Page 39 of Holly Jolly Heat
"Got them," Lucas said softly, still not moving away. "You okay?"
"Fine," I managed, very aware of the cameras and the thousands of viewers and the fact that my carefully maintained professional distance was crumbling in real time.
I stepped back, and Lucas let me go immediately, respectful of boundaries even while his eyes said he wanted to pull me closer.
"Thanks, Michelle!" Bill said cheerfully, and I fled back to the dining table.
My phone buzzed immediately. Sasha.
Sasha:I'M WATCHING THE STREAM. THAT KITCHEN MOMENT??? MICHELLE.
Michelle:It was nothing. Professional assistance.
Sasha:That was absolutely something and you know it.
I put my phone face-down and tried to focus on work, but I could feel Ro's camera occasionally drifting my direction. Not lingering, he was too professional for that, but capturing moments. Building a story.
The stream continued, Bill and Lucas rolling out dough, cutting shapes, talking about holiday traditions. Josh was in the background asking questions, learning about content creation, and Lucas was patient and encouraging with him.
"Your brother's great," Lucas told the camera. "Really smart questions about streaming. Might have a future content creator here."
Josh practically glowed.
And I felt my walls crumble a little more.
This was what I'd been afraid of. Not just being with the pack, but letting them into my life. Into my family. Watching them fit so seamlessly that it became harder to imagine them leaving.
"Michelle, what do you think about these?" Bill called, holding up two cookie cutter shapes. "Star or tree for the first batch?"
I looked up, and everyone was watching me, Bill and Lucas at the counter, Josh nearby, and thousands of viewers through the camera.
"Tree," I said, making the decision. "The star can be the top decoration later."
"Perfect. See, Lucas? This is why Michelle's the best manager in the business. Always thinking three steps ahead."
The chat liked that.
CozyFan22: confirmed: mystery woman IS his manager
HolidayVibes: pack dynamics?? anyone else getting those vibes??
StreamSniper: the way they look at each other I SHIP IT
I tried to ignore the speculation and go back to work, but it was impossible. The kitchen smelled like gingerbread and vanilla and cedar, and Lucas kept glancing at me like I was the most interesting thing in the room, and Ro was filming with that careful attention that meant he was capturing something meaningful.
"Cookies in the oven," Bill announced. "While those bake, let's talk decoration strategy. Michelle, you're artistic, want to show Lucas your grandmother's icing technique?"
"I'm working."
"Come on, mija," Bill coaxed. "Five minutes. For your grandmother's legacy."
That was playing dirty, and he knew it.
I closed my laptop with a sigh and rejoined them at the counter. The chat feed went crazy, but I tried to ignore it.
"Okay," I said, pulling over the bowl of royal icing. "The technique is all about pressure control. You want consistent flow, but you need to be able to vary the thickness for details."
I demonstrated, and Lucas watched with complete focus, not just watching the technique, but watching me. His eyes were soft and warm and completely devastating.
