Page 66 of Seas the Dating Coach

“I know, right? Me voluntarily attending an exercise class is akin to mermaids walking on land. Every muscle I didn’t even know I had is on fire, and it hurts to breathe, but I might go again. Geneva appears terrifying but is secretly sweet, and there’s something undeniably cathartic about punching out your frustration.”

Brynn’s lip twitches at the corner. “Maybe I should join you.”

“You should!” I grip both her hands in between mine. “It’d be so much more fun with you there. Though I should warn you that Geneva’s class should be classified as torture not exercise.”

My sister chuckles before falling into silence, thinking. “So what’s next for you?”

“I don’t know.” There’s a breathy giddiness to my words. “I want to keep trying new things. Maybe I’ll croak out a Raven Sacaria song at karaoke on Thursday. That’ll keep the town guessing.”

A part of me wants to tell my sister about part three of my plan, but Brynn needs some time to digest this news before I launch somethingthat bigon her.

My sister’s smile fades as she chews the inside of her cheek. “I’m sorry I didn’t see that you needed this. I know that I can be”—when my confident sister struggles for words, my heart cracks—“too rigid, but I don’t want you to be unhappy because of me. I love you. I want what’s best for you.”

“I love you too. You don’t make me unhappy.”

Brynn doesn’t answer, her hands dropping from mine.

“You don’t.” My words come out firmly as I stoop to catch her gaze. “You know that, right? You’re the most important person to me.”

It takes a few halting seconds for my sister’s eyes to meet mine. “You might not feel that way when you fall in love with Finn.”

I snort, even though a small part of my heart whispers I might already be there. “You didn’t feel that way when you were in love with Noah. You two were all moonpie, heart-eyes for each other for years, but you still loved and made time for me.”

“Point taken.” Brynn’s hands fist at her sides.

Oops. While distracted by baring my soul, I’d forgotten our pact toneverspeak of Noah.

“Want to go to karaoke with me?” I ask, quickly changing the subject.

I nearly faint with shock when Brynn tilts her head, considering. “I’ll think about it.”

“Really?”

Fizzy bubbles shoot through my veins. Maybe my changes will encourage Brynn to make a few of her own—when she’s ready, on her own timeline. Whenever that is, I’d be more than happy to hold her hand along the way.

“We’ll see. I should get going,” Brynn says, already sliding back into work mode. She’s halfway to the staircase before she pauses and pivots.

“Oh, and what’s this about a dance at the library? Joe said it was a sock hop?”

A grin lifts my lips. As much as Wilks Beach residents love to gossip, they occasionally get their information twisted.

“It’s a Regency ball,” I correct her. “Finn is organizing it as a fundraiser to update the media room.”

My sister straightens. “A Regency ball? He’s doing that for you?”

“No.” I feel my blush staining my cheeks. “Not for me, for the town.”

“But you love everything Regency.”

“So do millions ofWorthingtonviewers.”

“But those people didn’t model their business after a modiste’s shop.”

I turn to the sink, turning on the water to scrub the dishes. “This fundraiser idea is better than Carol Cook’s suggestion for a topless fire station car wash.”

My sister scoffs. “That’s just an excuse for Carol to gawk at shirtless men without having to walk down the beach.”

“Too true. Her ocean wish would be twenty uninterrupted minutes with Henry Cavill’s abs.” When my sister’s surprised laughter fills our small apartment, my smile grows. “Though, I’ll never understand why she lives in a beach town when she hates sand.”

---