Beautiful Dreamer

by Melissa Brayden

  “That simple?”

  “Yes. That’s what I want.”

  “I have a strong suspicion you’re going to do just that.” Elizabeth traced the outline of Devyn’s hip until it disappeared beneath the sheet. Her naked body was unreal. If she didn’t work out religiously, God had been more than kind. “What about after work?”

  “A strong old fashioned with a cherry would be nice, right before I crash for the night.”

  “You and a drink? That’s all?” She frowned. “That’s—”

  “Not terribly romantic, is it? But it’s my kind of day. Doing deals, coming home exhausted, celebrating with a cocktail and collapsing into bed, unable to keep my eyes open until I get up and do it all again the next day.”

  “Our ideals are so different.”

  “Not wildly. I actually think your version sounds really nice.”

  “Just not for you.”

  Devyn hesitated. “Not what I ever imagined, you know? That’s all.”

  Elizabeth couldn’t identify with finding satisfaction in the kind of grind Devyn described. No. In fact, she couldn’t let it go unchallenged. Now it was she who propped her head up on her hand. “Devyn?”

  “Yes?”

  “What about the larger world? The people in it? Where’s the time in that kind of schedule for you to enjoy yourself? Sit at a café and read a book?”

  “I haven’t read a book in a café…ever.”

  “Oh.” A pause. “And that’s okay with you?” It wasn’t judgment so much as it was curiosity about a life so vastly different from what Elizabeth knew and valued.

  Devyn sat up and faced her. “I haven’t missed it yet. I like my faster pace.”

  “Which is why it’s killing you to be here.”

  “Actually, right now it’s not bad at all.” Devyn wrapped one arm around Elizabeth’s waist and pulled her on top. She reached up and held her hair back and just studied her face.

  “What?” Elizabeth asked, self-conscious.

  “You’re so beautiful. It’s staggering to me.”

  “Oh.”

  “What?” Devyn asked, narrowing her eyes. “You have a hard time hearing that?”

  “I love hearing that.” She felt her smile dim slightly. “I’m just…not used to it.”

  Devyn placed a delicate kiss on her chin. “I think I’m gonna have to change that.”

  When Elizabeth firmly inserted her thigh between Devyn’s, she was greeted with wide eyes. “I also like effecting change. That day of yours? It can get better.”

  “How is that?” Devyn asked, dropping her hands and palming Elizabeth’s breasts. At Devyn’s touch, she hissed in a breath and her hips rolled automatically.

  “You haven’t met my mouth yet. Not fully.” She tossed away the sheet and crawled down the bed.

  “Sweet Jesus.”

  * * *

  On that bright and sunny Friday, Devyn sat on a barstool at Jill’s kitchen counter with her work spread out like she’d never leave that spot. Contracts everywhere, her laptop, iPad, coffee mug, and signature stress ball surrounded her like a combined comfortable blanket. Across from her, Jill started breakfast, which had to be amazing because the aroma had her nose in heaven. Devyn was feeling energetic and ready for the world, with an extra spring in her step. Maybe it was the fact that spring morphing into summer was a really beautiful sight in Dreamer’s Bay. Or that over the weekend, they’d likely pull in a decent number of showings at Twenty-Four Walker. Maybe it was Jill gaining her strength. Who knew? I do.

  “What are you working on today?” Jill asked between pops and sizzles. Since being homebound and less mobile, she occupied her time cooking, finding new recipes on Pinterest daily. Devyn was not complaining, as she reaped the tasting rewards, which were, eight times out of ten, favorable.

  She sat back and ran her fingers through her hair. “We have an offer on 14F, which is a two-bedroom unit with a kitchen, but they’re coming in at three point eight, and the ask is four five.”

  “Four five?” Jill inclined her head to the side as if working out a math problem.

  “Four and a half million. So, as you can see, we’re pretty far apart.”

  “You’re working on getting them up?”

  “I’d like to be, but my guy, the developer, is refusing to even counter.”

  “And you want him to.”

  “Yep.”

  “To get the numbers moving in the right direction,” Elizabeth called from the entryway. Devyn turned, unable to glimpse Elizabeth yet but wanting to. She’d had the prior day off from assisting Jill, and they hadn’t seen each other, well, since.

  “The voice without a body is right. If he won’t counter, the buyer will assume the negotiating table is closed, and it’s not. It’s a pride thing, and it’s getting in the way of my sellout.”

  “Gotcha,” Jill said, and placed a pile of crispy bacon on the counter. Devyn reached for a strip and got her hand smacked. “Nope. That’s for my breakfast casserole. You can eat that, not this.”

  “You’re just like Mom, you know that? Pre-eating is just as important as eating.”

  “I agree,” Elizabeth said and stole a slice for herself.

  Devyn’s eyes went wide when no repercussions came her way. She pointed. “How is that okay?”

  “She’s a guest,” Jill said, with a shrug.

  Devyn turned to glare at Elizabeth, but caught her enjoying the bite of bacon so much that she was forced to smother a grin instead, which seemed to be the case whenever carefree Elizabeth was around. Yes, she was super easygoing and, okay, very easy on the eyes as well. The other night had certainly shored up that particular notion. She flashed briefly on Elizabeth looking over at her in bed, naked, and radiating. She hadn’t slept at Elizabeth’s place that night, feeling that might have been too intimate for a “two consenting adults” scenario, and they hadn’t exactly discussed if there would be a repeat encounter. She’d slipped out somewhere in the wee hours and crept back to her own bed, careful not to disturb Jill.

  “What?” Elizabeth asked, staring at her now, suspiciously.

  “Nothing.” Devyn went back to her contracts. Or pretended to.

  Jill stared at the two of them. Correction. She stared at Devyn and then at Elizabeth and then back at Devyn. Finally, she exhaled, shook her head, and went back to her recipe. Yep. She knew.

  “We have PT in half an hour,” Elizabeth said.

  Jill offered a salute. “I haven’t forgotten. Just enough time to pop this casserole in the oven for later. We’ll call it brunch.”

  “Perfect,” Elizabeth said brightly. “Do you mind if we swing by the flower shop on the way? Floral Laurel’s got a bunch of old doorknobs she wants to have melted down and has hired On the Spot to do it.”

  “How are you going to melt doorknobs?” Devyn asked, unable to work with such information at play. Industrialized Elizabeth had her interest piqued and her libido firing. Just when she thought she knew everything…

  “I’ll use a blowtorch,” she rattled off and turned back to Jill as if it were the most everyday thing in the world. Meanwhile, Devyn was imagining that very sensual image of sweet Elizabeth wielding fire. The duality had her fantasizing almost instantly.

  “Where’d you go?” Jill snapped her fingers.

  Devyn flinched. “What do you mean? I’m sitting right here.” Lies. In actuality, she was in a garage, unzipping the coveralls Elizabeth wore to reveal nothing underneath.

  Jill pointed. “Well, your phone is going off, and you’re ignoring it. You never ignore your phone. In fact, we’d have to pry it from your cold dead hands to get it away from you.”

  Right. There were things to do. She sighed, putting pause on her delicious fire fantasy, clicked onto the call, and headed to the bedroom to reason with her seller and get that counteroffer. Attractive friends with blowtorches would have to wait, and wasn’t that a damn shame.

  * * *

  “I don’t know if you saw, but the Springali
ng is tomorrow.” Elizabeth said it and waited for Devyn to turn around from the desk in the spare room. She and Jill had just returned home from PT, which had worn Jill out. She was resting comfortably in front of the TV with a plate of her brunch casserole as a reward for her hard work.

  “Do the firemen still make pancakes in the middle of the afternoon with their shirts off?” She turned in her chair and raised an eyebrow.

  “They do.”

  Devyn grimaced, and Elizabeth laughed. “All for a good cause, you know. They donate that money to the animal shelter, including those fifty-dollar tips from the women’s bridge club. Martha McCray stuffed a twenty down one of the probies’ turnout pants last year.”

  “Martha McCray has always been a tenacious old woman. She’s still around? And is her hair still slightly purple? God, I pray it is.”

  Elizabeth gasped. “Stop that.” She paused. “But yes, and yes.”

  “See? I know this town better than you think.” Tiny lines around Devyn’s eyes crinkled when she smiled, and forced Elizabeth to roll her shoulders and focus.

  “Do you know what else the Springaling has? Live music and dancing and fried food and flowers everywhere, and me, to teach you how to enjoy it all.” She eased a strand of hair behind her ear. “Sometimes I think your enjoyment mechanism gets jammed. I like giving it a good hard slam.”

  “Good thing I have you slamming me,” she said with a knowing look. Elizabeth chuckled. “Though that does sound painful.”

  “You’ll live. I’m good for you. Cornhole and homemade pasta places and a little action in the kitchen.” She winked, not sure if it landed. She’d never been an expert winker and should probably just embrace that. Maybe pointing would be more in her lane. She’d work on it and see.

  “You make a good point, because that’s quite a decadent list. I should probably…explore more. Of Dreamer’s Bay.” She didn’t wink back, but Elizabeth felt like it was probably implied. Maybe they weren’t quite done with each other in the benefits department yet. Was it wrong that she really hoped not? She’d replayed the events of two nights ago several times over. No, Devyn wasn’t forever material, but she was certainly an unexpected blip on the radar.

  “Excellent, because I’m taking you. Jill can come, too. All part of your education on why this town is so amazing.”

  “It has its perks.”

  Elizabeth wasn’t sure if that was a nod to their tryst, or a general endorsement. “That was flirting again, or…?”

  “What am I supposed to do with you announcing the flirting every step of the way?”

  Oh goodness. Elizabeth had definite ideas of what Devyn could do with her. Right on cue, that magnetic pull appeared again, the one she’d begun to feel whenever she was in close proximity to Devyn Winters, who she didn’t even think about as that Devyn Winters from high school anymore. Nope. She felt like a whole different human being. Yes, Devyn was caught up in her own life, but she wasn’t nearly as shallow or cruel as her old group of high school friends still were. She’d run into Cricket-Jones-now-McMahon at the bank the other day. She’d said hi and smiled, to which Cricket had nodded quickly and moved on. Not a word. Almost like Elizabeth was invisible, not worth her time. Devyn was nothing like that. “I feel like the announcing just gets it out there, you know? Puts all the cards on the table.”

  “Oh, it’s out there. You can rest easy.” Devyn smiled a relaxed smile that mirrored the sentiment nicely. “So, the Springaling tomorrow. Yeah, okay. Let’s do it. Why the hell not?”

  “Yes.” Elizabeth clapped. “This will be great. We’ll eat all the food. Play some games.”

  “Announce any and all flirting.”

  “Not in front of Jill,” she whispered.

  “I can hear you, you know,” a voice called from the living room. Elizabeth froze. Devyn laughed.

  “Well, now you’ve done it. Jill knows we flirt.” She tossed an exasperated hand in the air and let it drop. “But we know about Liquor Store Charlie and Thursday nights, so I think all is well.”

  “Hey,” Jill yelled. “That’s personal.”

  “Just keeping you in line.” Devyn yelled back.

  “I’m gonna knock you in your head.”

  “I’m gonna tackle you right back if you do. And I’m not the one using a cane. Who do you think is gonna win?”

  “Bully.”

  Elizabeth smiled at the sisters doing their thing and realized how lucky they were to have each other, and what a shame it was they lived so far apart. “You guys are still twelve.”

  Devyn grinned. “That will never change.”

  “Good. Meet me at the entrance to the park at noon tomorrow?”

  “We’ll be there,” Devyn said. She hooked a thumb behind her. “Can I get back to work now or do you want to check me out some more? Totally your call. I’ll just be here, trying not to look devastatingly sexy.” She gave her hair a toss.

  Elizabeth was pretty sure that Devyn had meant it as a joke, but the effect actually was incredibly sexy. Elizabeth swallowed the flutter it caused, instead making a show of glaring at Devyn and turning playfully on her heels.

  “Work it,” Devyn called. “I like the sass you have going. Yes, girl.”

  Elizabeth shook her head but kept walking, putting an extra swing in her hips, hoping Devyn was checking out her ass and secretly loving every minute of it.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Devyn had never seen more flower arrangements in her life. And not just the kinds in vases. Bountiful Park had been outfitted to the gills with wreaths, strings of bursting blooms, flowers in the shape of happy townspeople, animals, objects. It was quite simply overflowing with color, and even Devyn, who found the whole concept of the festival to be a little hokey, could not deny how breathtaking the place looked. The organizers of this one must have worked tirelessly the day before.

  The weather had shown up for the festival, too, cresting in at an even seventy-six degrees, complete with a comfortable breeze that rustled the many trees shading the festival grounds just inside the park. She and Jill waited patiently at the ticket table, while pretty much everyone who passed raced up to Jill to check on her status.

  “I should be back at school officially next month,” Jill told some of them with a warm smile. “I’m doing so much better. Thank you for asking. Not quite myself yet, but I’m getting there,” she told others. They’d made a pact that they would go slowly through the festival grounds and allow Jill to rely only on her cane this trip, leaving whenever she felt too tired to keep going. A quick call to her doctor had concluded that this kind of outing was actually very good for her.

  Meanwhile, Devyn scanned the arriving faces, but no Elizabeth. When it hit ten minutes past the hour, she began to get antsy. “Where could she be?” Devyn asked, getting ready to text her.

  “You know Elizabeth. She doesn’t have a lot of downtime. She’s probably finishing up a job somewhere before heading over.”

  “You looking for Lizzie?” an older, grouchy-looking fellow asked. He didn’t wait for an answer before pointing behind him into the festival. “Last I saw her she was hurling softballs at the dunking booth. Knocked the mayor off his perch twice from what I saw. She’s a ringer.”

  “Of course she is,” Devyn said, confused and intrigued by this information. “And you are?”

  Then as if summoned, by the mention of her name, Elizabeth raced out of the park entrance and landed in front of Devyn. Her face was flushed and glowing. “Hi,” she said, first to Devyn and then again to Jill. “I got a head start. Couldn’t sleep last night with all the anticipation of today.” She made a silly face as if realizing how ridiculous she was. Only Devyn didn’t think so. Her enthusiasm only made her likable. And cute. Yep. Her friend was very cute. And fuckable. She shook her head at that last part.

  Jill laughed and slung an arm around Elizabeth. “Should have known. The pleasure seeker was off enjoying herself.”

  “Don’t worry,” Elizabeth told them. “I saved all
the best stuff. Do you want to start with the fried Oreos or the miniature Ferris wheel, which I have to admit could be more exciting.”

  “Gonna pass on the Ferris wheel,” Devyn said. “Small rides can be dicey. I’ve seen the news.”

  “Fair enough. But let me warn you, we’re doing the three-legged race at two. Jill, you should maybe sit that one out.”

  Jill nodded. “Probably a wise decision. Happy to watch and cheer you two crazy kids on, though.”

  “Well, look at this. You’re here.” It was Charlie. He ambled up all smiles in his short-sleeve plaid shirt that he’d tucked in. Bless his heart. His sneakers gleamed, too. “I wondered if you’d make it.” It was like he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

  “Hello, Charles,” Jill said, blushing.

  Charles?

  Riveting.

  Please let there be more. Jill had been divorced for years now, and this was the first time Devyn’d had the privilege of witnessing her reacting to a man. It was something to see. Jill stood taller and fluffed her hair. She also glanced away a lot, clearly affected. The pink cheeks were adorable and drew arrow signs over the affection she must have carried for Charlie—sorry, Charles.

  “Been a long time. I wish you’d have let me stop by.” He hadn’t stopped grinning.

  Jill glanced furtively at Elizabeth and Devyn, as if she didn’t want to discuss any of this in front of them. Thereby, Devyn remained respectfully quiet. “Just wanted to gather a little more strength first. Can’t have you seeing me laid up.”

  Devyn smothered a cough.

  “Just glad you’re here now. Come on,” Charlie said. “I’ll buy you a cone.”

  “Okay,” Jill said automatically.

  Well, that hadn’t been hard at all.

  She turned to Devyn. “You two gonna be okay on your own?”

  “I think we’ll manage,” Elizabeth said sweetly.

  Devyn turned to Charlie, shifting to protective younger sister mode. “You realize that she can’t walk very fast, and she needs to use her cane all of the time? Not just once in a while to handle some of the weight on that side. All the time.”