Page 6 of The Bear's Christmas Wish
“Let’s focus on the tree first, shall we?” Sarah said as Emmy skipped by her side.
There was nothing better than a child filled with the joys of the season.
Except for our mate,his bear reminded Michael. As if he needed it.
Finally, finding his mate was the best feeling in the world!
He guided them down a clear row, his boots crunching in the snow as he tried to focus on being professional rather than on how his bear was practically dancing inside him. Sarah walked just behind him, her daughter’s mittened hand clasped firmly in hers, while Pat brought up the rear.
“See these markers?” Michael pointed to the small wooden sign at the end of each row. “Blue tags are for trees between six and seven feet. Green is seven to eight, and red is eight-plus.” A dusting of snow sat like sugar on the stake labels.
Sarah nodded, pulling out her phone. “We need to stay under seven and a half,” she said, checking something. “Mom’s living room has a vaulted ceiling, but there’s the light fixture to consider.”
Michael watched as she matched the ceiling height on her phone to the row tag, impressed by her thoroughness. “Good thinking. Branch strength matters, too,” he explained, gently flexing one of the nearby branches. “Some ornaments can be heavier than you expect. And trunk straightness affects how it sits in the stand.” He offered the branch to Emmy. “See how it springs back? That’s a good sign.”
“We have a lot of ornaments, so we need springy branches,” Emmy said as she skipped ahead, her boots sliding slightly on a slick patch. Before Michael could move, Sarah was there, a gentle hand steadying her daughter with a practiced squeeze. “Careful, sweet pea. Remember, there is ice under the snow.”
She is the perfect mom,Michael observed, a warmth like after he’d eaten one of Daniel’s hot-from-the-oven cookies spreading through his chest.
And the perfect mate,his bear hummed.How lucky we are!
The luckiest man alive,Michael replied.Because we didn’t just meet our mate. We met our new family.
Last night he’d wished for his mate. Fate had over-delivered by bringing him Sarah and Emmy.
And Pat,his bear added.
They continued down the row, Michael deliberately keeping his pace measured, his movements careful. He pointed out features of different trees, watching as Sarah assessed each one with an artist’s eye. She didn’t rush, taking time to walk around each potential candidate, trailing her fingers over the needles.
“See anything you like?” Michael asked, and then his cheeks flushed pink as he realized she might take his words the wrong way.
“I like them all,” Sarah replied easily. “But the final choice is Emmy’s. She’s been talking about getting a real tree for weeks.”
“Fake trees can’t transport you to the middle of a pine forest when the room warms up,” Michael said. “You can’t beat the real thing.”
Like real love. And real mates…his bear’s voice trailed off as he daydreamed about their new life with their new mate.
“We’ve never had a real tree before,” Sarah said. “So when I told Emmy we were moving to Bear Creek to live with her grandma for a while, she made it part of the deal.”
She’s moved in with Pat,his bear said.This is a new start for them.
But why?Michael asked, wishing he could ask her. He longed to know everything about his mate and her life. The way her eyes sparkled hinted at a hidden sorrow. One he wanted to share, to help her heal.
But that would come later.
“There’s no better place than Bear Creek at Christmas. The town has lots of traditions,” Michael said as he gave her a chance to regain her composure. “There’s the Solstice Star Walk thatstarts at the fire pits down at Bear Creek Cabins. The choir sings by lantern. There’s the Twinkling Trail, which is a walk through the forest over by Bear Creek Nature Sanctuary, where the trees are strung with twinkling lights that tell a Christmas story. And then there is the Christmas market over in Wolf Valley…”
He hesitated, aware he was talking too much. But when he glanced at Sarah, she didn’t seem to mind.
“I’m sure we’re going to be doing all the things,” Sarah said with a laugh as she watched Emmy and Pat walking hand in hand as they assessed the merits of various trees.
“Well, if you need a tour guide…” Michael said, but Emmy cut in before Sarah could answer.
“I want that one!” Emmy suddenly declared, pointing dramatically at a massive spruce that had to be at least nine feet tall. “The biggest tree alive! So it has to be the best!”
Michael chuckled, dropping to one knee in front of her. “That’s a beauty, for sure. But we need to think about two kinds of big. Big for the room and big for the car. A tree that’s too tall for the ceiling won’t be much fun, and one that’s too wide might not fit through the door.”
“But I want the best,” Emmy said, her voice cracking.
