Page 22 of Last Chance Christmas

“Someone stole her keys and took the car for a joyride. There were two of them. They didn’t realize I was in the back, and they were drunk. They ran the car off the road into a ditch and ran off. They left the doors open and it was cold.”

“They left you by yourself?”

“That was the least scary part of what happened. I know how to be by myself.” She took a breath. “Eventually a cop showed up. He scooped me out of the car and drove me to the hospital. They checked me out, and I told him what happened. He waited with me all night while my mom was sobering up enough to take care of me.”

“They never put you in foster care?”

Olivia shook her head. “Social services in Benson came by plenty of times. But when she was sober, she was good, and she’s one of those people who can talk their way out of anything.”

“But that cop made an impression on you.”

“It wasn’t just that he found a deck of cards and taught me how to play a few games. Or that he got me a candy bar from the vending machine and made sure I ate a good breakfast in the morning. It was that I felt safe for the first time in my life. I was being cared for instead of being left alone or taking care of someone else.”

She continued. “He came by regularly. I always had his card on me in case I was ever in a situation and I needed help. He made detective, and he and his wife would come to my volleyball games.”

“He cared about you.”

“He was the only one who cared about me. Sometimes I go visit at Thanksgiving. He’s retired now, and his wife knits afghan blankets.” Olivia usually worked on Christmas, and her mom would spend the day at a bar. “They’re great.”

“What happened to your mom?”

“Nothing. She and I share a house on Witherton Avenue.”

Izan frowned. “You still live with her?”

Olivia didn’t know how to answer that. Her mom needed help. If Olivia left her alone, who would make sure she was…alive?

A loud voice echoed through the emergency department.

Olivia slid her hand free of Izan’s. “Sounds like you’re about to meet her.”

“Liv-ya! Where you at, girl?”

She called out, “In here, Nicki.”

Nicola Tazwell sauntered into the bay in skintight leather pants, a tight top, teased-out hair, and more jewelry than Olivia owned. Her earrings and necklace had Christmas hats on them, and her shirt had a racy version of an elf in full color with the little lights so she could make it flash. Olivia couldn’t see her mom’s feet but guessed she’d ignored the forecast and wore slingback heels.

Nicki set her hand on her hip, about to say something, when she noticed Izan. She looked him up and down. “Well, aren’t you tall, dark, and handsome.” She stuck her hand out. “I’m Nicola.”

“Izan.”

“Ooh. Exotic.”

Olivia’s cheeks heated. Not the way she’d thought today would go, but it was all out in the open now. Her secrets were free.

The question was, what would Izan do next?

Ten

Izan eased the car door closed. Through the window, Olivia gave him a look that very clearly said Save me, but there wasn’t much more he could do. He rounded the front end of Nicola Tazwell’s car and got in the driver’s seat. Because Olivia had insisted he be the one to drive them home rather than her mom.

Ainsley was going to pick him up and bring him back to his car, in the parking lot of the hospital, since her shift ended shortly.

He pulled out, which meant he needed to look over his shoulder. Which meant he could glance back at Olivia. “Doing okay?”

He’d asked that question about thirty times, and she’d answered the same way each time.

“Fine.”