He smiles that crooked grin.“I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.”
Humbug drapes the cut over my shoulders.It’s heavy.
Then he leans down and kisses me, slow, deep, everything unsaid poured between us.The club roars, clapping, hooting.
When he pulls back, his forehead rests against mine.“You look good in my colors,” he murmurs.
I laugh through the tears.“You think this gets you out of groveling?”
He smirks.“Peppermint, I was hopin’ the groveling would come later… preferably horizontal.”
The laughter that breaks from me feels like freedom.Frost lifts his glass to shout another toast, but Lil’ Nick steps forward, raising his hand.
“Hold up.”
His voice is rough, serious enough to cut the noise in half.
Every head turns.
He looks at me… really looks.Not like the club’s bartender or Humbug’s woman.
“Before that Enforcer of mine gets down on one knee, I need to say somethin’.”
My heart stutters.“What…?”
He drags a hand over his beard.“Should’ve told you a long damn time ago.But I was stupid and proud and young, and by the time I knew better, the years were gone.”
Humbug stiffens beside me.The room is dead silent.
Lil’ Nick’s voice cracks.
“Carol… I’m your father.”
The floor drops out from under me.The lights blur.A sound escapes me, small, shocked, involuntary.
Humbug’s arm shoots around me instantly, steadying me as my knees threaten to fold.
Nick takes a step closer, eyes shining.“I ain’t askin’ for forgiveness.I ain’t askin’ for nothin’.I just… couldn’t let him marry you without you knowin’ where your blood really comes from.”
For a moment, nobody breathes.
Then I whisper, “You… you could’ve told me.”
He swallows hard.“I’m tellin’ you now.Your mama left me for a good reason.I followed her here to this Christmas town, started the club.I dared anyone to mess with her.”
“So, mom knows but never told me you were right here all along.”
“We fought about that a lot.”
Folding her arms, Honey nods in agreement.I realize I have a stepmother and she’s pretty cool.
My chest constricts.Pain.Relief.Confusion.All tangled.
But then his eyes soften, tentative, hopeful.
“Baby girl,” he murmurs.“You always reminded me of her.Your mother.I’ve watched you from a distance your whole life.Didn’t think I deserved to be in it after how I treated your mama.I changed, but I never forgave myself.”
A tear rolls down my cheek.Humbug’s thumb wipes it away.
