Page 9 of Wrapped in Red

Mom’s brows dipped. “That doesn’t explain where you’ve been. Senior said you haven’t even come to the Tavern.”

“Ma,” I warned before I reached for Ezra’s hand to tug him closer to me.

She glanced at me. “You said you had a fight, Carson.”

“We did. It’s over now.” That was the truth.

Ezra looked up at me with those big doe eyes. “You told her?”

“I told her about the fight.” I hoped he realized I didn’t say anything else. That was private.

He swallowed nervously, his Adam’s apple moving against his throat. “We’re good now. It was totally all my fault, Mrs. C.”

“Amelia, Ezra. How many times do I have to tell you that? Or Mom, if you prefer.” Mom’s eyes zeroed in on where we were holding hands. “Carson, sweetie, do you think Noel would want you to be holding hands with another man?”

For the love of—

“Ma, Ezra is my best friend. He was here first,” I reminded her. Noel was more than aware of him, too. I made sure of that.

“Who’s Noel?” Ezra asked.

Probably should have mentioned to my best friend I had a boyfriend. “Er... the guy I’m seeing.” Guilt riddled me like a second skin as I saw the confusion in his dark orbs. Now who was lying?

“You have a boyfriend?” Ezra untangled our fingers like I was physically hurting him.

The sound of a plate landing on the table caused me to jump.

“Cinnamon rolls.” Mom sounded nervous.

Good, I hope she was. She just dropped a truth bomb I wasn’t ready to deal with yet.

“I think I lost my appetite. I need some fresh air.” Ezra pushed past me, and I watched as he rushed toward the front door, into the cold without a coat.

I turned to look at my mother. “Thanks.”

“Well, do you think Noel would appreciate you sharing a bed with Ezra and holding his hand? I was just curious.” She shrugged.

I dropped my chin to my chest. “It’s Ezra. He’s harmless.”

“And what happened to his face, Carson? That’s not from a car accident. People around town—”

“Mom!” I shouted, not caring if I woke my father. “I don’t care what people around town say about him. God, what is wrong with you? You used to treat him like a son.”

I marched toward the door, shoving my coat on as I did, and found Ez standing on the porch, his arms wrapped around himself. He didn’t even look at me when I stepped outside.

“You’re going to freeze to death out here.”

“You didn’t tell me you had a boyfriend, CC.”

“Does it matter?”

Ezra shrugged. “No, maybe, I don’t know.”

“It’s new.” I moved closer before I wrapped my arms around him and pulled him against my chest. I wrapped my coat around him and tried to zip it up around both of us as best as I could. “You’re shaking, boo.”

Ezra tipped his head up so he could look at me. “It’s Noel McCormick, isn’t it?”

“It is.” The bruising around his eyes made me sick to my stomach.