“And again,” said Krampus, sipping a coffee from the porch.

Beneath the porch was a stump for log chopping. Sean stood wearing a flannel, a pair of goggles and a dust mask. He was holding an ax in his gloved hands. The log on the stump had fallen off the stump, still in a single piece.

“How did you manage to miss the log entirely?” asked Krampus.

“Can’t you just use demoncraft to chop all this wood?” asked Sean.

“I don’t need you here to help me,” said Krampus. “You need me to train you for The Ride. That means working your legs, your core, and yes, your arms. We’ll work on training your brain later, but I don’t have much hope for that. Again.”

Sean lifted the ax up, and as the ax came down, Sean managed to hit the log straight in the center.

“There,” said Sean.

“Good,” said Krampus. “Now just do that five thousand more times, and you’ll be ready for Santana.”

“I don’t get why he needs me for The Ride anyway,” grumbled Sean.

“Less talking, more working,” said Krampus. “I already told you before. The reindeer spirits are strong, but they need a host whose flesh they can use to help Santana with the Christmas Eve ride, which, given it’s the biggest event of The North Pole, is just called ‘The Ride.’ You may have a runner’s body, but you don’t have the body of a reindeer shifter. We need to hone your human body before it can handle shifting into a reindeer.”

“Or what, I’ll die?” asked Sean.

“No, you’ll just be clumsy, and as much as I’d love to see you skid around on the ice, I don’t want that for Dasher,” said Krampus. “He’s a good dude. Well, good reindeer.”

“I could care less about Dasher,” said Sean. “I just want my shift back and my mark back, to find my mate.”

“Do it in the right order,” said Krampus.

“Order, schmorder,” said Sean.

“You wanna waste more time on The Wreath than you have to, that’s your business,” said Krampus. “Again.”

Krampus flicked his wrist, and a log flew from the log pile to the stump.

“I’m not even making you do the hard part,” said Krampus, sipping his coffee. “Bending down to grab the log’s the real bitch.”

“Thought the real bitch was Avery,” said Sean, slamming down on the log.

“Don’t say that again,” said Krampus. “Don’t even let me hear you think it.”

“Thought you two didn’t get along,” said Sean.

“Keep your nose out of it, but don’t call her a bitch,” said Krampus, flicking his hand and moving another log. “Don’t call any woman that. I may be a devil, but I’m a gentleman. Again.”

Sean had to chop a hundred more logs before finally, Krampus let him stop, not because they were out of logs, but because it was dawn.

“Come on,” said Krampus. “Time to go get more coffee.”

“We have to do that every day?” asked Sean. “Why don’t you get a speedboat?”

“And deny the ladies a show? I told you, I’m a gentleman,” said Krampus. “I told you. We’re working on your arms and core. Nothing better for that than rowing. I can either send you to one of those fancy schools in England to do that or, you can put those arms to work here. I’m picking the latter option. It’s a lot more torturous. Get the boat ready. I need to get something.”

Sean went to the dock and lowered the steel rowboat back into the water. He went to grab the oars from the boathouse. By the time he’d gotten back to the pier, the boat had floated about twenty feet out.

“Shit,” cursed Sean. “Shit, shit, shit.”

The mark on Sean’s chest burned each time he cursed.

“Oh come on,” said Sean. “You’ve gotta be kidding me.”

Nope, said a voice in Sean’s head. Act Naughty, and the mark burns. It’s like a shock collar for bad shifters.

Whatever, Dasher, replied Sean. Shit, fuck, shit, and fuck.

It’s your shift and mark being held hostage, not mine, retorted Dasher.

Sean took his clothes off and left them on the pier. He dove into the ice-cold water of The Wreath and swam out to the boat, feeling for the rope as he swam. He grabbed at it and pulled the boat toward himself.

“Bravo,” said Krampus while clapping. “Putting on a show for the ladies?”

Sean looked back. Krampus was sitting on the edge of the pier, watching Sean. Krampus raised a hand, and the boat moved back to the dock.

“Let me guess, you wanted me to swim out because it’ll strengthen my arms or core or some bullshit?” asked Sean.

“No, it’s just funny,” said Krampus. “Stop dickin’ around and get over here.”

Krampus tossed the oars down to the boat. He grabbed the trash bag sitting next to him and carefully walked down to the boat and got in.

“What’s in the bag?” asked Sean as he started rowing.

“Nunaya,” said Krampus.

“Nunaya?” asked Sean.

“Nun-a-ya damn business,” said Krampus gruffly. “Just focus on rowing, boy. Maybe if you focused more on your work, instead of that girl from the bakery, you’d be ready for the Ride by now.”

“Who, Avery?” asked Sean.

“You know I’m talking about Joy,” said Krampus. “I saw the way you couldn’t even look her in the eye. Well, you ain’t ready for a mate yet, so don’t go after her. The last thing you need is another distraction. Besides, you’re a bad boy, and it doesn’t take a genius to tell she’s a good girl.”

Joy was wiping down a table when Avery called to her. Joy put her rag and bottle of cleaning fluid back behind the counter, washed her hands, put on new gloves, and walked to the back of the bakery.

“You called?” asked Joy.

“We’ve got an order for pickup coming in hot and fast,” said Avery. “I need to make four boxes of our special Christmas blend of coffee. Can you handle this?”

Avery passed Joy the order sheet. It was worn and coffee stained, written in pencil. Joy frowned. The order system was automated, and each order was printed out and put in a pile for the gals to process.

Before Joy could ask Avery why the order sheet was written in hand, Avery was gone. Joy didn’t want to bother her boss. She looked over the order sheet and deciphered it best she could, filling large catering size aluminum trays with pastries nestled in paper.

“You done?” asked Avery.

“Yeah,” said Joy, closing the last tray. “Big order.”

Somebody rung the bell at the front counter. Joy went to the register to see who it was.

“Bear Claw Bakery, how may we…oh, hey, Sean,” said Joy, scanning over the men standing at the counter.

Avery had told Joy that Krampus and Sean were lumberjacks. It was hard for Joy to believe it. Rowing across the lake, Sean had looked more like a Viking than a lumberjack. Krampus was wearing a buffalo check shirt as usual. Sean was shirtless and looked even more like a Viking. He looked like he’d come to loot and pillage the bakery and steal away one of its curvy maidens. His hair had grown out a bit, and it was wet and tousled. Sean was dripping water on the floors. That was no problem. Joy would need to dry the floors throughout the day anyway. Other customers would track in snow.

“We’re here to pick up an order,” said Krampus. “The usual.”

“Got it,” said Joy. “Avery?”

Avery came out and took Joy’s place at the register.

“Joy, go show Krampus and Sean where their order is,” said Avery. “They’re allowed in the back.”

“Alright, come on,” said Joy, swinging open the counter top and letting Krampus and Sean into the back of the bakery.

“Here, your order,” said Joy, motioning over the trays and coffee.

Krampus walked around the kitchen island, sniffing.

“It’s wrong,” said Krampus.

“What?” asked Joy. “I followed the directions best I could.”

Joy held up the worn piece of paper.

“It’s wrong,” said Krampus.

Krampus opened one of the trays.

“See, here, those are apple cider donuts. I ordered apple fritters,” said Krampus. “On the order sheet, it’s listed as ‘apple fritters.’”

“Stop it, you old goat,” said Avery, walking into the kitchen. “Nobody can read your handwriting but me. I’ll remake the order.”

“It’s fine, it’s just wrong,” said Krampus. “I’ll take these and —”

“You already made a fuss about it,” retorted Avery. “Wouldn’t want you to have to eat the wrong delicious pastries, now, would we?”

Avery opened the trays and looked over them. She reached in and pulled out various pastries. Then, she headed to the batches of fresh pastries ready to be put out in the front of the bakery and put the right pastries in.

“Sorry, Avery,” said Joy. “I just ended up making more work for you.”

“Don’t apologize. Maybe if Krampus knew how to write properly, it wouldn’t’ve happened,” said Avery.

“It’s cursive. Who can’t read cursive? Don’t they teach it in schools nowadays?” asked Krampus

“I wouldn’t call your writing ‘cursive,’” said Avery. “I’d call it ‘demon scribbles.’”

Krampus cleared his throat.

“What?” asked Avery. “Oh. Right.”

“I uh…brought you something,” said Krampus. “It’s on the patio. Sean, load up the canoe.”

Sean nodded.

“Joy, mind helping him?” asked Avery.

“On it, boss,” said Joy.

Joy went to the coat room and put on her jacket and boots. She went back inside to the kitchen counter and grabbed two of the coffee boxes while Sean grabbed a tray of pastries.

“What’s the deal with those two, am I right?” asked Joy.

“Don’t let him hear you say that,” said Sean with a grin. “Avery has to be a nicer boss than Krampus.”

“I think it’d be hard to find a boss meaner than Krampus,” said Joy. “He really makes you row that boat by yourself across the lake? What for?”

“Guess it builds character,” said Sean. “At least I get to have pastries with my meals.”

“What do y’all eat anyway?” asked Joy.

“We get grocery deliveries,” said Sean. “Krampus insists this place has the best coffee and pastries on The Wreath, and he has to have it fresh.”

“You two finished all the coffee and pastries you got yesterday?” asked Joy.

“Being a lumberjack’s hard work,” said Sean. “Burns lots of calories.”

Sean lifted up his shirt and patted his abs. Joy’s eyes went wide, and her jaw almost dropped. Sean’s body was slick with sweat like it had been when he’d rowed across the lake, and that made his abs glisten. Sean looked even more muscular than he had that first day, and he was already pretty buff. Joy knew that shifters were naturally more muscular. After all, she did have two werebear exes. However, they were teddy bears compared to Sean, whose muscles proved that Sean was indeed getting hard work done at the island in the center of the lake. After all, he had the six-pack to show it.

“Joy?” called Sean, pulling down his shirt and grabbing the boxes.

“Oh, sorry for staring,” said Joy, blushing.

“Don’t be,” said Sean with a wink. “After all, if you pulled your shirt up, I’m pretty sure I’d stare too.”

Joy rolled her eyes. “Oh, come on.”

“I mean it,” said Sean. “But, look. I’ll drop it…as long as you drop those carafes onto the boxes for me.”

“Ugh, you’re such a goof,” teased Joy, putting the containers of coffee on the pastry boxes Sean had loaded up into his arms.

Joy smiled to herself. Sean may have had the word ‘Naughty’ emblazoned on his chest, but he was nice to talk to. She hadn’t thought they’d get along. He looked cocky, distant, but he seemed to relish the contact he had with her. He knew what questions she was asking, behind the questions she’d asked. He’d already started to open up to her.

Joy’s smile went away as she remembered the last two times she’d had the feeling a guy was perfect for her. She’d come out to The Wreath to avoid bad boy bear shifters. He was inches away from her, with a firm, huggable chest, and a pair of abs she couldn’t help but imagine wrapping her legs around while riding his candy cane.

Joy and Sean reached the patio, where Avery and Krampus were arguing, as usual.

“Great, and so now I have to find a tree stand?” asked Avery.

“Whatever, I thought you’d like it, guess I was wrong,” said Krampus. “I’ll go throw it away for you. I’ll toss it right in the lake.”

Krampus picked up the black garbage bag and started to walk toward the dumpster.

“Nu-uh-uh,” said Avery. “I didn’t say I didn’t want it. I said I’d need to find a tree stand.”

“I’m sure it’s gonna be so hard to find a tree stand so close to Christmas Eve,” said Krampus. “Oh wait.”

“Ha-ha, real funny,” said Avery. “Thanks, I guess. Don’t know where it’s gonna go, but, thanks. Oh, wait — I know. You left that giant frikkin’ burn mark in my floor, and it sticks out like a sore thumb. It’s right in the corner. Hopefully, this tree’s branches are wide enough to cover it, so the customers don’t have to look at that eyesore!”

“Christmas elves — always so frikkin’ dramatic. I guess I shouldn’t stereotype — it’s just you. Sean,” ordered Krampus. “We’ll get the last batch of stuff.”

Krampus and Sean went inside. Sean came back out with the last tray of pastries while Krampus came back out with the last two boxes of coffee.

“Here,” said Avery, passing Joy a hot cup of Christmas tea.

“Thanks,” said Joy, taking a seat at one of the tables on the patio. “What did he bring you? And what did Krampus mean when he called you a Christmas elf? Was that some kind of a joke?”

“A frikkin’ Christmas tree,” said Avery, shaking her head before taking a sip of her tea. “I joked over an email to our boss that Krampus forgot to bring me one last time he was here. Guess they both took me seriously. Guess you could say him calling me a Christmas elf is…kind of a joke. He, uh…is more the humbug type, if you ask me. Can you mind the shop while I go grab a tree stand from my house? I really need to get around cleaning the basement so I can start using it to store all the holiday décor, instead of keeping it in my garage!”

“Sure,” said Joy.

“You sure?” asked Avery. “You won’t let some cute lumberjack distract you?”

“I wasn’t distracted,” said Joy. “I just couldn’t read the instructions.”

“Uh-huh,” said Avery with a smile. “That’s why you put the wrong number of pastries in?”

“His threes look like eights!” said Joy.

“Uh-huh,” said Avery. “Whatever you say.”

“I told you, I’m not looking for drama,” said Joy.

“Good, because it’s a distraction,” said Avery. “Operation Milk and Cookies is still a go, right?”

“Absolutely,” said Joy. “I won’t let myself get distracted by anyone or anything, Avery, especially not a frikkin’ bear shifter. Trust me. I’ve learned my lesson twice over.”