Page 97 of Cabin Fever Baby

I laughed and drew Ocean into the living room by the tree.

“These cookies are awesome, man.” Levi flashed one of the gingerbread flat rectangle cookies I’d decked out like a fireplace. “Think you could make some with my firehouse’s logo? They’d get a kick out of them if I sent them to the station.”

I laughed. “I think I can make that happen.”

“Sweet.” He grinned. “Welcome to the family, Hudson.”

Ocean gave her a brother a pointed glance. “Oh, I forgot to mention. There’s actually two more just like Hudson.”

I laughed and gave her a quizzical look.

“I went by your parents’ house and met Finn and Lennox.” She winced. “Tossed myself right into Lennox’s arms.”

“Is that right?”

“Wait, what?” River came over and stole one of the smaller snowflake cookies on Levi’s plate.

“I’m a triplet,” I said with a shrug.

“Oh my God, really?” River tapped the edge of her cookie against her lips. “Would it be weird to ask for their?—”

“Yes,” Ocean and I both said in unison.

“Okay, okay.” River went on her toes and kissed Levi’s cheek then Ocean’s. She shrugged, then she gave me one too. “Merry Christmas Eve! Hope there’s some presents under that tree tomorrow.”

“That’s Christmas Day,” Ocean said patiently.

“Fine.” River rolled her eyes. “Night, guys.” She dragged Levi along with her.

Kent waited for all his siblings to climb the stairs and then he gave me one last hard look before he followed suit.

“So, is your dad going to be worse than your brothers?”

Ocean laughed and kicked off her boots beside the couch to tuck her green fuzzy socked feet under her. “Actually, my dad is mostly a teddy bear. I think you made it through the worst of the Hawkins gauntlet.” She tipped her head. “Do you know how to skate?”

“Dear God, I am not going on the ice with you people. I’ll get murdered.”

She inched closer to me. “I’ll teach you how to skate, sweetie.”

“Not in this lifetime.”

She took my hand and wrapped both of her cool ones around it. “I really am sorry, Hudson. It wasn’t you who I didn’t trust with the info, it was actually me. I was with someone a few years ago who used me for my status. Who I could get near, thanks to Q. I think it stayed with me longer than I realized.”

“That’s not me, Angel.”

She nodded. “I know. I’ve always known. But my default is to protect my family, and I guess that includes myself.”

I drew her onto my lap. She straddled me and pressed her face into my neck. Her warm breath helped relax me for the first time in days.

“So, you’re not going to work for Quentin anymore?”

She sat back. “Looks like it. I’ve been thinking about how I could tell him for a while now. I don’t think I actually knew I was going to do it until you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“Oh, I definitely do. Chicago is a pretty amazing city. If you’ll have me.”

I toyed with her fingers. “Are you sure you want to hook yourself to me?”

---