His Holiday Crush - Cari Z. Page 0,60

head. “It’s all right, Nicky, there’s no rush. Looks like a mess, but mostly we just need to make enough room to get the ambulances out then get these cars moving again. No serious injuries, thank goodness. David’s handling interviews and a tow truck is coming, so you and me need to see about getting traffic unstuck. I think we have space for a single lane through here. You take southbound, I’ll take northbound, and we’ll communicate via radio so we don’t cause any more accidents.”

“Yes.” I could do that. Directing traffic was one of the least sexy jobs that came with being a cop, but it was one of the most regular ones. “Let me grab my cones and we’ll set it up.”

“Good man.” He clapped me on the shoulder again then headed for his car. I turned back to my Jeep to dig out my traffic cones.

This was my first major accident since taking the job. While I knew my reaction could have been a lot worse, I couldn’t help wishing it had been a lot better. Noise, lights, horns, people…if I couldn’t handle it here, I’d never handle it somewhere else.

Like New York City.

I shook my head and pulled the cones out. I had a job to focus on. Impossible dreams could wait.

Chapter Eleven

Max

The Christmas play turned out to be a complete hit. It seemed everyone in town came out as support, and the kids had fun acting out the nativity scene, even without live animals. Hal asked me why I was laughing so hard when the scene opened on Mary and Joseph in the manger, and I shared the blow-up doll conversation with him. He actually had to step out of the nave for a minute to get a handle on his laughter. I stayed behind, taking in the small-town holiday spirit, wanting to bottle it up and save it for when I returned to the city.

The after-play party was held in the church’s biggest meeting room. It was absolutely packed with people, and kids were running around everywhere, some still in their costumes and cheerfully spilling fruit punch and chocolate cookie crumbs on them as they raided the snack table. I was hanging out near the door with Hal and wondering whether Dominic was going to make it or not before the party ended. He’d texted about an accident—hopefully, it wasn’t a bad one.

Someone’s phone went off a few feet away. No, make that two people’s phones. No, three. What was going on?

“Uh-oh, sounds like a group text.” Hal raised a wry eyebrow before taking a sip of the bright red punch that Marnie had pressed on him. “Cue the Edgewood gossip network.”

Tension crawled up my shoulders as I remembered the incessant chatter that had followed my mom and me right after the accident. Instead of offering support, the town had turned on us based on loose tongues and speculations.

“Oh my god.” The woman closest to me whose phone had gone off rolled her eyes at her friend. “You’ll never guess who almost got arrested outside Mary’s fabric store again.”

“No, really?” The woman next to her shook her head. “I thought she had a restraining order against that old fool.”

“They called the cops, but apparently Mary didn’t have them arrest him,” the first lady said with a sigh. “She’s too soft-hearted when it comes to Robertson. If I were the mayor, I would have dug up some sort of zoning issue and kicked that man out of his trailer years ago. He shouldn’t even be allowed to live in this town anymore, much less get to rant like a drunk on a bender outside Mary’s own store.”

My mouth went dry. They were talking about my father, who I’d seen buy the case of beer that was probably fueling his delusions right now.

Whispers like this had been too much to bear ten years ago. I was practically crawling out of my skin listening to them now.

Hal, who had the ears of a bat, also picked up on the conversation nearby and set his punch cup down on the nearest table. “Well, I’m done with this party, and dinner’s waiting at home. I’ll go get the girls.” He left before I could tell him not to bother, that it was all right, and I was so grateful for that.

I was even more grateful when Dominic walked in the church doors a moment later. He stopped just inside the entrance, snow slowly melting on his shoulders as he