Page 27 of Buck the Halls

The other thing that struck her was thegiganticred deer standing in the middle of the yard. Its—his, definitely a his—back was to her, but even from there she could tell he must be almost as tall as she was at the shoulder, and it was Way Bigger than her including its neck and head. Stacy was pretty sure Way Bigger was an official unit of measurement.

He was wearing the reindeer antlers Stacy had bought for Keith.

She made a noise. She wasn’t sure if it was a squeak or a, “Keith?” that sounded like a squeak.

Either way, the deer spun around like something terrifying had happened behind him, saw Stacy, and reared up on his hind legs with his front legs pawing at his head. He knocked the antlers off, wailed—she’d had no idea deer could wail—and collapsed to his knees, head ducked between them like he could hide there.

Kendra said, “Oh myGod,Keith,” and the poor deer scootched itself around so his back end was to them again, and kept his head down, clearly trying to hide.

“Keith?” Stacy’s gaze jerked between Kendra and the deer several times before she said, “Keith?” again and, giving the deer a wide berth, went around his back end to his head. She crouched beside him uncertainly, trying not to put a hand on him for balance. “Um, Keith?”

The deer’s eyelashes fluttered and he cast a miserable glance at her, then tried to scrunch down even farther. Stacy’s heart melted somehow, and she put her hand on his head after all. “Aw, honey. Poor baby. It’s okay, sweetheart. Look at you, you pretty thing. You’re beautiful, aren’t you? Were you afraid to tell me? Well, I can’t blame you, I guess. ‘I’m a part-time deer,’ is kind of a big thing to drop on a first date.” Somehow she didn’texactlyfeel like she was talking to Keith. It was more like she was talking to a deer who was part of Keith, and awfully shy about it right now. “It’s all right, buddy. Aww, look at you.” She rubbed his forehead, between his eyes and then where she guessed antlers would be in the summer. “You’re very handsome,” she promised him. “You don’t have anything to be worried about. Aww, poor thing. It’s okay.”

Somewhere in there, the deer started blinking hopefully up at her, until she swore he looked like he was smiling. “There we go,” she said encouragingly. “Now you’re feeling better, aren’t you? Goodness, look at you, you beautiful creature. Well!” She laughed. “No wonder you were at the vet!”

All at once, the deer disappeared and Keith was there, his expression one of pure relief. “See, Itoldyou she wouldn’t think you were ugl—unbeautiful—without your antlers, you silly goose.”

He was obviously not talking to her. He was obviously talking to the deer that was part of him, and his expression twitched in a fond smile. “Yes, I know. Silly stag, not a silly goose. Stacy,thank you.” He knelt up and pulled her into his arms.

She nearly fell, then got her knees under herself with a laugh and leaned into him. “You’re welcome? For what? Why didn’t you—well, I mean, I understand why you didn’t tell me, but—”

“You don’t, though,” Keith said with rueful laughter in his voice. “I was going to, right away. But I shed my antlers when I got my hair cut, and nobody, least of all my stag, expected that. It was so embarrassed that it didn’t want me to tell you anything until they grew back. It was afraid you wouldn’t think it was beautiful.”

Stacy leaned back to blink up at him, genuinely surprised. “How could I not? He’ssobeautiful! I’m sure he’s even more handsome with his antlers, but he’s absolutely gorgeous.”

It was like she’d turned a tap of confidence on. Keith’s shoulders straightened a little and his jaw came up, and suddenly he was posing like he’d done the first moment she’d seen him, standing in the salon doorway inviting everybody to look at him. Stacy blinked again, then burst out laughing. “Oh my God. It’s the stag. That’s why you pose. Because he likes to show off!”

Keith managed to continue his pose while simultaneously looking absolutely sheepish. “Itlovesto show off. I swear, I’m not really that much of a poser—er, you know what I mean—”

Stacy laughed again. “I do, yeah. You’re a poser, not a poseur.”

“Right, yes, but it’s the stag,” he said in a rush. “I don’t care about being the influencer-lifestyle guy, even though I photograph well. I’m just—I’m a shifter, and you’re my fated mate, the person I’m meant to be with, and—”

“Oh my God. You mean like, I’m your true love? Donna knew!” Stacy said accusingly. “As soon as I said I’d fallen for you as soon as I’d seen you! She’s a—what did you say? A shifter? You’re shifters? She’s a shifter too? And your sister is? Your family is? Is everybody in Virtue except me?”

Keith laughed and raised his hands against the barrage of questions, although he put them right back around her waist and tucked her close. “No, not everybody in Virtue, but quite a few people. More than most places. Virtue’s a shifter sanctuary town, and yes, Donna is one, and my whole family, and, well the veterinarian isn’t, but her boyfriend is, and—and you’re okay with this? It’s okay?”

“Are you kidding? It’s magical. It’s amazing and wonderful and also my knees are getting really cold, so could we stand up now?”

“Oh! Yes! Sorry!” Keith surged to his feet and pulled Stacy with him, beaming down at her. “I knew you’d understand. I’m sorry I had to convince my silly stag. He’s sweet, really. He’s just…”

“A poseur?” Stacy grinned.

“Well, yes.” Keith’s eyes sparkled. “I hope you don’t mind.”

“No, no, that’s all right. The only thing I mind is that I’m never going to be able to sing that Christmas carol with the right words again, now that I’ve got a male deer of my own.”

Keith’s eyebrows drew down in confusion. “Which Christmas carol? I’m a red deer, not a reindeer…?”

“No, not that one.” Stacy managed a huge, dramatic sigh. “You know. The one that goes ‘Buck the halls with boughs of holly, fa-la-la-laaaaahaha!’” The words were muffled in a laughing kiss, and Stacy knew then and there that she was about to have a happily ever after.