Page 33 of Beautiful Dreamer

That earned her a slight smile. “It could be better. I agree. Theother two are her friends from school. I don’t know them.”

Devyn just had an inkling that there was more to this Thalia thingthan Elizabeth was letting on. “Is she someone you’re seeing?”

Elizabeth sighed. “No. She’s beautiful and yes, I have a crush,but she’s out of my league.”

She took a moment with that because it was ludicrous. “She isnot.”

“Nice of you. But she’s many jalapeños.”

“I don’t know what that means, but your business name aloneslam-dunks hers, and you’re miles more beautiful.” It was true. Thalia lookedlike Botox might be her best friend, and she had cold eyes. Elizabeth was warmand vivacious. No competition, as far as Devyn was concerned.

She watched as a slow but managed grin appeared on Elizabeth’sface. “I won’t debate whether it’s true or not, but thank you for saying that.”

“No problem.”

“If you are truly committed to delivering me safely to my frontdoor, it’s right up there. Third on the left.”

Devyn followed her gaze to a one-story house on the outside bendof the cul-de-sac with the curvy driveway. It was just as she would imagine forElizabeth. Cheerful, well-kept, and quaint. The house was bricked in white witha pale lavender door and dusty gray shutters. Matching purple flowers withyellow centers had been arranged in two well-manicured flower beds. She couldeasily picture Elizabeth relaxing with one of her prized IPAs on the coveredfront porch, watching the world go by and waving to her neighbors. “Your houseis pretty,” she said to herself as much as Elizabeth. “Great curb appeal.”

“From a flashy Realtor like yourself, I say thank you. I love it.One of my favorite things in life is that house.” She paused in the middle ofthat winding driveway and placed her hands on her hips. “Safe and sound. You’vedone your civic duty.”

Devyn nodded. “I can sleep easier now.” A pause. “You have a nicenight. I’m off to see if Jill finished the book I left her reading.”

“Trust me, she did. In fact, she’s been flying through them thisweek. I can’t keep up. I swung by the library this afternoon and picked her upsome fresh meat. Mainly crime novels and biographies. Her favorite. But Itossed a steamy romance in there just in case.”

Devyn stared at her, amazed. “You didn’t have to do that. That’snot in your job description.”

Elizabeth walked to Devyn’s car and leaned down to the passengerside window, relaxing onto her forearms. “When are you going to figure out thatI’m not motivated by cash? Trust me, if I was, I’d have a lot more of it.” Shegestured behind her with her chin. “That house won’t be paid off until I’m ahundred and eighty-three.” She shrugged. “Doesn’t bother me.”

Devyn swallowed the guilt that crept in for the assumption.“You’re a good person, you know that? A little weird. Probably too perky. Butgood.”

Elizabeth tapped the car twice and stood. “Weird, perky, and goodsounds like a balanced combo I can live with. I like me.” She walked backward afew steps just as the wind lifted her hair. Devyn’s breath caught and herstomach flip-flopped uncomfortably. “Night, Devyn. See you in the morning.”

“Yeah,” she said absently and watched as Elizabeth made her way upthe walk and slipped behind that lavender door, a little blown away by howincredibly attractive Elizabeth now seemed. But she must have always been beautiful.Why was Devyn just now truly noticing the magnitude?Because you’ve had your face in your laptop or yourear to your phone every spare moment of every day lately, her brainsupplied. She stared at the house, gave her head a mystified shake, and droveon.

What had started out as a pretty abysmal evening had just ended ina refreshing exchange. She smiled at the road, the other cars, the foliagealong the way, and the cresting water in the distance. Devyn didn’t want tomove through life with blinders on anymore. She’d almost lost the mostimportant person to her in the world, but didn’t. The wake-up call had beenswift and startling. She had a choice in front of her. She could be like theCrickets of the world and worry about petty things like clothes, money,success, and status, or she could be more like Elizabeth Draper and love otherpeople and simple lavender doors. Who did she want to be in this world? Thatwas the question.

As she drifted off to sleep that night, her thoughts shifted to awoman with green eyes, a soft smile, and hair of many subtle shades, and thenand there, she knew the answer to the question.

LikeElizabeth, she thought.Bemore like Elizabeth.

Chapter Twelve

“Joaquin, I’m telling you that if she likes 22D, she’s going tolove the penthouse. Private outdoor space for days and a killer view worth waymore than the ask. Plus, if she’s an entertainer, the thirty-six-hundred-squarefoot open-concept that comes with that puppy is going to knock her fuckingsocks off. My recommendation? Work with your client on her budget and show herthe penthouse unittoday.”

A pause. Elizabeth smiled as she listened. It was midday on aWednesday. She’d already walked Hank, helped load a truck full of flowers forLaurel, the owner of Floral Laurel, and spent the rest of the morning withJill, who was getting stronger each day. Now it was about time for her to passthe caregiver baton to Devyn and head back to her On the Spot responsibilities.First up was a ballroom dance lesson with Gavin Henry, who’d asked for someoneto stand in for his wife, allowing him to surprise her with his dance moveslater that month. Next, she would scoop up six-year-old Trip Upworth fromdaycare and shuttle him back to his mother, Greta, who had a doctor’sappointment of her own to attend. That would be fun. She and Trip could sing inthe car like they always did. And then maybe a quiet night at home with a beerand some of her favorite game show reruns.

But for now, she took a moment to simply watch Devyn, who talkedwith her hands on business calls even though the person on the other end wouldnever know. She came with a lot of passion for her job; a spitfire.

“I think we’re all on the same page,” Devyn told the Joaquin guy.“Let’s get her in to see the space and get this deal done.” She stood andplaced her free hand on top of her head. Elizabeth rolled her shoulders at theunexpected shiver it prompted. She couldn’t deny it. Devyn was hot. Beautiful,sophisticated, and confident, though still a mystery to her in many ways. Wasshe now a different person than she’d been in high school? She was starting tothink maybe. Devyn began to gesture again, and Elizabeth relaxed against thedoorjamb to watch and melt. She was a wanton woman, wasn’t she? Headed to hellin a handbasket woven of lust and more lust that had honestly erupted only recentlyand with surprising vigor. The wordvigorprompted further immodest thoughts. She closed her eyes and steadied herselfmomentarily, shifting so that her jeans didn’t press quite so…uncomfortably.

“I swear to you, it’s going to be a match made in heaven andyou’re going to deliver a bottle of high-priced champagne to my office for thatreally beautiful commission that’ll come your way. You’ll probably name a childafter me. It’ll be glorious.” A pause. “No, I understand. Have I ever steeredyou wrong?” Another pause. “Exactly. I’ll speak to you soon. My love toCamilla.”

Devyn clicked off the call and turned, stumbled, and grabbed herheart. “Holy hell. How long have you been standing there?”

“Holy hell. About three and a half minutes. I was listening to youwheel-and-deal like a boss.”

“And?” Devyn exhaled slowly, finding her proverbial footing again.

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