Page 81

A knock at the door pulls me from my thoughts. “Baby.” Arden’s muffled voice greets me.

I shuffle away from the door, letting him crack it open. At first his face is tense, his brows pinched together, but as he finds me huddled on the ground, he smiles gently. Slipping into the bathroom, he has to duck his head under the threshold.

“Come here.” He sinks to his knees, opening his arms.

It’s not even a thought as I throw myself into his chest, burrowing my face in his fur and sucking in a lungful of his scent. His hands slide up and down my back, petting me and soothing the shivers.

“What’s wrong, baby?” he asks.

I choke on a sob, shutting my eyes. “Why are they so nice to me?”

His chest vibrates with a purr, his chin rubs against the top of my head. “Because you’re worth it.”

I don’t know what that means. Worth it? I haven’t done anything to prove myself.

“They love you, baby. And not because you’re my mate, but because they can see you’re a wonderful person.” He continues to rub my back.

“But how could they know that? I haven’t done anything for them.”

Arden chuckles, “You don’t need to, baby. There’s no such thing as give and take in this family.”

I deflate. My mind is all over the place, my emotions too. I’ve always dreamed of a happy family, but that was just a dream. A false reality made from Thanksgiving ads on TV and soap operas. But it is real. And it’s better than those TV commercials and soul-sucking shows. It’s warm, and real and full! So fucking full. Full of life, of happiness and joy. No one is trying to be the best or drag others down for their own gain. They talk and laugh openly without watching over their shoulder or holding their breath.

“Deep breath, baby.” Arden holds me tightly, rocking me gently. “If we stay in here much longer, they’ll think something dirty is going down.”

My laugh bubbles in my throat but I wipe my tears away and suck in a breath. “I’m okay.”

Helping me to my feet, Arden leads me back to the dining table. I drop my head, half expecting them all to be worried. Their eyes focused on me with questions I don’t want to answer.

But as I take a seat, Noelle hands me a slice of bread and John scoops from the gravy dish, loading my plate up with wholesome homemade food. No one asks a single question, their conversation flows as if I never left in the first place.

For a minute I watch everyone, my heart thumping in my chest. But when the seconds tick by I relax a little, taking my fork and diving into the best dinner I’ve had since I was a child.

The turkey is full of juice, the vegetables perfectly roasted and the mash is creamy as can be. It reminds me of Mom’s cooking. Even if my memory of her cooking is foggy at best, I feel my body warm up with happiness with each bite.

Time ticks by, the snow falls outside, and the fireplace burns steadily. All three children have managed to fall asleep under the table as Sadie and John pack away the table. Noelle riffles through one of the woven baskets before she finds what she’s looking for.

Taking a seat at the table, she unboxes a pack of playing cards. “Anyone up for a game of Golf?”

“Sure!” Sadie chirps from the kitchen. Dusting her hands off, she takes her seat. John, on the other hand, puts the kettle on.

“Does anyone want a cuppa tea? Coffee, Blake?”

It’s so mundane. So…normal. I want to cry again. Standing from my chair, I wander into the kitchen. “Coffee would be great.”

Together, John and I make the family hot drinks. He passes me the mugs, and I pour the boiling water. With everything I do, John thanks me, always ending his sentences with “son”.

I can’t wipe the smile from my lips. Maybe this is what it’s like to have a loving father after all.

CHAPTER 24

BLAKE

“How much further?” I whine between breaths.

We’ve been hiking all day, and my legs are killing me. From the snowshoes strapped to my boots and the constant uphill climb, I’m seconds away from throwing in the towel. But I can’t. Because hiking was my idea.

The snow has stuck and Winter is in full swing. So, after being cooped up in the cabin for the past three weeks, I’ve gotten a little stir-crazy.