Page 16 of The Bear's Christmas Wish
Emmy spun around, her face alight with joy. “Thank you for our tree! It’s the best tree ever!”
“I agree,” Michael said, zipping up his coat. “And now I’m about to deliver the second-best tree ever to the town square.”
Emmy’s eyes widened. “The town square tree? How big is it?”
Michael stretched his arms wide. “As big as your house.”
“Wow!” Emmy gasped, her mouth forming a perfect O. “But how do you get a star on the top?”
Michael leaned down, lowering his voice to a stage whisper. “Christmas magic.”
Emmy considered this with the seriousness of a philosopher. “I’d love to see it. Can we, Mom? Please? Please can we go and help Michael with the big tree?”
Michael glanced at Sarah, his eyebrows raised in silent question. How she liked that about him. The way he always deferred to her. He wasn’t trying to override her, wasn’t assuming anything. He respected her role as Emmy’s mother.
“I suppose we could drive into town,” Sarah said, surprised by her own eagerness. “If you’re not too tired, Emmy. It’s been a long couple of days.”
“I’m not tired at all!” Emmy declared, already racing toward the coat rack. “I want to see the Christmas magic!”
“I guess that’s settled then.” Sarah couldn’t deny the excitement bubbling inside her. It had nothing to do with spending more time with Michael, she told herself firmly. It was about the tree. The massive, magical town square tree that would make Emmy’s eyes light up with wonder.
Yes. That was it.
Just the tree. Nothing else.
Chapter Seven – Michael
“Thanks for your help,” Michael said, his breath fogging in the frigid evening air as he and James secured the massive town square tree onto the flatbed of his truck. The temperature had plummeted since sunset, turning the world crisp and sharp. Even through his thick gloves, he could feel the cold biting at his fingertips.
“Anytime,” James replied, cinching down the final strap with a grunt. “There. This beauty’s not going anywhere.”
“I can’t wait to get to town so everyone can see it.” Michael patted the trunk of the spruce affectionately. This particular tree had been planted when his father still ran North Peak Pines. He’d watched it grow from a sapling, and tended it through drought years and ice storms.
Now it would stand proud in the center of Bear Creek, decorated with ornaments that held the town’s collective memories.
“Everyone, huh?” James asked as he jumped down off the back of the truck and landed on the frost-packed ground.
Daniel,Michael’s bear chuckled.
Did you expect him to keep it a secret?Michael asked.
Do you think the whole town knows?his bear asked.
I guess we’ll find out soon enough,Michael said, shivering with a thrill of excitement. He’d waited for this day his whole life, and it had been so much more than he had ever imagined.
“So it is true?” James asked.
“Daniel told you?” Michael asked.
James tilted his head to one side. “Not exactly.”
“Not exactly?” Michael narrowed his eyes at his friend. “What does that mean?”
“It was something Teddy said,” James explained. “And then Daniel gave him this look…”
“Ah,” Michael said.
Teddy picked up on the mating bond,Michael’s bear said.
