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“If you weren’t about to be my brother-in-law I’d up my game.” Nick snapped his fingers. “Speaking of which, how is the bachelor party coming?”
“Sam says it’s a surprise,” Clark said, frowning. “I told him no strippers or tattoos, but I can’t guarantee one or both won’t be on the agenda.”
“My sister’s cool with that?” Nick asked.
“Merry told me to have fun and take the night to my grave, but even if he books it, I will not be partaking.”
“Me neither,” Nick said, a sheepish grin spreading across his lips. “Noel would beat my ass.”
Declan didn’t try to join in the conversation, mostly because hearing about possible wild antics at the bachelor party made him want to back out all the more.
“How about you, Declan?” Clark asked, bending over to pick up the large plastic Santa, finally drawing him back into the conversation. “You seeing anyone?”
“No. Not at the moment.” Declan didn’t elaborate because this wasn’t a subject Clark usually broached with him. Love was just another thing in his life that hadn’t gone as planned, and he didn’t need to hash out his bachelorhood with the two of them. “Let’s get this stuff nailed down before a storm rolls in.”
Clark tilted his head up, and Declan appreciated him not commenting on the clear blue sky and let him have his subject change.
“I’ll leave you guys to it and get back to ransacking my mother’s kitchen.” Nick shot Declan a serious look before adding, “I get that you aren’t into Christmas, but if you’re mean to my sister, I’m going to have to hurt you.”
Declan looked down at Nick, trying not to smirk from his height advantage.
“And I’ll have to help him,” Clark added, shrugging when Declan raised his brow. “What, she’s my family too, and for the record Holly is great unless you piss her off.”
“What if she’s mean to me first?”
“I’d say she brought it on herself, but same rules apply.” Nick shrugged. “It’s a brother thing.”
“I’ll try not to engage, then.”
“Good man.” Nick gave them a little wave before jogging up the steps and into the house.
“That guy is a character,” Clark said, tossing the Santa over his shoulder and carrying it toward the ladder. “I’m surprised you agreed to this, considering you called the Parade of Lights a fire hazard.”
“Hey, if it pays, I’ll play, no matter how much I may hate the overkill of the season. Besides, if it keeps a guy Chris’s age off his roof, then I feel like I’m doing a public service.”
“For money,” Clark quipped.
“Touche.” Declan hiked up his bag over his shoulder and switched his toolbox to the same arm, waving towards the ladder. “Lead the way.”
When Clark was nearly at the top, Declan started up the ladder one-handed. He’d made it up three rungs before he heard a commotion above and looked up in time to see the plastic Santa careening towards him. He barely had time to drop his toolbox before the large decoration hit him in the face, knocking him off balance. His arms flailed helplessly through the air as he soared backwards, hitting the ground with a painful whoosh as his breath rushed out. He stared up at that mocking blue sky in a daze, the back of his head pounding. Declan blinked against the harsh sun above, a steady drumbeat under his eye and the bridge of his nose, the sensation of liquid running above his upper lip and down the side of his face, tickling his skin, and if he wasn’t in such a daze he would have reached up to wipe it away.
The front door opened and shut with a slam and rushing footfalls on metal preceded several faces coming into view above him, including Clark who knelt down next to him. “Declan, you all right? I’m sorry, I lost my grip on it.”
Declan tried to sit up and groaned when the world spun. He reached up and ran his hand over his nose, pulling back enough to stare down at the bright red streak of blood across it.
“He’s probably got a concussion,” Nick said, loud enough to make Declan wince. “Maybe a broken nose. Let’s get him up and into my truck, and we’ll call Doc on the way to town.”
“All right, Big Guy,” Clark said, grabbing his arm, but Declan couldn’t seem to keep his eyes open.
Snuffed out by a Christmas decoration. What are the odds?
CHAPTER 3
“He’s not my favorite brother anymore,” Holly griped again, picking up the leftover Christmas decorations and carrying them into the storage room. It had been hours since Nick had gone for snacks but never come back, and in the meantime they’d managed to get through all the freight Holly was going to put out for sale this year.
“He’s your only brother,” Noel teased, hanging Christmas ornaments on one of three trees Holly bought from her parents to keep in the shop. Noel had come in with Pike and Anthony and had jumped in where Holly needed her, while Pike and Anthony kept hauling in boxes of freight. The place was chock-full of Christmassy cheer and Holly couldn’t be happier with the results, although her grumbling belly put a damper on their success.
“If he keeps being a flake, he’s going to be the brother formerly known as Nick,” Holly countered as she came out of the storage room, nearly colliding with Anthony.
