Chapter Twenty-Four – Sarah #2
Sarah considered this as she tasted her coffee…perfect, just the right balance of bitter and smooth. “You’d think finding out the man I’m attracted to can turn into a bear would be the most overwhelming part,” she mused. “But honestly, it’s the mate bond that feels bigger.”
“It is bigger,” Michael agreed, his expression growing serious. “The shift is just biology. The bond is...” He paused, seeming to search for the right words. “It’s cosmic. It’s forever.”
“Forever is a long time,” Sarah whispered.
“Too long?”
The vulnerability in his question made her reach for his hand. “No,” she assured him. “Just...significant. I have Emmy to consider. And my work. And we’ve known each other for such a short time...”
“But it doesn’t feel like we’ve only known each other for a short time,” Michael said, his thumb brushing over her knuckles. “Does it?”
“No,” Sarah admitted. “It feels like I’ve known you forever already.”
The truth of it resonated throughout her entire body. From that first moment at North Peak Pines, when she’d been searching for the perfect Christmas tree with Emmy, something had clicked into place. A recognition so deep it defied explanation. Now she understood why.
“I don’t want to rush you,” Michael said, his voice gentle. “The mate bond is there whether we act on it immediately or take our time. I just want you to know that I’m in this completely, Sarah. For you and Emmy both.”
Her heart swelled at his words. The mention of Emmy reminded her of all the complications, all the conversations that lay ahead.
But looking at Michael across the small kitchen island, his eyes oh so sincere, Sarah knew with absolute certainty that he was worth every difficult conversation, every life-changing adjustment.
“I want this,” she said simply. “I want us. I just need to figure out how to explain to Emmy that her mom is dating the Christmas tree farmer.”
Michael’s smile was like sunshine breaking through clouds. “Dating the Christmas tree farmer. I like the sound of that.”
Sarah glanced at her watch and sighed reluctantly. “I really should go. I expect Emmy will be back from Maisie’s soon.”
Michael nodded, though his fingers tightened briefly around hers before releasing. “Okay, let’s go.”
They finished their coffee in comfortable silence, savoring these last few private moments before facing the outside world. Then, Sarah reluctantly set her empty mug in the sink.
Michael stood and retrieved her coat from the hook by the door. He held it open for her, a gesture so simple yet so thoughtful that it made her love him just a little bit more.
And she did love him. She just wasn’t ready to say the words yet. But soon.
As she slipped her arms into the sleeves, he leaned down and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead, his lips lingering against her skin. “Ready?” he asked, his voice a warm rumble that sent pleasant shivers down her spine.
Sarah nodded, not trusting her voice as emotions threatened to overwhelm her.
Michael opened the door, and a blast of cold air rushed in, carrying snowflakes that sparkled in the morning light.
Overnight, at least three inches of fresh snow had blanketed the landscape, transforming everything into a pristine wonderland.
Michael stepped out first, his boots crumping in the untouched snow as he created a path for her. Sarah followed, carefully placing her feet in the indentations his boots had made. The simple act felt strangely intimate.
Michael clearing a path for her, and her following in his steps. A metaphor for their future together, perhaps.
No, with Michael, she would not follow. She would walk by his side. His equal.
Except when it came to wading in the snow!
The truck was covered with a thick layer of white. When they reached it, Michael opened the passenger door and offered his hand to help her climb in. His fingers were warm despite the biting cold, his grip steady and sure.
“Thank you,” she said, settling into the seat as he closed the door behind her.
Michael circled to the driver’s side, inserted the key, and started the engine. The heater sputtered to life, blowing cold air that would soon warm. He grabbed a snow brush from behind the seat and stepped back out into the cold.
Sarah watched through the windshield as he methodically cleared the snow, his movements efficient and purposeful. Snowflakes caught in his dark hair, melting almost instantly from his body heat. Why wouldn’t it? Because, boy, he was hot!
The warmth from the heater filled the cab, but Sarah hardly noticed.
Her mind was too busy flipping through reels of a future she hadn’t dared imagine until now.
Christmas mornings with Michael and Emmy, summer picnics at North Peak Pines, quiet evenings by the fire in his cabin.
A life built on trust and security rather than broken promises.
It felt like all her Christmases had come at once. She had not just found love but a true partner, someone who saw her and wanted her, for exactly who she was. Someone who could be counted on.
The driver’s door opened, and Michael slid in, bringing a gust of cold air and the scent of pine with him. His cheeks were flushed from the cold, his eyes bright as he smiled at her.
“All clear,” he said, putting the truck in gear.
They drove through the winter landscape, Michael navigating the snow-covered roads with careful precision.
The world outside the windows was hushed and white, the early morning sun casting long blue shadows across the snow.
Sarah found herself stealing glances at his profile, the strong line of his jaw, the slight crinkles at the corners of his eyes, the curve of his mouth that she now knew the taste of.
“You’re staring again,” he said without looking away from the road, a smile in his voice.
Sarah laughed softly. “I can’t help it.”
His hand found hers across the seat, their fingers intertwining naturally. They drove the rest of the way to town in comfortable silence, the connection between them speaking volumes without a single word.
All too soon, they were pulling up in front of her mother’s house. This magical adventure was over, now it was time for a dose of reality.
“I’ll call you later?” he asked, a hint of uncertainty in his voice that she found endearing.
“You’d better,” Sarah replied, leaning across the seat to press a quick kiss to his cheek. The stubble on his jaw tickled her lips, and she caught the scent of his skin—pine and something uniquely him that made her want to burrow closer.
Instead, she pulled back, gathering her resolve. With a final smile, Sarah climbed out of the truck and began trudging through the snow toward the house.
At the porch steps, she turned and waved, watching as Michael lifted his hand in response before pulling away from the curb. She stood for a moment, watching until his truck disappeared around the corner, savoring the last moments of their magical night before she faced her mom.
With a deep breath, Sarah unlocked the front door and stepped inside, immediately enveloped by the familiar scent of her mother’s house—cinnamon and coffee and home. And something else. Something vaguely familiar.
“Hi there, honey.”
The voice froze Sarah in place. She turned slowly, her stomach dropping as she took in the sight of Liam standing in the hallway, leaning against the wall with that easy smile on his face.
The same smile that had once made her heart race but now only made her teeth clench.
He looked as if he belonged there, as if they were still married, as if he hadn’t completely let Emmy down just yesterday.
“Liam,” she managed, fighting to keep her tone civil even as anger bubbled up inside her. “What are you doing here?”
“I came to see my daughter, like I promised,” he said, pushing away from the wall and taking a step toward her. “And you, of course.”
“Like you promised yesterday. For the sleigh ride,” Sarah reminded him.
“Something came up,” Liam said. “But I’m here now.” As if that made everything all right.
Sarah’s jaw tightened as she hung up her coat, buying herself a moment to regain composure. “Well, Emmy’s not here. She’s at a friend’s house.”
“So Pat told me,” Liam replied, his gaze sliding over her rumpled clothes from yesterday, his eyebrows rising slightly. “Emmy’s not the only one who didn’t come home last night.”
Heat rushed to Sarah’s face. Not from embarrassment but from indignation. “That’s none of your business.”
“Isn’t it?” Liam moved closer, his cologne invading her space. “We’re still family, Sarah. Emmy’s our daughter.”
“Yes, Emmy is our daughter,” Sarah said, emphasizing the singular. “And you let her down. She even made you a cookie yesterday—decorated it specially—and saved it for you.”
He at least had the grace to look uncomfortable, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “It couldn’t be helped. I had a business meeting the night before, and then one thing led to another… I lost track of time.”
“It never can be helped, can it?” Sarah interrupted, her patience wearing thin. “There’s always some excuse, some reason you can’t keep your promises.”
Liam’s expression hardened. “That’s not fair, Sarah. I’m here now, aren’t I? Better late than never.”
“Is it?” she challenged. “Do you have any idea what it does to Emmy every time you let her down? She puts on a brave face, but I’m the one who has to pick up the pieces after you leave.”
“Look, I said I was sorry,” Liam replied, his tone defensive. “What more do you want from me?”
“All I want from you, Liam, is a promise you won’t ever let her down again,” Sarah said. But she knew even if Liam did make that promise, he wouldn’t stick to it.
However, she also knew that for Emmy’s sake, she had to be civil. Had to keep their relationship on good terms.
As she headed for the kitchen to make coffee, she was more grateful than she could ever say that this man was her past and her bear shifter Christmas tree farmer was her future.