Page 61 of Christmas Criminal

And I can't take it anymore.

"Hank said your sister is moving back here," I blurt.

He turns to me, throwing his hands out in front of him. "Nick."

She blinks back and forth between the two of us. "What?"

"I'm sorry," I say to Hank. "But your loyalty lies with Helen. Mine lies with Noelle, and I can't keep it secret anymore."

Her brow furrows and she rears back, the hint of a disbelieving smile inching onto her face.

And then I realize what I said.

Fuck me.

Noelle shakes her head. "How long has this been a secret?" she asks.

"I've only known since yesterday," I say quickly, realizing I'm throwing Hank under the bus here but I don't particularly care. This isn't about him.

He sighs, turning toward Noelle. "Keep in mind I'm hearing this secondhand from your mother," he starts. "But Christina found a job close by that she really wanted. She went through the interview process thinking she wasn't going to get it, but when she did, she had to reevaluate things. I think she's planning on telling you once she knows what her plan is."

Noelle points at me. "How did you get all mixed up in this?"

"Hank accidentally told me, thinking you knew."

"And you kept it secret?"

"Hank told me to!"

"Your mother told me to! And I'm assuming Christina told her to!"

She glances between both of us, her expression flitting from one emotion to the next with milliseconds in between.

She lets out a long breath, shaking her head. "I think I have to go talk to my sister."

Hank nods. "I think that's probably best."

She turns to me. "Look, I know this was supposed to be the last day of community service. I just..." She waves her hands in front of her face like she's searching for words.

"I know. Go see your sister."

She nods, grabs her bag from underneath the folding table, and disappears into the crowd.

And then it's just me and Hank, staring at each other.

"I'm sorry," I say, crinkling up my nose.

He shakes his head, waving me off. "It's alright. I should have known better than to trust a lovesick fool to keep a secret anyway."

"I am not a lovesick fool."

He raises his eyebrows. "Your loyalty lies with her?" he asks, throwing my words from earlier back at me.

I squeeze my eyes shut. "Okay, that does sound kind of like lovesick foolery."

13

NOELLE

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