Mistletoe Latte by Ellen Mint

Author:Ellen Mint
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Ellen Mint

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

THE NEXT MORNING, Emma grabbed her toothbrush. With it, and the rest of her clothing zipped up in her luggage, she greeted Nick by the door. He tousled a hand through his hair and met her gaze. In that moment, Emma didn’t know what she’d do if he asked her to stay. As his eyes slipped down, his body froze. A single soft, “Oh,” fell from his lips. He jerked straight up, all emotion stripped from his face. He could be a stone soldier guarding a cemetery for all Emma could glean from him.

A thousand excuses flooded her mind.

I’ll be leaving soon. You don’t owe me anything. I can make my own way. Forget it even happened.

“Okay,” Nick said. He fished out his keys, the wad of them clanking together as he reached down to pick up her bag. “Skylar!”

“I can still work for the day. I just don’t want to get in your way, your life.” Emma had to talk through the pounding silence. The only sound was Nick stifling a groan as he hefted her bag off the floor.

“Okay,” he repeated, the emotion gone. “Sky—!”

“Yes, I’m here. Just had to…” The girl stampeded down the stairs and stared at the bag on Nick’s shoulder. “What’s going on?”

“Get in the truck. We’re late.” Nick looked back to the girl, hiding his face from Emma. To her surprise, Skylar didn’t complain. She tugged her book bag closer and nodded. It didn’t take them long to get outside, though the air stung of frozen ice pelting against her cheeks.

“Fuck, it’s cold,” Skylar shouted, dashing headlong for the truck. She yanked open the doors and leaped inside. Emma watched Nick carefully undo the tailgate even as his skin was blasted by sleet.

“You should get inside before you freeze,” he said, cranking the strap tighter so her luggage wouldn’t fly out. No discussion, no questions. He stood against the bitter cold to lock down her things so she’d leave his life.

She needed to say something, to cut through the tension and convince everyone it was for the best. But there was no opening. Nick closed his tailgate, and they slipped into the truck. Skylar kept talking, complaining about how freezing her toes were, how she dreaded her finals. Emma tried to reply, but each word felt pointless. As for Nick, he silently drove, his eyes never leaving the road.

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