Page 103 of Cabin Fever Baby

I hurried back into the living room and set it under the tree then turned on some jazzy Christmas tunes from one of Ocean’s playlists.

The sounds of splashing and laughter floated down the hall. We had two wings off either side of the living space. Our bedroom and Henry’s on one side, our offices on the other.

It was hard as hell to keep the life-slash-work balance from tipping over to more work, but we were doing the damn thing, and that was all that mattered.

The doorbell trilled, then Ocean’s parents walked in, her mom leading the charge.

There was no true privacy when it came to both pairs of our parents.

“Hey, Lucy.”

“Where’s my grandbaby?”

“Nice to see you too.”

Al Hawkins came in and closed the door. “Lu, calm your horses.”

“My horses are raring.” She blew through the room and planted a quick kiss on my cheek and headed for the bedroom side of the house.

“How’s it going, Al?”

“Good now that I’m not driving that damn Winnebago anymore. I can’t believe she convinced me to buy that damn thing.”

Wanderlust had definitely hit Ocean’s parents hard. But they were sticking to the Northeast more and more these days.

“So, what’s the new traveling style?”

“We’re done. Well, mostly done. We found a nice little cabin in Turnbull. Think we’re going to stick around. You gonna give us more grandbabies?”

I laughed. “We’re thinking about it. I’d love a little girl. Maybe that one won’t be a demon.”

Al snorted. “Hawkins blood says probably no.”

“MacGregor too.”

We both chuckled.

Lucy came down the hall, holding Henry as she cooed about what a handsome man he was. “We’re going to have so much fun. Santa even brought you some presents a little early.”

Ocean followed her mom, rolling her eyes. “At least he doesn’t understand Santa quite yet.”

“Okay, we’ll see you guys tomorrow.” Lucy handed Henry to Al and went right to the closet where we kept his jacket.

“Not even going to stick around, Mom?” Ocean sidled up to me, slipping her fingers into the back pocket of my jeans and giving me a squeeze.

“Nope, I want all the time I can get with him before he gets passed around at the family Christmas.”

Ocean slipped away from me and gave Henry a few kisses, then she tightened his hat over his still damp curls. “Love you, bud.”

He blew kisses and the grandparents lost their minds as if they hadn’t seen it a million times.

Being the first grandbaby had its perks.

As quickly as they’d arrived, they departed with I love yous and threats to keep the baby forever. We both sagged against the door for a second. Then we turned and attacked each other.

We stumbled away from the door, aiming toward the living room.

Ocean flung her shirt over her shoulder and mine followed. We didn’t even bother to go down the hall to our bedroom.

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