Or worse, hopeful.
He sets down the little gift in his hand to take it, quirking one eyebrow at me. I don’t blame him.
“It’s a Norfolk Island pine. Apparently, they can live in pots inside forever and not get very big. To be honest, I chose it because it looks like the little tree from thatCharlie Brown Christmascartoon.” Indeed, I hung a little red bauble from one of the branches, which Sheriff Corbin now touches as if to confirm it’s real.
“You looked at me and decided what I need is a parody of the world’s saddest Christmas tree?” he chuckles, gruff and low. “Sounds about right, really.”
I step forward and swat at his arm lightly, which brings me close enough to get a big noseful of the scent neutralizers. They’re chemically harsh scents meant to cover true scents. He seems to wear them all the time—not just when he’s on duty. But under it… something sharp and warm flickers. Like smoke curling from firewood, leather left in the sun. It’s faint, but it makes something in me ache.
“No! I just know you’re alone for Christmas this year, having just moved here, and I wanted to make sure you had something alive to come home to,” I say. But instead of smiling, his brows knit together. Just for a moment.
“You could still come with me,” I prod gently. We’ve been talking ever since he first arrived in town and helped me with a rowdy customer. Last week he let slip that he’d be alone for Christmas, and I’d—very boldly—invited him to mine. Just to be nice, of course. “My family has a big house down near Traverse City. There’s plenty of space.”
Actually, over the holidays, there’s almostnospace—as every one of my brothers and sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, andextended whatsits descend on the house like a swarm of sugarplum fairies. But for Corbin, I’d make space.
“I already told Erin she could have Christmas off. She said something about binging some show, so I can’t disappoint her.” he replies.
I roll my eyes, but let it drop. The Deputy is also new to town since the last one was removed. It’s the most influx of new residents this little place has seen since Cali arrived.
Corbin sets down the mini Christmas tree and holds out the small, beautiful box he brought. Our fingers graze when I take it from him. His are cold and callused. The touch lingers for a heartbeat too long. Electricity hums. Something inside me strains toward him like a flower to the sun. Sheriff Corbin’s eyes flare as if sensing it too, and his pupils seem to grow as I stare at him—but he quickly looks away, and the moment is broken.
I carefully pull at the bow’s ends until it softly unravels, then lift the edges of the paper. I don’t want him to think I don’t appreciate the work he put into wrapping by just tearing it all off. Inside is a black box, and when I open it, I find a necklace.
The chain is delicate and silver—or maybe white gold; I can’t tell the difference. On the end dangles a hummingbird pendant. I squeal a little. It’s a silly sound, but I can’t help it. I love hummingbirds.
I look back up to find him smiling and… not just relieved, but wrecked. Like he’d been bracing for rejection and can’t believe he’s still standing.
“How did you know?” I ask, staring back down at the little piece of art. “Hummingbirds are my absolute favorite.”
He looks around the store pointedly. There are definitely more than a fair share of hummingbird items. “Plus you hang, like, ten hummingbird feeders around the store during the warm months,” he reminds me.
I can’t help myself. I surge forward—necklace still clutched in one hand—and wrap my arms around his neck, pulling him tightly against me. For a moment, he feels like stone beneath my touch, and my heart hammers in my chest. I’ve clearly made a horrible mistake. I’ve never been this close to the Sheriff before.
I start to reel myself in and pull back when his hands land on my lower back, pulling me close again. His chin rests on the top of my head, and he sighs. It's a low, broken thing.
I hold on—longer than is strictly normal for two acquaintances, or even two friends.IsSheriff Corbin my friend? I like to think so.
But right now, in this quiet, flickering moment, he doesn’t feel like a friend. He feels like something I’ve been aching toward without ever knowing it.
My phone buzzes on the counter beside me, ruining the moment, and I pull away. A muscle in his jaw flexes, and his hands curl into loose fists, as if restraining the urge to reach for me again. I open my mouth—to say what, I don’t know—but I’m saved when my phone buzzes two more times in quick succession. I roll my eyes and pick it up.
“An emergency?” the Sheriff asks, sounding concerned.
“No, just my sister, Flora. She thinks her boyfriend’s going to propose tomorrow. She wants me to be there and she’s just worried about my timeline.”
He spots one of my bags sticking out from the back room. “You’re going to drive tonight?” he asks, glancing out at the setting sun. It’s only four, but it gets dark early in northern Michigan winters.
“Yeah, it’s okay. It’s only forty minutes. Plus, it’s not even snowing tonight, which is why Flora’s fears of me getting stuck or deciding to wait until tomorrow are unfounded,” I explain as I type the same thing to my overexcited, well-meaning sister.
“I don’t think it’s a great idea. There are a lot of drunks out on Christmas Eve,” he points out, a deep furrow creasing his brow, his mouth set in a hard line.
I chuckle, but then realize he’s serious. “I’ll be fine. I’m careful, and I drive a truck—the thing’s sturdy as an ox.” I start gathering my bags, and he comes over to help me. “Thank you. I’m parked just outside.”
He carries them out and watches me lock up, still looking distraught.
“Maybe I should drive you,” he offers.
I pause, heart thundering in my ears. Something in his voice sounds raw. Like he’s begging without meaning to. Like this isn't just about safety. The idea of spending any part of Christmas with Sheriff Corbin leaves me warm from head to toe. But I take a deep breath and try to let the disappointment pass as reality settles over me. His alpha is driving him—his inherent nature insisting he protect. It’s what makes him a good sheriff.
