Shiver(75)

“I know.” All these years she’d kept quiet to keep the Hartes from influencing her son. A lot of good that had done. She had to trust she’d raised Fox in such a manner that he knew right from wrong. Probably more than she did.

“So, now that Fox is taken care of, what are you going to do about Aidan?”

“Not sleep with him again,” she blurted out.

Tern rolled her eyes. “I’m not wasting my time with that one. What are you going to do if he demands custody?”

Raven sucked in a breath. “I don’t know. I’m scared, Tern. I can’t lose my son.”

“Do you really think Aidan would take Fox away from you?” Tern sobered as the reality of that thought seemed to hit her hard too.

“I don’t know. Right now, he hates me.”

Tern retook the seat opposite where Raven was curled up on the couch. “It’s not like you to avoid a problem. Well, that is, I never thought so before. But you’ve avoided this problem for twelve years.”

Raven glanced guiltily away, toward the windows framing the view of the river, iced over now, much like her heart. No, that wasn’t true—there were cracks showing in the hard encasement. Like a spring thaw. Spring in Alaska was no simple affair. There was no gradual melting. Break up was the term, and it was apt. That was how her heart felt, like at any moment it was going to rupture open.

“I can’t talk to Aidan right now.”

“You’re right, you can’t.” Tern studied her. “You definitely have to clean yourself up first.”

Raven looked down at her old overalls and ratty t-shirt. “What’s wrong with what I’m wearing? It’s what I always wear when I’m working.”

“Be truthful. Not just when you’re working.” Tern rolled her eyes. “Besides, you aren’t working today.” She gestured at Raven’s outfit. “If you were, you’d add mud to that getup. I’d suggest—highly suggest—you clean up and wear something that knocks his socks off.”

“I told you, I’m not sleeping with him again.”

Tern shook her head and tsked. “You wear something that is going to scramble his brain, whether you plan on having sex with him or not. If he isn’t thinking straight, your chances of getting what you’re after rise in your favor. I can’t believe I have to explain this stuff to you.” She sighed. “Now, how are you going to break the news to the rest of the family?”



Breaking the news to the rest of the family was no simple affair. Tern had dragged her to the lodge where she’d gathered everyone, declaring an emergency family meeting. She had them sitting at the kitchen table, except Fiona who was putting the kettle on to boil. Her mother had taken one look at Raven and already knew what was up.

“What’s this all about?” Pike grumbled. “The lunch crowd is going to start any minute.”

“Brie’s managing the restaurant,” Fiona said, her voice always seemed to soothe Pike into compliance. “She’ll handle everything until you get back.”

“All right, Raven,” Tern said. “The floor’s yours.”

Great. At least Fox wasn’t here for this. He was still in school. So was Chickadee, which meant she’d have to go through this again later with her baby sister. What a great role model she’d turned out to be. Raven ran her sweaty hands down the front of her overalls, hooking her thumbs in the bibs, and wondered where to start.

“Some of us are getting old here,” Grandma Coho said, beading another strip of leather.

“Uhm…well, you see…” Raven bit her lip. Sweat broke out over her body as all eyes turned to stare at her. “Okay…it’s like this…”

“Aidan is Fox’s father,” Tern blurted out. She gave Raven a shrug. “Sorry, sis, but none of us have all day.”

Lynx gave a snort and fell back into his chair. “I had a feeling this was coming. How’d Aidan take the news? You have told him?” He shared a look with Eva who raised a brow.

“Uh…yeah.” Had everyone guessed Aidan was Fox’s father? Had she been a fool all these years? Okay, she didn’t need the answer to that right now. She worried the end of her braid with her fingers. “You can imagine Aidan wasn’t happy. That is, he was happy about Fox, but not happy with…me.”

“Well, I should say not,” Gran piped up, her beading forgotten. She pointed her needle at Raven, her eyes squinting over her bifocals. “All these years you’ve lied to him, child. You’ve lied to us. I know you were brought up better than that.”