Page 23 of Knot Your Sugar

I lower my voice, leaning in as if sharing a deeply confidential secret. "It’s about the éclairs," I whisper dramatically. "Apparently, Pierre has some highly coveted, proprietary éclair-making technique. Intellectual property, you understand. Beaumont is considering… an acquisition. To add Pierre’s unique methods to the Beaumont collection."

Their surprise is almost comical. Perfect. The more outlandish the lie, the more likely people are to swallow it whole. It’s an old sales trick.

"Now, obviously," I continue, warming to my theme, "if word got out that a titan like Beaumont was sniffing around a local bakery, looking to buy it up, it could cause all sorts of trouble. Real estate speculation, local panic ensuing, you name it. So, naturally, he'd meet with the apprentice first,discreetly. Like in a noisy bar, late at night, where they wouldn’t be easily overheard?" I let that sink in. "And wouldn't you agree that,in this setting, an innocent business meeting could easily be misinterpreted as… something more intimate?"

Chen still looks skeptical. "If this is all so top-secret, Mr. Reynolds, how is it thatyouknow about it?"

"Ah, that's a good question!" I say, feigning understanding of their perfectly reasonable doubt. "And the answer is simple. I know all this because I also know, with absolute certainty, that Elena couldn’t possibly be romantically entangled with Mr. Beaumont because…" I pause, letting the suspense build, enjoying the rapt attention on their faces. "Because, you see, she’s currently seeingme."

The looks on their faces are priceless, like I just announced I'm secretly a unicorn.

"You? And Elena Avery?" Parker sputters, looking like I’ve just told him I can spin straw into gold.

I nod, allowing a small, almost shy smile to touch my lips. "It’s a bit recent, still finding our feet. We met at the Western Regional Baking Conference last spring. They had an amazing keynote speaker on the molecular gastronomy of ganache by the way. And we just… clicked." I sigh dramatically. "It was unexpected."

"But… but you're an alpha," Chen states, eyeing me as if I’ve suddenly sprouted a second head. "And she’s a beta."

I give a worldly, slightly weary shrug. "And Mr. Beaumont is also an alpha, yet you were perfectly willing to believetheymight be an item. Look, times are changing. Alpha-beta pairings, while not exactly front-page news, are becoming increasingly common, especially for those of us in demanding, creative professions. We connect on a different level. Our shared passion for the art of pastry… well, it transcends the more… traditional dynamics."

Absolute BS, of course. Alpha-beta relationships are about as common as a perfectly tempered chocolate on a humid day.Most alphas are drawn to omegas by biological imperative, just as omegas are drawn to alphas. Betas, with their faint scents and lack of heats or ruts, typically pair with other betas. But there are always exceptions, which makes my lie plausible enough to swallow.

"I… I see," Parker says slowly, stroking his chin, the cogs visibly turning in his head. "Yes, that… reframes the situation."

"Naturally, I’d appreciate your utmost discretion regarding my…relationshipwith Elena," I add, leaning in again, lowering my voice to a confidential murmur. "It’s still pretty new, and we’d prefer not to become the subject of festival gossip. You can imagine how awkward it would be, an alpha and a beta, competitors and teammates, romantically involved… it’s a bit much. We both just want the festival to be about the baking, you know?"

Chen nods, a flicker of something like sympathy in her eyes. She actually looks convinced. "Of course, Mr. Reynolds. Your confidence will be respected. And thank you for clarifying the… misunderstanding regarding Mr. Beaumont."

"Happy to help." I stand, mission accomplished. "Now if you'll excuse me, I need to rest for tomorrow's challenges. Got to bring my A-game to impress my girlfriend." I throw in a wink for good measure.

As I saunter out of the bar, feigning a yawn, I hear them already shifting their conversation to the challenges of achieving a perfect crumb structure in a high-altitude environment. Crisis decisively averted. For Elena, at least. For now.

Back in the quiet of my room, I retrieve my phone. The video of Elena, flushed and beautiful in the moonlight, plays again.

She has no idea what I've just done for her, and what I'll be expecting in return…

Chapter twelve

Elena

My apartment door clicks shut behind me, and I finally let my shoulders slump. What. A. Day. If poor life choices was an Olympic event, I'd be taking gold.

I grab my phone from my bag and find two texts from Mia.

So? How was day one of the festival?

And hello? What happened with hot bar guy???

Boy, if she knew.

I stare at the screen for a second before typing back.

Wouldn’t even know where to start. Brain = soup. Will fill you in when I’m not a corpse.

Her reply comes in lightning fast.

Boo. Rude. Best friends are legally entitled to hot goss.

Fine, I’ll wait… but I expect full spice when you deliver.

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