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Tessa inwardly cursed Dexter Hupp, but that wasn’t unusual. For a moment, she wished she wasn’t going home. Nelle hadoffered Tessa time and a half pay to work the holiday. But her family had made the effort to come to London, and she wanted to return the favor. She hadn’t been back to Derry in a couple years. Besides, she didn’t need the money now. Her cabinets were properly stocked, and she’d already paid rent.

“I understand,” she said. She flopped down on the bed next to Jamie and pouted. “I’ll miss you though.”

“I’ll miss you more.” Jamie pecked her protruding lip.

Tessa giggled in surprise. “Do you want to bet on that? There’s not much to do in Derry.”

“I promise you, you’ll have more fun without me,” Jamie said. “I’m not sure your mum really liked me. Or us together.”

“Come off it,” Tessa scoffed.

“I’m serious! Last time I was there, I got the distinct impression she didn’t approve.” Jamie rolled onto her back and looked at the ceiling. “Are you sure she isn’t a little homophobic? Because Eliana’s parents are also Catholics, and apparently, they—”

“Okay, I’m gonna stop you right there, that’s not it,” Tessa said. “My ma is not homophobic. She didn’t dislike you because you’re a wee lesbian, Jamie. She dislikes you because you’re English.”

Jamie sat up, eyes narrowed. “What?”

“It’s the English thing. And you being gay isn’t enough to cancel that out, you know.”

“I can’t help that I’m English! I was born this way!”

Tessa pushed herself to her knees and put her hands on her hips. “Oh, and I suppose you were justbornProtestant too?”

Jamie blinked, bewildered. “Yes! I was!”

“That’s what they all say,” Tessa said, rolling her eyes. “Even so, my ma isn’t really prejudiced. She simply doesn’t approve of the lifestyle.”

“The lifestyle of. . . being English? Or Protestant?”

“English, mostly. The Protestant thing, she might have been able to see past had you been Irish.”

“But. . . I can’t help either of those things.”

“Aye, so you say.”

It was Jamie’s turn to roll her eyes. “I mean, I’m not exactly a practicing Protestant. I don’t consider myself religious at all. We didn’t go to church growing up, except for Easter and Christmas.”

“Sweet suffering Jesus, you’re one ofthose?”

“Oh, are you attending mass every Sunday?”

“Fuck, no. But don’t you dare tell my ma or she’ll lay me out.”

“Your secret is safe.” Jamie smiled. “Should I convert to Catholicism? Would that help my case?”

“Absolutely not. You’ve spared yourself religious trauma so far, no use picking it up now.”

A chuckle escaped Jamie’s throat. “I suppose there’s no winning her over then.”

Tessa frowned and tapped her chin. “There’s really nothing to be done about the English thing, is there?”

Jamie reached for a pillow and whacked Tessa’s arm with it. Tessa laughed, swatting it away before swinging one leg over to straddle Jamie’s hips. Jamie’s arms fell into place around Tessa’s waist. They held each other for a long moment until their foreheads came together. Tessa closed her eyes and let herself get lost in Jamie’s embrace.

Visions danced behind Tessa’s eyes of previous embraces in their centuries-long history. No one’s arms had ever felt more right warped around her. No place was safer than with her. She made life worth living. Again and again, apparently. They only needed to make it stick this time.

“I really will miss you,” Jamie whispered. “Our first Christmas back together, and we’ll be apart.”

“I know. But it’ll be alright. We’ll have some time to do that research we keep talking about.”