“Gina,” Faith scolded.
“She’s right,” Noah said. “I should have believed you when you said Pax was innocent. Because he is.”
Faith gasped. “What do you mean?”
“Turns out the eyewitness was Decalin Beaumont. He knew how the toys disappeared because he got hold of his dad’s key to the storage room at the community center and took them and the money. Then sold Pax his old laser gun set.”
“Why didn’t Pax say that? And where did he get the money in the backpack?” When she’d left Pax at home, it was with strict instructions not to leave the house until she returned. And when she did, they were going to have a serious come-to-Jesus meeting.
“I’ll let Pax tell you the rest. Just know that he wasn’t lying. Another person reluctantly came forward to confirm that Pax earned every penny of the money we found.”
“Reluctantly? As in you brought him to the station?”
Noah neither confirmed nor denied it, but she knew he was the reason Pax’s Christmas might still be saved.
“All this because someone made a false statement, fingering my brother?” Faith wondered how one person could cause so much devastation and harm. It hadn’t even been more than a few hours since she’d opened her front door, and yet it felt as if a lifetime had passed. “Does Pax know his story has been corroborated?”
“No, ma’am, I came straight here to tell you.”
“Thank you.” Relief shot through her, leaving her weak.
“No, angel, thank you,” he said gently. “When I walked into your house, my place was by your side, not behind the badge. See, I sometimes use my badge and job to keep people from getting too close. That’s why I was so set on coming to the rescue. Only, you didn’t need rescuing.”
“I didn’t?” Faith asked on a breath, because Noah was giving that intense stare of his, the one that always made her feel as if she were the only person in the world.
He shook his head and slowly made his way around the table, taking her hands to help her stand. “I should have come directly to your house and said, ‘Angel, whatever happens, I’ve got you. Wherever you need me, I’m there. And whenever things get rough, I will never stop loving you.’”
Flutters by the thousands took flight in her chest. “What did you say?”
“I said I love you.” There was a seriousness to his tone that had that little flame of hope growing warmer. “I’ve never done love before, and I’m sure I’m going to make mistakes, but I’m hoping that you can be patient with me. Help me get it right.”
“You seem to be doing fine on your own,” she said, tugging at the zipper of his coat.
A shadow of a grin appeared. “Is that right?” He moved closer. “Because another thing I should have done this morning was this.”
Noah dipped down, placing a tender kiss on her lips. His arms went around her waist and she slid her hands up his chest to his shoulders. He was holding her so gently she wanted to cry. The next moment, it shifted from a simple kiss to a silent conversation about love and belonging. Because when he held her like that, Faith felt as if she’d found home.
Eventually, he pulled back and she took the moment to look up at him. “I’m pretty sure I’m in love with you, too, Noah Tucker.”
“Pretty sure?” A challenging gleam lit his eyes. “Then I’d better do that again until you’re damn sure.” And, man of his word, he did.
“I love you,” he whispered against her lips. “I came home believing love was a weapon, but then an angel fell into my lap, showing me how wrong I was.”
“I guess I was wrong about something, too,” she admitted. “You’re not a stocking stuffer.”
With a tender smile, his thumb skated along her jawline. “I guess I’m making headway.”
She wrapped her arms tightly around him. “I blame it on the mistletoe.”
