Page 21 of Crushes and Confections

“Oh good, you’re back,” Claire said with a relaxed smile as she enjoyed another breadstick. “I was just asking Adrien how you and he met.”

“It’s a bit…bittersweet,” Adrien said, before looking to Vance fondly. “But it brought us together and for that, no regrets.”

“Basically my foster parents couldn’t accept my sexuality and were…let’s just say I’m glad I packed up everything at eighteen and left them behind moving halfway across the world to get away from them,” Vance chimed in.

“He came into the cafe I was interning at, sitting at the same table every single day. I burned a batch or two of goods, getting distracted by him,” Adrien said with a little laugh.

“Have a habit of stalking people in cafes do you?” Claire asked Vance teasingly.

“Only the people I adore,” he said sweetly, making a little sigh escape her mouth. “But at the time I met Adrien, I was a broke college student on a strict scholarship studying creative writing, and all I could afford was bread.”

“Please tell me he snuck you all the good treats and plied you with food?” I asked, feeling myself getting dragged into the story.

“Oh yes, I couldn’t have him going hungry. That just wouldn’t do,” Adrien agreed seriously.

“Then what happened?” Claire asked.

“We became best friends and fell head over heels in love. My parents couldn’t accept that I bonded an alpha and Paris…well it’s not Holiday Hollow. This is the first place that has been promising,” Adrien said.

“It hasn’t always been easy but we’ve always had each other. Plus, that led us here to both of you,” Vance said, taking Adrien’s hand in his. “Everything works out in the end.”

“With my best friend by my side, how could it not? Je t’aime, mon chéri. I couldn’t imagine life without him, nor would I want to. A love like this is special, no?” Adrien said, tilting his head towards me.

Okay, so apparently Vance had filled him in on Operation Cupid and he was leaving me the perfect door and set up to have this conversation. All I had to do was walk through it.

“It is special,” I agreed, taking a deep breath and reaching over for Claire’s hand. “Claire’s been my best friend for ages, and I think it was that foundation that led to me falling head over heels for her too.”

“Ri?” she asked, turning fully towards me and squeezing my hand hard. She had a look of uncertainty in her eyes and I hated that I put it there. But it was the hope and excitement that had me continuing.

“Vance and Adrien asked for honesty and communication and we agreed,” I started. “I tell you every day I love you, but I’ve never told you how much and for that I’m sorry. I was scared you wouldn’t feel the same way about me, that I’d somehow ruin what we have. But you’re my Claire Bear, and I’m your Ri. When you agreed to being a pack like we used to always talk about, I knew it was only a matter of time before I needed to say something. So this is it. No smooth lines or smolders to try and woo you with, just me.”

“The same you that steals all the butterscotch chips from my trail mix?” she interrupted.

“They’re the best part.” I couldn’t help rolling my eyes. “I’m pouring my heart out to you and this is what you ask me?”

“Please do proceed, I’m quite enjoying this. We don’t have any popcorn do we?” she asked, casting a look over to Adrien and Vance who were watching us with shit-eating grins on their faces.

“Claire!” I said throwing my hands up in exasperation. She was taking this very vulnerable moment and using it to playfully torment me in true Claire fashion.

“Hmm?”

“Do you have anything to say back to me about what I said?” I asked, completely flabbergasted on why she was acting so damn cute and calm.

“About you apparently being hopelessly in love with me and secretly wanting to jump my bones for who knows how long?”

“Yes, that,” I deadpanned.

“That you probably could have saved me a ton of batteries if you spoke up sooner,” she said before taking a drink of her wine, making the alphas across the table choke on theirs. “Honestly, I’m just feeling relieved.”

“Relieved is a good thing, right?” Adrien asked, using his cloth napkin to wipe his mouth.

“After the day I’ve had? Absolutely,” Claire told him before turning to face me. “Riley Amelio Ortiz, I’ve been in love with you since our sophomore year of high school. Do you know how absolutely exhausting that is?”

“I’m sorry?”

Was I dreaming? Was this some sort of prank show?

But in truth, it was Claire being Claire. She was the queen of deflecting with humor and her easy acceptance was reassuring.

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