Rebel Without A Claus

Erin looked between us. “Use what against you?”

Nicholas summarized the conversation we’d had on the way over here. “But she won’t give in.”

“Of course she won’t. She’s stubborn as hell, but I’m not.”

“Erin!” I snapped.

“She loves German waffles. Pretty sure they’re the way to her heart. So, yes, I can absolutely say that they’re one of her favorite things about Christmas.”

If I weren’t third in line with six people behind me, I’d go over there and make her eat dirt.

Unfortunately, there was no dirt here.

And I was third in line.

For waffles.

German waffles.

With Nutella.

Fuck it, I was feeling fancy. I was getting cream, too.

If Nicholas was going to hold this over my head, I was going to indulge like a virgin at a brothel.

“Noted,” he said, and I felt his eyes on me as I moved up the line to the second spot. “Waffles it is.”

They were saved from a spectacularly snarky response by the appearance of a very winded Oscar who gasped for breath as he joined Erin and Nicholas.

“I—” He wheezed, staggering to the side, and grabbed hold of Nicholas to help steady himself.

Oh.

This was fun.

“Are you all right?” Nicholas asked, grasping onto him to keep him upright.

“Can’t… breathe...”

I wasn’t going to laugh.

All right, I didn’t plan on laughing.

I did, though.

Jesus, I laughed.

Erin shot me a dark look, and I covered my mouth with my scarf to muffle my laugh. Mostly.

I moved into second in line.

Winner, winner!

Waffles were going to be my dinner.

Hey, look at that. I could rhyme.

Oscar sat down right as I took the first place in line. Erin grabbed an iron chair and sat down next to him, while Nicholas moved and slipped in next to me.

“What are you doing?” I muttered.

“I want waffles, too, Azazel.”

Send help.

“You just jumped the line.”

“I did not. You were holding my place.” He stepped forward to the counter and said, “Hi. I’ll take one waffle with Nutella and cream, please.”

Bastard.

“And I’ll have the same, not that he’ll tell you,” I added dryly.

Moira Peters grinned. “Merry Christmas to you, too, Quinn.”

I grunted again and stepped to the side, digging in my purse for my wallet so I could pay. By the time I retrieved cash, Nicholas was already holding money in his hand and exchanging it for the waffles that Moira had prepared and served for us.

All right.

I would be grateful.

I could do that.

“Thank you,” I said, taking the cardboard tray he offered me.

He grinned. “That really hurt you, didn’t it? To say thank you and not snap at me for doing that?”

“You’re making my evening very unenjoyable, Nicholas.”

“Excellent. That’s how I’ll wear you down.” He winked at me, then looked over at Erin and Oscar. “What’s going on with those two?”

I smeared the Nutella over my waffle. “Hmm, nobody knows. She insists it’s just sex, but not good sex.”

“So why does she keep sleeping with him?”

“I don’t know. I asked her if he’d hired her as his sex teacher, but she didn’t speak to me for a day after. No idea why.”

Nicholas coughed and thumped his fist against his chest. “You asked your best friend if she was being paid for sex and you don’t know why she didn’t speak to you for twenty-four hours?”

Oh.

“Well, when you put it like that, it makes a lot of sense.”

He slowly shook his head. “I cannot believe you didn’t realize that.”

“In my defense, I asked if she was teaching him. It’s not my fault she tells me he’s bad in bed but keeps sleeping with him. What else am I supposed to think?”

“I don’t know, Quinn… Maybe she likes him.”

I looked over in the direction of them again and shrugged. “She’ll tell me if she wants to tell me.”

“After all that, you aren’t going to push her?”

“No. If she has feelings for him, there’s a reason she hasn’t told me yet.”

“Wow.”

“What?”

“I didn’t expect you to say that.”

“I can be a reasonable and understanding person sometimes.”

“The ‘sometimes’ is my favorite part about that.”

“Nicholas, shut up.” I finished my waffle and put the tray and fork in the trash. “You’ve already gotten far too much out of me tonight.”

“Like the fact this is your favorite Christmas food.”

“I thought you said you weren’t going to beat me over the head with that information!”

He tossed his own tray in the trash and shrugged, then grinned. “I lied.”

“Oh, my God. I knew this night was a terrible idea.”

“It was your suggestion.”

“Because you won’t leave me alone.” I huffed, folding my arms across my chest.

“Are you ready?” Erin asked, approaching us with her arm looped through Oscar’s.

I guessed he could breathe now.

“Is it time for the lights?” Nicholas asked, putting his hands in his pockets.

She nodded. “Come on! We need to get a good spot!” She turned and dragged Oscar along with her, leaning into him and whispering something into his ear.