How Nick and Holly Wrecked...Saved Christmas Read Online Free PDF Page B

Ricky’s house as another police car passes us. There is no traffic behind me now and I’m sure it’s because the police have blocked Ricky’s driveway and managed to corral everyone.
    Nick squeezes himself into the passenger seat and puts on his seatbelt. I’m not wearing mine.
    “You are a genius.”
    “What?”
    “The lift gate... The back. I was running full speed and that thing opened just in time.”
    “It was a total accident. I was pushing all the buttons and it popped open. How do I get back to your house without going back past Ricky’s?”
    “Turn left in about a half mile and we’ll circle back.”
    I use my pinkie to feel for the blinker, still shaking so hard I’m afraid to loosen my grip on the wheel.
    “Where were you when I texted?”
    “I was in the kitchen and on my way out. Thanks for that. When I saw it, I yelled at everyone and took off. Turn left again where that Santa Claus is flashing.” He twists to look behind us. “If we hadn’t parked a ways down I don’t think we’d have made it.”
    I make one more turn and recognize the main road. Nick’s driveway seems incredibly narrow and a million miles long as I inch toward the garage. I slam it in park and nearly fall out in my rush to exit the car right outside the massive columns in the front. No way am I gonna try to get that thing in its small, neat space.
    I wait by the truck while Nick puts the Mercedes to bed and locks up the house. My knees have gone from rubber to jelly and I’m trembling from the inside out. As the rush of fear subsides, I want to cry, but refuse. I lean against the passenger door and wait for him to unlock it—and he comes around the side laughing like a hyena.
    “I’m glad you’re amused, Nick.”
    “C’mon, Holly, you know this is hilarious.”
    “Maybe tomorrow it’ll be hilarious.”
    “That was awesome ,” he insists. “ You’re awesome.”
    “Not awesome. I was scared to death.”
    “Duh,” he says, “but you were cool. That text... The way the gate opened up. It couldn’t have been more perfect.”
    “Are you listening to yourself? I don’t want to be good at running from the police but I can’t afford to mess anything up this year. I can’t get an M.I.P ticket or have to show up at court with my mom.”
    “And you think I can? My recruiter is keeping tabs on me. I can’t blow it either.”
    “Let’s just go. Are you OK to drive?”
    “Seriously? I didn’t even drink that beer I opened. I basically carried it around for the forty-five minutes we were in there.”
    “And why bother to do that, Nick? Why open it at all?”
    He jerks on my door until it comes open. “I can drive.”
    The truck is slow to warm up as Nick adjusts the vents. Both our phones are about to burst into flames with activity.
    “Aw, man,” he says. “Ricky didn’t get out.”
    “It’s his house. I was pretty sure he wasn’t going to get out.”
    “His parents are gonna freak.”
    “No doubt.”
    “I’m sorry about Starbucks, Holly.”
    I see on my phone it’s way past closing time. “Whatever, Nick. It doesn’t matter.”
    Notifications start popping on my phone faster than the machine at the old folks’ home pops corn. Kayla has tagged me with Nick at the must-attend party of the season, and Amanda has consequently seen this and had a stroke.
    What is happening down there????????????
    I text back: Christmas is definitely and irrevocably wrecked. Call you when I get to Granny’s .
    She replies: Peeing. My. Pants.
     
     
     
     
     

Day Three—Karaoke is Evil and Must Be Destroyed.
     
     
    “Sorry,” Granny says. “Didn’t mean to wake you.”
    This is followed by another bump, crash, and thump.
    I groan but don’t open my eyes. “S’okay. What are you doing?”
    “I need my Christmas reindeer antlers for karaoke tonight. Thought maybe they were in this closet. Can’t find anything in this mess. If I’d known it would be such a chore, I wouldn’t have