Page 11 of Blame it on the Mistletoe
She released him enough to meet his gaze. “And I probably would have.Ifyou had called to check in.”
“I forgot.” Pax dragged out the words, his tone implying that he thought Faith was completely overreacting. The quick glances he gave the SUV said he’d rather climb back in than suffer through one more second of sisterly PDA. Even though his limbs were free of restraints and he appeared unharmed, her panic had already grown so thick she could barely breathe.
Allowing herself a final once-over, Faith forced herself to pull it together.
And she did—only to find everyone else looking back. Pax with apology for scaring her. JT with shock because the “cool” older sister was losing it. And Noah with growing concern.
Show no fear.
Those three words had gotten Faith through a lot worse than a play gun and an unofficial ride in a cop car. She took one last deep breath and buried every speck of fear, every awful memory that had been triggered, and shoved it into her TOBEDEALT WITH: NEVERfile.
“I’m sorry that I didn’t call to ask if you were all right with me driving him,” Noah offered. Faith ignored the flutters in her stomach, too warm to blame on nerves. “It won’t happen again. In fact, why don’t you give me your number for next time?”
The big, imposing idiot shot Faith a smile that awoke thoseGo on, I dare youdimples of his. Faith didn’t know what dare had been cast, but his gaze said it had something to do with her elf costume.
“There won’t be a next time.”
Ignoring Noah’s grin, she plucked the laser gun from Pax’s hand. “As for this. I’m okay with you playing laser tag at Ms. Shelby’s house, but running around town pretending to be commandos with real-looking guns? Never going to happen.” Had Shelby been home, Faith knew the guns would never have left the basement. “Why don’t you give this back to JT so he can store it safely in his uncle’s car? Then be sure to thank Mr. Tucker for the ride.”
“I told you,” Pax mumbled, handing his co-conspirator back the gun. “Thanks, Mr. Tucker, for giving me a ride.”
“Anytime, kiddo. But in the future, you tell me the rules,” Noah said, then reached over and ruffled Pax’s hair. “Understood?”
“Yes, sir.” Pax looked up at Noah, his smile so bright and eager to please, it broke Faith’s heart. He was starved for a permanent male figure in his world. For a strong man to take an interest in him. Shelby and Cody were so great, always inviting Pax over to help when there was “guy stuff” to be done. But doing guy stuff with someone else’s dad wasn’t the same.
“Good to hear,” Faith said. “Now why don’t you and JT go see if Mr. Wilkins needs help loading the trees while I talk to Mr. Tucker?”
“But,” Pax began, and Faith lifted a stern brow, cutting him short. His shoulders slumped with resignation. “Okay. Come on, JT. Maybe Mr. Wilkins will let us keep the tips.”
When they were gone, she swallowed the big, complicated knot of heart-stomping fear and worry, then turned—to find Noah watching her.
He didn’t look particularly worried. Then again, she hadn’t expected him to.
Guys like Noah didn’t do worry. They were too busy playing hero to be bothered with such emotions. It was evident in the way he swaggered toward her in worn cowboy boots, tossing around enough testosterone to level an all-girls’ college, like he was one wink away from tipping his Stetson and saying, “Howdy, ma’am.”
“I really am sorry about all this,” Noah said softly. “I was about to leave for the hardware store when Shelby called saying she was going to be late, so I offered the boys a ride. They went to the store with me, seemed to have fun looking at all the tools.”
Pax loved tools. Loved building things with his hands. Faith had been thinking about getting him his own little tool kit for Christmas. A hammer and wrench didn’t kick her paranoia into overdrive like a gun—plastic or real.
“I’m okay with you driving him, but not in the back of your squad car,” she said, ignoring how big and imposing a person he was. “Would you put your nephew in the back like a criminal?”
“I would never think that, because they’re eleven.” His voice was warm. “JT normally sits up front because he’s been cleared in the system for ride-alongs and is a Junior Ranger. If Pax wanted to sit up front, I would have let him. But he asked, repeatedly, to sit in the back.”
“Did you wonder why he wanted to sit in the back?” Faith asked quietly.
Noah stopped, his expression turning serious. “I guessed it was because we only just met and sitting next to your buddy’s uncle is weird.”
What he said made sense. Maybe it was her own insecurities and experiences coming into play, but she’d worked hard so that Pax wouldn’t have to overcome the same familial prejudices as she had.
“You know how small towns work,” she said quietly, because she certainly did. The good, the bad,andthe ugly. “All it takes is one person to mistake why he’s in the back of your squad car and come Monday everyone will be speculating on why Pax was arrested.”
“Honestly, I didn’t really think of it like that,” he said slowly as if he was reconsidering his decision. “And if there is any way I can make this right, let me know.”
“Anything?”
She hadn’t meant it as sexual, but his grin said he’d taken it that way. “You name it.”
Faith rolled her eyes all the way up to the clouds before meeting his gaze. “Can I get back to you?”
