Page 50 of The Christmas Cookie Crush

I hum noncommittally because I’d think that as an elf you’d want to make people feelbetterafter interacting with you. That’s one of my customer service ideals, at least, and I just work at a bakery. But Grampy’s ethos for the business is to make people feel better than when they came in, and what better way to do that than with some butter, flour, sugar, and a smile?

Now, of course, the North Pole doesn’t have the first few things, but surely the magic of Santa is enough to make up for that …

Dylan waves away that topic of conversation, which is probably for the best. “Anyway. How’ve you been? How’s life back in Arcadian Falls?”

I spread my hands. “Busy, like I said.” I grin. “I got here just in time to help prep for ChristmasFest and then run the kiosk. I’ve barely had a day off since it started, so my days have been very full. And when I’m not at work, I’m helping my grandparents.”

“Or with my sister.” He mutters it almost under his breath, and I’m not sure if he wants me to acknowledge it. But I figure it’s best to meet that head-on.

I dip my head in a nod. “Or with your sister, though that’s a more recent development.” Laughing, I shake my head, remembering her initial reaction to seeing me again. “She was pretty mad about me being here at first. Remember how we used to pick on her?”

A slow smile stretches across his face, then he laughs, running a hand along his jaw. “We were little shits, weren’t we?”

“According to Nora, we were.” I shrug. “I don’t remember being all that terrible, but maybe I just caught the spillover from her being pissed at you.”

He shakes his head. “Nah, man. You were in it every bit as much as I was. If she was pissed at you, you definitely deserved it. Man, I got in trouble so many times for picking on her.”

“Really?” I don’t remember that either. I guess I didn’t really get in trouble for it. I didn’t get in trouble for picking on my little brother, either, but we’ve always gotten along. Maybe I got the need to pick on someone out on Nora, saving my brother in the process.

Huh.

That’s kinda fucked up.

The waitress comes to take our order, and I’m hoping it’s enough of a distraction to change the subject, but no such luck.

“How’d you manage to convince her to get over that?” he asks. “Nora knows how to hold a grudge.”

Chuckling, I shake my head. “You’re not kidding.” I fill him in on the broad strokes of what happened earlier this month, glossing over the fact that I wanted her to like me because I wanted to ask her out and covering it with wanting to reconnect with one of the few familiar faces in town. He seems to accept that, at least, and I manage to distract him from any more questions about Nora and me by talking about staying here permanently to take over Give and Cake.

His brows climb his forehead at that news. “Really? You’d want to live here? Like forever?”

I shrug. “Sure. Why not? It’s a great town. Didn’t you like growing up here?”

Crossing his arms, he tilts his head to the side and stares off into the distance over my shoulder. The waitress arrives with our food, and that pulls him out of his thoughts.

As he gathers up his burger in both hands, he shrugs one shoulder. “I guess? I don’t know. I never knew any different, y’know? Maybe I’d feel that way if I moved away before high school too. But me? I’ve been ready to get out of Arcadian Falls for a long time.” He takes a big bite, his eyes squinting as he contemplates the question. Swallowing, he shrugs again. “I dunno. Maybe I’d be interested in coming back here to raise afamily? But …” Another shrug and a shake of his head. “I don’t know that I’d be able to set up shop here. Maybe in Inglewood or one of the other bigger towns nearby. But I like Seattle. If we want to get somewhere a little cozier, there are plenty of smaller towns closer to there, too.”

He fills me in on his life—college, getting his degree, meeting Lydia. It makes sense that he’d want to stay put since Lydia still has to finish her degree.

By the time we finish our food and pay, we’re laughing and swapping stories of things we remember growing up, and he fills me in about some of our other old friends and where they are now. When we head to the door, I’m glad we did this. “You should come over for a bit,” he says as we head to our cars. “I’m sure Nora’d like to see you.”

I raise my eyebrows. “And you wouldn’t have a problem with that?”

“Would it matter if I did?”

Grinning, I shake my head and follow him out the door.

CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX

Nora

Austin

I’m getting us a hotel for tomorrow night

I grinat the text from Austin as I get ready for bed. He came over for about an hour after he and Dylan met up, and even though we stayed out in the living room with everyone and Dylan kept shooting me weird looks whenever Austin put his arm around me or I cuddled into his side on the couch, it was fun getting to see him for at least a little while. I even put on my boots and coat and walked him out to his car for a goodnight kiss. If any of my siblings peeked through the curtains, they didn’t make a big deal about it when I got back inside. Growth from the Daniels kids!

And now I have something to look forward to tomorrow.

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