Page 115 of Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist

Nick finished the tire in silence and stood. “Done. Drive safe.”

“That’s it?” she cried.

Nick spoke firmly. “Yes, Amber, that’s it. You and me, isn’t going to happen. Stop seeking me out.”

Nick turned away, but before he could take a step, she threw her arms around him, trying to kiss him. He shoved her, surprised by her sudden onslaught and she fell back against her car with a cry.

Nick shook his head, resisting the urge to make sure she was okay. “Stay away from me.”

He headed back inside, searching for Noel through the maze of trees. Joyful Christmas music played overhead and he shook with adrenaline. He spotted Holly talking to his parents, but balked when he realized Noel wasn’t with them.

“Hey, where’s Noel?”

Holly snorted. “She left.”

“What do you mean?”

“She looked at my tree, said it was lovely, and told me good night.”

His mom frowned. “Honey, what’s going on?”

Holly stabbed her finger in Nick’s direction. “This moron went outside to change his ex-girlfriend’s tire, leaving Noel in here with me. On their first date!”

His parents wore identical expressions of puzzlement.

His mom only said, “Oh, dear.”

“Why would you do that?” his dad asked, bluntly.

“Because I was trying to be nice.”

“She’s your ex! You don’t have to be anything to her ever again!”

“I really don’t want to have this discussion with anyone but Noel.” Nicked leveled his sister with a hard stare. “Do you know where she went?”

Holly hesitated until their mother elbowed her and she grunted, answering reluctantly. “Check by the front entrance. I saw her head that way. Fix it, Nick. All I’m gonna say about it.”

Nick took off for the front of the community center and burst through the double doors, searching the parking lot for Noel. He found her off to the side, staring down at her phone.

“Noel.”

She looked up briefly, but turned away without fully meeting his gaze. “I don’t want to talk right now, Nick.”

When she took off running through the parking lot, he chased her. “Noel!”

Noel didn’t slow down. “Leave me alone.”

“Hold on a second.” Nick tried to take her arm in his hand but she jerked away. “I know I messed up going with Amber to help her, but nothing happened. She told me she still had feelings and I shot her down.”

Noel spun around, fury brightening her one good eye. “You think I’m pissed because she made a play for you?”

“Um…”

“I am furious with you for leaving me on our first official date. For her! I know you’re a good guy and I love that about you, but where she’s concerned, can’t you just be an asshole and tell her to fuck off?”

Nick opened his mouth to explain, but she kept going.

“I mean, if any of my ex-boyfriends walked up while you were in the toilet and asked me to go outside in the dimly lit parking lot to give them a jump, I’d have told them to go to hell!”

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