is polite and genteel, but terrifying in his intensity. He has that analytical stare that seems to break you down into pieces, tallying up every bit of you. I only managed to keep my composure because I’d encountered it before in Miles himself.
Also like his son, Callum is incredibly devoted to the people he loves, beginning with his wife, and trickling down through Miles, Caleb, and Noelle. He takes an acute interest in each of his children, even little Noelle, who every night has been adding to her scale model of the Helix Bridge with her father’s help.
Their house is always full of ongoing projects, talk, laughter, and delicious food. Aida brings home delicacies from all over Chicago for us to sample, in case we missed any while sightseeing.
It’s strange how their modern glass prism can feel so cozy and welcoming, while my father’s villa has always seemed more like a rented hotel.
Daniela runs the villa like an austere foreman, while Aida is so warm and irreverent that it’s impossible not to feel at home around her. Like Miles, she has a wicked sense of humor with a kind heart underneath.
In the few weeks we’ve been in Chicago, she’s set up a dozen different activities for Miles and me, often sending Caleb along with Cat to keep her company. Caleb is a little younger than Cat and he can be intense and aggressive, but he’s taken his role as tour guide very seriously, trying to show Cat every inch of the city that he thinks might be of interest to her.
Cat is easy to please. She’s immersed herself in every museum, monument, and historical site. She even agreed to join us on a helicopter tour over the city, though I know she doesn’t love flying on any type of aircraft, least of all one that can fly in between skyscrapers.
Right now she’s dancing with Dario Gallo, Dante’s youngest, who has a slimmer build than his father and brother, and no insignificant skill at spinning Cat around. Cat looks pink-cheeked and breathless, and very pretty in the blue sparkly dress we bought this afternoon on the Magnificent Mile.
I bought a new gown too, jade green and backless, something I never would have dared to wear before. It hugs me like a second skin, and keeps Miles’ eyes pinned to me constantly, which is all I could want out of a dress.
“Do you want to see the rest of the aquarium?” Miles asks me.
Nero and Camille Gallo rented out the whole place for their daughter’s party. The long glass galleys are almost entirely empty, as most of the guests seem to prefer eating, drinking, and dancing to viewing the fish.
“I’d love to walk with you,” I say.
Miles takes my arm. We stroll through the long underwater tunnel that allows eels and sharks to swim directly over our heads.
The light turns our skin faintly blue, and brings out hints of topaz in Miles’ eyes. He looks extraordinarily handsome in his stylish tuxedo, with the crisp white collar and black bow-tie highlighting the masculine lines of his jaw.
He pulls me tight against him under the watery, shifting light, kissing me until my head spins. His mouth is warm and soft, and tastes pleasantly of champagne.
“I want to talk to you about something,” he says.
“What is it?”
“I want to preface this by saying that you don’t have to agree. I won’t be angry if you don’t like this idea.”
“You’re not going to try to convince me?” I laugh. “I’ll believe that when I see it.”
“Well, I didn’t say that,” Miles grins. He takes a breath, one dark eyebrow cocked. “I sent your script to a friend of a friend in Los Angeles. He was interested.”
“What?” I gasp.
“He’s an agent of sorts—and he works as a script doctor himself. He liked your story. He thinks you should try writing a version that could be shot as a TV pilot.”
“Miles, you didn’t tell me you were going to do that!”
“I was just putting out feelers.”
I look at him closely, at his set shoulders and his focused expression. I know Miles well enough that I can guess where this is headed.
“I know what you’re up to.”
Miles tries to hide his smile. “Oh yeah? What?”
“You want me to come to L.A. with you.”
Miles laughs. “You are figuring me out, you tricky minx.”
He takes both my hands and brings them to his lips, keeping those keen gray eyes fixed on me.
“I don’t care about graduating,” he says. “I already got what I wanted out of Kingmakers. And I don’t think you’re that attached to the place, now that you’re not buying time on your engagement. I could stay another year, but after I graduated, you’d still have a whole year left. I don’t want to be apart from you.”
I consider what he’s saying, my brain spinning.
It’s true—I don’t want to be separated from Miles when he finishes school before me. That’s another year out, but I understand the point he’s making: if we already know we want to start building a life together, then what are we waiting for?
Still, I hesitate.
Miles already knows the reason, I don’t have to explain it.
“You don’t want to abandon Cat,” he says.
I nod. My sister’s safety and comfort mean the world to me. I hate the idea of leaving her anywhere alone. Especially somewhere as dangerous and unpredictable as Kingmakers.
“Rocco’s not there anymore,” Miles says. “She’ll still have Anna, Leo, and Chay to keep an eye on her. And I don’t know if you’ve noticed . . . but Cat has changed a lot. She’s not a kid anymore—she can take care of herself.”
It pains me to hear that, even though I know it’s true and I want my sister to be confident and independent. Miles is right—Cat has grown by leaps and bounds. I don’t think she even dislikes Kingmakers anymore, or at least, it’s become a challenge instead of torture.
“I’d have to talk to her . . .” I say, hesitantly.
“Of course,” Miles replies, with the gleam of incipient triumph in his eye. He knows he’s working on me. He knows that the idea of the two of us in warm California sunshine, in the sea breeze under the palm trees, is incredibly enticing to me. I’ve always wanted to see L.A. Always wanted to be in the place where all my favorite movies were made.