Holly Garland on Santa's Lap [COMPLETE]

Chapter 10 ~ On the starting blocks ~

We're walking out of the store, our arms overloaded with shopping bags. Before heading to the huge black Volkswagen SUV that Nick parked in the mall's lot, we stop by a trash can. He tosses his Santa suit in without a second thought, but when he goes to throw Lorna's T-shirt in too, I stop him.

"Wait! I want to keep it."

"What for?" he asks, curious.

"As a keepsake from Lorna and Dave. They were so generous with us."

"Huh? Alright, if you say so..." he says, tossing it back in one of our bags, looking doubtful. Meanwhile, I grab my old heels from one of the bags and drop them in the trash without hesitation.

"Didn't those cost you like 400 bucks?" Nick asks, surprised.

"Yeah, and someone would have to pay me twice that to ever wear them again."

Nick laughs lightly, and it tugs at my heart.

Once we load everything into the trunk, I start to head for the passenger seat, but Nick calls out, "Where you going? We're not done yet, Ginger. We gotta go back in!"

I turn to him, puzzled.

"I told you it's Christmas shopping. We can't leave without gifts..."

"Gifts? For who?"

"You don't want to show up at your family's place empty-handed, right?"

"Wait, hold up... You're saying I still gotta go to my parents'?" I ask, suddenly anxious. "Are you ditching me?"

"No way! You're not off the hook yet. Actually, I thought you'd invite me to go with you..."

I shift my weight onto one leg, crossing my arms. "And in what capacity? As the guy who turned my life upside down and dragged me into danger for some mystery reason?"

"Well... when you put it like that, it doesn't sound too great. Your folks are gonna think I'm a bad dude. How about we just say I'm your boyfriend?"

"Hah!"

I nearly choke on the absurdity. Nobody would believe that an average girl like me could land a guy like Nick. A guy like Craig Randall, a cheating jerk, sure. But Nick? He's too loyal, too brave, too... everything! It's like me and my family—we're not in the same league. We don't even play the same sport!

"And what exactly am I supposed to tell them, huh?" I ask with a sarcastic smirk. "That you're my personal Santa and we met during a shootout?"

"Technically, it wasn't a shootout; it was one-sided. He had a gun, we didn't. It was more like a hit... but anyway, that's not the point. The real issue here is that you don't think I'm worthy of being introduced as your boyfriend. To you, I'm just a stripper or... what was the other thing? Oh yeah, a mobster!"

He forgot lumberjack! But yeah... not the time.

"What are you even saying? You're completely off-topic, Nick! It's not like we're actually together. You can't blame me for being embarrassed to introduce you to my parents. It's not about that! You're just talking nonsense!"

I can't believe we're having a couple's spat in the mall parking lot.

Nick steps to the side, rubbing his forehead in frustration. His hand slides over his hair and ends at the back of his neck.

"You're right," he says suddenly, turning back to me with a sheepish look. "I don't know what got into me. I'm sorry."

"Apology accepted. Now, let's get back to the real issues. Problem number one: Are we putting my family in danger by going to the cabin?"