The Christmas Cookie Crush (Arcadian Falls Christmas #4)

Chapter 18

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Nora

Despite the rocky beginning with Shane pretending to be a grumpy and protective big brother and Dylan being an asshole, dinner goes really well.

Austin starts out quiet, like he’s getting the lay of the land, but by the time we’ve all passed the food and started eating, he’s jumped right into the conversation. We’re near the end of the table with my dad, and Ty and Olivia are across from us. Sarah’s next to me, with Lydia across from her, my family wisely creating as big of a buffer as possible between Dylan and Austin and me. He’s at the other end next to Mom, who’ll have no trouble getting him in line if he starts being a dick again.

And as much as I’m glad he’s here, I wish it weren’t a mandatory family dinner night. I’d much rather spend the evening with just Austin.

Yes, I love my siblings. Yes, it’s—mostly—good to see them. But they’ll be in town until after Christmas, so it’s not like I won’t see them plenty. Christmas Day will be full of family festivities, and I’m sure Austin has plans with his grandparents that day, and his parents might be coming to town too. Between that and ChristmasFest, we have plenty of enforced time apart. I want to have however much time together we can scrounge up before I have to leave after New Year’s.

Because I really, really like this guy. More than I’ve liked anybody, I think ever. He’s sweet and kind and funny and treats me well, and the way he jumped in with Dylan?

Swoon.

Yet another case of I’d never have believed that possible of Austin Stanton. When they were kids, he’d always side with Dylan over me. No question.

So for that not to happen this time?

God, he really has changed.

Too bad Dylan doesn’t realize that he doesn’t have to make Austin choose between us. It’s not like they’re best friends anymore. I don’t even think they’ve spoken in years—not that I keep tabs on Dylan’s friendships. But I haven’t heard him mention Austin in a long time, and Austin hasn’t mentioned staying in touch with Dylan, so I think it’s a safe bet.

After dinner wraps up, Austin stands around talking to my brothers and Lydia and Olivia while I help Mom with cleanup since I didn’t help much with setup. But she shoos me off. “Go spend time with that sweet boy,” she says just above a whisper. “He’s a good one.”

I grin. “Yeah, he is. Thanks, Mom.”

“Don’t stay out too late,” she says as I start for the living room. “The morning always comes too early when you’re up late having fun.”

“Don’t I know it,” I say over my shoulder, still smiling. “I love you!”

“Love you, too, sweetheart.”

A knot of anxiety releases deep in my chest. I hadn’t realized I was worried about my parents’ reactions to Austin, but I was. They, plus Sarah and Olivia, encouraged me to take a break from dating, after all. And while I have, I wasn’t sure how they’d feel about me ending that break. Especially here, during ChristmasFest, when I’m going back to school in a few weeks anyway.

I don’t know what’ll happen with Austin and me once Christmas break is over—another big question mark to add to the pile—but I’m less stressed about that answer. At least right now. It’s too early to take it too seriously, but also phones exist and video chats and cars. Portland is far enough away from Arcadian Falls that coming home every weekend is too much—which was part of its appeal when I was picking schools—but it’s not so far that I couldn’t come back frequently enough. And maybe he’d be willing to meet me somewhere in the middle sometimes—though I’m not sure there’s much to choose from between here and Portland. Still, we can deal with that when the time comes.

Right now, I’m going to go rescue my … guy from my brothers.

When Austin sees me, he stops mid-sentence, his face lighting up. I notice Ty elbowing Dylan, though I’m not sure why, and I don’t care that much. Either it was to stop Dylan from being an ass—in which case, thanks, Ty—or it was Ty being like, “See? See?” In which case, yeah, see?

I reach for Austin’s hand, keeping all my attention on him. “Ready?”

His brows raise, but his smile only grows wider. “Yeah.”

With that, I lead him to the coat closet, hand him his coat, grab mine, wave to my siblings, and then we head outside.

He lets out a breath once the door closes behind us, and I glance his way. “You okay?”

Chuckling, he runs a hand through his hair. “Yeah. I’m good. You?”

“Better now.”

With another chuckle, he pulls me close and kisses me. “Me too.”

“Was it awful?” I ask, resting my hands on his chest and watching his face. I really hope it wasn’t awful.

His smile turns soft, and he shakes his head. “No. It wasn’t awful. It was …” He screws up his face, searching for the words. “Nice? Or parts of it were. Dinner was good, sitting next to your dad was surprisingly pleasant, and I’m glad I got to sit next to you, of course.”

A laugh bubbles out of me. “Why was it surprising that sitting next to my dad was pleasant?”

With a lopsided grin on his face, he shakes his head again. “Seriously? After the way Shane greeted me? Then Dylan …”

“Yeah,” I break in, patting his chest. “Let’s talk about Dylan later.”

“Right. But even Ty, while he was the best of the three, started out mean-mugging me.”

Covering my mouth with my hand, I try to suppress my giggle.

“But your dad,” he continues, unfazed, “was just nice. I dunno. After the way his sons and son-in-law acted, I wondered if he’d put them up to it and was bound to be the worst of the bunch.”

I shake my head. “No. He’s Santa Claus. He already knows if you’ve been bad or good, and if you’re on the good list, he’s nice to you.”

Austin’s eyebrows climb his forehead. “How does he treat people on the naughty list?”

I lean in close, pitching my voice at a whisper. “Not very nice.” I grin at his laughter. “But he knows you’re good people.”

“Oh yeah? How’s that?”

I toy with his zipper pull. “Well, you quit your job to move back here to help your grandparents. That right there’s enough in his book. But he pays attention. He’s seen how you treat me, too.” I shrug again. “He can tell.”

“Well, that’s good, I guess,” he says quietly, an edge of disbelief tinging his words.

“It is,” I agree, releasing the zipper pull and smiling up at him. “What should we do now?”

His eyebrows lift. “Uh, I thought you were just walking me to my car.”

I shrug one shoulder. “If that’s what you prefer, I can do that. But we could go somewhere. Just the two of us. I know the family dinner was kind of intense. If you’re not too tired, I’d love to get you all to myself for a little while.”

His face relaxes, his smile growing as I talk. He wraps his arms around me more tightly, almost lifting me off my feet, which makes me laugh. “Yeah. Okay. Let’s go somewhere.”

Releasing me, he takes my hand and we walk to his car, where he holds the door open for me, as usual. Grinning, I climb into the car. He might not think his behavior is anything special, but he doesn’t know what most guys are like—at least most of the guys I’ve dated. Selfish. Entitled. Expecting me to do the most for them while doing the least in return—sometimes not even that much. And I fell into that trap of thinking that if I just showed up for them, gave to them, that they’d see the effort and feel the need to return it. But instead, it just made them take me for granted. And when I’d get frustrated and stop, then they’d get mad at me like I was doing something wrong for expecting reciprocation.

Turns out, I just needed to find a guy who isn’t an asshole.

It’s still funny to me that the guy in question turned out to be my childhood nemesis. Who’d’ve thought he’d grow up to be such a sweet guy?

He climbs into the car and turns it on, then sits and stares out the windshield for a second, hands on the steering wheel, before turning to me with a baffled expression. “Where should we go?”

I laugh. I can’t help it. He’s just so cute. “Go to the end of the block and turn right. I know a place.”