Holly Garland on Santa's Lap [COMPLETE]

Chapter 28 ~The plan~

What a wild night!

We danced until dawn, all slow and sensual, and drank way too much overpriced champagne.

Nick's dad is uptight and a bit of a stiff, but the man knows how to throw an epic party. And his wine cellar? Totally worth checking out.

But now, the bill is insane.

We ended up crashing at Nick's apartment at some unholy hour, totally wasted. Didn't stop us from making love a few times to top off the night—or was it to kick off the day?

Anyway, waking up is brutal.

Who'd have thought a night I was dreading—expecting it to be awkward and stressful—would turn into the most unforgettable New Year's Eve I've ever had?

But honestly, we're terrible secret agents. Good thing Tony had our backs. He stayed stone-cold sober, made sure we got home safely, and kept an eye on us the whole night.

I pull the belt on Nick's gray velvet robe tighter around me and shuffle into the kitchen, where Tony is already settled.

"Need a painkiller and some black coffee?" he offers, sliding the hangover cure closer.

"Oooh, Tony, you're a lifesaver!" I groan, dragging myself to the kitchen counter like a total mess.

"Don't say that too loud, kiddo, or you'll get me in trouble."

"Huh? Oh... Nick? Don't worry, he's out like a rock. After little sleep and too much booze, I doubt we'll see him before 3 PM—if not later."

I down the fizzy headache remedy in one go, then sip my coffee slowly. Tony scrolls through his phone, totally chill.

I miss my phone.
And my laptop.
And my office.

But hey, it's New Year's Day. This is supposed to be the end of the madness, right?

If all goes well—and I've got a good feeling since I'm laying low at Nick's—the bad luck that's been hounding me since Christmas should vanish at midnight. Then life can go back to normal: my job, my car, my routine...

Wait a sec.

I don't have my car anymore. And my job? It's still hanging by a thread because of that stupid embezzlement mess.

Even if my streak of bad luck ends tonight, I'm not out of the woods. Tomorrow morning, my problems won't magically disappear. My life won't just snap back to how it was.

Nope, I'll have to deal with the Universe's mess head-on.

As my hangover haze clears, the headache gives way to full-on panic.

How do I get out of this nightmare?

What if Nick can't prove my innocence?

I can't just sit around in his apartment, playing honeymoon while my whole life is on the verge of imploding!

I'm still spiraling on the couch when Nick's muffled ringtone cuts through my thoughts. It's coming from the bedroom.

The ringing stops after a minute, replaced by his gravelly voice. I can't make out the words, but I'm curious—and a little uneasy.

Nick comes out shortly after, looking rough but still ridiculously attractive. He sits beside me, and I straighten up to give him room.

"Morning, Gingerbread," he says softly, cupping my face in his hand before kissing my cheek and nuzzling his scruffy jaw into the curve of my neck.

"Morning. Who was that?" I can't help but ask, a bad feeling creeping in.

He drops his hand and runs it down his face, looking tired and annoyed.