Page 19 of A Not So Silent Night

That was Kris’s truck!

I slam on the brakes, the car locks up, and I immediately begin to hydroplane across the road. The car comes to a rough stop in the remnants of a snowbank, and I struggle to remove my seatbelt. As I fumble with the buckle, I swear I hear someone yelling my name.

Glancing into the rearview mirror, Kris’s truck is stopped in the middle of the road, both doors wide open, and then I spot the two of them running toward my car.

Finally finessing the seatbelt buckle, I push open the door and step from the car just as they are reaching it. They both race to me and pull me between them.

“Fuck, Jersey.” Nick roughly kisses my lips.

They are promptly replaced with Kris’s. “Are you okay, Olive?”

The two of them pass me between their lips, neither able to get enough of me—and me not able to get enough of them.

“I know it’s fucking stupid,” I continue to kiss the two of them, “but I couldn’t leave. I don’t want to.”

“We don’t want you to go either, Jersey.” Nick struggles to pull me even tighter into him.

“We were prepared to drive all the way to fucking New Jersey to chase you down if we had to.” Kris kisses along the back of my neck. “We’ve never met anyone like you, Olive.”

“And neither of us is willing to give you up.” Nick roughly kisses my forehead, “Come home with us.”

“To stay.” Kris nuzzles his face into the crook of my neck.

With Kris holding my hand and Nick’s arm wrapped around my neck, the three of us leave my car in the ditch and walk to the tow truck. Climbing in and onto Nick’s lap, he holds me even tighter than he did the night the two of them rescued me from the side of the road.

“Now what?” I question as Kris puts the truck into gear. He takes my hand and holds it tight as he begins the drive back to the cabin.

The boys both look at each other, mischievous smiles spreading across both their faces as they nod at each other.

“I’m going to unwrap the best present Santa ever brought me.” Kris kisses the back of my hand.

“And then I’m pulling out the ratchet straps and handcuffs to tie her to the table.” Nick kisses the side of my neck. “To make sure she doesn’t run away on us again.”

A smile spreads across my face. This might not be the Christmas I was expecting to have, but I couldn’t imagine it being any more perfect.

Epilogue

OLIVIA

“Olivia,” Mom lectures through the Bluetooth, “are you sure this is what you want to do with your life?”

As much as I would have abandoned my entire life to start a new one with Nick and Kris months ago, they were both adamant that I needed to finish college first. I begrudgingly agreed, under the stipulation that I would finish up my spring semester in Washington and transfer to the U of M extension campus for my senior year.

The boys flew to see me in Washington a few weekends, and we spent spring break in New Jersey so they could meet my mom. She loves and adores them both—they’re charming as hell, it’s impossible not to—but she still isn’t entirely on board with me being in a fully committed relationship with both of them.

Pulling into the long gravel drive of their cabin—our cabin—a huge smile spreads across my face as I answer, “Yes. I’m sure.”

I’ve actually never been more sure of anything in my entire life.

“Okay,” she lightly sighs.

“I’m just pulling in,” I inform her. “I’ll see you next week when we all pick you up at the airport.”

“I love you, Liv.”

“I love you too, Mom.” I press the button on the dash to end our call as I pull to a stop and park the car. I have no more than opened my car door when the boys are fighting each other to push through the front door in an attempt to get to me.

“Did you miss me or something?” I giggle as the two of them sweep me off my feet and pass me between the two of them.

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