Nick deliberately curled his lip, and Charlie grinned. Lori said, “What happened with your sister? Bry Found her, right? Charlie told me that much.”
“Of course. Brian’s the best.” Nick hesitated. He wanted to talk about Ariana with Charlie, but Lori? Not so much. “You and Ari share a taste in holiday clothes. Where’d you get that thing?”
She smoothed the sweater over her round stomach. “I was going to look like crap no matter what, so I went with it. Ugly Christmas sweater time. A buck at Goodwill.”
“It’s you,” Nick said, hoping to divert her. “Matches the dye job.”
Charlie had always been quick on the uptake. Over Lori’s “Screw you, Nick,” he said, “Tell us about your trip later. I need some caffeine.” He headed toward the kitchen. “You guys want coffee with your Captain Crunch?”
“You promised cookies, not dry cereal, Chuck!”
“An hour ago, yeah.”
They had a simple brunch with toast, cookies, and the promised bacon. Brian snuck Luger bites down beside his chair and looked more relaxed than he’d seemed in a long time. Nick was going for a third cup of coffee when he heard a car pulling away from the drive out front. It took a moment for him to register the familiar squeal in the engine noise— “Fuck!” He leaped to the window. Down below— Yes. Fuck! —his car pulled out of the drive into the street and sped away.
Nick banged out the door and charged down the stairs by threes. Stupid. You’re not going to run down a car on foot. Although maybe there was a stoplight…
By the time he hit the sidewalk, the car was out of sight. He stood there, panting, his heart racing. Brian stopped behind him, holding Luger by his collar. “Nick? What happened?” Luger whined, pulling forward.
“Someone stole my car.” He was impressed with how calmly he got that out. “It’s Christmas morning and someone stole the motherfucking car right out of the motherfucking driveway!” Okay, maybe not so calm.
“Are you going to call the sheriff?”
“I guess.” He’d really wanted to make a good impression. Nothing says competence like having your personal vehicle lifted from under your nose.
“Nick!”
Charlie’s yell made him quit staring down the empty street and turn. “What?”
“Look at this.” Charlie was pointing at something by the steps. Nick headed back, glad of an excuse not to call in the theft yet. Brian gave him a shoulder bump that Nick both resented and appreciated.
As they reached the steps, Lori came out, both hands supporting her middle. “I can’t wait to get this kid out on his own two feet. What’s up?”
“That.” Charlie pointed at a pile of packages by the bottom stair. They were wrapped in what looked like colored newspaper ads, tied with red yarn. Nick realized he’d run past without even seeing them.
Lori and Brian said together, “Damon.” As one, they looked up and down the road.
“Damon?” Nick demanded.
Brian turned to him. “He always wraps stuff like that. Free paper, yarn from some discarded sweater. He says you can spend your bucks on the wrap or the gift, and it’s plain stupid to make the wrong choice.”
“So… those are his Christmas presents?” The other shoe dropped. “Then your damned brother turned around and stole my fucking car?”
Lori said, “He probably borrowed it. I’m sure he’ll bring it back.”
“Right.”
“He will,” Brian said. “He wouldn’t leave you and me without a car. Anyway, if he wanted to, he could steal something a lot better.”
“Maybe he wants a car that won’t get reported as stolen.” If so, Damon was right, and fuck but Nick resented the hell out of it. Not enough to report him, though.
“It’s part of some kind of plan,” Lori said.
“What part of ‘Keep your plans far away from us’ didn’t he understand?”
Lori’s shrug was unconcerned. “Bry, get those packages? I’m not bending for anything these days.”
Nick turned to Charlie. At least he should understand why I’m pissed. “Why didn’t he take your car? Huh?” Charlie had bought a used Honda. It was parked right there, next to Nick’s now-empty spot.
Lori said, “He probably made a copy of your key.” As if that was an explanation. Maybe if you grew up around Damon Kerr, it was.
Nick was about to explode when he caught sight of Brian’s expression— closed down and unhappy, when he’d woken up in such a good mood and then purely shone greeting Luger. Fuck Damon. He’s not spoiling today. He turned to Brian. “If it’s not