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The front door closed, and everyone turned to Uther in the foyer. “I tried knocking because I don’t know how that doorbell works. I guess no one heard me. What do you mean boyfriend?”

“I’m going to have to let you go, Ms. Ashley’s mom. Here’s Ashley.” He shoved the phone into her hand and walked to the front door while Ashley scrambled to not drop her mom.

“Hi, Mom?” How much damage had August done? Her mom knew she was gay. Why was she asking about a boyfriend?

“Ashley? Who was that friend of yours? He sounds handsome.”

So much damage.

“People don’t sound handsome, Mom. That’s not a thing.” She kept her voice low, but one look at August’s smug face, and she knew he’d heard. “Actually, he has a very unfortunate face. I’m really only around him out of obligation.”

“Is he an intern at the lab?”

Okay, she couldn’t talk about fake Romania in front of everyone. Time to change the subject. She put extra cheer in her voice so her mom wouldn’t infer correctly that she wanted her off the phone. “Was there something you wanted, Mom?”

“Just calling to gab. I was talking to your father about Thanksgiving plans. Apparently, your aunt called dibs on hosting. After what happened last year, you’d think she knows it’s too much for her to handle. So now I’m offering to help with food prep, and we’ll have to be quicker on the draw for next year. Maybe I’ll say something at dinner.”

“Yeah, that’s great, Mom. Listen, now isn’t a great time for me to talk.”

“Oh, I won’t keep you long. I know you have a busy schedule. What was your research on again?”

“A certain mushroom. I’m kind of in the middle of something, so I’ll have to let you go.”

“Sure thing, honey. Did you think any more about Christmas? I know it’s still early, but your father and I are hosting. You know, since your aunt got Thanksgiving. We can keep it low-key since you’re coming in from so far off. Just the aunts and uncles and cousins.”

“So, the usual crowd?”

“Well, our neighbor Colleen was talking about a get-together for the neighborhood, but I think we’re going to do that earlier. You know, before people leave to go be with their families.”

How was she still on the phone? Hadn’t she tried to hang up five minutes ago?

“Okay, cool, well I’ll see you then, Mom.”

“So, you’re coming? Dale!” By the sound of it, her mom had moved the phone the smallest fraction from her face before bellowing across the house.

Ashley moved the phone away from her ringing ear. What had she done?

“Ashley says she’s coming for Christmas! Dale! Did you hear me?” Quiet mumbling, presumably from her dad, followed, then her mom was talking again. “He’s thrilled honey. We both are. Just let me know how much plane tickets are, and I’ll send you some money through that online website you were talking about. PayPal? Was that the one you liked? I’ll find the email where you explain it. I know I saved it somewhere.”

“It’s not a— You know what, yeah, look up the email. But also, you don’t have to pay for my ticket. I’ll be fine.”

“Bring that boyfriend of yours too, honey.”

“I don’t have a boyfriend, Mom. Remember?”

“Sure, sure, honey. Listen, I’m going to go call everyone and let them know we’re on board for Christmas. You can bring yourspecial someone, but I’ll leave that up to you. I’ll talk to you later, dear. Love you, bye.”

The phone clicked before Ashley had a chance to process what had happened. Had she just agreed to Christmas with her entire family? How would she possibly pull that off? She should call her back and shut this down. Her mom didn’t know she was a vampire for the same reason Ashley still hadn’t faked her death and cut ties with her parents. She didn’t want them to worry. It wasn’t rational, but neither was her mother-daughter relationship.

But this was her year—the year she passed the Family’s test and they finally accepted her as an official member. It also meant this was her last year to cut ties with her parents. Her last Christmas.

“Well, I’m done for the day. You ready to go, Uther?” Esther’s words brought Ashley out of her panic spiral.

“I can walk you home, Esther.” Ashley needed something to take her mind off of this Christmas debacle.

“Oooh!” the boys said in singsong from the foyer.

Ashley glared at them.