“That’s love,” Dane murmurs.
I grab my mulled wine and take too large of a sip. I don’t think she means she’d support me under circumstancesthatextreme.
I don’t think. “Maybe if I were dating a serial killer, you should intervene.”
She looks at Dane.
So does Grandma.
Oh, for the love of jingle bells. “Being a Silver does not make him a serial killer.”
“Are we sure about that?” Grandma asks with the gravity of a woman who’s seen stranger things in her time, which is ridiculous.
This is Tinsel.
The most scandalous thing to ever happen here beyond our family’s feud with the Silvers was a bad batch of eggnog taking out half of the actors in the annual Christmas village play when I was in high school.
“We haven’t had a serial killer in our lineage for at least eight generations,” Dane replies, though, equally serious.
I laugh and bump shoulders with him.
He doesn’t laugh back.
“We think eight generations is enough to dilute the serial killer genes,” he says instead. “Plus, it was a low-key serial killer. Barely ever featured on true crime podcasts.”
Lorelei never mentionedthat.
But I suppose every friendship has its limits when it comes to divulging things like serial killers in your distant lineage. Especially when you know your parents and grandparents don’t get along.
Also, he could still be joking.
Couldn’t he?
“I love those podcasts,” Mom says reverently.
“Not appropriate listening for a gingerbread bakery.” Grandma sniffs.
“Which serial killer was it?” Mom asks, ignoring Grandma completely.
“The Egg Beater,” Dane replies.
Mom squeaks. “I just listened to that episode.The guy who—”
“Oh my gosh, did I tell you how much I loved your snow globe?” I interrupt. “It never ceases to amaze me how many different ways you can incorporate gingerbread into all of the annual Tinsel decorations.”
I hate true crime podcasts. I don’t want to know how people murdered other people.
But also, did Dane know my mother loves them?
He’s winning her over.
And hopefully lying about who he’s related to.
But is he?Is he?Or is he divulging family secrets to gain my family’s trust?
I legit still can’t tell.
“Gingerbread is always the answer to all Christmas decorations,” Grandma says.
