A Hippogriff for Christmas - Zoe Chant Page 0,77
seemed easy to say in hindsight – she hadn’t known what was going on with her at the time.
“I don’t really know when I first noticed it,” Annie said quietly, pausing in eating her thick slice of ham. “Looking back, it seems obvious, but I was pretty confused at the time. I mean, obviously I didn’t know anything about mated bonds or shifters or anything like that. But when I think about it now… well, I guess I should have known right away that there was something different about him.”
“That’s how it always is,” Darla said, laughing. “When I try to think about when I met Aaron, all I can remember is fireworks going off in my stomach, and a voice in my head yelling That’s the one!”
“Was that how it was for you?” Annie asked Beau quietly, when everyone turned to chatting amongst themselves. “The fireworks and all that?”
“Pretty much,” Beau admitted, as he helped himself to another serve of creamy mashed potatoes, alongside his roasted vegetables. “I did know it right away.”
Annie looked down at her food. She wished she’d been as certain right away, but she’d fought her feelings for a while. Now, she honestly wasn’t sure what she’d been so frightened of.
But it’s okay now, she thought, lifting another mouthful of the succulent ham to her mouth, and surrounded by more love and light and laughter than she’d ever imagined she’d have in her life. We’re together now. And nothing will ever part us again.
Annie ate until she felt like she couldn’t take another bite – and then a little more. Everything was so delicious she felt like she just couldn’t stop. Aside from the pie and cookies she and Beau had brought, there was baked Alaska, a pumpkin cake, and chocolate Swiss roll – and of course Annie wanted to sample them all.
“You want some eggnog, Annie?” Beau’s cousin Charlie asked her, as he brought a steaming pot over to the table.
“Oh goodness, no, I couldn’t even fit in another mouthful,” Annie said, meaning it. It seemed like shifters were bottomless pits – but then again, Beau had told her that his family was hungry back when they’d first met. She was only just now beginning to appreciate just how hungry!
“Mom, but you said after lunch we’d let Uncle Beau do the thing,” Sarah suddenly piped up, her eyes bright. “I want to tell him and Annie about it!”
“Oh, what’s this?” Beau asked, cocking his head at her. “What thing do I need to know about?”
Darla laughed. “No, you’re right, Sarah. Go ahead.”
Sarah turned back to them with a grin. “I kept some Christmas decorations for you to put on the tree!” she said, her face bright with excitement. “We had to do it yesterday since that’s when we always do it. But I kept some for you to do!”
“Is that right?” Beau asked, smiling. “That was really kind of you, Sarah. Thank you.”
“So can Beau and Annie put the stuff on the tree now?” Sarah asked, turning back to her mother.
“All right – come on everyone, let’s head to the living room,” Darla said.
Annie felt like she was still taking in Sarah’s words as together the family stood up, carrying their mugs of eggnog with them, and headed to the lounge.
“Seems like you’ll get to decorate a big tree after all,” Beau said to her as they emerged into a massive room toward the back of the house – with a massive tree standing against the back wall.
“Wow,” Annie couldn’t help but say. “That’s… pretty spectacular.”
And it was. The tree must have been cut from the heavy woods that surrounded the house. She couldn’t imagine such a magnificent thing could have been carried all that far – though who knew, with shifters? Dark green and perfectly triangular, every inch of it was covered in red and gold tinsel, sparkling lights, glass icicles, and shining Christmas baubles. Crowded around its base were piles of presents, wrapped up in colorful wrapping paper and frilly ribbons. Annie had only ever seen trees like this on TV commercials before. It looked too perfect to be real.
“See, I kept a space here for you!” Sarah said, tugging at her uncle Beau’s hand. “And some nice decorations too!”
“I want to give the decorations to Uncle Beau,” her brother Cody piped up. “I said so too!”
“You can do it together,” Darla said mildly. “Don’t fight.”
Her children seemed to accept this verdict, solemnly picking up a box – one on each side