Chapter 11
ELEVEN
HAWTHORN
Christmas Eve morning, I walked downstairs to find garlands wrapped around the display cases and fairy lights strung across the windows. There was a small tree in the corner that hadn't been there yesterday and it was adorned with festive red and gold ornaments.
"You hate it." Zale’s voice wavered as he appeared from the back and wiped his hands.
"I don't." I pulled him close, breathing in his scent. "When did you do all this?"
"Last night after you fell asleep and the day before. I've been sneaking boxes of decorations in for days.” He looked up at me with those beautiful blue eyes. "I wanted our first Christmas together to be special."
Our first Christmas. We could be sleeping in a tent or on the street and tomorrow would still be special because he was my mate. I’d remember this Christmas until I took my last breath.
"It's beautiful.”
"Glad you like it." Zale grinned and kissed me. "Because Mrs. Trent is going to lose her mind when she sees it. She's been asking me why you never decorate."
"Because I never had time."
"You have me now."
He said it as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. And maybe it was. Everything felt easier with Zale here. The work was still brutal, but I wasn't alone anymore.
The morning rush was busy as expected. Everyone in town needed their last-minute orders of pies, rolls, cookies, and specialty breads for Christmas dinner.
But the bakery looked beautiful and customers kept commenting on the decorations.
Zale handled the compliments with a nod and a smile while I boxed up orders.
I loved him so much and was proud of how he handled work and me and the customers. And as for me, I was calmer with my mate at my side, making the stress of the holiday rush bearable.
Around eleven, carol singers set up outside. Their voices drifted through the door every time it opened. "Silent Night," "O Come All Ye Faithful," "Hark the Herald Angels Sing." All of the carols were traditional and comforting.
"I love this." We were experiencing a brief lull in bakery traffic. My mate was leaning against the counter, watching the carol singers through the window as the snow fell. "This whole small-town Christmas atmosphere. It's so different from what I grew up with."
"What were your Christmases like?" I'd been afraid to ask much about his family and what he'd run from. But we were mates now. I wanted to know everything.
“They were formal and cold." He shrugged.
“With lots of expensive gifts and political maneuvering. My parents used the holidays to show off and to arrange advantageous connections. I was another asset to be displayed. My brothers never seemed to mind but I didn’t want anyone choosing what my life would be. "
I wrapped my arms around his waist. "You're not an asset. You're everything."
Zale leaned back against me. "I know. That's why I'm here."
We watched the snow fall and listened to the carols, enjoying the quiet in the bakery before the bell chimed and the rush started again.
By three o'clock, we'd fulfilled the last order. The bakery was finally empty. I locked the front door and flipped the sign to "Closed."
I couldn't remember if I’d ever actually closed for the holiday. There was always one more customer who needed something. But this year, I had Zale. And spending Christmas working instead of with my mate wasn't an option.
"We're really closed?" He came up behind me.
“Yep.”
"So what do we do now?"
I faced him. "Whatever we want."
His eyes lit up. He pulled out his phone and a moment later, Christmas music filled the bakery. Not carols but something jazzy and upbeat. Ella Fitzgerald singing about chestnuts roasting.
"Dance with me.” He offered me his hand.
"I don't dance."
"You do now." He grabbed me and pulled me into the middle of the bakery, between the display cases and the Christmas tree he'd put up.
I let him lead me into a slow sway. I wasn’t good at it and kept stepping on his feet. Not that it mattered. Zale laughed. We’d been such fools to ignore what was in our hearts for so long.
"I love you."
"I know." Zale grinned. "You show me every day how much you care for me."
"I still need to say it."
"Well, I love you too." He pressed closer. "And I'm really glad you're mine."
"Me too."
We swayed for three more songs before I finally pulled away. "We should clean up and get upstairs. It's been a long day."
“The longest week ever," he agreed. "But also the best week of my life."
We cleaned the bakery together, putting away supplies and wiping down counters. The routine was familiar but now when we passed each other, we put a hand on each other’s back and stole kisses between tasks.
When we finally made it upstairs to our apartment, we were both exhausted. I collapsed onto the couch with Zale tucked against my side.
"Merry Christmas," he murmured.
"It's not Christmas yet. We still have a few hours."
"Close enough." He tilted his head up. "Thank you for loving me."
"There’s no need to thank me." I ran my fingers through his hair. "You gave me everything."
We couldn't keep our eyes open, and I picked up my mate and stumbled to bed. For the first time in years, I fell asleep on Christmas Eve without setting an alarm.
I woke to Zale's warm body pressed against mine. The clock on the nightstand read 9:47 a.m. Nine forty-seven on Christmas morning. How had I slept so long?
I couldn't remember the last time I'd slept past six, let alone almost ten. My first instinct was panic because I hadn’t made any bread, and the orders must be piling up. There’d be customers banging on the door, but then I remembered. The bakery was closed. There was nowhere I needed to be.
Zale stirred. "Merry Christmas," he mumbled against my chest.
"Merry Christmas." I tightened my arms around him. "How'd you sleep?"
"Like a rock. You?"
"Best sleep I've had in years. But “I’m curious, how does a rock sleep?”
He elbowed me and giggled before propping himself up on one elbow. His hair was sticking up and there were pillow creases on his cheek. Gods, I loved him.
"So what do people do on Christmas when they're not working?" he asked.
"No idea. I've never had a Christmas off."
"Never?"
"Not since I took over the bakery." I ran my hand down his back. "What about you?"
“Ugh. We had a formal breakfast at eight, a gift exchange at nine and afterward, my parents would disappear to entertain important guests with my brothers and I'd be left by myself." He made a face. "It wasn’t exactly magical."
"Then we'll make our own traditions." I pulled him closer. "Starting with staying in bed as long as we want."
"I like that tradition."
We dozed for a while longer, and later Zale told me more about his family and the arranged mating they'd tried to force on him.
There was constant pressure to be perfect, and they'd treated him like a bargaining chip instead of a person.
I held him, trying not to let my anger at his family ruin Christmas.
"I'm never going back," he said firmly. "You know that. You’re my forever and they never loved me, rather they saw me as a possession. I haven’t heard from them since I messaged them saying I’d marked my fated mate."
In the same message, Zale had told his family he wasn’t returning. They responded with a final text saying they were cutting him out of the will and he was no longer part of the family. Despite how they’d treated him in the past, that final blow hurt him.
Around noon, we finally dragged ourselves out of bed. I made coffee while Zale rummaged in the kitchen.
"We don't have much food," he called. "You want to go out and see if anything's open?"
A town this small was quiet on Christmas with everything closed. But there'd be people out walking and enjoying the snow. We could do that together.
"Let's go for a walk first," I said. "Then we'll figure out food. I hear the local bakery might have leftovers but the owner is a grumpy so and so.”
He laughed and agreed.
"Hey, you’re supposed to say he’s not that bad and you could charm the pants off him."
"Maybe I can get his pants off later. But let’s walk and eat first."
We bundled up and headed out into the snowy afternoon.
Every house was decorated with lights, and there was smoke curling from chimneys.
We walked hand in hand down the main street.
Mrs. Trent waved from her porch, calling out Merry Christmas.
Our mayor was building a snowman with his neighbors in his front yard, and the Axley twins were walking their dog with their parents, and stopped to chat for a few minutes.
Everyone appeared happy to see us together holding hands. There were warm smiles and Mrs. Trent murmured, "Finally."
"That’s so sweet," Zale said after we'd moved on. "You've been feeding this town for ten years. They want you to be happy."
"I am." I squeezed his hand. "For the first time in a long time."
We walked to the woods, the same ones where we'd marked each other and bonded. It looked peaceful now instead of wild and threatening when my heart was breaking.
“I’m glad you came after me and didn’t give up." He turned to face me, his blue eyes serious. "I was about to leave town and I would have lost you."
"I couldn't not follow." I cupped his face with both hands. "My wolf wouldn't let me. I wouldn't let me. You're mine, Zale. I was always going to come after you."