I made myself some coffee, went over my notes one more time, and started setting up the presentation.

I positioned the projector and placed all the extra chairs I could find in the living room so people would have places to sit other than the floor.

I did a dry run of my presentation to make sure everything worked. It did. Still, my stomach was flip-flopping. I was trying my best not to miss Victor, but it was getting kind of hard.

He’d been weirdly good at reassuring me when I started fretting about whether I’d ever get Love Origins to where I wanted it in time for the presentation. Also, he’d brought me tea and snacks whenever I had to stay up late to get some class assignment or my part in a group project done on time.

And you know what feels really great when you’re bleary-eyed at two in the morning and seriously questioning your decision to become an animator in the first place? Tea and snacks.

But we were just pretending to be a real couple. I reminded myself that for the umpteenth time since he ditched my ass at the front gate. Me depending on him for emotional support was not how our relationship worked. And we could pretend all we wanted to. But when things got real, he disappeared. I needed to remember that. At least until May 26th.

My secret phone rang in my tote just as I was wondering if it was too early to put out the Costco trays of veggies and fruit to go along with the pizzas I had ordered.

See? Another good reason I should be glad Victor wasn’t here. He was the last person I wanted to know about my secret phone. And if someone had called while he was here, I would’ve had some explaining to do.

I pulled out the phone and frowned when I saw the name on the caller ID. Not Byron or mom, but someone who had never actually called me directly before, even when he wasn’t working.

“Dad, is everything okay?” I asked as soon as I picked up.

“Everything’s more than okay, sweet pea,” he answered with a wry laugh. “I’m calling with some good news. Your mom and I are moving to Virginia—near the D.C. area. I decided to transfer to a desk job at the DEA.”

I blinked, a little stunned. Not just because dad had essentially said that he was moving back to the East Coast. But also because I hadn’t actually known which international anti-crime organization he worked for. Apparently, it was the Drug Enforcement Administration. That explained a lot.

“That’s great news,” I said, recovering. “When will you guys be moving?”

“Actually. That was what I was calling to talk with you about. I’m moving us East next month, and I was hoping maybe you could come down.”