Page 81 of Beautiful Dreamer

“Speaking of selling the building, Carrington’s, the departmentstore, is looking for a unit, preferably on a high floor, for an executive whois relocating to open up a downtown store here in Philly. Their agent calledthis morning.”

“Then I have the unit for them. A penthouse, in fact. Set up ashowing? I’ll handle it myself.”

“Consider it done.”

Devyn replaced the receiver and inhaled as she looked over thepile of contracts. If nothing else, they’d kept her mind busy and off othertopics. Just the way that limiting her time in bed kept her from dwelling onhow empty it felt. She gave her temples a rub to free her head of the image ofElizabeth’s eyes gazing into hers from one pillow over. What had she done toherself? She shook her head.

“Not doing this,” she muttered, and took a trip across the room,hoping the movement would knock her out of that mode.

The trip home to Dreamer’s Bay seemed so far away now, yet it hadleft an indelible mark. She’d felt bad about not calling Elizabeth when she gotherself settled in. She couldn’t. Too dangerous. Too terrifying. Elizabeth hadbecome incredibly important to her in just the span of one season on thecalendar. But she hadn’t called, because if she had, she’d crumble. She’d loseher focus, her momentum, herself all over again. She couldn’t very well leaveone foot in Dreamer’s Bay if she planned to fully reestablish herself into herold life, which was where she belonged. She had to be realistic about all ofthis. Once the building was sold, she could relax. Maybe she’d call then.

For now, it was full steam ahead.

* * *

Elizabeth had waited patiently. The days since Devyn left hadcrept by one at a time. They were up to six. She hadn’t expected to go sixwhole days without hearing from Devyn. She’d left the ball in her court, butthat had proven not only disastrous but telling. Maybe Devyn didn’t miss Elizabethas much as she missed Devyn. No. That didn’t seem possible. There had to beanother explanation for Devyn not calling, and maybe it was time to test thewaters. The thought had her more nervous than she would have anticipated. Thiswas just Devyn, after all. Yet at the same time, this wasDevyn. The stakes werehigh.

It was now or never. Why hadn’t she had a beer first?

She picked up her phone, sucked in a deep breath, and placed thecall. The line rang once. Elizabeth’s heart thudded. Twice. She glanced up atthe ceiling, forcing a smile so that her voice sounded chipper, unaffected whenDevyn answered. A third ring. She swallowed. A fourth and voicemail. Here wentnothing.

“Hey, there. Just calling to see how you’re doing.” A pause. “Ihaven’t heard from you, so I’m guessing you’re pretty busy with work. At leastI hope that’s the reason. Okay. Well…” Another pause. “Give me a call if youget a chance. I miss you.”

She clicked off the call and lowered the phone.

Hollow. That was how she felt, and very, very small. She scratchedher dog’s ears. When Scout looked up at her with such love in her eyes, shecrumbled a little. “She’ll probably call,” she told Scout. “I think she will.”

* * *

It was after midnight when Devyn, bleary eyed and exhausted, slippedout of her heels as she arrived back home at her apartment. She shrugged out ofher suit jacket and dropped it over the back of her couch. Sheldon had theplace in pristine condition and had left her a note on the counter that saidthere was Chinese take-out in the fridge for heating up, should she be hungry.She was and she wasn’t. There was a voicemail waiting for her. It was all shecould think about. The third from Elizabeth since she’d left the Bay, and nomatter how hard she tried, she couldn’t bring herself to listen to it. Theother two had paralyzed her, and she couldn’t take that kind of setback,emotionally. Elizabeth’s ability to yank her right out of the here and now wastoo powerful to combat, and Devyn needed to feel whole again. Listening to thatmessage was a bad idea.

As she heated the cardboard container of chicken fried rice, didher overexhausted brain wonder what Elizabeth was doing? Yes. Did she pictureher in her home, reading a book, or tugging on a toy with Scout? Sigh. Absolutely.The quieter moments, when she found herself on her own, were the hardest. Shetook out her phone and stared at the voicemail notification, her thumb hoveringover the Play button. She couldn’t do it. Didn’t have the emotional strength.

Devyn was a coward, and hated herself for it.

* * *

The annual Summer Solstice Dine and Dance was off to a boisterousstart at the Bay’s Convention Center. Round tables in white linens were toppedwith floating candles with adorable yellow napkins at each place setting. Plateshad gone for a hundred dollars a pop, and Elizabeth was happy to see thatattendance was even larger than last year. The community clinic could use theextra supplies, and they were going to get them.

She’d been assigned the silent auction portion of the fund-raiserand was pleased with the bountiful donations she’d managed to snag from localbusinesses. Even Thalia had donated a free champagne facial for two. Elizabethwalked the space, smiling at those she passed, even Cricket and Heather, two ofher least favorite people.

“Hi, guys,” she said, and kept walking.

“Elizabeth?” She turned back at the sound of Heather’s voice. Shehadn’t walked fast enough, apparently. “I haven’t seen Devyn around.” She madea big show of looking around the room. “Is it true she left?”

Elizabeth smiled. “She’s gone back to Philly. Her job.”

“Oh,” Cricket said sympathetically.

Elizabeth wanted to return it. She didn’t want Cricket’s pity.

“She didn’t really have much of a choice, or she’d lose a veryimportant client.” Elizabeth nodded several times, feeling the need to saymore. “Which would lead to other lost clients. It’s a whole…thing.”

Heather nodded. Cricket nodded. They exchanged a look that said“sure.”

Elizabeth didn’t appreciate that look. It hurt her feelings. No,more than that. In fact, it irked her. That’s right.Irked.

“Hey, guys? What does that mean?” she asked, forcing a follow-upsmile. She should have let it go, and the Elizabeth of any other time period inher life would have. This one, heartbroken, missing Devyn, and still lickingher wounds, needed an explanation. “Why did you look at each other like that?You did it very quickly. But I saw it.”

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