Page 56 of Christmas Criminal

"It feels like I'm warring with myself," I say, rubbing my hand over my chest. "I feel like I'm fighting for my life to retain who I've become while simultaneously trying to stand up for who I used to be." I let out a long breath. "Honestly, I just hope he can get his shit together for those girls. Do better for them than he did for me and Christina."

Hank grunts. "Deserves a lot worse than a talking to if you ask me, but unfortunately, I'm the sheriff."

I crinkle my brow, cocking my head to the side. "Hank, if I didn't know any better, I'd think you'reaskingme to egg his house."

He points a finger at me, his eyes connecting to mine. "Listen to me, Noelle. If I catch you throwing eggs at his house again, I'm not letting you off easy with community service with the new math teacher that has all the ladies in town fanning themselves."

Nick's eyebrows rise. "Excuse me?"

I can't help the laugh that tumbles from my throat. "Hank, you think this was letting me off easy? Look what he has me doing. He might be a looker, but he's certainly not easy."

His cheeks go pink. "If everybody else is taking this seriously, I feel like I should take it seriously."

I squeeze Nick's arm and he smiles down at me, one hand still resting on my hip. I step away slowly, heading to the back ofthe hut and sinking down into the chair across from Hank. "Why doyouhate my dad so much?"

He eyes me for a moment before shaking his head. "I think he's a worthless piece of shit who treated your mother like she was secondary for so long that she started to believe it. I think you explained it perfectly, what happened to her. She was treated poorly for so long that she started to think she deserved it. Nobody should have to fight their way out of that."

I nod, my conversation with Christina coming swarming back to the forefront of my mind. Hank doesn't just have a crush on our mom–he's downbadfor her.

I warm to him. Hank–as much as he pisses me off–is a good guy at heart. And the fact that he's getting all puffy and angry over how someone treated my mom–one of my favorite people in the world–has the ice I hold in my heart for him thawing.

"I agree," I say. "She deserves a hell of a lot better."

He nods. "She deservesthe best."

For the restof the day, I eye Hank. He hasn't made any further comments about my mom, but every time I think back on his sputtery outburst that she deserves better, my heart swells.

It has me a little giddy and excited because my mom hasn't really dated since my dad. There's been the occasional online date, when Christina or I have forced the issue, but she hasn't really made an effort to get out there. As much as Hank isHank, I think he would treat her well.

Andthatis exciting.

Add to that the way Nick keeps touching me today, and my brain is completely scattered. When I turn around, I think about my mom finally finding love again. And when I turn to Nick, Ithink about the way he kissed me last night in the dim light of the parking lot.

When the fair dies down, Hank waves us off and promises he can take care of the booth by himself. He tells Nick to mark down an extra hour or two on my timecard before taking my seat behind the table, smiling and waving as people meander by.

As I gather my bag from underneath the folding table in back, Nick's hand falls to my back again. A place it seems drawn to today.

We leave the hut like that, his hand so lightly touching me as we weave through the crowd toward the high school.

When the booths are behind us and the Christmas music slowly blends into the background noise of the night, I slide my arm around his waist. A moment later, his is around my shoulders, tugging me closer.

"So I take it Hank has a soft spot for your mom," Nick says, as we wander along the pavement back to the high school.

I laugh. "Yeah, Christina was saying something about that last week. But it, uh, seems like more than a soft spot."

"Yeah, I think he flat out loves her," Nick says, squeezing me a little tighter into his side. "That's sweet. Cranky old Hank is in love."

"I wonder if my mom knows."

Nick hums. "You don't think he's told her?"

I shrug. "I don't know. I mean, I don't know if she'd even tell me if he did. She hasn't exactly been prioritizing relationships recently. Makes sense, considering how my dad treated her."

He nods, pressing a kiss to the side of my head that has my stomach doing all sorts of somersaults. "I'm really proud of you for standing up for yourself."

I snort, burying my head in his shoulder. "Stop. That was embarrassing. The whole town probably heard me screaming at him."

Nick shakes his head. "You can always look back and wish you had done something another way. But I think sometimes what matters is that you did it. You said the hard thing." He lets out a deep breath. "What matters is that you stay true to yourself and the people you love. And you do that. Religiously."

---