Chapter 3

Daniel grins. “Wow, a dad. He must be thrilled. Congratulations. Mom is well. She’s seeing someone, actually. His coven gathers in another town, so she’s joining them for the solstice, but I’ll pass on that you asked about her.”

Jason hadn’t been that bad as older brothers of his friends went. He didn’t try to beat Daniel up or get him into trouble. He’d teased Daniel for not having a girlfriend. Daniel hopes Jason knows now as a father not all boys want a girlfriend and not all people want a romantic relationship. Daniel himself was allosexual, but he has friends who are asexual and aromantic, and he knows they faced the same teasing he did and worse—and still do.

“How lovely. My husband, Rodger, and the two youngest are here with me. They’re getting more logs. Are you here alone this year if Hailey isn’t here?” Claire asks, using his mom’s first name, and Daniel still finds that weird, even at this age.