Page 35 of The Naughty List Agreement

Cora glanced up at Nick’s cousin towering over them. He looked like a gangster with that thick chain around his neck, but he had on a knitted hat that she’d seen his aunt give him earlier. He twirled the football around in his hand.

“Of course. Is it us against the parents?”

“Yeah. Dad’s sure this is the year they take us,” Pete said. “Sure you don’t want to change and play with us?” he asked Cora.

“I’m so not sporty. I’d be a liability,” she told him. “Also, I didn’t bring any other clothes.”

“That’s not a problem. Mom’ll have something you can borrow. If you play with us, I’ll tell you everything you want to know.”

She groaned. She craved more knowledge of Nick Bari.

“Okay, fine. Lead me to the changing room.”

Nick pointed her down the hall. When she got there, she noticed there were a couple of other women in the room already.

“Oh, the Baris always do this to me,” one of them said. “They got you too?”

“Yeah, it’s hard to resist them,” Cora admitted. “I’m Cora.”

“Martha, and that’s Elsa.” She pointed to a very tall woman with gorgeous silver hair. “Pete swore this year he wasn’t playing.”

“They always say that. Then their dads get together and the boys can’t resist the challenge.”

“Do the moms play too?”

“They’re the ones you have to look out for. Wendy has a serious throwing arm and Agnes is lightning fast.”

Agnes was Pete’s mom. All totaled, there were sixteen people here today, including herself. Jack and his brother Finn were here along with their dates, who’d dressed appropriately and didn’t need to borrow clothes.

She sighed. This felt like a lot more than she’d signed on for today, but she couldn’t deny that it felt like the epitome of a classic family Thanksgiving, and she was very much being included.

Football against the elders was tradition; Nick hadn’t been surprised when Cora had declined to play but her wager had done it. He seemed to have no objectivity where she was concerned. It was one thing to tell his folks that he needed to make her a believer and get her back on the Nice List to save the Yearweave, but it was something else entirely to sit on the sofa in their living room, flirting with her, and accepting a bet that could well see them going to bed together.

“Dad’s been working out. He’s going to be harder to take this year,” Pete warned him. Pete’s dad was built like a world-champion bodybuilder. He took his workouts seriously and when Uncle Arthur had been Krampus, most of his punishments had involved workouts. He always said that nothing sharpened the mind like exercise.

“Luckily my pops hasn’t. I think we’ll be okay,” Nick replied.

“Unless your girl really is as bad as she says…”

Nick liked hearing Cora referred to as his girl. Maybe too much. Definitely too much. She’d made it plain that marriage wasn’t on the cards for her and that meant he should be focused on meeting other women. Except he wasn’t. He couldn’t. As much as he was committed to getting her off the Naughty List, he still had to find a woman to marry, which was doubly difficult now that he’d accepted her wager.

His mom blew her whistle and everyone took their positions. And then all hell broke loose. After forty-five minutes, the teams were tied and everyone was ready to call it except Uncle Arthur who had indeed been working out. He wanted one more play, but Nick’s mom had to get back inside to check on the turkey.

“Next year,” Uncle Arthur called as he headed inside to the bar to start mixing drinks, and everyone agreed.

Nick thought Cora looked cute in the leggings and oversized Christmas sweatshirt she had on. Ironically, it said Santa, I can Explain on the front.

“I’d love to hear your explanation,” he said as they walked back to the house.

“What?”

“Your shirt,” he said.

“Oh, just seemed sort of cheeky. I liked it. As an adult, the Naughty List sounds like way more fun…” Cora said.

“Does it?” he asked.

“Of course. But like in a fun way. I mean I’m certainly on the Nice List. I’m not a bad person, but no one wants a reputation for being a goody-goody.”