Miranda woke on Christmas morning to her niece and nephew crawling into Ariel’s guest bed with her.

“Wake up, Auntie Mira. Uncle Adi says he’s going to drink all the grown-up drinks by himself if you don’t come down soon.” Her nephew Finlay was seven, and an alarming conversational sponge.

“Mom said she’d make him shovel the whole backyard all by hisself if he did that,” Finlay’s little sister Elodie was almost six and took everyone at face value.

“Merry Christmas, sweet beans.” Miranda hugged them close. “Let’s go downstairs and rescue Uncle Adi from mimosas and shoveling.”

“Mira, honey,” her mother hugged her hard. “Ariel told us everything.”

“Michael called just a little while ago,” her father added. “He’s bringing Elliot over here around noon.”

Miranda looked up from her mother’s shoulder. “He is?”

“Seems the boy wants to be with his mom today,” her dad said. “Rough night over there, sounds like.”

Miranda’s heart skipped. “Is he okay?”

Her father chuckled. “For Michael, not Elliot. He said the puppy was up half the night crying or peeing.”

“Adorable, furry karma,” Adrian said, placing a mimosa in Miranda’s hand. “Merry Christmas, Bossy.”

“Merry Christmas, Adi.”

“Adrian, come in here and help Greg with the table,” Ariel’s voice cut through the moment.

Miranda leaned her head on her brother’s shoulder. “Why again did I get Bossy for a nickname?”

Adrian laughed. “Where do you think Ariel learned it?”

“Me,” their mother reminded them. She swatted Adrian on the rear and put an arm around Miranda’s waist. “The kids have devastated their gifts already, but there are a few things under the tree for you, sweetie.”

“Your gifts!” Miranda’s chest tightened. “Everything is still at my house.”

“We’ll worry about that later, honey,” her mom said. “Let’s sit for a minute before Ariel marches us all in for brunch.”

Miranda couldn’t help worrying though. She’d used Justin’s key, but only to pace the floor of his downstairs den waiting for Adrian to come pick her up. She’d forgotten the gifts and the huge box of homemade Christmas cookies, but Adrian remembered to bring Marvin.

“Where’s the cat?”

Her father pointed down the hall to where the playroom was. “Ariel put him in there with a foil pan and some kitty litter Greg had around from an oil spill in the garage. She didn’t want him near the tree or the table.” Her father sighed. “He’s got some food and water. He’ll be okay.”

“Poor Marvin,” Miranda said. “It wasn’t his fault. I never should have left that candle burning when I went to get the sushi. I completely forgot about it.”

“Things happen, my girl. You’re all okay, and that’s what matters.”

The funny thing was, she actually felt okay. She had a splitting headache, her hair needed washing, and she was going to have to re-do the kitchen after the firefighters had opened a wall behind the sink to check for fire spread, but she felt okay. No panic attack, no clammy anxiety.

In fact, she hadn’t had one since the night she met Justin.

The doorbell rang before she had a chance to sit with her parents. 

“Miranda, get the door. Ariel’s shackled me to the silverware,” Adrian called from the dining room.

She made her way to the front hall and opened the door. She figured she looked frightening enough to scare off anyone who was out knocking on doors on Christmas day.

“Justin.” A happy shiver ran along her arms at the sight of him.

He was holding two huge bags of wrapped gifts, most of which Miranda recognized as her own. “Merry Christmas. The rest is in the car.”

“What are you doing here?” She took a bag from him and set it inside the foyer. “How?”

“Your brother left a note with his number and an address. Said to be here at noon for brunch if I could and told me where your key probably was so I could bring all the stuff for your niece and nephew.” His lips turned up wryly. “I probably look like a wreck, but I only stopped long enough to shower and get your things.”

“Justin? Is that you?” Adrian breezed into the foyer and handed Miranda his Bloody Mary. He took the remaining bag out of Justin’s hand and put it inside. “Come in. It’s freezing. Is there more in your car? I’ll grab it.”

While Justin was shrugging out of his coat, Adrian gave Miranda a silent double thumbs up and mouthed cutie. Miranda giggled.

“What?” Justin looked around, coat in hand, at the chic splendor of Ariel and Greg’s house. 

Miranda took the coat and hung it in the coat closet. “My brother. He’s too much.”

“Is it okay? That I’m here? Adrian insisted…And I was worried about you both after last night.”

“I’m glad you’re here,” she said. “And we’re going to be okay.”

“How’s Marvin?” Justin asked. “Contrite at all?”

“That cat wouldn’t know contrite if it bit him in the ass,” Adrian said, coming back inside with his arms full of gifts from Justin’s car. “He’s definitely my patronus.”

Justin laughed, obviously charmed by her brother. “Is Elliot at his dad’s?”

“He’ll be here later. I want you two to meet properly,” Miranda said, “so he has someone to talk about his new game with.”

“Come in here, you two. Ariel’s going to have a heart attack,” Adrian called. 

“I’ll teach him everything I know,” Justin said.

Miranda knew he was talking about the video game, but she liked the sound of it, just the same.  “Are you ready for this?”

Justin took her hand. “Almost.”

“Almost?”

“Almost.” Justin looked up at the mistletoe ball hung from the chandelier in Ariel’s foyer. “Merry Christmas, Miranda.”

When his lips met hers, Miranda sank into the sweetest Christmas gift she’d had in years. 

Elodie’s piping voice reminded them they weren’t alone. “Auntie Mira is kissing that man.”

Justin blushed, but didn’t let her go. Miranda laid her head on his shoulder to hide her smile as the dining room burst into raucous applause.

“Bossy, bring him in here. I had Adi set a place. It would be nice if I met the man before I feed him.”

Justin raised a brow. “Bossy?”

Miranda’s laughter carried them into Christmas brunch.

The End Beginning

Justin waited at the end of Bobwhite Lane to flag Miranda down. She couldn’t be more than a few minutes behind them, and he wanted to be the one to stop her. Things looked far worse than they were.

At number thirteen, her son was sitting in the open cab of Engine 3, wrapped in a blanket, holding Marvin. The cat, despite his role in the unfolding events, was peacefully settled in his boy’s lap, cleaning his paws.

Miranda’s Camry appeared around the corner of Coturnix and Justin took a deep breath. This part of the job was always the worst for him. The car was already slowing, even as he waved. He didn’t need to look behind him to know what Miranda was seeing as she approached. The scene was all too familiar to him–cruisers, an ambulance, the engine…

It didn’t always look worse than it was.

The window started to slide down. “What’s going on? I–Justin?” 

She barely stopped the car before throwing it in park and getting out. He put out an arm to stop her. “Miranda. Elliot is fine. Your house is okay.”

“I need to–Elliot–“ She blinked at him as his words sunk in. “What happened?”

“Hey, breathe.” He stepped into her field of vision, braced her elbows, and spoke firmly to hold her attention. “The cat knocked over a candle in the kitchen. It caught on a cloth or a towel. Elliot did good. He called 9-1-1, the crew said he smothered it with a small rug and got out. He was outside with Marvin when we got here.”

“They’re okay? Can I go over there? Justin, I–“

“I know. Let’s move your car out of the street and walk over together, okay? They’re clearing the scene. You’ll be able to go inside as soon as we’re sure there’s no danger. In the meantime, I’m going to give you two the keys to my place.” He resisted the urge to touch her cheek; he was in uniform and she was in shock. “It’s too cold out here, and you’ve got dinner in the car.”

“I don’t care about dinner, I just–“

“I know, but you’re going to be hungry when the adrenaline passes, and the house is going to need to ventilate before you should be back inside.”

He radioed a colleague to let them know Elliot’s mom was coming through, and moved her car while she walked ahead. Jogging to catch up while carrying a good-sized sushi order was tricky, but he was by her side when she got to her driveway. Elliot saw her coming and jumped down, scattering the cat. Marvin, sensing an ally, leaped from the ground to Justin’s shoulder, digging in with his claws to stick the landing.

Justin winced at the weight and the stabbing claws, but let the cat perch while Miranda and her son held each other. He heard the boy’s tears and Miranda’s shaky reassurance. He even thought he heard her whisper, “Goddamn Marvin.”

When a high-end sedan rounded the corner a few minutes later going way too fast, it didn’t surprise Justin to see the guy from the weekend before hop out of the car. He’d taken the cat and the sushi (which he secured in the fridge before leaving Marvin alone) to his house, but Miranda and Elliot were still in the driveway talking to his chief, a police officer, and the paramedic.

He went to help his crew clean up get back to the station, but it was hard to ignore Miranda’s distressed voice arguing with her ex. His heart sank, watching Elliot shuffle into his father’s car while Miranda cried. 

His crewmate, Lacey Harrington, watched the family drama unfold as well. “Sucks more on Christmas, doesn’t it?”

“Yeah.” He hated the thought of Miranda alone in her smoke-scented house for the night. “She’s got a sister nearby. I wonder if she thought to call her family.”

“What’s going on there, Pearson?” Lacey said softly. “I know she’s your neighbor, but…”

“I really like her, Lace.”

Lacey punched him lightly on the arm. “Then finish your shift and go get her, dummy.”

He sighed. “I haven’t even known her a week, and now I’m just one of the first responders from her Christmas fire.”

“Chicks dig firefighters,” Lacey said. “Why do think I joined up?”

Justin laughed. He’d kept his distance from the station crew since his parents’ passing, preferring the semi-anonymity of his online friends, but Lacey’s good-natured ribbing was a reminder that they were his family, too.

The chief released the engine crew, and led Miranda into the house to go over the damage. She glanced over her shoulder at him as they passed. She’d been strong for her son, but she was all alone now, and he wished he could stay behind and reassure her.

“Chief,” he said. “Hold up.”

He joined Miranda and the Chief near the giant ornament. “Miranda, I’ve got to go back to the station, but Marvin and your sushi are at my place. Make yourself at home there when you’re done with the walk through. Call your sister, okay?”

The Chief nodded–both an acknowledgement and a dismissal. Miranda drew in a shaky breath. “Oh no. Ari…Thank you.”

Justin left her there with the Chief, wishing it was his house they’d visited instead.

Miranda and Elliot both had school right up to the twenty-third, and between work, school, holiday baking, gift wrapping, and fielding text threads from Adrian in which he harassed her about bringing the cute neighbor, Miranda didn’t have a free moment to seek out said cute neighbor.

Every evening, when she got home from picking Elliot up at his robotics club meeting, the lights greeted her, but Justin’s house was dark. She’d never thought to ask what he did for work. 

Christmas Eve was spent running a few last minute errands and packing gift baskets for friends. Elliot abandoned video games for online research about caring for his new puppy. 

As if he sensed a rival, Marvin clung to Miranda like a burr, impersonating a small outboard motor and kneading her with his marmalade murder mittens whenever she slowed down.

Elliot chose sushi for their traditional Twas the Night Before Take-out, and Miranda was on her way back with their haul when she saw Justin’s SUV in the parking lot at the fire station. Remembering the stash of Starbucks gift cards in her glove compartment, she swung into the lot. Closer inspection revealed  and went inside.

“Can I help you?” A young woman in a department uniform was manning the desk.

Could this woman help her? She felt like a fool, following a wild hunch on Christmas Eve, while her dinner waited in the car. “I just wanted to stop in an wish the department a merry Christmas.”

She was stammering. It felt like a lie. Until she pulled a couple of cards from her pocket and handed them across the desk. “These are for the crew.”

The firefighter smiled. “Thanks, ma’am. That’s a nice thing to do. Fingers crossed we don’t need ‘em tonight.”

“Right. Yes,” Miranda said, unsure of what else to say. Is Justin here? Is he firefighter, too?

“Inky, is that Mrs. Grayson? Cap’s on the horn with Station 5. He’ll be out in a–Miranda?” Justin came through the swinging door to the engine bay and stopped so fast the door banged into him from behind.

“Inky?”Miranda looked again at the young firefighter. “Emma Skewdosky?” She remembered Emma from the high school, not all that long ago. Somehow, over the generations, the pronunciation of the family’s name had become squid-OFF-ski. Her friends had called her Inky.

“Oh, my gosh, Mrs. McCall,” she said. “I love your hair!”

That’s right, I started coloring my gray just after her graduation. Right around the time Mike left. “Thanks, Emma.”

“It’s Ms. Brewer,” Justin said quietly.

She could get used to hearing him say her maiden name, though she’d never felt so far from being any kind of maiden. Emma was blushing scarlet. “It’s Miranda.”

Emma held up the gift cards. “I’m going to go put these in the truck stockings.”

“I’ve got the office,” Justin said to Emma’s retreating back. He leaned against a file cabinet, a shy smile teasing his mouth. “You just dropped in here to leave Christmas presents?”

“I–“ She didn’t have an excuse beyond I just wanted to see you. “I saw you car on my way by, and…”

He stood, pocketing his hands. “And?”

“And I wanted to see you.” She blurted it out. “I’ve been busy all week, but the lights have been so nice to come home to. Your house has been dark, and I wondered…”

He stopped her rambling. “I’m glad you came by.”

“Me, too, I–You are?” Her heart was thumping too slowly, great pounding beats that knocked against her ribs. Surely he could hear them.

“I’ve had night shifts this week. Covering for the crew who have families. I liked seeing the lights up on your house, too.”

He moved the neighbors snow and put up his own lights on her house. He covered for his colleagues so they wouldn’t miss pre-holiday magic. Swoon.

“Are you working tomorrow?” Miranda failed to keep the hope from her voice.

“Yeah, overnight tonight into the morning. Made sense, since I don’t have anyone waiting on me to open a stocking. Y’know?” His words were light, but Miranda heard the loneliness in them. It was a frequency she vibrated at, as well.

“Well, Merry Christmas. I have dinner in the car. I should–“

This time the alarm cut her off. Justin moved so quickly she wasn’t sure how he’d crossed the room. “Sorry. Gotta go. Merry Christmas, Miranda.”

She waited alone in the office until after the sirens and flashing lights were gone. She wondered if anyone was still at the station, but of course there would be someone left on duty. She fished her keys from her pocket and let herself out. 

She was halfway to her car when she heard Emma’s voice from the doorway. “Merry Christmas and thanks for the coffees!”