Page 34 of The Christmas Cookie Crush

His scowl is replaced by a grin as he wraps his arms around her. “I’m always nice.” That makes her laugh.

I shift on my feet, uncertain what to do because I’m still standing on the doorstep and haven’t been invited in yet. And they’re both blocking the door.

“What are you—?” Nora elbows past her sister and Shane. “Ugh. What are you guys doing? Will you please let Austin inside?”

Still smiling, they move out of the way, and Nora reaches for me. “I’m sorry about them. I was in the bathroom when you knocked. Come in! Come in!”

Grinning with a mix of relief that Nora’s taken over and the involuntary response I have every time I see her, I follow her inside.

“Here. Let me take your coat,” she offers.

“Oh, uh, sure.” I’m not sure why this surprises me, but it does. I shrug out of my coat and hand it to her, watching as she stashes it in the coat closet by the front door.

Then she turns to face me, her chest rising and falling with a deep breath. “Hi,” she says softly.

Stepping forward, I reach for her waist. “Hi.”

She lets me pull her close, lifting her face for a kiss.

But the moment of peace doesn’t last long. “Ew. No. That’s not allowed.”

I look up to see Dylan standing in the living room, his girlfriend standing next to him. “He’s her date,” she says to Dylan. “Of course it’s allowed.”

“Nope.” He makes a T with his hands. “Nuh-uh. Flag on the play.” He points at me. “That’s my friend.” Then Nora. “That’s my sister. Not. Allowed.”

“Pretty sure that’s not your call,” Nora says. “And anyway, it’s not like you guys still hang out. When was the last time you even saw each other?”

“The other night!” Dylan protests. “Right here in this room!”

Nora scoffs. “Before that.”

“That’s not important.” Dylan scoffs too, marching over to me. “He’smyfriend.”

I’m biting the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing or smiling. Having Nora and Dylan fight over me was nowhere on my bingo card for tonight.

“Then why amIthe one who invited him?” Nora shoots back.

“Touché,” says Dylan’s girlfriend. What was her name again? I think Lydia. “I think she’s got you there.”

Scowling, Dylan turns to her. “Whose side are you on, Lydia?”

Yessss. I got her name right. Score for me. Not that anyone’s keeping track of points. Except me, apparently.

She holds up her hands. “I’m not on anyone’s side.”

“That’s right, Dylan,” Nora quips. “She’s on the side of right and truth. And right now, that’smyside.You’rethe one being ridiculous.”

“She has a point,” Sarah says from the doorway that leads to the kitchen and dining room. “Dylan, you have a girlfriend. Stop trying to cockblock your sister.”

Dylan immediately launches into a series of retching noises. “Gross! Sarah! I can’t believe you said that.”

She shrugs, entirely unbothered. “You’re the one making it weird, man. Get a grip. Nora’s allowed to date Austin. Austin’s allowed to date Nora. The fact that you were friends when you were babies doesn’t have anything to do with anything. And wouldn’t it mean that you have good taste in friends? And Nora has good taste in guys?”

“But she doesn’t!” he protests, and Nora flinches.

I look down at her, and her smile is gone.

“Hey, man,” I say, trying to keep my voice light but knowing I’ll do whatever I need to do to shut Dylan up before he goes any farther down this road. He willnotmake Nora unhappy on my watch. It was playful teasing before—or I think we all assumed so—but this clearly crosses a line. “Are youtryingto insult me? Or is that just a happy accident?”

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