Page 17 of Beautiful Dreamer

Elizabeth again. This was becoming a problem.

Devyn rolled her lips in and glanced up to see Elizabeth peeringover with those wide, curious green eyes. She stole a second glance. Shereminded Devyn of that little skunk from Bambi with the eyes. What was itsname? “I’m fine with small talk. I just have a lot on my plate and need tobuckle down while I can.”

“Busy day at work? I mean, I’m guessing.”

“Yes.” She began typing to demonstrate. Surely, she’d get themessage. Elizabeth had come to visit Jill, nother,so there was no reason for extra added small talk. Devyn stoleanother glance. She was also just a little too perky, sitting there in herchicken suit, as if her main goal in life was to deliver light, happiness,stars, and hearts. As nice a thought as that was, there was too much going onright now for blatant cheer. Who had the time? She had Jill, and Wyatt Lowe,and units in a high-rise she should be closing on that very second, not sittinghere in Dreamer’s Bay, of all places, with a green-eyed Pollyanna impersonatingpoultry.

“You’re a Realtor, aren’t you?” Elizabeth asked, pulling the headof the chicken away from her face like a hood, leaving it resting on the backof her shoulders.

If that had been an option, why in the world would she wait solong? Next, she pulled a bottle of water from the oversized bag she carriedwith her. Devyn couldn’t imagine what kinds of things she carried in there.What was so important that she couldn’t leave a few of those items at home?

“I’m abrokerin Philadelphia,” she told Elizabeth, matter-of-factly.

Elizabeth nodded. “You prefer the term ‘broker.’ Got it.”

“I do. Thank you.”

“Selling houses must be an interesting line of work.” She wassmiling again.

“Not houses. I mainly sell buildings. In their entirety.”

Elizabeth paused mid-drink and lowered the bottle of water. “Evenbetter. That sounds lucrative. Is it?”

“I do okay.” She leveled her gaze on her laptop and attempted tofocus yet again. She had a feeling this was going to be a long and very socialafternoon.

“I’d love to hear about it.”

Devyn sighed and closed her laptop, accepting defeat. “What do youwant to know?”

Chapter Seven

“I like this dog,” Dexter Whitby said, popping a malted milk ballinto his dude-sized mouth. Scout raised her head from the new fluffy dog bedElizabeth had purchased for her at the pet store, along with only about fivehundred new toys all tossed into a basket in the corner for her to pick andchoose from.

“I think you lucked out,” KC said. “So many dogs gnaw on thedrywall in the house and hide your strappy shoes.”

After a long day of work, Elizabeth was happy to entertain herfriends around her kitchen table. She’d put out a bucket—yes, a literalbucket—of Sam Adams lagers for them to pull from willy-nilly. It was past five,and she, for one, felt it. She’d never been a partyer or heavy drinker, butthis was how Elizabeth Ann Draper liked to cut loose. A beer and her closestfriends. More specifically, Dexter and KC.

“No wall eating at all. I’m surprised at how little trouble sheis.” Elizabeth smiled at Scout, proud of her and their newfound bond. “Shereally just wants to be around people, I’ve found. I’ve taken her out onseveral jobs, and everyone just dotes on her. She eats up the attention.”

“Well, of course they do,” KC said, emphatically. “Have you seenher soulful doggy eyes and those eyelashes? Have you?”

“I have. They’re one of the reasons she’s here.”

“Speaking of here,” Dex said. “I heard Devyn Winters is back herein the Bay.”

“You are correct. She is back,” Elizabeth told him, helpingherself to his oversized box of candy and stealing a handful. “I mean, asexpected. Her sister went missing, and now she’s pretty banged up.”

“Her muchnicersister,” Dexter said, nodding. “I remember when the Senior Stars mistakenlyinvited me to their end-of-the-year blowout and then rescinded the invitationwhen they noticed their mistake.” He shook his head and took a pull from hisbottle.

“Sorry they did that to you, pal,” KC said and touched her beer toDexter’s.

Dex had been a good friend of Elizabeth’s for most of her life buthad moved more firmly into her inner circle alongside KC once Elizabeth movedback home after college. A skirt chaser in theory and practice, he was knownfor his impressive biceps, bald head, and generous spirit. Despite hisborderline obsession with the gym, he always carried some form of snack foodwith him at all times. Purely a bonus, as far as Elizabeth was concerned, andit made her like him all the more. She didn’t believe in diets or anything atall related to them. Snacks made life better.

“As for me”—KC grabbed a handful for herself, popped a couple intoher mouth, and mused—“I was never a Devyn fan, myself. The whole Senior Startribe was insufferable. Shallow. Yes,” she said, nodding confidently. “That’sthe word I’m looking for, and self-congratulatory for being beautiful andpopular, which requires no skill set.”

“Well, if they had to be mean, at least they were hot,” Dex added.

KC chose to ignore that comment. “They were like this vortex ofvapid. Devyn was right there in the center of it, despite the fact that she wassmarter than the others. She was head cheerleader, right?”

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