“Really?” I’d noticed her American accent the second we met. I assumed she was from America, but I didn’t know where.
“Yeah. I went to college there and started working as an engineer for the city. I helped with the architectural design and to make sure the buildings were safe. New York has been hit with a lot of blizzards, so my job was to make sure none of them fell.” She pulled into a parking spot along the sidewalk. We got out and started walking down the cobblestone street. We made a few turns, entering a walkway where cars weren’t allowed.
“That’s really cool,” I said. “Did you like it?”
“I did,” she replied. “I was passionate about my job and loved going to work every day, but once I came here, I immediately adapted to this way of life. Making wine and enjoying the sunshine is far more pleasant. So, lunch first?”
“Yeah, sure.”
We walked to a small café and sat down. Our menus were brought, and we both ordered salads along with a bottle of wine. The basket in the center of the table was full of fresh bread, so we both took a few slices.
“Conway is angry, isn’t he?” She swirled her wine before she took a drink.
Never underestimate a mother’s understanding of her son. “A bit.”
“I figured when I didn’t see him walk you out.” She spoke with the same positivity, like her son’s attitude didn’t affect her in the least. “Just ignore him. He’ll come around.”
“He’s very overprotective. I’ve never met a man like that.”
“Yeah, it gets annoying,” she said. “My husband is the exact same way. I have to tell him off and just storm out. But I know his concern comes from a good place, so I don’t judge him for it. Conway is the same way. Stand your ground, but be understanding at the same time. He’s a good man who just wants to keep you safe.”
“I know. But it’s a little too much sometimes. Vanessa and I went out one night, and he wouldn’t let me go unless he came along. And then Vanessa went on a date and he followed her. It’s excessive.”
She shook her head slightly.
“I just wonder why he’s so worried all the time. He’s never explained his concern to me.”
She looked down into her glass as she swirled the contents.
Now I knew my intuition was correct. There was a reason for his behavior, something that involved his whole family. His protectiveness had nothing to do with what happened to me. It just made it worse. “Something happened, didn’t it?”
She took a drink before meeting my gaze. “It’s not my place to tell. When he’s ready, he’ll share it with you.”
My heart slowly sank into my stomach once the realization hit me. Conway had suffered in his past. Something had happened to him. His protectiveness stemmed from a legitimate event. Maybe I should have been more understanding.
“Anyway…there’s a few shops I want to take you to. And has Conway showed you Juliet’s balcony?”
“Sorry?” I asked.
“I’ll take that as a no,” she said with a chuckle. “It’s rumored that this old house is where Shakespeare got his inspiration for Romeo and Juliet. Juliet’s family were real people, and it is believed that this house was a possible setting where she really could have lived. It’s now a historic landmark.”
“No, I never knew that…”
“Then we’ll swing by on our way. I think you’ll like it.”
“Yeah, that would be great.”
Our salads arrived. It surprised me how easy it was for me to talk to Conway’s mother since we’d never been alone together. But she was easy to get along with, completely real and transparent. I never felt judged for being a lingerie model, even though it was something a few people would think less of me for. It seemed like Pearl liked me, regardless of the fact that she didn’t know me well. Since Conway had never been with another woman, maybe choosing me automatically made his decision credible. His entire family accepted me because they assumed I was the one.
“Vanessa tells me she really likes you. My daughter tends to like everyone, but she seems to like you particularly.”
“She’s sweet.” Since Vanessa first laid eyes on me, we’d become friends. If Conway and I moved on from each other, I would probably still keep my friendship with her because I liked her so much. “She’s so smart. She downplays it a lot, but I can tell she’s a lot smarter than she wants people to realize.”
Pearl smiled before she took a bite of her salad. “Yes, she’s a very smart girl. Too smart. She’s a genius like her father, but she possesses my easygoing attitude. I’m so glad she inherited that, because living with two intense men for eighteen years was too much. Just one is enough.”