Page 76 of Beautiful Dreamer

“Not good enough. I have a senator and two celebrities who want tosee the place this week. Either you’re back in the morning to handle thempersonally or I’m pulling the listing. Just business.”

She closed her eyes. “Understood.”

She clicked off the call to see Jill standing in the doorway,staring at her with wide eyes and a worried brow. She held her cane and wore abrace on her injured leg, a reminder that Devyn was still needed right whereshe was. But maybe that was an exaggeration, one that had made Devyn feel morecomfortable with her decision to remain in Dreamer’s Bay. The reality of thesituation was that Jill was now quite capable of living entirely on her own,and with the tricks her PT guy had shown her, she could accomplish mostanything if she took her time.

“That was my guy in Philly. He’s going to pull the listing if I’mnot back and ready to go to sales war by tomorrow.”

Jill exhaled slowly. “I see. We knew this was coming, I guess.”

Devyn tapped the phone against her opposite hand in a metronomicrhythm. What was she supposed to do here? Two months ago, she wouldn’t havethought twice about racing back; now she felt…reluctant. What was that about?Who exactly was she becoming? She shook her head, hating how weak she felt.Indecisiveness had never been part of who she was. She’d let herself bevulnerable. She’d let herself get attached, and now look where she’d landed.Her career was on the brink of destruction and she didn’t recognize herself inthe mirror. She inhaled. One way or another, she had to get it together and fixthis thing.

“I’ll be okay, Dev. I can move around fine on my own, if a littleslow. I can drive, so that’s not a problem. Plus, Elizabeth can still help meout, and there’s, well, Charlie now.”

“Yeah, I know.” She rolled her bottom lip in and out again. “I wasjust expecting more time, you know, with you…and…”

“Elizabeth.”

Devyn met her sister’s gaze and smiled sadly. “Yeah.” Shescrunched her shoulders and did what she could to harness the version ofherself who took no prisoners when it came to getting her job done. She wasknown as cutthroat for a fucking reason, and it was time to reclaim heridentity. She hadn’t been that woman for a while now, but that was likely thepoint Wyatt was trying to make. She was still in there, though, thatfirecracker, and Devyn could get this building sold if she reined in her focus,shelved her emotions, and packed her damn bag. Still, it didn’t feel good. Butthat would be the trick to getting through this, turningoffthe feelings andnot letting herself fall into this trap ever again.

“When will you fly out?”

“Tonight, I guess.”

Jill shifted and her gaze dropped to the floor, like she’d justbeen dealt a blow. “It’s been so nice having you here. For a little while, Ithought you might…” She didn’t finish, but Devyn knew what she was about tosay. She’d secretly hoped Devyn would stay. It wasn’t that she hadn’tenvisioned it briefly herself, but the Bay, as happy and relaxed as it made herlately, had created some kind of “vacation version” of herself that she hatednow that she faced the consequences. Her real life was back home, and it wastime to pull up her bootstraps and face the reality of that. Living with herhead in the clouds had been ill advised.

“I’ll be back soon. Give me a few days to get things back ontrack. A week or two tops, and I’ll visit. Check on you.”

Jill nodded, but the look on her face said she was unconvinced. “Ihope that’s true.”

“And you need to come to the city and hang out with me. We canhave a girls’ night, and I can show you this amazing building I’m selling.Don’t get me started on the martinis they make in the bar next to my place.”She tried to brighten and make it all sound like tons of fun when, in reality,she was struggling.

“It’s a deal.”

Her arms were around Jill a few moments later, delicately, as shestill dealt with some pain. They stood like that in the doorway for severalemotion-packed moments, as the realization hit that this time together, thisvery unexpected and important time for both of them, was coming to an end.

“You need to find her and talk to her,” Jill whispered.

Devyn nodded. “I know.” The phone call with Wyatt had been rough,but saying goodbye to Elizabeth was something she wasn’t sure she could gothrough with. Yet her feelings for Elizabeth had landed her in this spot in thefirst place, and she bristled against them now. This crazy emotion she felt hadthrown her life into a tailspin in just a few short months. What further damagemight it inflict? She swallowed against the fear. Her instinct was to run asfar away from it as she possibly could. To hop on a plane, avoid the painfulgoodbye altogether, and rejoin her life. Six months ago, she would have doneexactly that.

But no. At the very least, Elizabeth deserved a face-to-face.

Devyn would do what she had to, to get through it and moveforward. There was no other option.

* * *

“Are we seriously doing this?” KC asked. “This might be the bestOn the Spot gig yet! I’m stoked.”

“Couldn’t agree more.” Elizabeth placed another glazed donut onthe far side of the donut pyramid they’d been building for the last half hour.“Lulu was quite serious when she handed over a hundred of these bad boys.They’re apparently going to also give away a free hot donut to every guesttomorrow as part of their twenty-fifth anniversary. So, show up.”

“I’ll take mine now.” KC took a bite of one. “Nice of her to letus eat while we work.”

“Isn’t it?” She stole a bite from the donut in KC’s hand. Theybuilt the anniversary pyramid in the corner of the Amazin’ Glazin’ dining areaas one table of customers looked on with interest. Given that it was just Mr. Henryand Mr. Learner from the gas station, Elizabeth didn’t let the audience botherher. “Don’t get any ideas, Mr. Learner. These donuts are for looking at. Noeating once we’re through with this masterpiece.”

He heartily dunked the last of his own donut into his coffee. “Nopromises, Lizzie.” He popped the soggy thing in his mouth and grinned.

“Speaking of someone’s favorite dessert, incoming.”

Elizabeth followed KC’s gaze to the glass door where she spottedDevyn making her way up the walk, blond hair swaying gently, aviator sunglassesin place. Elizabeth passed KC a look.

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