Page 95 of Cabin Fever Baby

Alone with all my siblings.

I got inside my SUV and pulled out, my tires spinning a little in the snow.

I threw the gear into drive. “Get there in one piece, Ocean.”

Hope flared even brighter. If he was looking for me, then maybe we really did have a chance.

Maybe even one worthy of Santa.

TWENTY-FIVE

2 Days til Christmas 11:23PM

I heldmy hands out in front of me. “I told you, I’m just here to talk to her. I’m not here to mess with her head, and I sure as hell don’t want to make her cry again.”

All of Ocean’s brothers surrounded me. Well, save for the one that started all of this crap. Quentin was still sitting across the room on one of the couches. Unlike the last time we’d spoken, today his tiger eyes held more of a sleepy, disinterested vibe.

I knew that was just an act.

Maybe he needed to see if he could take over Hollywood too.

But I glimpsed his forefinger tapping the arm of the couch. I wasn’t sure if it was annoyance or straight up contemplation.

The rest of his brothers didn’t hide their emotions. They were protective, which was why I wasn’t ready to poke any of the proverbial bears.

However, I was more worried about the little general pacing in front of me. She’d been welcoming at first, but the additional details she’d pulled out of her brothers had soured her feelings on me.

“And why didn’t you listen to her like a real man the first time?”

I snapped my teeth together. This was definitely a cross-examination. “Because she lied to me and I—” I was hurt, dammit.

But if I was going to get her back, I was going to need to own up to that. I had to put myself on the line for her, and the first step there was her family.

This is who she’d been protecting.

The insolent punk on the couch who thought he needed to act tough. Who’d been in the public eye for so long he probably wasn’t sure who he could trust anymore.

Except Ocean.

And she knew that and knew her role was to make sure he was protected, even above her own needs.

Relaxing my shoulders, I stared right back at Quentin, answering him instead of the spitfire law student in front of me.

“Because now I understand she omitted details about her family because she loves them. Loves them as much as I love and protect my own family.”

Quentin sat forward, resting his elbows on his knees as he steepled his fingers in front of his lips.

The door flew open behind me and I wanted to spin around.

Wanted to make sure it was Ocean before I said my peace, but all of the Hawkins’ family needed to hear it, anyway.

“I love her. You might think it’s crazy and more lust than sense.”

I could hear Ocean’s eldest brother grumbling from near the fireplace.

“But she’s it for me. It could be three minutes, three hours, three days, or three years—it isn’t going to change.”

“How do you know that?” River asked. Her golden eyes were intense and demanding. “There aren’t enough facts to come to that conclusion.”