Page 13 of Cabin Fever Baby

A few weeks of family rest would set me up for whatever was coming.

I’d feel better about it with some rest.

At least I was pretty sure.

FOUR

6 days til Christmas

Wakingat the crack of dawn with my face smashed into a buffalo-checked throw pillow wasn’t exactly how I imagined I’d start the day. I had a perfectly plush king-sized bed upstairs with my name on it.

Ugh.

Having such massive windows didn’t suck, however.

I pushed myself up and licked my lips against the desperate need for water. Far too much wine with too little food last night made for some serious dry mouth. I glanced over my shoulder and the sleep dissipated instantly. The view was even more spectacular than last night.

I grabbed a throw blanket and wrapped it around me as I padded my way to the back door.

The water was calm this morning, but the clouds that had seemed so far away last night had rolled in. The sky was a streaky pink and yellow as the sun did its best to break through.

“Coffee first,” I mumbled, even if I couldn’t keep my eyes off the view.

I shuffled into the kitchen to find an array of coffees from what looked like a local shop called Brewed Awakening. Since I needed to bust ass this morning, I opted for a full pot of the fragrant mocha spice blend.

While the coffeemaker did its thing, I rummaged for something to nibble on. The cabinets boasted a few granola bars and breakfast bars, but my dusty mouth vetoed that in favor of more foraging. I opened the fridge and found a container with a little note on it with ingredients and heating instructions.

“These Hamilton people are no joke.” I popped the top to find homemade egg bites. My stomach growled so loud that I was glad I was alone. I put two on a plate and warmed them in the microwave, made a huge mug of coffee, then I took myself off to the back porch.

The air was crisp, but it was surprisingly mild for it being so late in December.

I curled up on the wide couch and allowed myself a quiet moment. The distant sounds of ducks made me smile. Then a massive crane soared low and skimmed across the water before dipping in to find its own breakfast.

The mist was pretty heavy on the water, but I could make out some interesting homes on the lake. Colonial mansions were a stone’s throw from impossibly ornate Victorians, as well as sleek modern homes with more angles than softness.

A black Victorian glinted in the mist and pulled at me more than I expected. Victorians weren’t usually my particular catnip, but then again, neither did luxury cabins normally.

Yet here I was.

However, I appreciated the eclectic feel of the homes as much as the charm of the storefronts in the town of Crescent Cove. It was slower and sweeter than the chaos of living on the road. Technically, I’d been in nearly every state of the US and most ofthe provinces of Canada, but I couldn’t say I’d had the time to see any of them.

Q’s schedule was jammed at all times. And I did my best to make sure he only had to deal with a fraction of the details. He needed to save his voice so I only bugged him for the most important interviews that would push the needle on sales.

Which meant I was about as active a goalie as my little brother, Rio. Who was a kickass goalie for the Kings as of this month.

He sent me a jersey every time he ended up on a new team. The Chicago Kings were a bit of an underdog team with a crap standing, but my little brother was already making a name for himself. I’d already become a fan of the team.

Rio was always so proud to be part of whichever team he landed on.

I couldn’t wait to see him and the rest of my siblings.

I cupped my fingers around the rapidly cooling mug and drank down the last of the magnificent brew. But that was enough resting, since I had a house to decorate before my tree delivery.

I took my dishes back inside, and I made an iced version of the coffee in one of the festive to-go cups in the cabinet. 32 ounces of coffee sounded about right to get me through most of the decorating.

After a quick trip upstairs to change, I got to work.

Even with all the things I’d bought, this place was a hell of a lot bigger than I’d planned on. I wanted everything to look perfect when my siblings arrived.