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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

AMELIA

“ Y ou’re here!” Jo throws open the door to the Wyles’ house and immediately wraps me in a tight hug.

Warmth cascades through me at her enthusiastic greeting, helping banish some of the nerves I’ve been feeling all day at the thought of meeting Elliot’s mom.

I haven’t had parents since I was twelve.

I’ve never had a boyfriend serious enough to meet his parents.

I’m afraid I’m a little out of my depth.

“I sure am,” I say, the remaining nerves lacing my voice.

Jo laughs and squeezes me tighter before letting go. “Don’t be nervous.”

I huff out a laugh. “Oh, definitely nothing to be nervous about. Nothing at all. Just meeting the mom of the guy I’m fucking crazy about, that’s all.”

Jo squeals a little and bounces on her toes. “Gah, this is all so exciting. He’s crazy about you, and you’re crazy about him, and everyone is going to live happily ever after.”

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves,” I say dryly, even as I smile at Jo’s enthusiasm.

“There’s still the little issue of our relationship potentially costing him his job, and the fact that my family has no clue I’m even in a relationship, much less that the object of my relationship is my professor at the school they don’t know I’m currently attending.

” I groan, pressing my fingers into my eyes.

“This is all so cool and so completely normal.”

Jo’s face turns serious. “I know it’s complicated.

I understand complicated, and I also understand that when it’s right, complicated has a way of working itself out.

It’ll be okay, and we’re all on your side.

Not for nothing, but I know your brother a little, and I’ve known Molly for more than a decade.

I know that when you’re ready to tell them everything, they’re going to be on your side too. ”

I smile at Jo, my stomach feeling marginally less like it wants to eat itself. “Thank you. I needed to hear that.”

Jo grins at me. “What are besties for?” Then she grabs my hand and pulls me inside.

“Also, you don’t know me that well, but getting ahead of myself is pretty much what I’m best at.

Pam, she’s here!” Jo yells into the house as she tugs me down the hallway and into a beautiful kitchen with massive white countertops, green cabinets, and a cozy, warm vibe soaking the space.

“The famous Amelia, in my kitchen? What an absolutely fabulous day this is turning out to be!” A woman with curly red hair, red-framed glasses, and a broad grin comes bustling into the kitchen, walking straight to me and taking my hands in hers.

Her blue eyes that are so much like Elliot’s sparkle with fun, and her entire vibe gives come in and stay for a while.

“Famous?” I ask, suddenly nervous again.

“In this house you are. You make him so happy,” she says, squeezing my hands.

I smile, even as emotion crawls its way up my throat. I could hedge or equivocate, but I do neither of those things. Something about Pam Wyles makes me want to tell her every single one of my truths. “I hope so. He makes me happy too.”

Her grin spreads and she wraps her arms around me, squeezing tight. “Well then, welcome to chaos, Amelia. We are so happy to have you.”

The rest of my nerves vanish at this hug that screams mom . I suddenly realize exactly how long it’s been since I was hugged by a mom, and I feel every single one of those years as tears prick my eyes. When I sniffle, Pam pulls away but leaves her hands on my shoulders.

“What’s wrong, honey?”

I shake my head, wiping my fingers under my eyes, giving in to the emotion and minor embarrassment of it all. “It’s nothing, I’m sorry to kind of cry all over you. It’s not exactly the kind of first impression I expected to make.”

Pam just smiles and glances over at Jo. “Did Jo tell you about the first time she met me?”

“Something about a vibrator, some condoms, and underwear on the driveway?”

Jo laughs, flopping down on one of the barstools. “One of my finest hours.”

“Well, since you know that, you know that in my house, we don’t care much for what’s right or proper. We care about what’s real, even if what’s real is your underwear all over my driveway. So, what’s real, Amelia?”

I blow out a breath. “It’s been a long time since I was hugged by a mom. It just…felt good is all.”

I resist the urge to slap my hand over my mouth as the ridiculous truth comes falling out, but Pam doesn’t seem at all bothered by it.

She just nods, her eyes full of understanding.

“Well, any time you need a mom hug, you come right to me. I don’t mind telling you that I’m an absolutely fantastic mom.

I know I’m not your mom, but you’re Elliot’s, so you belong to us now too. ”

I glance over at Jo, remembering that she said almost exactly the same thing the day I met her at the diner, and I suddenly feel wildly lucky for whatever cosmic intervention led me here, straight into the heart of this incredible family. “You raised some very, very good men, Mrs. Wyles.”

“You bet I did. They drive me crazy half the time, but I love them to pieces. And you call me Pam. Mrs. Wyles was my mother-in-law, and she was mean as a rattlesnake. Never liked me one tiny bit, but I didn’t like her either, so we were even.”

“That woman was a stone-cold bitch.” All three of our heads swivel towards the kitchen doorway as Cece bustles in, clad in flowing teal pants, a white T-shirt, and an ankle-length purple cardigan.

Her glasses today are round with a heavy, tortoise-shell frame, and she has a brown leather tote slung over her shoulder and a huge, covered cake plate in her arms.

“Cece!” Jo jumps up and grabs the cake plate, setting it on the counter and wrapping Cece in a hug. “I didn’t think you could make it.”

“Yeah, Mom, what about all your big plans that made it impossible to commit to our little gathering today?” Pam asks, both her eyes and her tone full of humor.

Cece turns and smiles serenely at her daughter. “You know me, Pammy. I go where I’m needed.”

“And you’re needed here?”

“Something told me I might be,” she says, glancing over at me, smile spreading over her face. “And besides, it’s our girl Amelia’s first book club. She deserves her favorite cake for the occasion.”

“Ooooh, what’s your favorite cake?” Jo asks, reaching for the opaque cake dome, only for Cece to slap her hand away.

“It’s…”

“Confetti cake with vanilla frosting,” Cece cuts in and I stare at her, astonished.

“How did you know that?”

Cece pats me on the hand. “Oh, honey, I’m a little bit psychic. You’ll get used to it.”

Pam gets up from her chair and kisses her mom on the cheek then comes to me, wrapping her arm around my shoulders. “Like I told you, Ames. Total chaos.”

“Just the way we like it,” Jo says, hopping off her stool and wrapping her arm around my waist. “Especially when there is lots of cake and no men.”

Cece nods seriously. “Put that on a T-shirt.”

Pam laughs and squeezes my shoulders and reaches out, touching Jo’s shoulder too, so for a minute the three of us are connected.

The feeling of belonging is so enormous that I almost cry all over everyone all over again.

“You have no idea how happy I am to finally have some girls around this house. Come on, ladies, we have some book clubbing to do.”