Tamsin exhausted herself taking Sarge and his mom all over Shay Island. They visited every store and stopped at every booth and table of the Christmas fair on its last day. They made it to their final destination under a large tent with kids and their families to make handmade ornaments to hang on the community tree that night for the Christmas Eve celebration.

“You realize you have glitter all over yourself, don't you?” She pointed at Sarge.

“Where?” He wiped the side of his face, adding more glitter to his beard.

Tamsin snorted. “Well, now you're just in fashion.”

“What you mean?”

“I hear that glitter beards are all the rage now.”

Sarge groaned, and he attempted to wipe off the shiny specs, resulting in more getting stuck in his whiskers. Even his mom couldn't help but laugh at him.

He gave up with a huff and sprinkled more glitter over his pine cone ornament. “If you can't beat them, join them.”

“Is that what you say to all your opposing teams?” Tamsin teased.

Sarge sprinkled a large dose of glitter over her almost-finished snowman ornament. He leaned in close, and whispered in her ear, “Keep making fun of me, and I'll make sure to bedazzle a very specific part of you.” His eyes glanced at her crotch.

As much as the rational part of her brain didn't want metallic flakes stuck anywhere near there, she couldn't help her body’s automatic warming reaction to his threat.

She went nose to nose with him. “Only if I order you to. Remember, I'm still your boss.”

“Well, I have to do something worthy of getting your attention.” He raised an eyebrow.

“Trust me, you have it.” She kissed the tip of his nose and then busied herself with completing her ornament when she noticed that Sarge’s mother and the parents close to her bore witness to her brazen display of affection.

After they finished, they met Griff, Maddox, and Samson at Growlers for lunch. Alayna teased Sarge that she would give him her antlers for him to wear again, and they had to explain the reason why to his mom. Tamsin caught Samson staring at Alayna every chance he got, but he deflected with an off-handed joke that made everyone groan.

Tamsin let Sarge take his mother back to her cabin while she went home to clean up. When she arrived, she half-hoped and half-dreaded that she'd see Everly's car sitting in the driveway.

Her parents had gotten a brief message from her sister, telling them that she had obligations to bake for Christmas parties in Seattle and couldn't make it. But they all knew the reason why she wasn't there.

At least her parents didn't try to make Tamsin feel guilty for her part. Maybe one day, things might be different between them, and Tamsin could forgive her sister. Or maybe Hell would freeze over. But it would take a whole lot more than the magic of the island to mend their shattered relationship.

She rode to the Christmas Eve celebration with her parents and joined Sarge and his mom there. He stunned her and her parents when he formally asked them for their permission to date her. She’d have stayed with him even if her father hadn’t shaken Sarge’s hand and her mother hadn’t embraced him with happy tears rimming her eyes.

“He’s not asking for my hand in marriage,” Tamsin admonished.

“Still, its the actions of an honorable man. I definitely approve.” Her father clapped Sarge on the shoulder.

“No, what’s adorable are their matching hats and scarves. I’m going to have to get some for myself,” Tamsin's mother gushed.

Tamsin hung her ornament near Sarge’s and his mother’s, and sipped on her Styrofoam cup of cocoa, looking around her at all the cheerful faces. She’d attended so many of these celebrations and always looked forward to them. This year, she thought she might skip it, worried that her loneliness might drown the joyous occasion. Instead, she stood there, happier than she’d ever been, listening to everyone sing carols.

At the end of one, she chuckled into her drink.

“What?” asked Sarge.

“You weren't kidding about your singing.”

“I didn't hear a peep out of you, so no judging me.” He bumped her with his hip.

“Oh, I know I can't sing. That's why I don't try.”

He leaned down and issued a challenge. “You sing the next one, and I’ll lick your pussy until you scream.”

She started another carol at the top of her lungs, and everyone joined in. About the time they got to the familiar chorus, a commotion caused several people to stop singing. Quiet gasps and murmurs of surprise replaced the song.

“What are you all staring at?” Monty’s gruff voice broke through the crowd. “I was invited, wasn’t I?”

“Of course you’re welcome here.” Maya approached him. “It's good to see you.” She hugged the grumpy shifter despite his muttering protests and standoffish demeanor.

“Now, now. That's enough of that.” He scratched his bristled chin. “What does a guy have to do to get a hot drink around here?”

Someone brought him a drink and others surrounded him. They greeted him first with caution and then with cheer, ignoring his surly grunts and short churlish responses.

“Well, I'll be.” Griff joined Sarge and Tamsin. “Christmas miracles do happen.”

Samson sidled up beside them. “I already told you they do.” He wrapped his arm around Sarge's shoulder. “Case in point, Scrooge here.”

“Hey, you can't call me Scrooge anymore,” protested Sarge.

“Yes, I can. Remember at the end, when he has a change of heart and celebrates the season by buying a huge goose for Tiny Tim's family? That's you. Smiling and no longer haunted.” The team Enforcer hugged him and laid a wet smack against his cheek, which Sarge promptly wiped away.

Tamsin couldn't help herself. She loved those guys. She adored Maddox. And yes, she might not have said it out loud yet, but she loved Aaron Sergeants. Her bear didn't even have to tell her that he was hers. And she’d do anything from here on out to keep them together.

Unconsciously, she touched the spot on her shoulder, remembering the sting of his teeth biting into her skin. Sarge caught her up in his arms and pulled her back against his front. He dipped his head and placed his lips on her shoulder. Her insides went all gooey, and she nuzzled into sarge, ignoring the jeers and jokes from his teammates.

She spotted Monty getting closer to them. “Thank goodness he put on some clothes tonight.”

“Were they optional?” Samson asked, threatening to peel his sweater off.

Griff smacked him upside the head and shuddered. “That must have been lovely to look at.”

Monty made his way toward them. “Don’t give me any guff, young man. I’ve had to look at you in all your glory since you were knee-high to a grasshopper. It goes with the perks of being one of our kind.” He surveyed the group, and his eyes stopped on one newcomer. “And who is this lovely lady?”

Everyone looked around, searching for his target. When Monty walked up to Sarge's mom, Tamsin almost spit out her sip of cocoa. Sarge stared at the two of them in horror.

His mother looked at the old crank and smiled, extending her hand. “People call me Dora.”

“Well, people call me all kinds of things. But the name’s Monty, and I am at your service, A-Dora-ble.” He kissed the back of her hand.

Griff made a noise like he might throw up and Maddox hit him. Samson complimented Monty’s smooth game. Sarge had a mix of abject horror and fierce protection on his face.

Before he could say anything, Monty shook his right hand. “I want to thank you, sonny, for delivering me those supplies. Seeing you and your girl there together reminded me that there still might be life out there worth living.” His eyes shot a sideways glance at Dora. “And women worth wooing.”

Tamsin jumped in front of Sarge, afraid that he might ruin the moment. “We weren't exactly together at that time.”

Monty scoffed. “Well, you are now. It's clear as day as it was when you invaded my territory and came to my house. No use denying it. I may be old, but I recognize the mating bond when I see it.”

The old man caught Sarge off guard. He tried to recover but didn’t find his voice. Once upon a time, Tamsin would never have laid claim to a man who didn't speak up for her. But she didn't need someone else to make her declarations.

“You're right. He's most definitely mine.” She slipped her arm around Sarge’s waist, enjoying the stunned silent effect she had on him.

Maddox jumped up and down and clapped while Griff and Samson teased their teammate. Sarge’s mother took Tamsin’s free hand, squeezing it. “If you make my son this happy, then I wish you many years together.”

The crowd around them burst into another song, but Tamsin ignored them. She gazed up at Sarge, wondering if she had been overconfident. Sure, they’d claimed each other in the heat of the moment. But maybe it was too soon to box them in with definitions.

“What do you think? Too much? Too little?”

The echo of the same questions from before broke through his surprise. He smiled and pulled her towards him. “Nope. Just right.” He danced with her under the trees, singing out of tune in her ear.

Lifting his head, he pointed above them at some tree branches.

“What?” she asked.

“You know what's up there in the trees? Look closer at that clump of leaves that look like a ball.”

Using the light from the Christmas tree, the moon, and her keen eyesight, she stared at the mass he pointed at. “So?”

He brushed a light kiss on top of her head. “That's mistletoe. In its natural form. And we’re standing right under it.”

“You see me running?” she teased.

“Nope. You see me leaving?” he asked.

“Nope.”

“And you never will.” He grabbed her around her middle, lifting her up in the air and capturing her lips with his. Her heart burst with joy and happiness, and she threw her arms around his neck.

The crowd of family and friends that once circled the tree surrounded them. Everyone around them clapped and cheered.

Samson called out over the noise, “It really is a Christmas miracle.”

Dora shook her head. “No, it's the magic of Shay Island.”

Everyone joined Griff, chanting, “Kiss! Kiss! Kiss!”

Sarge and Tamsin obliged them. He picked her up and twirled her around. Setting her back on the ground before she lost herself to dizziness, he leaned his forehead against hers.

“Ours,” he said with a quiet growl.

“Ours,” she whispered back.

He dipped her and kissed her silly until he was all she could see.