Page 79 of Beautiful Dreamer

“Thanks, Sheldon.”

She clicked off the call and handed her boarding pass to the gateagent with a renewed determination. She just needed some space between herselfand this whole experience. Once she was home, she’d rebound. She would find herway again. She sighed. Somehow.

* * *

“Here’s the thing,” Elizabeth said, gesturing with her glass. Shewasn’t even sure what was in it, something KC had brought back from the bar,but after hating it for a while, she actually found the brown liquid quitenice. Okay, a little strong, but welcome at this point. “I’m going to be fine.You know? Back to status quo. Nothing wrong with my life before Devyn Wintersand her ability to kiss like a goddess.”

“I know you’ll be fine,” KC said. “Doesn’t mean you can’t be sadright now. It’s okay to acknowledge that this hit you hard.”

“The problem is that I thought she might be my one, ya know?” Shewas feeling the alcohol after only two brown things. She twirled the liquid ina whooshy circle. “She’s not. I don’t have a one. I’m Elizabeth Draper, boring,perpetually alone, and owning it.”

KC sighed and studied her from across the booth. “Devyn could beback, ya know. Didn’t she say she’d be back?”

“Isn’t that what they’re supposed to say?”

Dexter slid into the booth next to Elizabeth and looked over. He seemedlike a shadow of himself. “Sorry, Liz. KC told me Devyn left, and that fuckingsucks.”

She nodded. “I like that you said ‘fucking.’ It fits.”

“Let’s get trashed.”

“Word.” Elizabeth squinted. “Do people still say that?”

KC shrugged. “Sure.”

Dexter signaled the bartender and called for a double bourbonafter gesturing to their glasses. Huh. So that’s what she was drinking. Shewondered what was up with him. His eyebrows hung low. Seemed like more thanfriend sympathy.

“Where have you been?” KC asked, incredulous. “I texted you twohours ago.”

“Misty and I had a blowup. Think we’re done. I need this as muchas you do.” He picked up the bourbon the server set down, tossed back a goodportion, and gave his head a single shake, letting it settle.

Elizabeth winced. “Take it easy.”

“Gotta catch you, slugger.” He stared hard into the glass. “Idon’t know why we get mixed up with ’em. I know better.”

Elizabeth nodded. “They just hurt us.”

“Leave us high and dry.”

“Hearts slashed to pieces.”

KC shook her head. “Nope. This isn’t a Love Sucks club. We’renursing a specific broken heart, but we’re not punching love in the damn faceand telling it to get off our lawn.”

“Yes, we are,” they said in unison, and clinked their glasses.

“What did yours do?” Elizabeth asked Dexter. When she blinked heturned into two Dexters but only briefly, which meant she could keep drinking,one of the benefits of living close enough to walk home. KC was right. Thisgetting drunk thing did take the edge off. She should try it more often.

He shook his head. “Here’s what happened. I wanted to talk aboutgetting a place together, and she went deer in headlights and had to runerrands.”

“Then what?” Elizabeth asked, eager for the rest of the drama, andhappy for the shift in focus.

“That was it. Rebuffed.”

She and KC exchanged a look and KC leaned in. “You’re walking awaybecause she got nervous about moving in together? A lot of people might dothat. Misty’s been so nice. She’s settled you down.”

“Domesticated you,” Elizabeth added. “Your house is clean and youdo laundry at least twice a month now. She has a right to be cautious about thenext big step. You gotta chill, I think. Word.”

“You’re not using it right anymore,” Dexter said.

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