Free Santa Paws: BBW Holiday Bear Shifter Romance (Christmas Bear Brothers Book 1) by Harmony Raines Page B

law. Or at least get one hell of a tongue-lashing from the Declan, who was the sheriff of Bear Bluff.
    “Let’s face it, we hate Christmas,” Declan announced. The other two rounded on him. But he insisted. “What? We do. It reminds us of everything we haven’t got, everything that we long for.”
    For a man who kept his feelings under very tight control, this was an outburst that came from… where? His heart? Yes, it did. A heart that longed to be filled with love and happiness. Damn it, he was a sap. And he could only blame the Holiday season for making these feelings surface.
    “OK. So let’s make a toast. Or a pact. By this time next year, we will all be looking forward to our first Christmas at home with our families. It will be some other lonely bachelor’s job to keep things rolling, while we eat too much food and make love to our mates.” Dermot raised his glass.
    “Sure, why not,” Damon said.
    “I’m in.” Declan raised his glass, but then added, “But I still think it’s pointless. After all, we can’t change our fates just because we promise to.”
    “Damn it, Declan. Lighten up. You never know what’s round the corner,” Dermot said, slapping his brother good-naturedly on the back. And, if you haven’t found your mate by mid-summer, I’ll put your bad-tempered bear face on one of those dating websites. I heard Marjorie in Bear Creek was thinking of starting one.”
    “If you do that, I will disown you,” Declan growled. “I don’t need help finding a woman.”
    Dermot and Damon collapsed into fits of laughter. “Right, because your social diary is full of dates with women.”
    “That’s through choice. I’ve gotten to an age where it seems shallow to date a woman, when you know you are never going to settle down with her because she isn’t your mate.”
    “See, you are a romantic at heart, and there was us thinking you were a miserable bear.”
    “Listen, it’s hysterical to sit around and shoot the breeze with you guys,” Declan said sarcastically. “But some of us have got more important things to do than have their social life pulled apart.”
    “Hey, just because you’ve hit a dry spell,” Dermot laughed.
    “I have not hit a dry spell,” Declan ground out. “It is my choice not to date. The same as it is my choice to work at Christmas.”
    “It’s also your choice to be miserable at Christmas,” Damon said.
    “I am not miserable.”
    “Come on, any minute now the words bah humbug! are going to come out of your mouth as you tell some kid off for being too cheerful in front of you.”
    “Bear humbug,” Dermot said in his deep, growly voice, making Damon collapse with laughter.
    Declan came back towards them, placing one hand on the back of each of their chairs.
    “Thank you for the beer. I am so glad that no matter how miserable I am feeling, I can always count on you two to cheer me up.” Then, with a broad grin, he ruffled both his younger brothers’ hair and growled “Bah humbug” as he left the bar.

Chapter Two – Maria
     
    Maria was seated in the small reception area outside sheriff’s office, which was locked. It was cold, and she kept looking at the door leading out onto the street, willing it to open and for someone to come in. Although she had avoided meeting people since she had moved to Bear Bluff to look after her nephew, now that she needed help, she cursed being left hanging around.
    The weather outside had taken a turn for the worse. Snow was beginning to fall heavily, prompting her to come for the sheriff instead of giving Jason more time to bring himself home. Surely, the office shouldn’t have been left empty this long time. Bear Bluff might be a small town, but it didn’t mean the sheriff could just abandon his post for hours!
    She guessed he probably had other duties, maybe personal obligations to attend to; it was the day before Christmas Eve, after all. There was no way she could blame him for being home with his family instead of