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Elizabeth’s mouth fell open as she pretended to be scandalized.“And now I’m blushing and you’re diverting. Get back to the confession.”

Devyn leaned back against Shug. “I do feel all soft insidelately.” She shrugged. “For a while I was convinced it was my taking the townback. You know? Coming back in and making new memories that would replace theharder ones?”

She shook her head and glanced over at Elizabeth, who felt herheart squeeze. She didn’t know where this confession was going, but Devyn wasletting her guard down, which didn’t always happen. She wanted to be presentfor this moment.

“The more I’m around you, the more I feel myself opening up.Changing. It’s exhilarating on one hand, but unnerving on another.” She turnedto face Elizabeth more fully. “What if I’m a big ole softie when I try to sell?I’m known as a ballbuster. What if you broke me?”

Elizabeth grinned. “Trust me when I say that the ballbuster sideof you is very much intact. I heard you on the phone just two days ago.”

“Yet I didn’t close that deal.”

“I’m sorry.”

Devyn shrugged. “It doesn’t bother me the way it once would have.That might be a problem.”

She didn’t dare hope. Except that was a lie. Elizabeth was hopingwith all of her heart that this change in Devyn might have greater implicationsfor the two of them. They were closer than they’d ever been, spending prettymuch all of their free time together. Devyn slept at her place several times aweek. She missed her desperately on the nights she didn’t. Yes, Devyn had alife back in Philly, but maybe the life she was finding here, just maybe, wouldbe enough to sway her to stay. Elizabeth didn’t utter those words, though. Theywere too delicate. Instead, she held on to them tightly. Hoping…

“Do you think this new you is a good thing?” she asked,tentatively.

Devyn didn’t answer her with words and instead kissed her. Shefelt the customary grin through the kiss. “I think it’s safe to say that I’mstarting to like her a lot,” Devyn said, quietly, and went back for more.

Elizabeth’s eyes fluttered closed and she slid her hands intoDevyn’s hair, sinking into the kiss. Her heart soared, and the night feltvibrant and awake. She shimmied her shoulders as her skin prickled pleasantly.She’d never felt so happy. In her head, she saw glimpses of dinners at home,date nights at the beach, or lazy Saturdays walking through town. Maybe a gamenight with Jill and Charlie. She exhaled slowly as Devyn pulled back from thekiss and smiled.

“Let’s go home.”

Devyn might have meant the word in the generic sense. She probablyhad. But it resonated with Elizabeth all the same.

Home.

Chapter Nineteen

“This is the problem I’m having.” Devyn closed her eyes and walkedacross the spare bedroom she used to work. It was sunny outside, and that in noway matched what she was going through with her client. She’d been on the phonewith Wyatt Lowe two other times this week, and each time he was less happy thanthe last. “You wanted a showroom?” he said. “I invested the money and now youhave one. You pushed for a lower price point. I worked with you on that.”

“I know you did, and it was the right move. Everyone is talkingabout the building.” That part was true. It was the talk of downtown, but saleshad been slower than she’d hoped. And yes, she had a good idea why.

“All I asked for was a four-month sellout. We’re at just overthree months now, Winters, and I’m still sitting on nearly sixty percent of myinventory. That’s unacceptable.”

“I get that. I just need a little more time is all. It’s a bigbuilding, which is what’s fantastic about it.”

“No more time. I signed on withyou.Not your team. And who’s this Ricky guy who called me last week? Wasn’t he somerandom guy trying to learn the business when we met? The redheaded guy? Nowhe’s selling my building? Fuck no.” Wyatt was more worked up than she’d everheard him. She wasn’t sure what to do about that. She’d pulled Ricky onto theproject when she’d had to step away, hoping his eagerness would transfer into afew extra sales. He was not supposed to have contacted her client directly.She’d have to speak with him about that. Damn it, Ricky.

“He did a couple of showings for us.”

“Anything under contract?”

She sighed. “No.”

“I want him off the project.”

“Done.” She pinched the bridge of her nose, feeling backed into acorner. She’d send Ricky a giant thank-you basket. He’d understand. “Listen,Wyatt, it’s been a rough time for my family, and I was unexpectedly pulledaway. I explained that. This is in no way reflective of my work ethic or myability to sell. I’m just asking for your patience.”

He didn’t hesitate, still talking a mile a minute. “We all havepersonal stuff, and I’m really sorry about whatever you have going on with yoursister, but I’ve invested millions in this project. You understand that,right?”

“I do.”

“So get your ass back here and sell these units.”

“I’ll do my best.”