Chapter 29 #2
Jackson let out a frustrated laugh. “Chill! It’s not a euphemism. I literally didn’t sleep last night. I tossed and turned. I started bingeing this show on Netflix. It had vampires—”
“Wait, you stayed home? Why? Are you sick?” She took a step backward. “Two of my staff called in sick this morning, and someone took the medicinal honey and antivirals I had in my van, so now I’m screwed if I get it.”
“You need to lock that stuff down! Why do you let people steal from you?”
“I should be able to trust them,” she grumbled.
“No. Instead of protecting what’s yours, you leave your stuff lying around and then play victim.”
“I can’t lock them out! We all use that van. Our equipment is—”
“What seems to be the problem?” I asked, stepping so close I was practically between them.
Laced with sexual tension or not, their bickering could ruin this outing for all of us. That is, if I didn’t ruin it first. I wasn’t sure which one was more likely, but I was on guard. I could tell how important tonight was for Noelle. How much she wanted to be part of everything.
Noelle’s head whipped from side to side, a big white pompom on the top of her woolly hat bouncing as she scanned the crowd. She seemed to spot familiar faces everywhere, even people I’d never met before, grinning and waving excitedly at each one. How did she know this many people?
I was still not feeling great about her date with Ralph, but I pushed the thought out of my mind and focused on the scene.
The crowd cheered as the old fishing boat appeared on the horizon, cruising toward the harbor.
After a while, we could make out Santa. Next to him, Larry the Lobstah waved at us with his floppy orange claws.
There was something hilarious about his haphazard movements, coupled with his tall, gangly frame. So this was my competition?
Noelle clapped, joining the kids chanting “Santa.” Even my sister forgot her argument with Jackson and shouted along.
Kailee wandered ahead of us for a better view.
Maybe she wanted to get closer to Ralph.
Why couldn’t she be into boys her own age?
Like the two youngsters currently behind us, trying to shove snow down each other’s coats, screaming in high-pitched voices.
Well, maybe that was why.
When the boat tooted its horn, even the teenagers stopped messing around and paid attention. As the antique vessel made it to the harbor, the noise swelled to a deafening roar. I hadn’t attended this event in years. Had it always been this loud?
“What’s happening?” Noelle asked, rising to her tippy-toes to see over an older lady’s shoulder. “Why am I not taller?”
I knew one of the Hawthorne brothers would be driving the boat, but I realized someone else was with him—a woman. That was all I saw before another tourist pushed in front of me, blocking my view.
“I don’t know,” I said, taking a step back to keep a healthy distance.
I didn’t need to see anything. I could just stand here, maybe close my eyes and try to enter my happy place. I just had to block out the “Santa Claus Is Coming to Town” blasting from a nearby speaker.
“They’re kissing!” Noelle informed me, grinning from ear to ear.
She’d snuck through the wall of older ladies to have a look, making her way back by ducking under someone’s armpit.
“Who? Santa and Larry?”
She laughed. “No. The captain and a pretty woman on his boat. Everyone is going nuts over it. I really want the full story!”
“I’m sure it’ll be in the next Almanac.”
I couldn’t have cared less. I wanted to kiss her, not watch other people do what I couldn’t.
“You’re right! I’ll look it up.”
She was genuinely excited about the town gossip rag.
“Look!” She pointed at something moving behind a porta-potty.
It was Skippy. He didn’t usually join outdoor events unless it was nice and warm.
But here he was, watching the tree lighting.
Noelle pulled us closer to pet the dog, and we found a better view of the wharf.
Larry the Lobstah and Santa were approaching the vaguely Christmas-tree-shaped construction of lobster traps wrapped in ropes and Christmas lights.
Another lobster sat at the top—that one a lot less lively than one containing Ralph, who soon tripped over in his ill-fitting costume, breaking his fall with his foam claws.
Santa nearly went down as well but corrected at the last minute and landed next to the lobster trap tree. Everyone cheered.
I snuck glances at Noelle, drinking in her excitement.
I hadn’t felt an ounce of it for so long.
I couldn’t feel it over two grown men in homemade costumes or a pile of fishing gear wrapped with string lights.
But when Noelle’s face lit up like a Christmas tree, I felt that.
I felt her excitement, and my mood shifted.
I wasn’t here to pretend I was okay. I was here for her, and that was enough.
As the festivities fizzled out, darkness had fallen.
The wind had a salty bite to it, but it seemed most people were not quite ready to return home.
Many headed to the bars and restaurants along the wharf or grabbed hot drinks to stay warm.
Christmas music still played in the background, and spirits were high.
We followed Felicity to the nearest stand selling hot buttered rum and took our place in the line.
“You must try this. It’s divine!” she told Noelle.
I didn’t even notice Ralph until a huge foam claw landed on my shoulder.
“Oh, sorry!” He pivoted and whacked Jackson with the other one.
He adjusted the claws and grinned at Noelle. “You ready?”
“Are you?” she asked. “You don’t want to change first?”
He’d ditched the lobster head, but the claws and long tail were still attached.
Ralph shook his head. “Nah, I’m good. I’ll take the claws off when we get inside.”
Kailee gave them both a sharp look. “Everyone’s going to know you guys are faking.”
“Shh! Don’t announce it,” Ralph hissed back.
“This is my one chance. I don’t have the looks or the bank account”—he shot a side-eye at Jackson and me—“but tonight, I’m Larry the Lobstah, and I have a hot date.
Unless you’re about to cancel on me. In that case, I might just…
spread the word about you-know-what.” His eyebrows wiggled.
Noelle scanned our group. “Pretty sure all of these guys already know. Jackson?”
“Know what?” Jackson mumbled, not looking up from his phone.
“You know about me and Noelle,” I said flatly.
He nodded, briefly glancing up from his screen.
“How do you even have service?” Felicity demanded. “Mine’s been garbage all day.”
Jackson smirked. “Want a hotspot? Step closer to the heat.” He spread his arms.
She glared. “Does that actually work on anyone?”
“You’d be surprised.”
I ignored them, stepping between Noelle and Ralph. “I don’t appreciate blackmail. And what’s your evidence, exactly? You heard a rumor. Doesn’t make it true.”
Ralph leaned in, looking smug. “Well… I was walking past the bookstore on Sunday night. Ran out of gas. Turns out there’s a leak in my tank. Anyway, I saw movement in the window…”
“No!” Noelle groaned.
Kailee and Felicity leaned closer.
“You two hooked up in the bookstore?” Felicity gaped at me.
Jackson finally put his phone away. “Wait, what?”
“We must’ve been too close to the window!” Noelle covered her face.
“Where did you do it? Against the door?” Felicity squeaked.
“Against the window?” Jackson grinned.
“No! On the armchair!” Noelle yelped, then slapped her hand over her mouth. “Somebody shut me up!”
“Oh, my God! The slot machine!” Felicity stared at her, equally shocked and entertained.
I narrowed my eyes at Ralph. “It was dark. The bookshelf blocks the window. You didn’t see anything.”
His smirk grew. “Didn’t have to. I saw your car parked outside. Thought you were working late. Then Kailee said Noelle’s been living there, so I put two and two together.”
“No, you didn’t!” Felicity shot back. “You got it out of her at crochet club. But you still played it pretty well.” She turned to Noelle. “Since now everybody knows about your… armchair activities.”
Ralph’s grin spread even wider, like he’d just realized his leverage. “Exactly. What’s to stop me from dropping a little anonymous tip to Lady Lovewatch? Signed, Larry the Lobstah.”
I stared at him. The fool didn’t understand what “anonymous” meant but had still managed to play us. I wanted to grab him by the foam tail and toss him into the harbor, but I caught Noelle’s panicked look. I couldn’t blow our cover.
“She’s not my girlfriend,” I said. “She can go out with whoever she wants.”
Why wasn’t she my girlfriend?
Noelle forced a grin. “That’s right. Nothing going on here. No stories for The Almanac. But I promised the lobster one drink, so…” She gestured toward the bar.
“Good thing it’s not a private venue,” I muttered. “I’m suddenly in the mood for chowder.”
Ralph looked horrified. “He’s not coming with us.”
“No, he’s not,” Noelle confirmed quickly.
But I followed anyway.
“Way to look totally sane and not at all like a jealous boyfriend,” Jackson murmured behind me.
“I want chowder,” I insisted. “I’m not joining them at the bar.”
“In that case, I’ll sit with you,” he said, still eyeing me like I was unstable.
“Keep him twenty feet away,” Ralph ordered Jackson.
When we reached the bar, I realized that Felicity and Kailee had also tagged along.
“What?” Felicity snapped when I looked at her. “The whole town’s going to be watching. I want a front row seat.”
Noelle sighed, opening the door for Ralph, who was struggling to wedge his claws through the handle. “I guess we’re all going in, then.”