“Love you, too,” I say and end the call. I let out a sigh before looking at Ethan. “I’ve asked her about Aunt Estelle before, and she doesn’t really know much about her.”
“Or maybe she does but doesn’t know it.”
“You think Aunt Estelle spelled her too?”
“I do. You said your brother was with you when your aunt babysat, right?”
“Right. But he has his memories.”
“But he doesn’t remember anything about you doing magic. I suppose your aunt could have made sure you were alone before teaching you magic. Altering that many memories would involve a lot of complicated spell work, though.” Ethan shrugs and winces from the movement of his left arm. “If your aunt bound fire magic within you, she was one bad bitch packing a lot of power so altering your entire family’s memories might not have been a big deal for her.”
I feel all skeezy inside again when I think of my memories being tainted. “You’re right. She had to have altered Harrison’s memories too. We were there, together, while my mom finished her residency and my dad started teaching at a university. I’m sure he would have seen something, or I would have told him about it even if Aunt Estelle took me into a secret room every time we practiced magic.
“And you don’t remember him having powers at all?”
“No. I think I have this memory, or maybe a dream which was really a memory of him saying it’s not fair he can’t do magic. The more I think about it, the more I remember, but I also feel like I’m forcing memories that aren’t real into my head…if that even makes sense.” I turn my gaze from the road before me to Ethan for half a second. “Har was right about it not being fair, though. We’re twins, and I’m the only one who got the magic gene?”
“I suppose not,” Ethan says, and a few minutes of silence tick by.
“You don’t mind meeting my mom?”
“Why would I?” Ethan flashes that sexy smirk again. “I am your boyfriend, after all.”
“She can be…a little overbearing, just to warn you,” I say.
“She’s a doctor who thinks vampires are suffering from a yet-to-be-cured disease. See? I pay attention.”
“Good.” I smile. “Things are weird between us, which is why she randomly comes over like this. She’s never going to come out and say she’s sorry, because in her mind, that would mean admitting she was wrong about me saying I failed every single seventh-grade history test because the classroom was haunted, not because I didn’t study. She wants to be close, I can tell, but things are…are strained.”
“I can only imagine. You’re, well, you and your mom doesn’t want to believe in it. It’s her loss, really. She’s missing out on how fucking incredible you are.”
Again, I’m blushing. “At least you know.”
“Yeah.” His hand lands on my thigh. “I do.”
“He’s your boyfriend?” Mom’s eyes widen as she looks at Ethan, who went to the backdoor to let Hunter in.
“He is, and he can hear you,” I whisper, thankful Ethan is doing a good job of pretending he’s totally unaware of this exchange. With this house being so small, it’s hard to have private conversations without going into my bedroom and closing the door. “Why do you sound so surprised?”
Mom takes her Crocs off and looks at Ethan once more. “He’s not your usual type. You go for safe guys. And he…he is not safe.” Her eyes meet mine, and the approving look she’s giving me catches me off guard. “He’s very attractive and reminds me of a tattooed biker I dated right before I met your father. Good job, hun.”
“Mom!”
“Introduce me, Anora.” Mom winks and hands me the raspberry-topped cheesecake she actually did pick up. She really is trying, and I wonder if she thinks I blew off coming over for dinner to purposely avoid her, which is something I’ve done before. Not because I want to be an ass, but because it’s easier on everyone sometimes to just avoid a situation before it turns toxic.
“Mom, this is Ethan. Ethan, this is my mom.”
Hunter, who was waiting as patiently as he could to greet Mom, barrels forward, tail wagging so hard his whole body wiggles.
“It’s nice to meet you, Mrs. Benson,” Ethan says, and Mom beams.
“Please, call me Lauren. Or Doctor,” Mom jokes. “I worked hard to earn that title.
“Hey, if I were a doctor, I’d make everyone call me that,” Ethan replies without missing a beat. “I’d probably wear a stethoscope around my neck at all times too.”
Mom laughs. “I might have worn my lab coat on accident when I’d run errands right after I finished my residency.”
“I can’t blame you.”
I hold up the cheesecake. “I’m dish this up. We finished my only bottle of wine, but I might have vodka in my freezer, if you want me to make you a drink,” I offer.