Welcome Clew fans to Clew one shot week!
Legal: I own nothing but the idea.
Important to know before reading:
*Clare never got pregnant
*Adam never died
*Drew never dated Becky
That does it the rest is explained in the shot so enjoy!
Every Time I Love You Goes Unspoken
(DREW)
"I hate doing engagement parties, if the bride isn't a bridezilla then one of the moms is bridezilla-by-proxy," I complain while we wait for today's clients.
"Well we have an exclusive contract with this hotel, which you negotiated," Adam reminds me.
"I should have switched with Owen and done the sweet sixteen," I counter.
"You hate those more because the underage girls hit on you," Adam reminds me.
"How many guests can the ballroom hold?" Asks a voice in the hall and I know our clients are here.
"Shit," Adam whispers.
"What?" I question while the hotel employee answers the woman.
"I know that voice it's Helen Martin," Adam tells me.
"As in Cl…"
"Adam!" Clare giggles happily upon seeing my brother.
"Clare you look amazing," he smiles and the old friends embrace.
I haven't seen Clare since senior year, she never came back after winter break because she didn't want to be around me. She had apparently already exceeded her credits needed for graduating and after doing the standardized testing over break she left. Since she was mad at me she barely even told Adam but he did see her before she left. She went to visit her sister and then got accepted to Cambridge so she moved to England. She and Adam kept in touch for a couple of years, I was always to stubborn to say something or ask about her. Their communications became less and less over the years with life getting in the way. The less Adam spoke to her the more I regretted never saying anything, I've done a lot of stupid things, have a lot of regrets but listening to Dallas that night at the hoe down is among the biggest. What happened between me and Clare is one of the biggest for me, I've wished so many times I could go back and do the whole thing over.
"It's so good to see you, I wondered if anyone was still in town but I've lost touch with so many people," Clare says and then she notices me. "Hello Drew," she says with a polite smile and a civil tone but even after all this time she's not happy to see me.
For me it's like a miracle, everything I ever felt for her comes rushing back. Her gentle blue eyes melting into my heart, the way she bites her pink lips, her smile and gentle nature. I'm hit by a tidal wave of memories, the two of us in student council, avoiding the sexual tension between us until it just exploded.
"Hi Clare, you look amazing," I grin and she gives me a genuine smile.
"Wait who's the M? If you two are the T of T&M Entertainment then who's the M?" Clare asks.
"Owen, we started the company with him a couple of years ago," Adam explains.
"Well I suppose two hundred people will be enough," Helen says and Clare's attention is dawn away from us and she rolls her eyes.
"Mother I don't even know two hundred people this place is plenty big. Even if everyone in the family comes there shouldn't be more than a hundred people, maybe a hundred and fifty people here," Clare says.
It occurs to me that Clare is the one getting married and I feel like I can't breathe. I clench my teeth and my fists, the blood in veins boils. It's like forgetting about a toy you had when you were little, being happy when you find it again and then find out it belongs to another kid.
"Nonsense Clare Beau said you could have whatever you wanted," Helen comments.
"What kind of a name is Beau," I whisper to Adam as Helen looks at us and Adam elbows me.
"Well you must be the event planners, the hotel assures me you're the best. Have we met before you look familiar," Helen says pinching her forehead together as she tries to place us.
"Mom you remember Drew and Adam Torres," Clare reminds her and Helen nods.
"Oh yes, so you boys plan parties now isn't that…nice," Helen remarks slowly.
"Mother don't be rude they have the most successful event planning company in all of Ontario," Clare informs her mom.
"How lovely, you know Clare is working on her first book not that she'll need to work once she's married. Her husband's family is loaded a…"
"Mother!" Clare snaps hiding her head.
"Well it's true, he's extremely well bred just look at the rock he gave her," Helen says holding out Clare's hand. She does have a very large gold band with a diamond that looks like it would cost at least six months of my salary.
"Mother why don't you go look at the hotel rooms Beau reserved," Clare suggests.
"Yes good idea, I wonder if we have enough, you know Darcy and her husband should fly in and Jake with…"
"Mom they're flying to France for the wedding they don't need to fly here for the party they know I'm engaged," Clare calls after her mother but Helen ignores her and walks back to the lobby. Clare sighs and puts her head on Adam's chest, "Now I know why Darcy eloped."
"Don't worry that's pretty typical for mother of the bride, so when do we get to meet your fiancé?" Adam asks.
"He'll be joining us for lunch," Clare replies.
"So does he actually have a job or he just sponge off his rich parents?" I question and the bitterness in my tone is clearly heard because Adam smacks my arm.
"He works at his parent's winery and he has several masters and bachelor's degrees, he's incredibly brilliant," Clare informs me.
"How old is he?" I inquire.
"Thirty four not that it's any of your business," she huffs.
"That's an awfully big age difference are you just marrying him for the money o…ow," I cut myself off when Adam grabs my ear.
"Here Clare why don't you look at some past events and see if there's any lay outs or themes you like I need a word with my brother," Adam tells her handing her the book of photos of other events we've done here and dragging me off by the ear.
"Ow ow ow, Adam let go of my ear," I plead.
"Clare is our client we're supposed to plan her party it's none of our business what her fiancé is like," Adam admonishes.
"But sh…"
"Drew she's engaged and you haven't seen her in six years, you let her leave without saying anything and in all that time you never once tried to contact her. You can't start insulting a guy you've never even met just because you don't like that he's going to marry Clare. Now can you behave yourself or do I need to send you home?"
"I'll be good," I give in.
"Good now why don't you go see if the kitchen has those sample menus ready," Adam instructs and I nod.
Okay so Adam is right I'm being childish because I regret not saying anything and letting Clare slip away. I check on the menus and then start walking back to the ballroom when I see Owen coming in.
"Hey what are you doing here?" I question.
"The meeting ended early, she wants everything to be pink it was easy thought I'd see if you needed help here," Owen says.
"Yeah you'll need to help keep me in line I promised Adam I'd behave," I respond.
"Troublesome clients?"
"No, well I mean the mom's kind of taking over but the engaged girl is Clare," I reply.
"Clare who?"
"Edwards, as in the one girl I always wished I could do things differently with."
"Oh the Clare! And now she's engaged and you're pissed," Owen remarks and I nod as we go back into the ballroom. "Hey Clare nice to see you again," Owen says as we walk in.
"Hi Owen, this is my mom Helen and my fiancé Beau will be here soon," she smiles.
"The kitchen will have lunch ready in half an hour, did you find anything you liked in the book?" I question.
"I think we should do gold and purple," Helen interjects.
"Mom I hate gold," Clare interrupts.
"There's plenty of it on your hand," I comment referring to the ring.
"It's a family heirloom," Clare replies and hides her hand.
"Maybe a wine theme, could you decorate like a traditional French winery?" Helen questions.
"Mom I'm getting married at a winery I don't want it at my engagement party," Clare says getting annoyed.
"Mrs. Martin have you seen the garden terrace? It's a wonderful place for dessert and champagne," Adam tells her and escorts her away.
"If my mom has her way we'll be inviting the whole of Toronto," Clare complains.
"It sounds like your fiancé can afford to," I quip and Owen smacks the back of my head.
"So decorations have you chosen a theme yet?" Owen asks and Clare shakes her head.
We start showing her various themes and possibilities, Adam hooks up the laptop to project things to the big screen when he comes back in. I manage to keep my mouth shut and Clare begins directing all her questions to Adam and Owen.
"Oh I like that one it's sweet," Clare smiles. The picture on the screen is another engagement party we did, the theme was the couple themselves and we decorated using a lot of pictures of the couple.
"I'd rather not have childhood pictures posted up," a voice says and we all turn around. Clare gets up and kisses him so he must be her fiancé, he's about Owen's height but leaner with a longer face. He has dark blonde hair and dark eyes.
"You remember talking about Adam don't you?" Clare asks her fiancé.
"Yes I think so," he responds but his tone sounds disinterested or maybe that's just the French accent.
"Adam and his brother and Owen who also went to high school with us," Clare says pointing to each of us as she says our names, "are the event planners. Guys this is my fiancé Beau LeClair," Clare tells us and I almost choke.
"It's nice to m…" Adam starts and I cut him off.
"Hang on your name's going to be Clare LeClair when you're married?" I question and get elbowed by Adam and smacked by Owen. "I guess it rolls off the tongue, sort of."
"It's nice to meet you Beau we were just looking at theme ideas," Adam says before I can say anything else.
"Yes so I see. You don't really want to do one with pictures of us as children do you? Just think of all those pictures of you in that awkward stage, you went through it until you were what fourteen? I want everyone to see how beautiful you are now," Beau remarks and I clench my fists.
"Uh you know the sample menus should be ready Drew come to the kitchen with me to check," Adam insists and pulls me away by the arm. "You can't punch Clare's fiancé," Adam tells me.
"The guys an ass, what does she even see in him?"
"You've known him for a minute you don't know that."
"You heard what he said to her," I comment.
"Yes but maybe he's just one of those people that doesn't have a filter," Adam responds as we walk into the kitchen.
The chef and his assistants are about ready to bring out the food; we take the list of what they're serving and go out to the ballroom again. While Clare, Helen and Beau eat we talk about themes and music, Helen keeps adding things and I swear every time Beau speaks he's talking down to Clare, actually to all of us he's incredibly pompous and I really want to hurt him. Between him and Helen I'm surprised Clare's not screaming, after a while they stop listening to Clare all together and just ignore her. As soon as she's done eating Clare excuses herself to the washroom, the ones in the ballroom are nice and after Clare goes back I excuse myself to use the washroom. I don't really need to but I go into the woman's washroom. There's like a lounge seating area in the first room and the toilets and sinks are in the second part. I lock the outer door to keep her mom from coming in and wait for Clare, I hear the toilet flush and see her in the mirror washing her hands.
"Drew what are you doing in here?" Clare demands.
"You can't marry that pompous asshole," I respond.
"You know nothing about him," Clare counters.
"I know he's a pompous asshole and you can do better than being Clare LeClair!"
"Seriously Drew I haven't seen you in six years and you've known Beau for twenty minutes," she argues.
"I'm not the one who ran to another country, and the guy's name is Beau that's like having the name Guy."
"I'm not the one who decided he was a rebound I was in love with you Drew," she tells me.
"I was eighteen and I was scared, I was an idiot okay but you can't marry this douchebag," I assert.
"You were scared?! What the hell does that mean? Scared of what Drew I had already had sex with you!"
"Scared of how much I was in love with you," I admit but still in an angry tone.
"You were in lo…"
Before she can even finish I grab her face and kiss her passionately. Clare grabs the back of my head and parts her lips; my tongue traces her bottom lip before sliding into her mouth. I pull her blouse from her skirt and open a couple of buttons I break the kiss and tug her blouse over her head. She opens my dress shirt, opening the buttons until my chest is exposed and she pulls it down my arms. I lift Clare's skirt and salivate with carnal bliss when I see her stockings and garter belt. Clare takes my belt and slides it through the loops, opening my fly she tugs my pants down and my boxer briefs. I lie her down on the round bench thing we're nearby and clasp my lips to hers.
Taking my stiff shaft in my hand, I stroke and glide into her. Clare moans and bites her lip, her hips are already bucking. It's like we're teenagers in the storage room again. Six years of heated passion and carnal wanting is exploding out and we're making love hard and fast. Kissing deeply and lost in an inferno of rapture. I know I'm going to explode, I can feel how close I am but when Clare arches her back and breaks the kiss to moan I know she's close too. She bites her lip moaning my name on a quivering breath and I stifle a guttural grunt into her breasts. I slow down and then pull out of her slowly kissing the nape of her neck when she whimpers at the loss. I move up and kiss her lips softly then help her to sit up.
"I can't believe we just did that," Clare exclaims standing up fixing her clothes.
"Yeah that was…"
"A mistake," Clare cutes me off.
"What do you mean it was a mistake? Beau is a mistake," I argue.
"No Drew Beau is my fiancé and I just cheated on him. I'm going to go out there and tell them the shrimp salad made me sick and I'm going to go home," she says quickly buttoning her blouse she looks in the mirror and fixes her hair then storms out.
I fix my clothes and follow her, she tells everyone the shrimp salad made her ill and I was helping her in the washroom. Adam tells her we have everything we need and we'll contact them if we need anything else otherwise we'll see them on the night of the event.
"So what really happened in the washroom?" Owen asks as we're closing up.
"We made love and it was amazing and she called it a mistake," I tell him.
"You should call her," Owen says.
"I'm pretty sure she hates me now and the worst part is I'm still in love with her."
(CLARE)
"Thanks for giving me the party I want guys everything looks amazing. Ever since telling my mom I was engaged she's tried to take over everything," I say to Adam and Owen when I arrive for my engagement party.
"Well it is your party, what about Beau will he be happy he didn't seem to like many of the ideas," I comment.
"Yeah no kidding," Owen scoffs.
"He said I could do what I wanted so it shouldn't matter. I agreed not to go with the pictures," Clare replies.
"Yeah because he called you awkward until you were fourteen," Owen reminds her.
"He does seem pretty…" Adam starts slowly.
"He doesn't have a filter at times I admit but you should really talk to him and get to know him, he's very intelligent and he can be very sweet. He flew me to Paris and proposed at the top of the Eifel Tower. Is Drew not coming tonight?"
"Just running late," Drew says and I turn around to look at him. "Whoa you look amazing," he exclaims with wide eyes and a grin.
"Thanks you look nice, you all do. So umm is there anything I can do?" I question somewhat nervously.
Mostly because I want rip open his black button up and kiss him. Our argument last week that led to making love in the ladies washroom was the boiling point of six years of pent up emotion. I ran out but everything he said played in my head again and again. I couldn't stop thinking about it, about him and questioning my relationship with Beau. In the last few days I'd managed to convince myself it was all just cold feet I've only been engaged a month and it's a little to think about spending the rest of your life with someone. When I turned around and saw Drew I was sure it wasn't just cold feet, I ran away six years ago I know I did. I couldn't even go and face him, my heart was broken and I ran because I wasn't brave enough to go back to DeGrassi and see Drew. I don't know if I've been in love with him these past six years but when we were alone in that washroom, making love with our lips and eyes locked I felt that spark again. That spark is heating, turning into a fire the longer I look at Drew.
"No it's your party you just relax, you're here pretty early," Owen comments.
"Yeah I was nervous," I respond turning around and Drew walks past me, his arm brushing mine as he passes and my whole body tingles. "I'm just going to look at how the garden terrace is set up and get some air," I tell them and nearly run outside.
"Are you okay?" Adam inquires following me out.
"I think I'm making an incredible mistake," I sigh sitting on a bench that's been decorated with flowers and cushions.
"Is this about my brother?" Adam questions sitting next to me.
"Did he tell you?"
"That you made love in the washroom? Yes he wouldn't shut up about it," Adam replies.
"I thought that was the mistake but I think it was my wake up call. I've been with Beau for three years can I just throw that away because Drew and I have this…unbridled passion?"
"Do you really love him? I mean I wasn't going to say anything but he is kind of a jerk," Adam comments.
"I know, he really is brilliant but Drew was right he's a pompous ass. I don't know Adam I thought I did. When I first met him we had these long deep conversations about art and literature. His mind was fascinating it was like Eli with a French accent."
"Yes because you and Eli turned out so well," Adam responds in a snarky tone.
"Our first date was a picnic along the river; he didn't just come out and tell me his family owns one of the most prominent wineries in France. Then our dates became more extravagant, it was uncomfortable but there was a part of me that enjoyed it. I hate to admit it but it was fun to be treated that way, lavished with gifts and flowers, flown to London and Paris, I felt like a princess."
"And you deserve to be but is he still doing it?"
"No," I confess, "not like he used to. He sort of just throws money at everything, the wedding, this party, he told my mom he would spare no expense and I could have anything I'm wanted. I can't argue with him because he tells me I'm wrong and then leaves, then he comes back with something to buy my forgiveness and…honestly Adam I'm a little afraid to argue with him. He's started buying my clothes, not just giving me money or his credit card to buy clothes; he's been buying my clothes and getting rid of my old ones. He says I'll be married into a good family soon and I need to look it."
"He sounds controlling; he sounds like a typical abusive husband slowly changing his behavior. And you still haven't answered my question, do you love him Clare?" Adam remarks.
"I did, or maybe I told myself I did. I don't know but I can't go through with this, I spent the last several days convincing myself what Drew and I did was just wedding jitters. It's wasn't, it wasn't at all wedding jitters it was like a lifeboat. I see that Beau is bad for me; I know he is, I guess I knew for a while but I convinced myself otherwise. I ran from Drew and tried not to think about him, seeing him again it was…I didn't think I still felt that way. I can't I can't do this Adam the guests will be arriving in a few minutes and I can't marry Beau. I can't do this, my mom is going to be angry and he's going t…"
"Okay slow down Clare, we'll explain it. This is not the first time; we've had to cancel weddings before. Here take this; sounds like you'll need a place to hide," Adam says handing me a key from his keychain and giving me the address.
"Thanks Adam," I smile kissing his cheek, "is there a back way out of here?"
"Yeah come on," he smiles using his pass key to get me through the back.
I thank Adam again and drive to the address he gave me, it's a townhouse and I unlock the door. I go in pacing the living room a second before sitting down, my head falls into my hands and I begin to cry. Over what I'm not too sure but I can't seem stop. I don't even hear the door open but I hear my name, only it's not Adam.
"Clare are you okay?" Drew asks and I wipe my tears. At first I think Adam told Drew I was here and Drew has a spare key. Then I actually look around and realize that this must be Drew's place, it's decorated with trophies from DeGrassi, lots of pictures of Drew with Adam and Drew with Owen, a few of the three of them and even a couple of pictures of Drew with Bianca. Adam sent me to Drew's apartment on purpose. "Adam told me everything, he and Owen are handling your mom, the guests and that pompous ass," Drew informs me.
"I couldn't do it, I don't love him. I did at one point, I think I did but I don't. I couldn't marry him I just couldn't. I ran away again, but I did for a good reason this time a…" Drew puts his hand over my mouth so I'll stop talking.
"You're rambling, you did the right thing Clare he was terrible for you," Drew assures me taking his hand from my mouth and putting his arm around me.
"I suppose you're going to tell me you're perfect for me?"
"No we're definitely not perfect for each other, you're way smarter me, you're creative, I'm more athletic, you're incredibly stubborn and reserved I'm easy going and outgoing. We're good together though and I know one thing I was crazy in love with six years ago, so much it scared me. I'm still crazy in love with you and when I saw you again, when I was with you again I never wanted to let you go," Drew tells me.
He cups my face with his other hand and ensnares my lips. Our lips lock together and I exhale, gripping his shirt and my heart races. It feels like I'm awake after a long sleep and I smile.
"I love you too Drew Torres but if you ever even think of telling me you're a rebound again…"
"Then you can run away again, or just have Owen and Adam kick my ass which is probably what you should have done last time," Drew replies and I laugh.
"I was scared too you know that's why I ran," I inform him.
"And how do you feel now?"
"Amazing, happy and little scared, the good scared," I reply capturing Drew's lips again.