Page 92 of Crushes and Confections

Riley made sure our whole family was here for this. My chest tightened as I glanced around to see all of the excited faces for us.

“Claire. I know what most people are thinking right now. That I’m finally beta-ing up and making sure you know I love you. The truth is, I’ve always known we’d be together one day. Every day since I met you, my life has been brighter. You make me a better man, and I couldn’t imagine my life without you.”

“Oh, Ri,” I sobbed out as the emotions hit me. He’d always known it was me, just as I’ve always known it would be him.

“You even introduced me to these two fine alphas. If that’s not marriage material, I don’t know what is.”

Our alphas chuckled along with everyone else, but my beta wasn’t done.

“We grew up together. Went from best friends to hopelessly in love with each other but not admitting it. Now, finally, we get to spend forever together. I couldn’t think of anyone else I’d want to grow old with. Though we all know we will age like fine wine,” he quipped, smirking at me so I was laughing through my tears.

It was such a Riley speech. A mix of emotional, loving, and witty.

“I love you, Claire Dawkings. Will you marry me?”

Riley was finally done with his speech, and the minute he said the words I rushed forward and dropped to my knees in front of him. He slid the ring on my finger and it fit perfectly. I wasn’t even surprised he’d made sure he had the right size.

“Yes.” The answer was simple, yet the love and excitement in the bond said everything else for me.

Everyone gave us a moment as Riley kissed me senseless. The music started back up and the spotlight retreated. But it didn’t matter, my beta was all I could see.

“So you want to grow old with me, huh?”

“Come on, you know we’ll be a fabulous duo, walking around with canes and waving them at anyone in our way. Then we can gossip and drink coffee on our porch,” he mused.

“And our alphas?”

“Oh, they’ll be right there with us,” he promised as we both turned their way, smiling fondly at the two men who brought us together.

“Come here,” Riley ordered. Both of them moved without hesitation, scooping us up and admiring the ring that now rested on my finger.

“You know, I think the Sweetheart Dance might have just become my favorite Holiday Hollow event,” I shouted over the music as the guys led us over to our table.

“Congrats, guys!” Dawn called out as she passed by. She was just one of many stopping by to greet us. By the time the band took another break my voice was hoarse from talking. But I’d never felt happier. Just when I didn’t think things could get any better, Riley does something like this.

“At some point we’ll have to figure out the last courting puzzle piece. I’d say we’ve moved past the simple courting stage,” Adrien pointed out as he pulled Riley into his lap.

“True,” I agreed. “But no one has given us the last piece, and I’m not sure where else to go to find it.”

“It'll come to us,” Vance reassured us. “The others have all been easy. Confusing, but easy to find.”

The music cut off again. This time it was Autumn and her pack taking the stage. Apparently, it was the time for proposals and announcements.

“Can I have Claire, Riley, Adrien, and Vance to the stage?”

“That wasn’t what I expected,” Riley said, putting words to my thoughts. We all walked forward, once again all attention on us, until we stood before her.

When we were close enough, Autumn continued.

“Now, I know you’re all overachievers, but we have a courting process to finish,” she said excitedly. “In fact, here we have the final part.”

“What?” I gasped, stepping forward and looking at what was in her hand. Turning over the rectangular paper I smiled at the picture in my hands. We were all smiling widely, barely containing our laughter. Each one of us looked truly happy together.

Autumn held up a paper similar to the list of clues we were given. “To go forward you must go back, learn each other and take a page from the rack. You took the time to learn everything you could about each other and earned the first piece. A frame.”

Boone stepped forward and held up a handmade frame. He’d taken the time to carve our pack name into it, a silhouette of downtown Holiday Hollow surrounding it.

“Next be careful, next be quick, open yourself, it’s just a nick. You earned a piece of glass to go in the frame by being vulnerable with each other, realizing that it’s okay to let the others in completely. Which is not an easy thing to do.”

---