Page 61 of Beautiful Dreamer

“Oh, no. Please don’t.” Devyn glanced around to see how manypeople were watching. There were decidedly several, including Mr. Lowes, whowas watering his begonias, which only encouraged Elizabeth more.

“Happy birthday to you,” Elizabeth bellowed.

“Oh, dear God.” Devyn shaded her eyes. “It’s not my birthday.Pretty sure it has to be your birthday for that. Objectively. You’re breakingrules right now.”

“Doesn’t matter. Happy birthday to youuuuuu.” Elizabeth openedboth arms wide. “Happy birthdayyyy, dear Devyn Winters from here nowPhiladelphiaaaaa…”

“Please stop.” But she was smiling, and Elizabeth was becomingaddicted to the image.

“Happy birthday.” She returned to her spot at Devyn’s side as shesang. “To you.” And booped her nose for good measure.

“Well,” Devyn said, walking on, eyes forward. “That was certainlya sound sensation.”

Elizabeth squinted, her spirits already lifted from where theywere just five minutes earlier. “What does that mean? I’m feeling suspicious.”

“A friend once taught me that when you’re not quite sure what tosay to someone, you simply use the wordsensationsomewhere in the sentence. That overly seasoned casserole that left you racingfor water? Why, it’s certainly a taste sensation. The ugliest house you’ve everseen? Whoa, check out the architectural sensation. Works every time.”

Elizabeth stared hard. “I think you’re insulting my song.”

“No, I’m not. It was a true sensation.” Devyn grinned widely.

“You are the worst.” She had to bump Devyn in the shoulder forthat one. Behind all the balking and kidding, she really did appreciate howdifferent they were. Devyn mystified her and kept her on her toes. The factthat she was also hardheaded and a total challenge also had Elizabeth hooked.Who knew she liked the difficult ones?

“I am the worst. I can totally admit that,” Devyn said. “I’m noteven sure why you’re walking the streets with me.”

“Someone has to, and I do perform odd jobs for a living. I’mprobably the best candidate.”

Devyn gasped.

“What if you fall in love with me?” Elizabeth asked. The stupidwords were out of her mouth before she had a chance to run them through herbrain. It had always been a problem for her, the unfilteredwhat-you-see-is-what-you-get side of herself. At least she said it in asemi-playful tone, right? That was something. She held her breath, ready todeflect.

“I won’t,” Devyn said, with a soft, self-assured smile. But thewords, as expected as they were, still packed an awful punch. She’d set herselfup for that one, hadn’t she?

“Good. I can’t be breaking hearts all over the Bay.” Elizabethadded a chuckle for effect. It sounded hollow, mirroring how she suddenly felt.

“Hey,” Devyn said, squeezing her hand as the water, bursting withcolor, came into view at the end of the street. “Doesn’t mean I don’t have agood time with you. You’re a ton of fun. I like you a lot.”

That was her. Lots of laughs. “I have fun with you, too. In manydifferent ways.”

“Now who’s flirting?”

“Now who’sannouncingthe flirting?” Elizabeth went up on her toes to see the pier better. “C’mon.Jimbo’s ice cream cart is out.”

“You can still eat?”

“Well, no, but it’sicecream.”

“I guess there’s no arguing that.”

They sat side by side with their legs dangling off the pier. Thewater wasn’t high enough to reach them today, but the serenity of its lappingwas a nice contrast to the more boisterous atmosphere of the festival.

“Did you have fun today?” Devyn asked. She licked her lime sherbetcone. Elizabeth stopped to watch a moment before returning to the question.

“It was a best day.”

“A best day. That’s a thing?”

Elizabeth nodded, nearly halfway through her chocolate sundaeswirl. “Some days just reach their own level of greatness. A best day kind ofday. Today was that. A best day.” She looked over at Devyn feelinguncharacteristically shy. “Confession. I like hanging out with you. I knowyou’ve been to all kinds of festivals here before, but I felt like maybe yousaw a new side of the fun today.”

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