Page 85 of Beautiful Dreamer

“Not until you explain yourself.”

“Maybe you two could talk after dinner,” Charlie said. He lookedcaught, and he damn well should feel that way. He was a part of this.

Devyn whirled on him. “And you’re no better, calling me soconcerned like that, doing her bidding.”

Jill waved her off. “Don’t beat up on Charlie. I made him do it.”

“So, you admit it. Unbelievable,” Devyn said, throwing her handsin the air. She stalked into the living room and placed her hands on her hips,back to the room as she seethed. “Who does that to someone?”

It was quiet. But only for a moment.

“Who does that?” Elizabeth repeated quietly.

She turned. “Yeah.”

Elizabeth pulled her face back, amazed, shocked. “I could ask youthe very same question, so don’t you dare get mad at Jill, who has been nothingbut kind.Youbolted from this town the second you were called and never looked back.Younever returned mycalls.Younever sent a text. An email.Youdisappeared off the planet, as far as I was concerned. By choice.” Theintensity rose in her voice as she spoke. “Maybe I’m inconsequential to you,but I’m a person, Devyn. I have hopes, and fears, and a family, and feelings. Imatter.”

“I know that,” Devyn said, quietly. “Of course you matter.” Butunderneath she knew exactly what she’d done to Elizabeth and how awful it was.Who does that, indeed? She deflated, hating herself more than she’d ever hatedanything.

“Then why did you vanish, huh? Why did you treat me like dirtbeneath your shoe?” She was advancing on Devyn now, fire in her eyes.

Devyn had not seen this version of Elizabeth and couldn’t stand thatshe’d hurt her in this way. Every justification she’d come up with when she’dbeen back in Philadelphia felt selfish now and was dismissed from her brain inthat instant. She’d been so very wrong.

“Why aren’t you saying anything?” Elizabeth asked, face-to-face withher now. She was on the verge of tears but held them back admirably. Anger wasking, holding court. Devyn swallowed and Elizabeth poked her shoulder hard withone finger. “What you do to people is not okay. I don’t know who the hell youare. Maybe I never did.” She turned back to the room and paused, trying tosoften. “I’m sorry, everyone.”

“You don’t need to apologize,” Jill said.

Dexter shook his head. “Nope.”

Charlie rocked back on his heels, looking uncomfortable.

“I’m the one who should be apologizing,” Devyn said, findingElizabeth’s gaze. “Could we maybe step aside? Talk for a minute, just us?”

Elizabeth gestured to the table. “No, I don’t think we’ll be doingthat. Time to eat.”

* * *

If they could bottle discomfort, they’d all be very rich. Elizabethhad never sat through a more tension-filled dinner in her entire life. She wasdetermined to hold her head high, though, and not show Devyn all the new cracksin her emotional armor, the ones Devyn had inflicted. She wouldn’t give her thesatisfaction. Silverware clinked against plates in a sort of unfortunateunderscore. She received more than one check-in glance from Dexter, who took itupon himself to try and keep conversation afloat, with Jill acting as his onlyreal teammate in the effort.

“This weather, though,” he said. “This is my jam. I’ve beenworking out outside more. I’m not like most people. I welcome the summer heat.Gets me going.”

“I’m the complete opposite,” Jill said, as if it were the mostinteresting topic in the world. “When the thermometer climbs over eighty, I’m acompulsive indoor dweller.”

Dexter laughed too loud at what wasn’t even really a joke. Jilljoined him. The rest of them nodded. New clinking commenced.

When the dinner from hell came to a close, Elizabeth helped clearthe plates from the table, all the while acutely aware of Devyn’s gaze on heranywhere she went in the room. She found it irritating. Why was Devyn sointerested now after weeks of nothing? She ignored her and focused on the taskat hand. Stack the plates. Accept the serving bowl from Charlie. Resist Jill’sattempts to get her to stop helping. One foot in front of the other until she’dstayed long enough to seem reasonable. At last, that moment arrived.

“Thank you for having me,” she told Jill, as she pulled her into ahug. “Your culinary skills continue to impress.”

Jill squeezed her hands. “You sure you don’t want to stick around?Have a beer on the back porch? Charlie and Dexter are already out there.”

Elizabeth shook her head, knowing she needed to get out of there.“Please tell Dexter I decided to walk home. I don’t want to pull him away. Heshould enjoy himself.”

“I get why you’re angry. You should be. Just…keep an open mind,okay?” Jill sighed and walked her to the door. “I’m sorry if you felt ambushedtonight. Forgive me.”

“Noting to forgive. You were trying to help.”

“I was. But maybe I misjudged this one.” She scratched the back ofher neck in guilt.

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