Page 44 of Crushes and Confections

“They said it’s tradition. I guess we get to go find out,” I said. “It’s time.”

We both shrugged on our suit jackets and took one last look in the mirror before checking each other over. With one last kiss, we walked out of the door.

It seemed everyone in Holiday Hollow was in the town square waiting for us. Parking was a nightmare which was crazy in a town this small. But it was the crowd literally parting for us to walk to our waiting omega and beta that was the real icing on the cake.

Claire was gorgeous, her curls framing her face, her makeup accentuating her bright eyes and her smile lined in pink. The dress she wore this time was a bit less tortuous, but she was enticing nonetheless. It was black, tight in the waist and hugging her cleavage, before flaring out slightly at the waist. It hit right above her knees and she wore hot pink booties that matched her lips.

Riley was wearing his signature tight jeans and a matching hot pink shirt. The top buttons were undone to show off his gold necklace. But his smile, carefree and genuine, had me wanting to move closer and kiss him soundly.

“They’re a vision,” Adrien said, voice thick with emotion.

“They are. And they’re ours,” I reminded him proudly. “Nothing stands in our way.”

“Except maybe his mom. She has to be the one staring into our soul like that,” Adrien hissed under his breath. I followed his line of sight to see the woman studying us more intensely than anyone ever had. Then she gave a slight nod, as if approving, before a smile broke free that matched Riley’s.

Apparently we passed the first test.

We made our way over to where they stood accepting more hellos and congratulations along the way. Most of the people recognized Adrien from the shop, as usual, but the few people I’d met the past few months and befriended like Natalie, the local bookshop owner, and Michael, the record shop owner, came over to talk to me personally.

“I’m proud of you, mon chéri,” Adrien said. “Grateful too.”

“I’m proud of us,” I said truthfully.

We’d come so far out of our comfort zone, and while we were still navigating that, I was beginning to see the type of life and community we could have here in Holiday Hollow.

“Well look at these cool drinks of water,” Riley said, as we finally got to them.

“Just for you,” Adrien said smoothly. “Tell me. If we kiss you both hello will we be breaking any customs?”

“I don’t care if we are or not,” Claire said. “Get over here, alpha.”

I went over to Riley as Adrien pulled Claire into his arms. He reached his arms up around my neck, standing up on his tiptoes to place a kiss on my lips.

“Welcome, Holiday Hollow!” a voice sounded from inside the gazebo. “Thank you for joining us for this joyous occasion. Could I please get the lovebirds to join me?”

“It’s the mayor,” Riley said low in my ear, threading his hand through mine. “Let’s go get Holiday Hollow official, alpha.”

I caught Claire’s eye over my shoulder, desperate to take her in my arms too.

“Soon,” she said, a flirty smile on her pink lips.

As I took the first steps into the gazebo the mayor shook my hand.

“I don’t think we’ve had the pleasure of meeting, Vance. We’re glad to have you and Adrien here in Holiday Hollow. I hope to get to know both of you more after this.”

“Thank you,” I said, some of that anxiety inside me settling.

The mayor greeted Claire and Riley with hugs and congratulations, the familiarity between them something I hadn’t expected. Then again, it was a small town. It still amazed me how interactive everyone seemed to be.

I’d already planned to start working some of the new dynamics into the next series I was writing. I was thinking a small-town mage from humble beginnings.

“We’re gathered here today for a Holiday Hollow Courting Ceremony! For those of you who don’t know, this tradition goes back to the founding of our little town, and is part well wishes and part of that community togetherness that we all value so much. When one of us succeeds, all of us succeeds,” the mayor said.

“Hear hear!” Someone shouted from the crowd.

“Two of our newest residents to join the Hollow, Adrien and Vance Laveaux, have asked to court our Holiday Heathens, Claire Dawkings and Riley Ortiz. I think I speak for all of us here when I say that we are overjoyed that not only have Claire and Riley found each other, but we’ll have another set of hands to keep an eye on these two on April Fools Day.”

“You pull one little prank in high school, and they never let you forget about it,” Riley sighed.

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