Page 588 of Rock Me All Night
19
The Italian restaurantis across from the marina in the aptly named city of Marina Del Rey. We're in a private room upstairs. It's much too big for our small group but it's gorgeous—exposed brick walls, thick white table clothes, sheer curtains letting in the soft glow of sunset.
My stomach is in knots. I'm meeting Pete's mom. I know we aren't really together, that there's no risk of pissing off my future mother-in-law, but I want her to like me.
She's the second most important person in his life, after Tom. First even. I'll be crushed if she doesn't like me.
Thankfully, Pete and I are the first to arrive. We wait by the window, our hands tightly interlocked. His touch is comforting. Intimate.
There are footsteps then the door opens. That must be his mom. I struggle to take a deep breath.
"Peter, you look great." A woman's deep voice echoes through the room. "This must be Jess."
I turn towards the door. There's a woman in her late 50s with short hair in the same ombre style as Willow's, only hers is teal instead of pink. It brings out her blue eyes.
I nod a yes and shake her hand.
"Ophelia." She looks to Pete. "She's lovely. How did you find someone so nice so quickly?"
He cocks a brow. "The usual way."
Ophelia lets out a low, throaty chuckle. "You really do take after your brother."
Are they making sex jokes? With the way they're smiling, they must be. I know he's adopted, but still. I can't imagine making a sex joke to anyone in my family.
A tall, curvy woman in a wrap dress steps into the room. She pulls Ophelia into a tight hug and plants a kiss on her lips.
They look happy. Not as happy as Tom and Willow but that's a high bar.
The woman turns to me. "I'm Ellie. You must be Jess."
We shake.
She turns to Pete. "It's nice to see you again, Peter."
He shoots Ophelia a look.
Ophelia chuckles. She has the same low, deep chuckle that he does. "Honey, don't call him Peter. He hates it." She looks at me. "Everyone called him Peter Parker in high school."
"The emo glasses," I say. "I still haven't seen them."
"He looked very studious in them." Ophelia smiles. "You can't imagine how many calls I got from his teachers, wondering why he wasn't doing better in school."
"Really?" I ask
She nods. "He wasn't like Tom. He did his homework. But if he didn't care for a class, he didn't pay it any attention."
I look back to Pete. "Is that right?"
He protests. "I aced physics and chemistry."
"And history?" she asks.
He shrugs.
"You should have seen his Spanish teacher." She laughs. "She called me in tears, wondering why he wouldn't apply himself."
"She was hitting on you, Mom," Pete says.
