Page 216 of Blue Moon Mistress

When we move into the living room, I find that they have ignored my request to not dotoomuch, and in short order, I’m surrounded by a mountain of wrapping paper—headed for the kindling basket—and gifts I believe it’s safe to say Elaria and my mother helped curate.

The witchy ones at least.

“You guys definitely went overboard.”

“It’s your first Christmas. We may have gotten carried away.”

“You think?” I chuckle and lean back against the chair happy we have nothing planned for the day. “This is actually the first time I’ve ever bought actual Christmas presents.”

“Well, you’re certainly good at it.” Johnny has already pulled on the shirt I got him.

“There is one more gift.” I chew on my lip a moment before I tell them. “But she won’t be here for about nine months.”

I watch their faces as they tumble through the blank moment of confusion to the wide eyes of understanding and disbelief until I’m met by four smiles that settle all the nerves fluttering in my chest.

“Really?” Joshua says, but it’s Johnny who pulls me across the floor to them and wraps me in a hug that manages to sprawl me across the other three at the same time.

“Yes, really.” I have to pull back from them for a moment to breathe. “I know we didn’t actually talk about… this.”

“Hey.” Chase cups my cheek and turns me toward him. “You already knew how we felt.”

“Do you want to know whose it is?” Because that was an easy enough equation to do.

There’s a pause, and they all shake their heads.

“No,” Thomas says.

“It’sourkid.” Johnny says, quickly. “Doesn’t matter whose swimmers got there first.”

“I’m sorry I kept it from you—not that I’ve known for long.”

“How far along are you?”

“About a week?”

Joshua’s brow twists. “How can you possibly know?”

“Is it a witch thing?” Chase asks.

“Yes… I mean, I would have known next week under normal circumstances, but it was one of the only ways Aphrodite could have gotten a hold on me. After I figured that out, it was just a matter of making sure.”

Chase twines his fingers in mine. “Best. Christmas. Ever.”

Sixteen

The first phonerings around eleven in the morning, and Joshua answers it with an indulgent smile. After a while talking with his mother, he says his goodbyes, and ends with an “I’ll tell her.”

“What are you going to tell me?”

“My mother would like to welcome you to the family… ‘properly’ which I can only assume means in person and probably in Ohio.

“Which means it would have to be soonish… traveling is going to get tricky by the middle of next year.”

“And we still have to figure out exactly what and how we’re going to tell the families.” Chase says watching me while chewing on his lip. “Speaking of…” He picks up his phone and leaves the room.

“I should probably get it out of the way too.” Thomas lets out a long sigh. “It’s not that I don’t like talking to them, it’s just that my mom is not going to let me off the phone until she’s given me at least five guilt trips.”

When he goes into the living room, Joshua looks at me, nose wrinkled. “He hasn’t been home in (ten) years.”

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