Page 53 of Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist

His mom didn’t even look up at his outraged tone. “Yes. I bought one for you and your father that match.”

“Mom, I’m not seven. Being twinsies,” he raised his voice an octave, “with my dad is just bananas.”

She actually pretended to scratch under her armpits and jumped from foot to foot. “Well, then call me Cocoa the Gorilla ’cause this is happening.” She picked up the laundry basket and passed by him. “Now go get cleaned up. You stink to high heaven. Are you wearing deodorant?”

“Of course I am!” He sniffed his pits to be sure, an evil grin spreading across his mouth. “Maybe you need to get closer.”

Nick raised his arm as he chased after his mother, trying to put his armpit in her face. She screamed with laughter and threw a rolled-up pair of socks at him right before slamming her bedroom door. He heard the click of the lock.

“Get out of here! And bring me any laundry you want washed.”

“I can do my own laundry!” Nick shouted, amusement and irritation swirling inside him.

He stomped down to his room and discovered the blue collared shirt hanging exactly where she said it would be. He felt like a kindergartner on his first day of school. His mother hadn’t quite discovered that he wasn’t eighteen anymore and he’d been out on his own for years. Nick knew she wouldn’t stop mothering him when he had his own place, but at least it would curb some of this behavior.

Nick hopped in the shower, scrubbing his hair and body, tracing a hand over the stubble on his jaw. It would be ornery of him to walk out with a five o’clock shadow, so he opted to shave to appease his mother. After he made sure to apply deodorant, he wrapped the towel around his waist and headed back to his room. There was no way his mother could say he stunk now.

The sound of rummaging came from his room and he rolled his eyes. “Mom, I said I could get my own laundry— Noel?”

Noel spun around, dropping his gray laundry basket to the floor. “Oh! Hi!”

“Hey, um…what are you doing in here?”

“Your mom asked me to grab your laundry basket so she could start a full load.”

“Son of a…I told her I could do my own laundry.”

Noel’s eyes darted around the room, her brown hair curled into loose waves. She wore a blue crop T-shirt and jeans.

“Yeah, I was outside the front door when I heard you yelling. I’m just doing what she asked.”

Nick groaned. “We all do. Is that what you’re wearing?”

“What? No. Your mom said she has a shirt she wants me to wear.” Noel pulled on the bottom of her shirt. “Why? You saying I don’t look nice?”

“No! I just…” he stammered, running a hand across his wet hair. “You look beautiful. I figured she’d have a shirt picked out for you too.”

“She does. I’d say you look nice too, but it might come off a little inappropriate considering you’re only sporting a towel.”

Her gentle teasing eased the tension in his shoulders and he wiggled his brows. “You can still tell me. It’s nothing I haven’t heard before.”

Noel rolled her eyes.

“Oh boy, when did your head swell so big?” She shook her head as she knelt down, collecting the items that had fallen out of his basket.

He dropped to his knees with her, keeping one hand on the knotted towel at his waist. “Here, I’ll get these. You shouldn’t be collecting my dirty drawers.”

“It’s not like I’ve never done your laundry before, Nick. Even your boxer briefs.”

Their hands collided over a pair of his jeans and Nick smoothed his thumb over her knuckle. “Noel, I’ve been thinking about things with us—”

“Nick! Noel! I have your shirt! I hope you both are decent because Mom says if we aren’t outside in two minutes, she’s going to disown us all.”

Merry’s voice carrying down the hallway set Nick’s teeth on edge and he stood up the same time as Noel. Losing his grip on his towel, he scrambled to keep it in place, but his sister’s scream gave him a clue he hadn’t been entirely successful.

“Oh dear lord, I just saw my brother’s butt crack!”

“Go away!” He strode over to the door and slammed it in her face.

---