3. Claire
Iknew I was in trouble the moment a gaggle of women in intricate hats and their Sunday best came waltzing into my shop looking like they were on a mission.
Did I mention one of them was carrying a highly polished trumpet?
Sarah was a regular customer of mine and when she raised that trumpet to her lips I instantly regretted making an extra batch of double peanut butter fudge for the beta this week.
Actually, who was I kidding? I’d probably make her another batch.
It was things like this that made me love Holiday Hollow, even if they were slightly insane. It wasn’t their fault I was stressed with some of the extra work I’d taken on since Autumn and I were selling and distributing products in limited numbers across the state.
“Hear ye, hear ye. We’ve come this morning to Claire’s Coffee and Confections to formally invite Ms. Claire Elizabeth Dawkings to take part in our Dates Delicacies auction we will be throwing before the annual Sweetheart Swing,” Janet declared.
She happened to be Autumn’s new mother-in-law and was the resident mom for everyone in Holiday Hollow and the queen of the welcome wagon.
Cheers rose up around the shop, patrons encouraging the ruckus as they yelled encouraging words.
I saw a familiar alpha sweeping his gaze back and forth across the crowd as he rose out of his seat and made his way towards the side of the display case and around the group of women where I stood. His brow was furrowed in worry and I gave him a reassuring look as he hovered at the fringe, as if waiting to step in should I need it. He had been coming in like clockwork the past few days since he’d asked Riley and I out, and I had to admit seeing him ready to stand up for me made me feel a way I hadn’t expected.
I motioned for my crew to get the ladies a round of tea and treats, knowing exactly how to handle the situation
“What scheme are you trying to rope me into this time?” I asked Janet as the group around her dispersed.
“Thank you, dear,” she said warmly, accepting the offered drink I handed her. “The Dates Delicacies auction could very much use you. Have I mentioned that you’re my favorite omega lately?”
“I know for a fact you say that to Autumn as well, Janet,” I said, shaking my head with a laugh. “What do you need and when do you need it? You know I’ll always help if I can, but I have a high production push this next month.”
“A few baskets for the auction, a spread of your delicious creations for the event, and you of course.”
Sure it didn’t sound like that much, but the spread would have to be for most of the town. I wasn’t worried about the product cost for the donation part, the shop had been doing really well the past few years and it was things like this that had helped my shop make its name. No, it was really the amount and time commitment.
“When is the auction?” I asked.
Janet squared her shoulders. “It’s in a week and half, which I know isn’t a whole ton of time, which is why I’ve also asked The Confectionery and a few other local businesses to contribute as well so you won’t have to make quite so much.”
My brain screeched to a halt. “The Confectionery? You asked The Confectionery to participate and they agreed?”
Janet smiled proudly. “I’m pretty sure it was Sarah’s trumpet that sealed the deal there.”
I put my fingers to my temples and tried to rub out the headache I knew was coming.
“Is there something wrong with The Confectionary?” Vance asked worriedly, coming up and half blocking Janet from view with his body, before his hands covered mine. “May I?”
My breath caught for a moment at having him this close and I gave him a little nod before his thumbs stroked my temples.
The tension started to drain out of me and I felt my shoulders pull away from my ears as I gathered myself to answer his question. All I really wanted to do was lean into his touch further, but standing in the middle of my business probably wasn’t the best place for that. So much for holding myself back, I guess. Vance was making it harder and harder to keep my distance with each passing second.
“Nothing is wrong with The Confectionary. I’m sure Adrien is perfectly nice, I’ve just never got to know him and the one time we’ve met I got the impression I’d offended him somehow, which is probably just silly. I mean, my shop is named Claire’s Coffee and Confections, if anyone was going to be offended it should be me since my shop was here first. But I’m not, I just don’t take it well when people don’t like me,” I admitted under my breath. “And he didn’t seem the type to participate in something like this. The man was very serious.”
The little bubble Vance had made between the two of us apparently just made me comfortable enough to speak everything on my mind. Damn, he felt better than the cashmere throws I knitted and snuggled with every night.
“I know for a fact you didn’t offend him, Cl—“
“And just who do we have here?” Janet asked, bursting our little bubble and bringing me back to the present. “Do my eyes deceive me or do we have a new resident here in Holiday Hollow?”
The crew of ladies she’d come in with perked up, and I swear to the sweet gods Sarah went to raise her damn trumpet to her mouth.
“He’s with me ladies, back down,” I called out, holding up my hands.
“I like the sound of that,” Vance said smoothly, a small rumble coming from his chest that sent shivers down my spine and a flush to my cheeks.
“I meant, Riley and I have agreed to give Vance a personal welcoming tour to the Hollow,” I corrected.
“I hope that’s alright ma’am,” Vance said, nodding his head respectfully toward Janet. “I haven’t had the best experience before with small towns or new places so they took me under their wings.”
A fire lit in Janet’s eyes, and I knew she had just adopted a new townie to look over. “I’m very sorry you’ve had that experience. I can assure you it will not be the same here. We take care of our own in Holiday Hollow, and if Riley and Claire are already showing you the ropes, you’re as good as family. You just give me a ring if you need something okay? I understand some of our ways take some time to get used to, but if anyone gives you any problems just send them my way, dear.” There was a spark in her eyes that drove home that mother hen vibe she was giving off and Vance relaxed a bit.
“Thank you,” Vance said sincerely.
Janet rustled up her crew and they left the shop without any further adieu, most likely on their way to ensure their next contributor to the auction.
“Well I guess you survived your first welcome wagon experience,” I said with a laugh.
“So it seems,” Vance agreed, running a hand through his hair. “I know you’re busy, so I’ll let you get back to your work right now, but I hope you’ll consider my offer to take you out.”
His blue eyes were locked on mine and he was still standing so damn close to me. Not that I needed rescuing, but it was hot seeing him concerned and jumping in to try and rescue me from the committee. I couldn’t deny that there was something about him that drew me in.
Maybe, just maybe, my daydream wasn’t out of reach.
“I’ll think about it,” I promised, watching the grin stretch against his face, those damn dimples nearly killing me before he placed a quick kiss on my cheek and went back to his table.
The rest of the day I couldn’t help but let my thoughts drift to Vance. The way he stepped between me and the trumpet-wielding welcome wagon at the mere thought of me being overwhelmed was so sweet.
And his offer of taking me out? Well that one was so tempting. It was crazy to hold myself back… but being in a pack with Riley and not with Riley? It sounded like both a dream and nightmare at the same time. I wasn’t sure if that would be too much.
Two hours later I was finally walking into my quiet cottage. The silence lasted all of two seconds of sweet relief before Riley was bursting in the door with a flourish of takeout bags and smiles.
“Girl. Today was pure and utter chaos. Did you see the trumpet brigade?” he asked as he dropped onto the couch and put the bags on the coffee table.
“They came into the shop to formally invite me to donate treats and make goodie baskets,” I told him with a nervous laugh.
“And you agreed,” he teased as I nodded in defeat. “You’re an easy target for them, they prey on your sweet nature.”
“They do,” I agreed. “But get this. They convinced our local grumpy chocolatier to participate as well. Or at the very least donate his sophisticated chocolates to the event.”
“No,” he gasped, jaw dropping open in a face that likely reflected mine when I found out.
“Apparently there were some very loud trumpet blares involved in his decision making. He likely did it just so they’d leave,” I laughed. Riley hummed in agreement and handed over a box.
“Mom sent us dinner again.” His mom was always looking out for us and I loved her for that. “Speaking of moms. How is yours doing? She”s been quiet.”
“She called me this morning at five. On to her next hobby, I guess,” I explained before opening my box and taking a whiff of the amazing spicy aroma. I let out a little groan, her sandwiches were my favorite.
“Oh god, what is it this time? Wasn’t she just trying out pottery?” he asked as he took a big bite of his own sandwich.
“This time it’s goat yoga. Apparently a few towns away hosts one weekly and she dragged Charlie along with her.” My omega dad indulged her more than her alphas, I swear.
“Blaire and goats? You have to be kidding me,” Riley practically shouted before cackling at the mere thought. “She didn’t think this one through.”
“No, no she didn’t,” I agreed. “She barely handles rambunctious dogs. These goats crawl on top of people.”
“Text Charlie and demand picture proof of this adventure,” Riley suggested. With a wicked grin I did just that.
Claire: Tell me you have pics from yoga today? You’ll be my favorite dad today.
Charlie: You know I’m your favorite every day, darling. And of course I did. It was pure magic. Just wait.
True to his word he sent over a series of photos that showed mom’s face smiling then slowly shifting to pure panic as the goats stood on her back. Riley leaned in until our temples were touching and his scent had my mind blanking. You’d think a basically a lifetime together would lessen the response, but his spring rain scent was my safe space at this point.
My breath caught as our eyes locked, falling into Riley’s warm brown eyes for a moment before I realized I had completely stopped caring about the pictures. His tongue darted across his full bottom lip, and I couldn’t stop the sigh that left my lips. Thankfully, he was there as always, picking up exactly where the moment had left off and saving me from any further embarrassment.
“Oh my god, these are gold,” Riley chuckled as he took over my phone to scroll through them. “They just keep getting better. We should drop a hint to Janet to host one in the square for spring.”
“That’d be so much fun. Though I’m hardly agile enough for yoga,” I pointed out. We were close enough that we both knew I was the most uncoordinated person in Holiday Hollow. Maybe outside of Old Man Greer who walked with a cane. That didn’t stop me from cutting loose when we went dancing at the bar, but I did it with full knowledge that I carved my own path of dancing.
“You’ll be fine,” Riley said before getting stern. “Now eat, woman. I know damn well you’re fueled by coffee and no real food today.”
My cheeks warmed at being called out and I took a bite with a sassy look thrown his way. He rolled his eyes at my theatrics.
“It’s like I know you or something,” he said with a snort. “This is why we used to talk about being in a pack together. No one knows you quite like me.”
My chest tightened at the reminder. Nothing sounded better than being in a pack with him. But I was lacking some important parts in being with Riley, seeing as how he preferred men.
“It would have been awesome,” I agreed. “But would you go to goat yoga with me and indulge every new hobby?”
He laughed at that. “Don’t act like you’d be the one hobby hopping, that would definitely be me.”
“No one would be able to keep up with our chaos,” I said before grabbing the remote and turning on the TV. He didn’t say anything else and when I risked a glance he was lost in thought. There was a hint of concern and worry there, but also determination that had me curious just what my bestie was trying to get into now. I needed a change in conversation before he could try and set me up with someone or something crazy. “So how was the date?”
We’d both been busy and hadn’t had the chance to discuss it quite yet. He had got in late and I was already in bed, and the past couple of days had been busy.
His face softened into a content smile that had my heart warming with happiness for him.
“Perfect. He is just as great as I expected,” he said before looking at me with one eyebrow raised. “But it would have been better if you’d gone with us.”
“Meh,” I said quickly as I pulled up a show for us. There were no words I could give him to really explain what my issue was. I didn’t want to ruin what we had. “Did you see there’s a new episode of Dirty Laundry?”
That had Riley’s eyes lighting up and I effectively hooked him into a whole new train of thought. We were quickly lost in a discussion about the contestants” secret lives but the entire time I couldn’t help but wonder how long we could truly dance around this unspoken issue between us.
Just as we were turning in for the night Riley stopped outside my room, leaning against the door frame with a small smile on his lips.
“For the record Claire Bear, I still want what we talked about all those years ago. You and me, in the same pack. I know you’re the omega in this dynamic but you better get with the program bestie. You know the lengths I’ll go to to get what I want. Prepare to pack it up,” he said before blowing me a kiss goodnight, the determination in his voice apparent.
His words left me frozen. They were everything we’d dreamed about for so long and the way he spoke left no room for negotiation. Not that I wanted any.
It was clear I was utterly fucked. Hopefully at least with this new development with Vance, it would be the fun kind.