Page 69 of Beautiful Dreamer

Devyn shrugged and touched the spot next to her. “I hear grassnever killed anybody.”

Elizabeth grinned. “I appreciate your practical mind. Though theDevyn I met a couple months back had higher standards, if I remember correctly.Had assistants for everything. Didn’t even do her own grocery shopping.”

“She did live a certain catered-to lifestyle, didn’t she? Maybesomeone is rubbing off on her.”

Elizabeth stared at the darkening sky. “I don’t know who thatperson might be.”

“She’s weirdly into purple and knows how to wield a fuckingblowtorch.”

Elizabeth chuckled. “My kind of person.”

Devyn nudged her. “Mine, too.”

The moment was not a monumental one, but Devyn noticed it. Morespecifically, she noticed the lightness in the air, the smile that had been onher face for the past few hours—ever since she’d picked up Elizabeth in hergarage office—and the way she hadn’t thought about work in hours, which lefther less stressed than she could ever remember. There was something to all ofthis, something toElizabeth,who made her undeniably happy.

“There you go, Milla,” Elizabeth yelled, leaping to her feet.

Devyn stared out at the field and saw Elizabeth’s stepsister stealthe ball and dribble down the field. She jumped up and clapped alongside Elizabeth.

“She’s not bad for a freshman,” Elizabeth said, with a smallsmile. She wasn’t comfortable with her family, no matter how nice they tried tobe. There was a lot of complication there, Devyn could tell, and it made hersad for Elizabeth. She was on her own and didn’t have to be.

The match continued with one team scoring and then the other.Devyn’s adrenaline pumped as the clock ticked, the game pulling her in. TheStars were down by one and had to make something happen in the final twominutes. They yelled, they cheered and, in the end, had their hearts brokenwhen a shot by Milla was blocked effectively by the goalkeeper on the opposingteam. The Dreamer’s Bay fans sighed collectively.

“Do you want to stay and speak to Milla?” Devyn asked, as theystood.

“Um…” Elizabeth wrapped her arms around her midsection, literallyclosing herself off at the mention. “She probably has other people to talk to.”But the way she said it indicated that she was unsure.

“No, I think we should,” Devyn said, leading off toward the team’sbench. Parents and friends gathered around to help rally the players and gettheir hugs.

“Devyn, wait.”

“Why are you dragging those feet? C’mon. Let’s say hi.” Devyn gaveher head a follow-me toss and, shortly after, felt a reluctant Elizabeth on herheels. When they arrived in the large grouping, Devyn made her way straight toMilla. “You did great out there,” she said, and then stepped out of the way forElizabeth.

The teenager thanked Devyn and smiled at Elizabeth, who smiledback. “I’m so happy I made it to one of your games.”

Milla’s smile only grew. “I know. I hope it was a good one. I justwish we could have pulled it out in the end. Sucks.” She shifted her weight toher other foot. Aha. The kid was nervous, too.

Elizabeth knocked her one on the shoulder. “Trust me. You’ll get’em next time.”

They stepped aside to let the next batch of well-wishers throughand came face-to-face with Elizabeth’s mother. “Well, hey, there, baby girl,”she said, in her bright blue Stars T-shirt. “I didn’t see you in the stands.”

“Just caught the last half.” Elizabeth’s usual perky demeanorseemed to dim every time they encountered Kristine. Devyn hated watching ithappen.

Kristine nodded. “Well, I couldn’t be prouder of this one,” shesaid, pulling Milla into a playful headlock. “Hey, I’m making my famous tunacasserole tomorrow night. You used to love it when you were a tiny tot. Youshould come by for supper. Six p.m.”

“Oh, I wish I could,” Elizabeth said, automatically. “I havework.”

“I understand.” Her mother’s enthusiasm waned. “What if I came byyour place a little later after supper, then? I could bring you a to-goportion. Enough for lunch the next day, too.”

“You don’t have to do that.” Devyn gave Elizabeth the tiniest ofnudges and saw her close her eyes briefly as if pausing to regroup. “Well, Iguess that might be nice.”

The expression on Kristine’s face shifted from friendly toecstatic. Regardless of what events made up their past, Elizabeth was wrongabout her current intentions. She clearlywantedElizabeth in her life. “Well, that’s just the best news since Thanksgivingdinner hit the table.” She turned to Devyn. “I adore turkey and all thefixin’s. Loved it since I was a little girl in Alabama.”

“It’s a great holiday,” Devyn said. “I can agree.”

“Same,” Elizabeth said conservatively. The grin on her face whenshe turned to face Devyn was frozen in place and seemed to scream “get me outof here now, please.”

She could accommodate. “Well, I think we better head out. I’ve hadthe longest day and need to get some rest.”

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