The Christmas Cookie Crush (Arcadian Falls Christmas #4)

Chapter 15

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Austin

My heart rate speeds up as I make that declaration. I don’t know how in the world I’d be able to fix everything, but I’d sure as hell try.

Nora smirks, shaking her head, and I’m grateful to be rescued by the waitress returning with our food.

Her story about dating a guy who couldn’t possibly order the same thing as anyone else makes me want to shake my head all over again. How ridiculous. And she gave that guy the time of day? He must’ve had other qualities that were appealing. Part of me wants to ask, but her comment about past relationships not being good first date conversation stops me.

Though we’re silent for a few minutes while we eat our food—I think we’re both starving—conversation resumes, and it’s light and easy for the rest of dinner. I can’t stop smiling—not that I want to—and it seems like Nora feels the same. She has a dimple in one cheek, and I can’t stop staring at it when it flashes my way.

I could happily live my life trying to catch a glimpse of that dimple as many times as possible.

After we finish eating, Nora pushes her plate away. I’m still moving around the remnants with my fork, but I’m watching her. “Dessert?” I ask, knowing the waitress will ask when she stops back by.

Nora sighs and shakes her head. “I don’t think so. I’m so full, I think I’d explode if I ate anymore.” She flashes that dimple at me again. “Besides, I have a box full of elf cookies at home to satisfy my sweet tooth later.”

I can’t help grinning. “You didn’t eat them all last night?”

She laughs. “God, no. I had one. Did you see how much food was at the party last night? I don’t think I could’ve polished off a box of cookies after that. Besides, I need my elf costume to fit the rest of the season at least. If I keep eating like I have been the last few days, I’ll be bursting the seams before next weekend.” She purses her lips and shakes her head. “Part of me wants to put them in the freezer so they stay fresh for longer. But with both my brothers home?” She shakes her head. “I wouldn’t get any if I did that.”

“We definitely don’t want that,” I agree, finishing my soda. “Those cookies aren’t for them, after all.”

“Too right, they’re not.” She’s so emphatic that it makes me laugh again.

“Exactly,” I add. “I made them for you. Not your brothers.”

She giggles. “You wouldn’t even want Dylan to have one?”

I shrug. “If you felt like sharing, of course that’s your prerogative. They’re your cookies, after all. But do I want Dylan to steal them? Absolutely not. I didn’t make them for him. He can come by and get a normal cookie if he wants one. Or a dozen. Or however many he likes. But I worked my ass off on your cookies with only you in mind.”

Her breath catches, and it hits me how significant that declaration is. I’m not holding back here. I’m showing all my cards. I want her.

“So we talked about my plans for the future,” she says after a moment. “But not yours. How long do you think you’ll stay in Arcadian Falls?”

That question pulls me up short. Because no matter how much I might want her, she’ll be leaving soon to return to Portland. And while that’s not ridiculously far away, it’s still not like I could see her daily or even weekly. Not while she’s busy finishing school and I’m here … doing whatever I’m doing. Helping with Give and Cake. But for how long? That’s the big question, of course. For all of us.

I lift one shoulder. “I’m not sure. Until Grampy’s back on his feet, for sure. Originally, we all thought he’d be back shortly after the new year.”

She hears my unspoken but and raises her eyebrows. “But you don’t think that’s likely now?”

I shake my head slowly. “Not really. He’s so impatient that he’s actually sabotaging himself. It’s difficult for him to rest like he should. He thinks if the physical therapist tells him to do one set of exercises, three is better. He ended up overdoing it and having to go back to resting a lot and icing his hip to calm down the irritation he caused. They’re restarting the program from the beginning next week, and he’s super mad about it.”

Picking up her water glass, she tries to hide her smirk behind it. “I’m sorry,” she protests when I glare at her. “It’s really not funny, but I can just imagine him being all cantankerous about the whole thing. My dad would probably be the same way in his shoes. God, I can’t even imagine how that would go. Could you? Grumpy Santa trying to listen to kids tell him what they want for Christmas?” She points at me. “Because you know he wouldn’t stop just because he hurt his hip, no matter what the doctor or physical therapist tried to tell him. He’d argue that sitting in a chair all day is exactly what his body needs. Except having kids sit on his lap would probably hurt.”

I can’t help chuckling at the picture she paints. “Yeah, Grampy tried the, ‘I’m supposed to be up and moving, why can’t I do that in the bakery?’ line of reasoning, but no one was buying it. Not the doctors or the physical therapist or Nana or my mom or aunts.” I spread my arms. “Hence me coming here.” I shrug again. “But back to your real question, coming back to help like this makes me realize how old my grandparents are getting. Even if Grampy gets back to full capacity, how long can that last? What if he actually would like to retire, or at least only work when he wants to?”

Her face grows serious as I talk. “Are you saying you want to stay here?”

I hook my mouth to the side and scratch my cheek. “It’s an idea. I haven’t had time to talk to my grandparents about it, so I don’t know what they’d say. But neither my mom nor her sisters wants to take over the bakery. Wouldn’t it be better for it to stay in the family? He’s already hired another baker. She’d stay, of course. I’d keep things the same. Just … I’d be the one in charge. Eventually. And they could do whatever they want.”

Something softens in her face. “I can see that,” she says quietly. “I’m the product of a family business too. And while there’s no chance of me taking over since Sarah claimed that job for herself, I definitely understand the appeal.”

“Would you want to? If Sarah hadn’t already taken the job, I mean. If it were an option. Would you rather move back here and run the Christmas Emporium?”

Straightening her spine, she sucks in a breath, her eyes narrowing as she stares at a spot over my head. “Maybe?” she says at length. “Probably. I dunno. It’s never really even been an option. Of course, I could move home after I graduate and work in the shop but …” She bites her lip and shakes her head.

“But it’s different working for your sister as a full-time job than taking over from your parents would be.”

She lets out a long breath. “Exactly. I feel like coming back would be a step backward, you know? It’d just be the same as when I’m home on breaks, but forever.”

“It wouldn’t have to be exactly the same,” I point out. “You wouldn’t have to live with your parents. You could find your own place.”

She gives me a skeptical look. “Sure. But have you looked at rent prices around here lately?”

I shake my head. “I can’t say that I have.”

“Unless they decided to give me a big raise, I’m not sure how possible that would be. And while I’m used to living with roommates, the off-season options in Arcadian Falls aren’t exactly overflowing, you know?”

I nod, though I don’t really know. I haven’t been back in ages, and every time I’ve visited, it’s during one of the high tourism times—summer or Christmas. While I know, intellectually, that Arcadian Falls is pretty small, it feels so busy whenever I’ve been here since we moved away that I’ve never seen it as the sleepy little town it was when I was a kid. And as a kid, I wasn’t exactly aware of how small and sleepy it was until we moved to a suburb of Portland.

After I pay, I walk her to the car, enjoying the way she automatically wraps her arm through mine like we did on the way in. Like that’s how we’re supposed to walk together.

She slips away from my hold as we get to the car, stepping aside to allow me to open the door for her. Maybe it’s old fashioned, but I like doing it, and I like that she lets me, smiling as she climbs in.

“Do I need to take you back to pick up your car? Or can I drive you home?” I ask once we’re inside with the car running, the heat on full blast, though fortunately it hasn’t snowed since we went inside.

“I rode with my parents this morning, so you can drive me home.”

Another surge of adrenaline spikes my bloodstream as I nod, smoothly navigating out of the parking lot and driving to her parents’ house.

I pull into the driveway behind the large white pickup parked there. “Can I walk you to the door?”

She grimaces and shakes her head. “Better not. Any other time, I’d say yes, but with both Daniels boys in residence?” Her eyes wide, she shakes her head again.

I give her a lopsided smile. “I can take the heat.”

Reaching over, she pats my arm. “Maybe you can, but I assure you, I cannot. I have no desire to hear my brothers’ opinions for the rest of my life.”

My eyebrows jump. “The rest of your life?”

She shrugs. “I might be exaggerating a little.” She pinches her index finger and thumb together in front of her face and squints. God, she’s cute. “But I’d for sure hear all kinds of ridiculous things from them for the rest of the weekend, at minimum. Most likely the rest of the trip.”

“Isn’t that likely to happen eventually, anyway? What about our next date?”

She stills, her eyes wide. Then a smile stretches across her face. “Well, since you hadn’t said anything about a next date, I figured it was safer not to assume …”

“I’d like there to be a next date.”

“Me too.” She sighs. “Regardless, tonight’s been too wonderful, and I don’t want to ruin it by my stinky older brothers hassling me about getting a goodnight kiss on the front step. I feel like a pimply fourteen-year-old enough with them around. I don’t need to add any fuel to that fire.”

I chuckle at that image. “A goodnight kiss?”

She lifts one shoulder. “Again, making assumptions.”

Leaning over the console, I tuck a strand of hair behind her ear, my fingers lingering on her jaw. “I think that might be a safe assumption.”

She leans in as well, and our lips meet in a brief kiss. Her lips are plump and smooth, and they give just right as they press against mine.

When she pulls away, it’s too soon for my liking. I want more. But she’s already opening the door and climbing out. Bending over, she smiles at me. “Thanks for an amazing date. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Night,” I call back as she closes the door, hoping my voice doesn’t sound too strangled.

I’ll see her tomorrow. And then we’ll plan another date.