Page 3 of Naughty Nicky

I shove one in my mouth and wince at the overly sweet cookie. I swallow it down, choking on it as it makes its way down my throat. I reach for my water and swallow down nearly all of it until I realize I should be rationing it. Although if I am going to die out here, what does it even matter?

I go to shove another cookie in my mouth to cure the ache in my hungry belly when a knock on my window has me jumping out of my seat, causing the box of macarons to go flying everywhere.

I curse as I brush cookie crumbs off me and wonder whether I should roll my window down. Is whoever is on the other side,who I can barely make out through the snow sticking to my window, here to kill me or help me? Maybe I have listened to one too many true crime podcasts.

Despite my gut telling me this is a horrible decision, I hit the button on the door to roll my window down.

I come face to face with a man dressed in a Santa suit, and once again the thought of death flashes across my mind.

“You okay?”

I take the time to study the man and realize it’s not some old man with a beer belly in a Santa outfit but someone else entirely. Someone who is only a few years older than me, with dark brown hair and piercing blue eyes. A jaw that looks like it was cut from stone with the slightest bit of a five o’clock shadow on it. Full lips that are begging to be kissed. Someone who I wouldn’t forget no matter how much time has passed.

My brother’s best friend, Nick Snow.

I blink a few times as memories flash through my mind. Years of growing up with the biggest crush on my older brother’s best friend. All the times I would sit in my room on my bed and watch out the front window as they played basketball in the driveway. Or when they would sit in the basement playing video games with their other friends. I would pretend to be reading in the corner, but I couldn’t keep my eyes off Nick Snow.

And who couldn’t? He was dreamy as fuck. Like in those eighties rom-coms, he just glowed like they did in those movies. He was lean and muscular back in high school, and from what I can tell from the muscles in his arms protruding from the Santa suit, much hasn’t changed. At least in appearance.

And he probably doesn’t even remember me. Even if he did, he would just think I’m some stupid little girl he could make fun of like he and my brother used to do back then.

I let out the breath I was holding and then look back up at him.

“You okay?” he asks again.

I swallow hard and bite down on my lip before nodding my head in an answer.

“Umm yeah.”

“I saw your taillights through the snow. Lucky you had them on, or I might not have seen you. It’s getting bad out here.”

I just nod, not sure what else to say. Disappointment hitting my chest when I realize he doesn’t recognize me. And why would he? I was just the girl he made fun of for years. And I haven’t seen him in six years. How would he recognize me? Not that I’ve changed much.

“I would say we can call you a tow truck but not sure one will make it out here with how hard it’s dumping.”

I nod again as I only half listen to his words. “I can wait until one comes.”

I finally pay attention to him when he snorts and laughs. “I don’t think you were listening to me at all. There is no way a tow will be out here. Is there someone we can call to come get you?”

“I have no service.”

Nick laughs again. “You really weren’t paying attention to me at all, were you, Pen?”

My eyes snap to his when he says my name.

“I said you should come to my house and use the phone. Although I don’t recommend anyone driving in this weather. I am glad I made it back when I did.”

“Your house?” I gulp.

Nick nods at me. “Yeah, I live just up the road.”

“You remember me?” I ask him stupidly.

A smile breaks across his face, and he laughs again. A sound that sends goose bumps down my arms. “I grew up with you Penelope. I saw you get your diapers changed. You chased me and Wesley around for years. Kinda hard to forget you.”

I give him a weak smile as my childhood crush threatens to return with the slight flutter of butterflies in my stomach.

“Now how about for both our sakes, you get out of this car and come with me, so you at least have somewhere warm to be until this storm clears up.”

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