Part II—Accepted

ELLERY GLANCED around the cabin and tried to be optimistic. It really was pretty.

Set in a clearing with just enough snow to make Santa think about landing there, it had the traditional log-cabin exterior, with a sharply peaked roof to shed snow and a porch that could be enclosed with storm windows and heated so two lucky people—such as Jackson and Ellery—could sit next to each other on the love seat and watch the snow falling on the lake.

And not talk about the assassin's contract, oddly enough.

They had dinner in the oven—a brisket and vegetables with the promise of lots of leftovers, although they had a whole other meal for the next evening—and somehow the smell of cooking food and the peacefulness of snow didn't lend itself to talk of fear and strategy.

Instead, they talked about the presents they'd gotten Kaden's kids, Diamond, River, and Anthony, and then about the air fryer they'd gotten Kaden and Rhonda. Jackson had maintained that any appliance was a pretty shitty gift and they should have gotten Kaden video games to play with the kids, and Ellery had done the unthinkable and actually called Rhonda to ask her opinion on the thing.

She'd called Jade, who'd hinted to Jackson that an air fryer would be an awesome gift, which led them to this peaceful moment right here during which Ellery was leaning his head on Jackson's shoulder. Then Jackson said out of the blue, "You know that was pretty dirty, Counselor, going around my back like that."

Ellery's face heated, and he struggled to sit up, but Jackson had an arm around his shoulders, and he didn't give an inch. "I have no idea what you mean," Ellery said with dignity.

"Sure you don't," Jackson replied dryly. "I'm just saying, going to Rhonda was pretty slippery—"

"How do you know it wasn't Kaden?" Ellery asked archly.

"Because Kaden would have wanted the video-game system," Jackson said with a snort. "All I'm saying is next time, we should maybe get them separate presents."

"No," Ellery said, knowing his tone was persnickety but not caring.

"What do you mean, no?" Jackson asked, sounding more amused than put out.

"Couples get couple's presents—it's etiquette."

Jackson made a dissenting rumble. "But Kaden and Rhonda are my people. Shouldn't I get them presents?"

"No," Ellery said. "Last year we got them a garden ornament, remember? Why are they suddenly ‘your people'?"

"I don't know if there's a rule book for that sort of thing," Jackson defended. "Last year we got them a garden ornament because I hadn't gotten them a housewarming thing and I was lucky to be alive, so combining Christmas and housewarming and a couple of birthdays wasn't a big deal. But this year I'm healthier—"

"You were in the hospital in November," Ellery told him dryly.

"I'm still more alive than I was last year," Jackson retorted, stung.

"Okay, fine. You're more alive. That's reassuring. But we still get them a couple's present."

"And I ask again," Jackson growled, "why?"

Ellery snuggled in, reassured that this wasn't a real fight, because Jackson still kept his arm around Ellery's shoulders so Ellery couldn't move from his embrace. "Because we're a couple," Ellery said smugly. "We're a couple, and couples give other couples gifts."

He couldn't see Jackson, but he could almost hear him roll his eyes. "So what if their couple's gift to us is a new video-game system?"

"Then we'll be thankful and excited, and we can buy them one on the DL so you and Kaden can hook up over the internet and play together. And in the meantime, Rhonda gets an air fryer, and since you say she's the one who does all the cooking, everybody will be happy."

Jackson let out a little harumph that made Ellery wonder if there wasn't a video-game system smuggled in with all the presents in the Cameron family bags, and then he sighed softly against Jackson's shoulder. It was warm under blankets on the porch, and watching the snow was so soothing after the long, stressful drive. Leaning on Jackson's shoulder made him feel safe and cared for.

His eyes were closing, and he was fine with that. The brisket would be done in forty-five minutes and the stove would click off, leaving the meat to rest, and he could get to that too. In the meantime it was his vacation, and unlike Jackson, he'd always been brought up to believe you should get as much happy as possible on your vacation. The week had been a nightmare of chaos, cat crap, and tiny little mewls that broke the heart, the drive had been a muscle-clench of hurry up and wait, and now? He was in his favorite place in the world.

Jackson, apparently content for the moment, pulled his phone out of his back pocket and started to play while Ellery slept.