Page 38 of Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist

He ducked around the corner and Noel slumped back against the counter. The microwave dinged, announcing her dinner was warm and ready, but she’d suddenly lost her appetite.

She’d turned to Jell-O at the mere touch of Nick’s lips on her neck. How the hell were they going to ignore that?

Chapter 11

NICK

“Nick! I need you!”

Nick shifted his attention from sliding Mr. Cutter’s noble fir through the yellow netting to his mother hollering at him from across the tent. He’d agreed to come over Saturday and Sunday to help his parents out, as the weekend after Thanksgiving was the busiest for the tree farm. Hearing his mother call out that she needed him was just par for the course.

“Be right there!” He secured Mr. Cutter’s net and hauled it out to his truck for him. Mr. Cutter had been coming out to the farm since Nick could remember and he’d always liked the former shop teacher. They’d chatted a bit while he’d helped Mr. Cutter with his tree and learned that he’d retired, his wife passed last year, and he had six grandchildren all coming with their parents to help him decorate his tree. The conversation was a fantastic distraction from everything lurking at the back of his mind.

Between work and the farm, he’d kept busy, which stopped all thoughts of Noel from creeping in. This whole week had been one roller coaster of emotions and he just wanted life to get back to normal.

Mr. Cutter dropped the tailgate and Nick set his tree in gently. The older man closed the truck up and pulled a ten from his pocket.

“Thanks for the help, Nick.”

“I appreciate the offer sir, but keep your money. I am happy to do it.”

Mr. Cutter held the money out insistently. “Just take it, son. It’s been a long time since you loaded my tree for me and I know ten bucks ain’t much, but we’re all glad you’re back home safe.”

“Thank you.” Nick took the ten and shook the older man’s hand.

When he came back into the tent, he shook the freshly fallen snow from his head and shoulders. It had been snowing steadily all morning, dropping another four inches of fresh powder on the ground, but that didn’t stop the crowds from selecting the perfect tree. Even though the uncut trees at the Winters’ Christmas Tree Farm were twenty bucks more than the ones precut at the grocery store, people were willing to pay the difference for not just beautiful trees, but the family experience and memories of cutting their own.

Nick came up alongside his mom behind the checkout table. She had her hair up in a ponytail, a gray headband covering her ears. Even though there were several space heaters inside the tent, wind still whipped arctic blasts inside, swirling with snow.

“You needed me for something?”

She handed Mrs. Olsen her change, ignoring him. “You take care now. Thanks for coming.”

“Absolutely. I’ll see you at church.” Mrs. Olsen smiled brightly at Nick. “Welcome home, Nicholas. Everyone here appreciates your service, but we’re happy to have you back safe.”

Although it made him uncomfortable accepting gratitude from strangers, hearing it from his third-grade teacher with so much pride in her voice made him smile. “Thanks, Mrs. Olsen.”

Once she was gone, his mother took him aside, letting the other cashier, Linda, handle transactions.

“I have a favor.”

“Ominous, but go on.”

“Frank Halifax broke his arm snowboarding and can’t play guitar for the Christmas concert.”

Nick grimaced, already knowing where she was headed. “Oh, mom…”

“Please! I need you to do this for your sisters and besides, even Frank didn’t hold a candle to your playing and he used to front a band!”

The Mistletoe Christmas Concert was the biggest event during the holiday season, besides the Festival of Trees. When he was a kid, his parents would drag him every year and it had been a blast when the Carters ran it. After they passed, he’d chosen to stay home with Noel instead of attending and that’s exactly what he wanted to do now. Skip it and keep a low profile with the breakup and new job, not stand on stage in front of the whole town playing Christmas songs. Watching people dance, eat, and make merry.

But with his mother making big puppy dog eyes at him, how could he possibly tell her no?

“All right, but you owe me.”

His mother scoffed. “Please, I gave you life, changed your diapers, did your laundry, fed you, and kept you alive for eighteen years. When I ask for a favor, it’s all for show.”

Nick chuckled. “When do they rehearse?”

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