Jilly turned to her. “You’re in love with her, you know.”
“I know.” She sat forward, leaving her glass resting on the thick arm of the chair. “But am I supposed to just toss everything aside and move to the Bay and mow my lawn on Saturday?”
Jill blinked several times as if absorbing. “It’s kind of insulting the way you say that, because I happen to like my life. And yes, lawns have to be mowed. There are no assistants here. The lawn is part of it, Devyn. Geez.”
Devyn pinched the bridge of her nose and self-recrimination flared. “I heard how that sounded and I hate myself. It’s the person I’ve been for the past fifteen years, elitist. And selfish. I don’t like her either, Jill, trust me.”
“She definitely takes some patience.” Jill gestured with her triangle-shaped cocktail glass. “It’s like your walls are up all over again.”
“Say it. It’s nothing like who I was when I was with Elizabeth.”
Jill nodded. “I can agree with that, too. I’m telling you right now, little sister, she brought out the absolute best in you. You were vibrant, happy. You slept in on weekends, for goodness sake.” Jill twirled the creamy contents of her glass, and it honestly made Devyn a little jealous. Why did she feel the need to be so serious all of the time? A fun drink like that might actually be really nice. More than nice. It could be everything, if she just considered having one for herself. Scotch just seemed so much of an overkill right now.
“There has to be something to that,” Devyn said finally.
“There is.”
“I’m not sure it matters. I’m not cut out for any of this. Love is…too daunting. I’m better off sticking to buildings.”
“Because they love you back. Right. That makes sense.”
Devyn sighed. Another valid point. “You’re right. Maybe I miscalculated.” A pause. “No. I definitely did.”
“So, what are you going to do about it?”
“What can I do?”
“Nothing mundane, that’s for sure. Are you ready for drastic?”
Devyn looked her sister square in the face. “I don’t know.” She pointed at the frothy drink. “But can I try one of those and we can talk about the details?”
* * *
Devyn popped a second bottle of champagne as her team applauded and cheered. It had come down to the wire, but they’d sold every last damn unit of Twenty-Four Walker, making Wyatt Lowe not only rich but a record breaker in Philadelphia real estate. They were all exhausted, proud, and ready to celebrate.
“I have to give you credit,” Wyatt said, as Karen took the bottle from Devyn and went around the room filling glasses. They stood in the now-completed lobby of the building itself, savoring the moment and knowing that they’d accomplished the nearly impossible. “I wasn’t sure you’d pull this off, but you’ve lived up to your reputation. I’m impressed.”
Devyn touched her glass to Wyatt. “Thank you for saying so. It was a tall order, but I’m thrilled that I was able to deliver for you.” Because she was good at what she did, she tossed him a no-sweat smile.
Wyatt pulled a sheet of paper from his pocket, unfolded it, and handed it to Devyn. “A deal’s a deal.”
She studied the paper, which turned out to be a high-end rendering of a gorgeous building. The lines alone had her drooling. “What’s this?”
“My next project. Eighteen stories. Towering ceilings. Amazing views. Top-of-the-line finishes. It’s going to blow this town away. It’s all yours.”
“You’re serious?” She blinked.
“You’ve earned it.” He sipped his champagne and lifted the glass in the air. “I think we can do great things if we stick together, Devyn.”
She closed her eyes to enjoy this moment. Nothing got her blood pumping like a brand-new, beautiful building, and knowing Wyatt had faith in her meant everything. She handed him the rendering. “I love everything that you’re saying to me right now. You have no idea how much.”
“Send me the paperwork. Let’s get started.”
Devyn smiled. “I have to decline.”
Wyatt blinked. He wasn’t the kind of guy people turned down. “What are you talking about?”
“I have somewhere else I need to be for the next sixty years or so, but can I make a recommendation?” She turned around and spotted Ricky chatting with a group near the 3-D model. She signaled for him to join them. “Wyatt, I think you should have a conversation with Ricky. He’s got a lot of fantastic ideas I have a feeling you’re going to like.”
Ricky beamed. Wyatt shook his hand.
Devyn smiled at the future stretched out ahead of her. She had a lot of work to do, but then she’d never been afraid of hard work.
It was time to get serious.
Chapter Twenty-Two
This should be interesting.
Elizabeth had agreed to the meet-up with Thalia on a last-minute whim. She’d spent each night alone in her house watching Dateline marathons and wondering how she’d gotten so dark. She also looked at husbands a little differently now, because had anyone run a ratio report of how many times they were their wife’s killer? She made a note to tell KC to watch out for Dan just in case. You could never be too careful.
“Hey, there, cutie.” Thalia slid into the cozy little booth at the back of the bar at Ronnie Roo’s. It was a slow Wednesday night, and they had the section virtually to themselves. Any other time in her life Elizabeth would have been thrilled about the invite. Tonight, she just wanted to get out of the house before husband #293 finally confessed to investigators.
“Hey, Thalia.” She didn’t remember Thalia ever calling her cutie before. She went with it. “Good week?”
“Fantastic. The fund-raiser gave the spa some much-needed attention, and I saw a twenty percent uptick in appointments.”
“Very cool.” Elizabeth smiled and bopped her head to the music coming in through the speakers above them.
“How about we split a bottle of that Pinot Gris from this little winery up north? I heard Ronnie took a shipment after I recommended it. It’s this charming little place where all the people harvest the grapes in the nude and live off the land.”
“Interesting. I’ll take a Sam Adams.”
Thalia grinned and approached the bar with a very obvious sway of her hips. Elizabeth also noticed her short skirt for the first time. She sighed and studied the pattern on the wooden table.
“You seem down tonight,” Thalia said, and slid Elizabeth the beer before taking a seat next to her on the same side of the booth. Their arms were touching. Elizabeth glanced at her out of the side of her eye.
“I’ve had better months. I can be honest about that.”
Thalia nodded sympathetically. She was as gorgeous as ever. Her large blue eyes blinked in sharp contrast to the paleness of her smooth skin. “This is about Devyn Winters. I heard you two had a thing. I’m sorry if you’re sad, Elizabeth. You know, I was hoping I could help.” She touched the back of Elizabeth’s neck and gave it a soft squeeze.
Aha. That’s what this was. Now that she’d been seen with Devyn, who was objectively rated higher on the desirable scale, Elizabeth was suddenly more interesting to Thalia. Unfortunately, being with Devyn had done the opposite for Elizabeth, because Thalia, even the idea of her, now fell flat.
“You know, I’m not up for this,” Elizabeth said apologetically. She moved her neck away from Thalia’s touch.
“Not up for drinks? We can skip them if you want.”
“And do what?” She blinked back at Thalia.
“Go somewhere a little quieter. A little more personal. We keep saying we need some one-on-one time.” She sent her a sexy-eyed look.
It was ironic how much that sentence and that look did not affect her, when she would have given anything for either of them just a short time before. “You know? I’m going to pass. I’ve followed you around like a puppy dog for a couple of years now.”
“A very cute and sweet puppy dog.”
“That’s a litt
le condescending, but I’m going to move past it.” She turned so she could fully face Thalia. “The problem is that you treated me really poorly throughout that time. You canceled plans, dismissed me, and behaved as if I had no feelings, which I do.”
Thalia chuckled as if reminiscing about the good times. “But that’s just part of the game, isn’t it? People circle each other until they finally find that moment to click.”
Elizabeth studied her. “Yeah, this isn’t that moment. In fact, I don’t think there’s one on the calendar for us. I also don’t enjoy playing games.” In spite of Devyn’s insecurities and the fact that she’d left Elizabeth and never looked back, she’d shown her what kindness and support meant in a relationship. Not only that, but Elizabeth’s feelings for Devyn had been genuine, deep, and real. Nothing like she felt for Thalia. She could see that now as clearly as she could see that Thalia’s nose ring was red and possibly infected. She pointed. “You might want to get that looked at. In the meantime, I gotta go. Dateline is looking better and better.”
“I’m sorry?” Thalia said, standing to let Elizabeth out of the booth.
“I’m really not. Have a nice night.”
She walked out of Ronnie Roo’s with her head held high and her confidence on the rebound. She held on to that confidence when she walked to Dusty McCurdy’s real estate office the next morning to finally see about taking On the Spot to a more professional space. Working in her garage had been convenient and necessary, but with Elizabeth’s ambition bolstered, and business so fruitful, it was time to professionalize. Only the hanging sign for McCurdy’s was gone from the front of the small office building. She stared up at a man on a ladder painting the exterior of the doorframe. The rest of the building had also been given a fresh coat of paint, which really elevated the look of the property.
She shielded her eyes from the sun. “Any idea what happened to McCurdy’s? The real estate company that used to have an office here.” She hadn’t been down this particular street in a while, and wondered how long they’d been gone. Admittedly, she’d been out of her usual gossip loop.
The man looked down, removed his hat, and wiped away the sweat on his brow. Summer was almost on its way out, but the temperatures remained quite warm. “I heard he sold the place. New tenant moves in next week.” He gestured with his chin to the dusty-blue sign propped against the side of the building, ready for hanging. In elegant script, it read: The Winters Group. Elizabeth stared at it, not comprehending, and glanced up at the man for answers. He shrugged, clearly just there to paint.
Elizabeth didn’t move. She couldn’t. Unsure what this all meant and feeling unsettled, she took a seat on the curb and watched the cars go by. Everything in her felt numb.
To her right, another car engine whirred and quieted. She turned and watched a black Mercedes, a two-seater, pull up to the curb about twenty yards from where she sat. It wasn’t a familiar vehicle to her, but then the Bay was growing with each passing day. The driver exited the car and came into view. Elizabeth swallowed. Devyn Winters, wearing a pinstriped navy business suit that must have been hand drawn for her body, came around the front of the car. Her blond hair was down and bounced against the white collar of her starched shirt. She took off her sunglasses and paused.
“What’s going on?” Elizabeth asked from the curb. She didn’t stand. She didn’t move. She couldn’t until she had more information. Her heart hammered away almost painfully, the un-ignorable reminder that she was nervous as hell.
Devyn gestured to the building with her aviators. “I bought the building.”
“Why?”
“Well, to start with, it was for sale. I saw it hit the MLS and snatched it up. It needs some renovating and a new coat of paint, a nice new floor, and replaced windows, but I’ve always liked its location. Close enough to the heart of town, but far away enough to feel peaceful.”
“Why does that matter?”
“Because I’m going to be working here.” She gestured to the building. “This is my new office.”
Elizabeth knew her mouth was hanging open and made a point to shut it. “You’re, uh, moving back to the Bay?” She scratched her cheek casually, because that’s all this was, a casual conversation.
Devyn nodded. “It’s taken me weeks,” she inclined her head from side to side, “okay, months, to make this decision, but sometimes you have to follow your gut, or in this case your heart.”
“Your heart?” Did she really just say that? What was happening?
“Yes. My heart.” Devyn paused and looked up at the building. “But this is the right move for me. I know that now.”
Elizabeth tried to assemble the pieces but came up short. “I don’t understand. What about your job, all the million-dollar buildings?”
“Been there. Done that. I may take a listing in the city here and there, but my day-to-day work can be in the Bay and the surrounding towns. Poky little Realtors are great, but maybe what this town needs is someone who can shake it up.”
“Maybe,” Elizabeth said, proactively working to not react to this news. This was the woman who’d neglected her, broken her heart, and she would not allow her in a second time. She couldn’t. “I guess it will be nice to have a new friend in town.” She made a point to emphasize the word.
“Just a friend?” Devyn raised a sculpted eyebrow. The question, clear as day, hung in the air between them.
“Yep,” Elizabeth said, using Devyn’s shoulder to stand. “You can never have too many of those. Good luck with the new business.” She glanced over her shoulder at the two-story structure. “I have a feeling a lot of folks are going to be thrilled with your services.”
“I hope you’re one of them.”
“Is that a euphemism? Because I’m over those. Been there. Done that, ya know?” She was finding her strength again, and held on to it.
Devyn blinked at the blow and stood, reminding Elizabeth how well she filled out that damned business suit. “Well, I don’t fault you. Maybe over time I can change your mind.”
Elizabeth simply shook her head, leaving Devyn and the power she once carried on the curb behind her.
* * *
Devyn had expected business to start slow and pick up over time as she established a presence in Dreamer’s Bay. That had not been the case. In fact, since she’d opened her doors in early September, nearly three weeks ago now, a steady stream of calls and walk-ins had prompted her to hire a receptionist sooner rather than later. Barb, who now sat in the small lobby of the building, seemed to be the most qualified.
“Ms. Winters, would you like to see today’s paper?” Barb asked from the doorway. She was likely in her sixties, with a cheerful disposition and the ability to type seventy-two words per minute with a pencil in her hair. The fact that she’d once known Devyn’s mother also carried a lot of weight. The partnership somehow seemed ordained. Not only that, but Barb knew every soul who walked in the door and could give Devyn a heads-up about who she was dealing with.
“Sure, I’ll take the paper. I have a little time before my ten a.m., right?”
“Quite true,” Barb said and carried over that day’s edition. “But remember what I told you about Mr. Reynolds, the ten a.m.”
“I will. Indecisive, but loaded. I will keep those facts tucked away.”
“And he likes food, so I’m having donuts picked up and delivered by On the Spot. After all, you said the more we use them, the better.”
Devyn grinned. “Perfect. I’m glad you’re calling on them so much.” She’d made it part of her plan to use Elizabeth’s company as much as possible, which would hopefully give them a little face time. She had a lot of ground to earn back after the way she’d behaved, but she vowed to spend each and every day making it up to Elizabeth, if she would only give her the chance. For the food deliveries and courier services she’d ordered, Elizabeth had sent one of her younger employees each time, thereby dodging run-ins with Devyn. Today, however, it was Elizabeth walking up the sidewalk with a box fr
om Amazin’ Glazin’.
Devyn stood and smoothed her white blazer. She’d found she could go more casual in the Bay and had swapped out her dress pants for a dark pair of jeans and modest heels. Professional, but approachable.
“Hey, Barb,” Elizabeth said from the lobby. “You called in a delivery order for a combo dozen?”
Barb tossed her hand up in celebration of Elizabeth’s arrival. “Yep. Special client coming in this morning.”
Elizabeth leaned in. “Let me guess. Moneybags Reynolds.”
“That would be the one.”
Devyn came around the front of her desk and smiled through the open French doors. Seeing Elizabeth already made her day ten times better, and it had already felt pretty great. “Hey.”
“Hi. Look at you, all settled in.” Elizabeth was at least attempting to be friendly, which was something. She walked the expanse of Devyn’s large office with the high ceilings and picture windows. “Wow. The natural light in here is beautiful.”
Devyn nodded. “I had the windows put in two weeks ago.”
Elizabeth smiled. “It’s perfect.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ve been meaning to ask you something.”
“Anything.”
“Maybe someday I could set up an appointment to talk about office space. I’m not in any real hurry but looking to upgrade from the garage. Was going to ask McCurdy but—”
“He moved to Charleston.”
“Right. So, would you be willing? Maybe in a month or two.”
Devyn met Elizabeth’s gaze and held it. “More than willing. I already have a couple of ideas.” Then she remembered herself. “Oh, and I got you something.”
“You did?” Her brow furrowed.
Devyn opened the top drawer of her desk and pulled out a small box. “I was shopping the other day at the outdoor market off the Circle, saw this, and thought of you.” She handed Elizabeth the square box with the ribbon. “With autumn pretty much here, I thought you could maybe use one of those.”
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