"Hey," Steph objected, looking more than a little bit like a deer in the headlights now that Amber had actually said the thing they'd been avoiding. "When I got this place, all I was looking for was enough room for me and my drums, where I could play without bothering neighbors. I definitely wasn't anticipating your mom, much less regular visits from you two."

"You hadn't met mom yet?" Amber blinked a few times. Sure, she knew her parents had clearly met for the first time at some point, but imagining them without each other was just too weird. "I guess you're kind of off the hook for that."