“The new kids,” I said with a laugh. “I was thinking how they handled themselves.”
“Trevor surprised me.” She was quiet for a moment. “I mean, he really put himself on the line for Sophie.”
“He did.”
“And Zane...” She trailed off.
“What about him?”
“Nothing. He’s just really good.”
“Not everyone arrives as raw as Sophie.” I glanced at her. “You were pretty raw once, too.”
“Ouch. Low blow, Mom.”
“Just saying. Give them time. They’ll find their feet.”
We drove the rest of the way in comfortable silence, the mansion’s lights appearing in the distance like a beacon.
First hunt. First success.
Not too shabby.
“So,” I said, when I couldn’t take it anymore. “Jared?”
She leaned her head back and groaned.
“I’d convinced myself I wasn’t gettingthe talk,” she said. “Really, Mom? Do we have to?”
“It’s notthetalk,” I said. “It’sa talk. And, well, yes. Because—oh, hell.” I drew a deep breath and started over. Seriously, the parenting thing is so much harder than demon hunting. “You know your dad and I like Jared, right?”
“Well, I knew you didbefore,” she said.
I smirked. “Smart aleck.”
“Just using humor to deflect the horror and embarrassment. Seriously, Mom, just spit it out. It’ll be easier on both of us.”
She wasn’t wrong.
“We like him,” I said. “But it’s our job to worry.”
“And since you’re both overachievers, you worry a lot.”
“Well, we do. But,” I added, before she could interrupt again, “We also know that you’re old enough to make your own decisions. And, well...just remember that it’s okay to go slow. At least one of you has all the time in the world.”
“Funny. You’re a funny mom.”
“I’m a mom who worries and who loves you and who trusts you to do what’s right for you, whenever and whatever that might be.”
“Really?”
I reached across and took her hand. “Yeah, baby. Really.”
She wiped away a tear and managed a wavering smile. “I love you, Mom.”
“Love you back, kiddo. Always. Just tell Jared that I’ll stake him if he hurts you. But not before torturing him first.”
She scoffed. “Oh, please. He hurts me, then I’m the one dusting him.”
