Page 75 of Cabin Fever Baby

I linked my fingers around the beer bottle between my legs. “I think I fell in love with an angel in four days, Dad.”

“Angel, huh?”

“I didn’t want to worry Mom about the particulars, but when I spun out and into her yard, it was Ocean who dragged me out of the car.”

“Ocean?”

“Yeah. Her parents have a big family too. Something about a vacation baby.”

My dad threw his head back with a booming laugh. “That was Cal.”

I laughed. “Ocean Hawkins. She’s staying at one of those big luxury cabins for a holiday thing with her family. She didn’t know me and yet let me in her house.”

“With that weather, she didn’t really have a choice.”

“Yeah, that’s true. But when I woke up and saw her blond curls in the crazy snow, I think I was pretty well sunk.”

“Happened to Cal. A bit of Mistletoe and he was caught with Ellie. Happened with me and Diane. Ended up sitting next to her at a?—”

“SU basketball game,” I broke in.

He took a long drink and grinned at me. “The score was 75-71 and your mom leaped up when they won and hugged me. I was a goner.”

I leaned back in the recliner. “I know you’re not much for current music.”

“Well, now that I have Ellie and our little ones around, I know way more about Taylor Swift than I used to. I’m not completely out of touch.”

I shook my head. “Well, not exactly Taylor but Ocean’s younger brother is pretty famous. Quentin Hawkins.”

My dad frowned. “The name is sort of familiar.”

“Might know her other brother Rio Hawkins.”

My dad’s eyebrows shot up. “That crazy goalie? I just watched him last night against Seattle!”

“That’s the one.”

“I never watched hockey until you were talking about it. Now Cal and I watch all the time.”

“She didn’t tell me until Quentin walked into the cabin big as life and caught us—uh, well, he walked in, and we weren’t expecting him.”

My dad flushed but he gave me a little nod. “Been there.”

“And we’ll leave it there. I still can’t believe you guys ended up with Cara. How?”

My dad smirked. “Pretty sure you know how.”

I held up a hand. “Okay, we’re done.” I stood up.

“Last thing I’ll say…”

I sighed. “Yeah?”

“She was probably protecting her family. Don’t hold that against her.”

“That’s not the only thing keeping us apart. I go back to Chicago in a little over a week.”

“Sounds like you have some thinking to do, son.”