Page 58 of Eighteen (18)

Oh, my God, the weirdness runs in the family. “I know, I just met you down—”

“We needed a new start,” she says, interrupting me. “I was a little shocked downstairs, but you can’t hold it against me. You are very young.”

“I totally understand,” I say. “I had no idea he was bringing me here. Actually, I had no idea his family had a restaurant.” Shit, I just lied to his mother. “Well, I had some idea.”

“Relax,” she says. “I’m not here to pry. I’m just as surprised as you, because my dear, he has never brought a girl to Alesci’s Laguna Beach. This,” she stresses, “this is the serious restaurant.”

“Oh. I was hungry and we were in the neighborhood. He took me to the beach to look at the stars.”

“No, my dear,” she says, shaking her head. “I’m sure he’s in the neighborhood a lot. That’s not why he brought you here.” She tilts her head and her smile widens. “We have seven Alesci’s Restaurants in Southern California and only one where I work every night. He brought you to meet me.”

“I have nothing for that,” I lie again, and then blurt. “I just met him. He’s my teacher, and I’m sorry—he’s weird, but I like him.”

She laughs so hard she has to cover her mouth.

“What? Oh, my God, what did I do?”

“I like you, Shannon. Please,” she says, rising as I spot Mateo coming towards us. “Enjoy the food.”

They speak again in Italian, part with a kiss to each cheek, and then Mateo walks back over to me and sits down and places a bottle of wine on the table. “Drink?” he asks.

I nod dumbly. “I think I might need one.” He laughs. It’s that laugh I like. “Who are you? And what did you do with Mateo?”

“She was nice, right?”

“She just wanted to know how old I was.”

“I figured.”

“But yes, she was nice. She said you brought me here to meet her.”

“I did,” he says, pouring the wine. “And if you think it’s over, just prepare yourself.”

“What?”

But as soon as the word leaves my mouth, three younger women come up the stairs, laughing and giggling.

“Shannon, allow me to introduce my cousins, Gina, Beth, and Lori.”

I lose track of the family members after that. There is no hope for me at all. They come up to the terrace in packs, and clearly this is either a family-only dining area or the only people who eat at Alesci’s Laguna Beach are related, because everyone up there is introduced with a title. Brother-in-law, aunt, cousin, niece, nephew, granddad, and uncle.

We don’t get one second alone. And they grill me, but in the nicest way.

“What do you do?”

“She graduates high school this semester.”

I get a few looks from that, but they move on. “What will you study after high school? Will you move away? Do you want children?”

Mateo fields that one with something in Italian, and I have to take a deep breath to try to stop the building panic. The food arrives and we eat as they continue talking.

And hours later, I’m partially drunk, I’ve eaten so much I want to take my pants off at the table, and my eyes begin to droop.

“Well,” Mateo says, standing up and walking around to get my chair, “we’ve got to get home.” There’s a rush of people who kiss me on both cheeks and tell me to come back soon.

I leave there with a longing in my heart and a hole in my soul.

Is this what it’s like to have a family?