Page 33 of The Christmas Cookie Crush

That’s where I’m getting tripped up, I guess. The family dinner invite feels a lot more serious than taking her out for dinner a couple times. Like there’s a big jump in relationship level between our first datethe day before yesterdayand now.

“She wants you there,” I mutter to myself for the fiftieth time as I pack up an order of cookies for a customer.

“What was that?” the guy says, his bushy eyebrows crawling toward each other as he peers at me through his thick-rimmed glasses.

“Nothing.” I give him a smile. “Just reminding myself about something I have this evening. Here are the cookies.”

We complete the transaction, and I do my best to stay focused on the present while I finish my workday.

Nora comes by during her afternoon break, which brightens my day. With the counter between us and a long line of customers, I can’t kiss her like I want to, and from the way her eyes roam over me, it’s clear she’d like to do more than look as well. But she grins and orders a cookie. “I think I’ll take Santa this time,” she says. “My dad’s been a pain today, so getting to bite his head off, even if it’s just metaphorically, will make me feel better.”

I laugh, handing her the cookie. I still hate charging her for anything, but I have to.

She grins as she pays.

“Won’t the little kids get upset that you’re eating Santa’s head, though?” I ask before she can leave.

She shrugs. “I guess it’s a risk we’ll all have to take. But considering the kids know you sell cookies here, I think they’ll figure it out.” With a wave of her fingers, she leaves. I stare after her until she’s swallowed by the crowd before turning to the next customer, a woman in her twenties who’s smiling at me like that’s the cutest thing she’s ever witnessed.

Fortunately, she doesn’t comment, just orders what she came for, and I fall back into the rhythm of work.

The nerves kick up again at the end of the day, though. Nora comes by the kiosk as I’m closing everything up. She’s already changed out of her elf costume.

“Got done early today?” I ask, accepting her hug and dropping a quick kiss on her lips. I like that we’ve progressed to easy kisses so quickly.

“We ended reservations a tiny bit earlier tonight than normal so Mom can get home and finish getting dinner ready. Dylan, Ty, and their girlfriends are supposed to be putting the finishing touches on everything, but Mom doesn’t really trust anyone else to make it right. Shemighttrust Sarah more than anyone, but Sarah was working just as late as us, so …” She shrugs, then leans in for another kiss. “I have to go, because I’ll be corralled into helping too. See you there?”

“Oh, uh, yeah. Of course. See you soon.”

She gives me a big smile, one more kiss, and then she’s gone, leaving me feeling like a whirlwind just came through and tossed everything everywhere—discombobulated and out of sorts. For some reason I thought we’d ride to her place together, even though that was never stated. So I’m thrown off by the realization that I’ll have to drive myself, walk up to the door, knock, and wait for someone to answer, like some kind of messed up version of roulette. Will Nora answer? God, I hope so.

I can’t decide if it would be worse for it to be Ty, Dylan, or their dad.

Do either of her brothers even know I’m coming? Obviously her parents do, but what about anyone else? If they don’t, Dylan will probably think I’m there to see him. Ty will just be confused. But if they do …

They might decide to pull the protective older brother schtick. I saw it a time or two when we were kids. Well, not from both brothers, because Nora was still young and Dylan’sfavorite pastime was picking on her. He encouraged my active participation. But I did witness Ty hassle some guy who came to pick up Sarah for a date. And that was when he was a teenager. I don’t even want to know what that treatment is like from him as an adult. And if Dylan gets involved …

Fingers crossed that Nora answers.

The moment of truth comes far too soon—but also not soon enough, because I want to see Nora, even if I won’t have her all to myself.

But the person who opens the door isn’t anyone I expect. It’s a man, but I don’t know him. He’s tall, dark hair, and has a beard. He looks a little familiar … I think he was at the open house? But I was a little distracted, so I’m not sure. I didn’t talk to him, though. I’m sure I’d remember if I did.

“Who are you?” he demands, arms crossed, a scowl firmly in place.

“Uh, I’m Austin?”

One of his eyebrows arches up in disbelief. “You don’t sound so sure about that.”

“Ha. Yeah. I’m Austin.” I try for a laugh, but it fails miserably. Whoisthis guy? “Is, uh …” I crane my neck, trying to look past him, but he’s blocking the door pretty effectively. “Is Nora here?”

“Shane, what are you doing?” calls a woman’s voice, then Nora’s older sister appears, elbowing him aside. “Nora!” she calls, and I let out a sigh of relief.

It might be too soon for relief, though, from the way Sarah’s eyeing me. “Look at you. Little Austin Stanton, all grown up.”

“You know this guy?” The man who answered the door—whose name is Shane, apparently—hooks a thumb in my direction.

Sarah bats his arm and chuckles. “Be nice,” she commands.

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