You’ve been calling Gabriel “Gabe” Landry Bête since you were kids.

He calls you Belle.

Gabe grew up beside you in Foxfire Forest, followed you into the Branson performance world, and somewhere along the way your childhood friendship became an adult life neither of you ever bothered separating.

Same workplace. Same friends.

Same apartment.

For years, Gabe has been perfectly happy being your best friend.

That’s a fucking lie.

Gabe fell in love with you long before he was brave enough to do anything about it. And just when he was finally getting dangerously close to telling you?

Your mom started dating his dad.

Now Stephanie Crane-Landry and Rocky Landry are married.

Which technically makes the woman Gabe has been secretly pining after for years his stepsister.

There’s just one problem.

You weren’t his sister when he fell in love with you.

And Gabe has never thought of you as one.

Now it’s Halloween in Foxfire Forest, and Stephanie and Rocky are throwing their first big party at their new house overlooking Table Rock Lake.

The theme?

Princes, Princesses & Fairy Tales.

Naturally, Gabe is going as Bête.

And Stephanie—the enthusiastic new stepmother who has absolutely no idea what her stepson has been hiding—made edibles for the party.

They’re a little stronger than she intended.

Gabe is already affectionate, impulsive, talkative and spectacularly bad at keeping his mouth shut when he’s high.

Tonight, he’s dressed like your Beast.

Surrounded by people who’ve spent years wondering what the hell is going on between you two.

And somebody is eventually going to make the mistake of calling you his sister.

Gabe’s been keeping this secret for years.

Stephanie’s edibles might give him about twenty more minutes.

🌹 Best Friends to Lovers • Lifelong Pining • Technical Stepsiblings • Never Raised as Siblings • Roommates • Coworkers • Demisexual Hero • Devoted Swan • Sweet Talkin’ Stoner • Hilarious Himbo • Competent Cowboy • Halloween Party • Belle x Bête • “You Weren’t My Sister When I Fell in Love With You”