If they would have him. He knew what he wanted. It was time to stop procrastinating and start living again.
Michael knocked on the door, all hesitation fleeing at the thought. He knew what he wanted, and now he had to make sure he was worthy of them.
The door came open and Caleb Burke stood there, a baby in his arms. Amelia Burke had dark curls on the top of her head and wore footie pajamas. She clung to the father who looked nothing like her, but who obviously adored her. The doctor frowned. “If Nate found another body, tell him I quit.”
Still, Caleb stepped back to let him in.
“No. There’s only the one body I’m aware of. I’m here to see Alexei.” His stomach was tight at the thought of what he was about to do.
Caleb’s brows came up, but he turned and walked into the big suite. “Hey, you’ve got a visitor.”
Michael followed him, and Holly and Alexei were sitting together at the small breakfast table, the whole thing laid out with coffee and croissants and danishes.
He’d interrupted an intimate family morning, one they might not get often since they were all busy. “I’m sorry. I can come back later.”
Alexei pushed back his chair. “Not at all. I assume you’ve come to see me. Or did you wish to speak with Holly?”
“You, of course. I had something to talk to you about, but it can wait.” He didn’t want to wait. He wanted to get this over with so his real life—his second chance—could start.
If they would have him. If he hadn’t fucked everything up completely. That fear was what had kept him from rushing to Ty’s apartment this morning. He needed to be able to show them he was willing to change. He needed to do this for Lucy and Ty.
And he needed to do this for himself.
Holly stood. She had one of the lodge’s robes wrapped around her, her hair up in a bun. She held her hands out to Caleb. “Please come in, Michael. You’re not interrupting at all. I was about to get this little one ready for her playdate. Henry is bringing Poppy by. He and Nell are helping Nate out this morning. They’re going to be supersleuths or something. Nell is very excited about it. She’s even forgoing her preplanned protest of the Lodge’s overuse of laundry soap.”
“I get to make sure a corpse is secure so I can perform an autopsy tomorrow.” Caleb stared at him like he’d done the deed.
Caleb could be intense.
“Sorry about that,” Michael muttered.
“Did you run out on Lucy because your dumbass thinks she’s guilty?” Caleb also never minced words.
“Caleb.” Holly settled her baby on her hip and sent her grouchiest husband a death stare.
“That was kind of why I wanted to talk to Alexei,” he admitted.
Caleb’s expression softened. “Well, then one good thing came out of this. I’m going to take a shower so I can check on my corpse.”
Holly smiled her husband’s way. “You do that.” She looked to Michael. “Don’t mind him. He really hates autopsies. Why don’t you and Alexei take the office?”
“There’s an office?” The suite was huge.
“Yes, Caleb rushed to get the biggest suite he could find when snow keeps us all here,” Alexei admitted. “Luckily we keep to-be-going bags in car for emergencies. Sometimes Caleb must go on emergency runs, and we end up spending nights in places. So pj’s and extra clothes for everyone. I have learned to be very prepared out here in the country.”
He wondered if Ty did the same. He’d seen a gym bag in the back of Ty’s Jeep, but there wasn’t a handy gym to work out in here in Bliss. Likely it was a go-bag with extra clothes and protein bars and stuff he might need in an emergency.
He would have to keep one soon since his job would likely take him interesting places.
He followed Alexei and sure enough, there was a small office with a desk and a couple of wingback chairs. The curtains were drawn back, and the big windows offered a stunning view of the winter wonderland Bliss had become overnight. He stared for a moment, taking in how crisp and pristine the world looked. Brilliant white snow covered the messy earth beneath. It was beautiful and seemingly perfect, but it was the mess beneath that sustained life.
He’d lived in the cold for so long that warmth had scared him. He hadn’t trusted it.
Alexei sat in one of the chairs and simply waited. He said not a thing, and Michael realized he had no idea how long he’d been standing there keeping the man waiting. He turned back. “I’m sorry. I was just thinking about a few things.”
“Thinking is good.” Alexei was the model of calm perfection, so far from the man he’d been once. Alexei had changed, had opened himself and embraced the possibilities life had offered him.