It was cold this early in the morning. Cam fired up the truck and let it run for a few minutes, before Blue and Tawny and Rufus climbed in. The snow had let up a few days earlier, but the entirety of Crystal Lake was still covered in the white stuff. They sped away from town and he took his time maneuvering the truck down River Road, on account of the snow and ice. About ten minutes after they left his place, he pulled into a driveway nestled among a stand of Fir trees, and in the distance Crystal Lake glittered like diamonds under the bright sunlight.
“Is this it?” Tawny asked eagerly, yanking on her seatbelt.
Cam looked at Blue. She still had that glow from their early morning loving, and he moved close to give her a kiss.
“You guys kiss all the time,” Tawny piped up. “Even when you think I can’t see you.”
Cam chuckled and opened his door. “Come on sweets. Let’s look at the spot we’re going to build our new home.”
He scooped her up into his arms and the three of them, with Rufus trailing behind, made their way up the path and past the crumbling cottage to their right. Cam pointed up the hill. “We’ll build for Melody there.” He turned and they looked at the wreck of a building behind them. “We’ll tear this down and our new home will look out over this.”
Blue slid close to him, her gaze following Cam’s which was settled on the lake.
“It’s beautiful.”
He waited a few moments. “Are you sure you’re good with this? We can’t do something as big as what you’ve got now. And there won’t be a pool. The boathouse will be a lot smaller.”
She smiled and his insides melted. “You could build me a shack and I wouldn’t care. As long as we’re together.” She tweaked Tawny’s cheek and the little girl’s laughter was like music on the wind.
Her brother Cash was going to stay on at her place. Said he was fine living in the apartment above the garage for now, until Blue decided what to do with it. Turned out her brother was okay. Cam still wasn’t sure exactly what he’d used or how he’d threatened Edward Barnes. All he knew was that the man had backed off and neither he, nor Blue, had heard a peep from him since they’d come back from Nashville.
“Can I go see Rufus?” Tawny squirmed in his arms and he let her down. The dog had run to the edge of the lake.
“Don’t go near the ice, okay?”
She nodded and took off, leaving him and Blue to contemplate their future. She turned in his embrace and rested her head on his chest. “Thank you,” she said quietly.
“For what?”
“For saving me.” She offered up her mouth and he took it, greedy for contact. For taste and feel. He kissed Blue until her knees wobbled.
“We better stop this.” Cam broke their kiss and yelled for Tawny to come back. The young girl and Rufus started running at his voice.
“This will be your first Booker Thanksgiving.”
“It will,” she murmured.
“Your brother still coming?”
“He said he was.”
“Are we going to tell them our news?” Cam smiled wickedly, nibbling along her ear, causing her to shriek.
“Cam. You said we should wait.”
“I don’t think I can. I’ve never been good at keeping secrets.”
“What secret?” Tawny gazed up at the two of them, her purple knitted hat askew, hazel eyes bright with health, happiness, and curiosity. “Do you have a secret?”
Cam knelt down in front of her.
“Remember when I said we were going to be a family?” He and Blue had started adoption proceedings the moment they returned from Nashville.
She nodded.
“Well, our family is going to be a little bit bigger.” Tawny waited patiently. “You’re going to be a big sister.”
Her eyes widened comically. “I am?”
Blue gave her a hug. “You are.”
“And it’s our secret?” Tawny asked.
“I think we should keep it for a little while longer.” Blue looked up at Cam and he saw how anxious she was. They hadn’t planned the pregnancy and she was still very early on, but hell, he wanted to shout it from the rooftops. Write it in the snow. Take out an ad in the local paper.
“Okay,” he replied. “Let’s keep this between us for now.”
They headed back the way they’d come and twenty minutes later pulled in behind his brother’s vehicle. Thanksgiving breakfast at his parents was the tradition and this year was no different. His dad was deep into his treatments, but for the moment taking them well. No one could look ahead and see his outcome, but for now things were good.
There was a lot to be thankful for.
Tawny ran ahead, Rufus once again on her heels, and yanked open the front door. Cam and Blue were nearly there when they heard the little girl shout.
“Guess what? I have a secret but don’t ask me what it is because I can’t tell you that I’m going to be a sister!”
A loud crash could be heard. A dog barking. And then some swearing.
Harry Booker appeared in the doorway, a smile on his face. He looked down at Blue and winked.
“Welcome to the family.”