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“What the hell am I going to do?” he asked the empty room.

But there was no answer, only more questions as he stood watching the shadows of snowflakes as they drifted past the window.

NICK

It was the day before Christmas Eve, and the air of festive cheer surrounded everything, with his whole family preparing to bring all the Christmas spirit they could muster. Nick was pretty sure more than a few people were well into the spirits as well as in the Christmas spirit. His mother had set a handful of cousins and a few uncles to dig the towering fake tree out of the basement and set it up. The kids had enjoyed decorating what they could reach but were sorely disappointed they couldn’t use the ladder the same way the adults did to decorate the rest. Carols echoed up and down the hallway, some well done, others leaving much to be desired.

Despite all that, none of it lifted Nick’s spirits. He was surrounded by his family, in the midst of holiday cheer, but something was wrong. Nick didn’t know precisely what, but he knew it had to do with Matt.

His sister had pulled Nick away for a surprisingly nice conversation about what he would have called absolutely nothing. He had suspected she wanted to talk about Matt, but they just talked about their lives.

When he returned to Dakota House in the late hours, he’d been surprised to find Matt once more curled up on the couch.Considering he’d had a blanket and pillow, it hadn’t been the impromptu crash it had been the day before. Nick might have shrugged that off if it wasn’t for the fact that Matt had remained quiet and distant for the rest of the night.

“Lookin’ awfully serious over there, son,” his father’s voice said from behind.

Nick had hoped his gaze through one of the den’s windows looked pensive and peaceful. However, from the reflection of his father’s frown, he wasn’t doing such a good job.

“I think that’s just my face,” Nick told him.

“Normally, that’d be true, but you’re lookin’ a little more serious than usual. Your sisters been after ya again?”

Nick shook his head. “Nicole and Emily have been running backup for Mom and keeping Maria occupied. I’m pretty sure they’ll run out of things for her to do or lose sight of her and then we’ll see her again.”

“She was lookin’ a little stressed the last I saw her. Wasn’t sure what that was about.”

“I think they heard Maria kidnapped me last night and wanted to give me a break. Sweet of them, but she was fine.”

“So,” his father said, standing beside him at the window. “They’re fine, haven’t been bothering you?”

“Nope.”

“Where’s your partner?”

“Last I knew, he was talking to Eric.”

Again.

Matt seemed hellbent on doing that above all else. Which, on its own, wasn’t a problem. However, the fact that every time Nick located them, they moved was unsettling. He was being avoided, and he felt a little ill.

“And there’s that look.”

Nick frowned. “I didn’t have a look.”

“It’s a bit like the look ya used to get when your Ma wouldn’t let you have sweets before dinner. Bit less doe-eyed than back then, but the same.”

“Doe-eyed?” Nick asked incredulously.

“Doe-eyed,” his father confirmed.

Nick sighed, knowing he wasn’t getting out of answering his father. “Matt.”

“What about him?”

Nick shrugged, trying not to let his bother show. “Stupid as it sounds, I think he’s avoiding me.”

His father took a moment to respond. “How do you know that?”

Nick glanced at him, frowning. “We’ve been best friends for years. You think I don’t know when something’s wrong?”