Page 108 of Babies for the Christmas Grump

Claire gives me a soft, knowing look. “I get it. I’ve seen it. But, hey, look at this. At least one good thing has come from all of this.”

I raise an eyebrow, curious despite myself. “What’s that?”

Her smile widens, and she leans back in the chair, the tension between us dissipating with every word. “You and me, right here, right now, just talking. Actually talking. I can’t rememberthe last time we just… hung out like this without Mom turning it into some drama.”

I freeze for a second, really taking it in. She’s right. Somewhere along the way, we drifted. Life, distance, and all the craziness in between had a way of pushing us apart.

But right now, sitting here with her, I feel the slightest spark of something I didn’t know I needed.

“Yeah. I guess we really have,” I mutter.

Claire reaches over, nudging me with her elbow. “You know, it’s about time you figured out you don’t need her drama. We’ve got our own thing now, and honestly? I think that’s better than anything she could offer.”

I let her words settle in my chest. They hit in a place I didn’t realize needed mending, and as much as I want to resist it, the truth of what she’s saying resonates.

This may be a turning point. Maybe this is the moment I get back something I thought I’d lost.

“Thanks, Claire,” I say, a little quieter, but it’s real. I don’t say it enough, but I need to say it now. “For all of this.”

She gives me a half smile, nudging me again with a playful side-eye. “I’m here to save your ass, remember? Always have been.”

I laugh, shaking my head. “I guess that’s why I’m glad you’re the one here, and not her.”

“True, true.” She shifts around to look at me. “So, I do have something to ask you… about Sunny.”

I freeze, caught off guard by the question—my brain stalls for a second, unsure of how to respond.

Claire is the last person I expected to bring it up, especially right now. But she’s watching me, her expression open, waiting for the truth.

I sigh, rubbing the back of my neck, trying to gather my thoughts.

“What do you mean?” I try to sound casual, but I’m pretty sure I fail miserably.

She doesn’t miss a beat. “Don’t play coy with me, Ry. I can see it. There’s something there. Between you and Sunny.”

My heart skips a beat. Can she see it? Has it been that obvious? I try to play it cool, but the truth is, I’ve been avoiding confronting it myself.

“Claire, it’s… complicated,” I say, and even I can hear the hesitation.

She raises an eyebrow, leaning forward with a slight smirk. “Complicated? That’s not the answer I was expecting from Mr. Cool, Calm, and Collected.”

I run a hand through my hair again. “I don’t know. She’s… she’s different. And she’s got her own stuff going on, and I’ve got my own responsibilities with the hotel and everything else. It’s just messy.”

Claire watches me for a beat, her eyes narrowing slightly as though she’s assessing me, piecing it all together.

“You’re into her, aren’t you?” She leans back in the chair with a knowing look on her face. “I mean, I knew it was more than just a casual thing the way you’ve been looking at her.”

I feel my chest tighten, but I can’t help but laugh a little. “Maybe I look at all women like that.”

“I don’t think so, Ry,” she says with a shrug. “I notice things. Besides, it’s not hard to see that you’re a little bit… off when you talk about her.”

I meet her eyes and take a deep breath. “Yeah, I guess you could say that. I’m… I don’t know what I’m doing with her. And I’m not sure what she wants, either. We’re both figuring it out. But it’s messy, and I don’t want to mess it up.”

Claire’s expression softens, her teasing tone lightening. “I get it. Relationships can be messy especially when you’re trying to juggle everything else in your life. But honestly, I really like her.She’s got a heart of gold, and she’s not like the other women you’ve been with. The ones I know of, anyway.”

I’m quiet for a moment, processing what she’s said. My sister’s always been blunt, but this feels different. There’s no judgment in her voice, just a quiet approval that makes me feel a little better.

“You really think so?” I ask, a bit surprised by her insight.