Page 54 of Beautiful Dreamer

“How are you going to melt doorknobs?” Devyn asked, unable to workwith such information at play. Industrialized Elizabeth had her interest piquedand her libido firing. Just when she thought she knew everything…

“I’ll use a blowtorch,” she rattled off and turned back to Jill asif it were the most everyday thing in the world. Meanwhile, Devyn was imaginingthat very sensual image of sweet Elizabeth wielding fire. The duality had herfantasizing almost instantly.

“Where’d you go?” Jill snapped her fingers.

Devyn flinched. “What do you mean? I’m sitting right here.” Lies.In actuality, she was in a garage, unzipping the coveralls Elizabeth wore toreveal nothing underneath.

Jill pointed. “Well, your phone is going off, and you’re ignoringit. You never ignore your phone. In fact, we’d have to pry it from your colddead hands to get it away from you.”

Right. There were things to do. She sighed, putting pause on herdelicious fire fantasy, clicked onto the call, and headed to the bedroom toreason with her seller and get that counteroffer. Attractive friends withblowtorches would have to wait, and wasn’t that a damn shame.

* * *

“I don’t know if you saw, but the Springaling is tomorrow.”Elizabeth said it and waited for Devyn to turn around from the desk in thespare room. She and Jill had just returned home from PT, which had worn Jillout. She was resting comfortably in front of the TV with a plate of her brunchcasserole as a reward for her hard work.

“Do the firemen still make pancakes in the middle of the afternoonwith their shirts off?” She turned in her chair and raised an eyebrow.

“They do.”

Devyn grimaced, and Elizabeth laughed. “All for a good cause, youknow. They donate that money to the animal shelter, including thosefifty-dollar tips from the women’s bridge club. Martha McCray stuffed a twentydown one of the probies’ turnout pants last year.”

“Martha McCray has always been a tenacious old woman. She’s stillaround? And is her hair still slightly purple? God, I pray it is.”

Elizabeth gasped. “Stop that.” She paused. “But yes, and yes.”

“See? I know this town better than you think.” Tiny lines aroundDevyn’s eyes crinkled when she smiled, and forced Elizabeth to roll hershoulders and focus.

“Do you know what else the Springaling has? Live music and dancingand fried food and flowers everywhere, and me, to teachyouhow to enjoy itall.” She eased a strand of hair behind her ear. “Sometimes I think yourenjoyment mechanism gets jammed. I like giving it a good hard slam.”

“Good thing I have you slamming me,” she said with a knowing look.Elizabeth chuckled. “Though that does sound painful.”

“You’ll live. I’m good for you. Cornhole and homemade pasta placesand a little action in the kitchen.” She winked, not sure if it landed. She’dnever been an expert winker and should probably just embrace that. Maybepointing would be more in her lane. She’d work on it and see.

“You make a good point, because that’s quite a decadent list. Ishould probably…explore more. Of Dreamer’s Bay.” She didn’t wink back, butElizabeth felt like it was probably implied. Maybe they weren’t quite done witheach other in the benefits department yet. Was it wrong that she really hopednot? She’d replayed the events of two nights ago several times over. No, Devynwasn’t forever material, but she was certainly an unexpected blip on the radar.

“Excellent, because I’m taking you. Jill can come, too. All partof your education on why this town is so amazing.”

“It has its perks.”

Elizabeth wasn’t sure if that was a nod to their tryst, or ageneral endorsement. “That was flirting again, or…?”

“What am I supposed to do with you announcing the flirting every stepof the way?”

Oh goodness. Elizabeth had definite ideas of what Devyn could dowith her. Right on cue, that magnetic pull appeared again, the one she’d begunto feel whenever she was in close proximity to Devyn Winters, who she didn’teven think about asthatDevyn Winters from high school anymore. Nope. She felt like a whole differenthuman being. Yes, Devyn was caught up in her own life, but she wasn’t nearly asshallow or cruel as her old group of high school friends still were. She’d runinto Cricket-Jones-now-McMahon at the bank the other day. She’d said hi andsmiled, to which Cricket had nodded quickly and moved on. Not a word. Almostlike Elizabeth was invisible, not worth her time. Devyn was nothing like that.“I feel like the announcing just gets it out there, you know? Puts all thecards on the table.”

“Oh, it’s out there. You can rest easy.” Devyn smiled a relaxedsmile that mirrored the sentiment nicely. “So, the Springaling tomorrow. Yeah,okay. Let’s do it. Why the hell not?”

“Yes.” Elizabeth clapped. “This will be great. We’ll eat all thefood. Play some games.”

“Announce any and all flirting.”

“Not in front of Jill,” she whispered.

“I can hear you, you know,” a voice called from the living room.Elizabeth froze. Devyn laughed.

“Well, now you’ve done it. Jill knows weflirt.” She tossed anexasperated hand in the air and let it drop. “But we know about Liquor StoreCharlie and Thursday nights, so I think all is well.”

“Hey,” Jill yelled. “That’s personal.”

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