Page 73 of Nick and Noel's Christmas Playlist

“Anything else?” she asked.

“No, that’s it.” He handed her his card and stepped to the side. He bumped into someone and spun around to apologize.

Noel gazed up at him, absently wiping at a wet spot on her down jacket.

“You got me good,” she muttered.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you.”

“Well, yeah, you were walking backwards. You got eyes in the back of your head I don’t know about?”

Nick caught the humor in her expression and took her sarcasm for what it was. Forgiveness.

“Can you hang for a bit until my order is up? I’d like to talk to you.”

“Sure. I thought I was going to get to sleep in, but I’m going to meet Gabby again in a little bit to help her shop for wedding supplies. I have a minute or two, though.”

“Thanks.” The bakery employee called out his name and he grabbed his pink box and drink carrier from the counter. At seven-thirty in the morning, it was light outside but still frigidly cold. As he followed Noel out the door, neither of them spoke at first. He noticed her hands shoved into her pockets and cleared his throat.

“You forgot your gloves today.”

“No, they’re in the car. I didn’t think I’d need them. Where are you parked?”

Nick pointed to his truck three cars down. “Just over there. How about you?”

“Around back.”

“Ah, no wonder I didn’t see you when I pulled in,” Nick teased. “You weren’t hiding in case I showed up here, were you?”

Her sheepish expression said it all. “Anthony may have mentioned he’d be helping you move today and you’d promised him donuts. This is the best place in town.”

“Man. And you were that angry with me?”

“I’m not angry with you, Nick.” At his arched brow, she sighed. “Okay, I was somewhat irritated you let Amber work you over, but I know you two have history. I’ve never gotten between you and I’m not going to start now.”

Nick shook his head. He understood her hesitation. Only a few weeks ago he’d thought he had a future with Amber, but his eyes were wide open now. They’d been together a long time, but spent hardly anytime actually being together as a couple. Now that he’d been back and seen the real Amber, there was no way in hell he’d ever go there again. Especially when all he could think about was Noel.

“There’s nothing to get between. She is an ex. I’ve seen her a few times this week, once at Rockin’ Rochelle’s and then at the grocery store before I surprised you. I may have mentioned we were staying in for dinner, but I swear, I didn’t invite her to drop by.”

Noel’s eyebrow arched. “Rockin’ Rockelle’s huh? For Singles Hump Day?”

He groaned at the tone in her voice. “Pike and Anthony dragged me, kicking and screaming. Hog-tied. They threatened my dick if I didn’t go with them.”

Noel laughed. “Sounds brutal.”

“It was, I’m telling you. The point is, I want nothing to do with Amber. You should have stayed to hear me out.”

Noel took his admonishment in stride. “I saw the two of you laughing when she walked you out and I just didn’t feel like being there anymore. I’d already had one nasty run-in with her yesterday, and watching you look so chummy just rubbed me wrong.”

“She apologized to me.”

“Why?”

“She asked if we could be friends. I said no. She reacted badly and wanted to let me know there were no hard feelings.”

“Amber…wanted to be…friends?” She spoke the words slowly, as if they didn’t make any sense to her.

“Yeah. I told her that we didn’t start out as friends and we weren’t going to be friends now. I wasn’t mean about it, just honest.”

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