When She's Merry

Devin lives on a remote farming planet and wants to brighten her depressed neighbor’s holiday season by creating a Christmas celebration. To do that, she needs help gathering supplies and figuring out how to make the traditions work off Earth.

She turns to Sinath, an alien custodian she already finds infuriating. He doesn’t understand human customs, dislikes her pet rodent, and keeps pushing her buttons, but he also proves unexpectedly helpful, funny, and kind.

As they work together for their neighbor’s sake, their banter turns into trust and attraction. The story follows the three of them through a careful, hopeful holiday gathering that becomes a path toward connection, comfort, and a romantic HEA/HFN.