Page 17 of How Dare You
Burning the candle at both ends is all I’ve known of Devon, and though I’ve understood her to be someone who loves her job and the company she owns, she also dropped info on the night we met that she might lose it all. Is it still true? Her friends must know, but the way Allie speaks about Devon doesn’t indicate any kind of sympathy for her situation. Hopefully, that means she’s worked it out by now.
It takes three hours of packing and two trips between houses before my favorite blonde makes an appearance. Allie squeezes her in a long hug, and Devon apologizes for not being able get here sooner.
“Can’t figure out her deal,” Cam says to me as he and I carry Allie’s headboard out to Luke’s truck.
“Whose?” I ask, even though I know who he means.
“Devon. Her and Allie are close.” He makes the effort of bracing the headboard with one arm so he can hold up crossed fingers on his opposite hand to emphasize his point. “Like really, really tight.”
“Mm hmm,” I nod, wanting to hear his opinion.
“Allie’s this buoyant little ball of giggles, and Devon’s,” he pauses, and I give him the benefit of the doubt that the next words will be kind. “Well, she’s not that. I mean I can tell she’s an excellent friend to Allie and Sadie, but she’s also very,” he pauses again, “stern.”
“If Allie’s bubbles, and Devon’s stern, maybe that just means they’re a good balance for each other,” I suggest.
“That’s a good take,” Cam says, setting the headboard down when we reach the truck.
While we’re loading it in the truck bed, Devon, Allie, and Sadie walk outside and get into Devon’s SUV together. Cam does me the courtesy of pretending he doesn’t notice that I stare at Devon the entire time, and I return the favor by not mentioning how he’s had his eyes on Sadie all day.
By late afternoon, all of Allie’s things are at her and Luke’s place, and all of Sadie’s things have been moved into their new locations at Devon’s house. When I’m headed toward the door to leave Luke and Allie’s, Devon stops me.
“It was good of you help today. They might have been a little lost without you,” she says, more warmth in her tone than she usually gives me.
I smile at the small bit of praise. “It’s no problem.”
“Bea and I are starting a new project tomorrow, a kitchen remodel on the other side of the golf course.” If I didn’t know any better, I’d say she blushed at the mention of the golf course, the same one we snuck across the first time we met. “They want custom cabinetry, and I told the GC you need to be the one to do it. His name is Trey. Have you heard from him yet?”
That is no small bit of praise. Checking my phone, I find a missed call and a new voicemail from a local number. I show her the screen. “This could be him.”
She nods, returning to her usual tone. “Let me know if it isn’t. I’ll make sure it gets handled.” She walks out the front door before I can respond.
I’m reaching for the handle to follow her out when Allie stops me. “You did something to piss her off, although I don’t know what it was.”
I was riding the high of Devon recommending me for that job, but Allie brings me down to earth with her assertion. “I’ve got an idea,” I answer.
She tilts her head at me, sending her ponytail swinging across her shoulder as she considers me. “You asked her out and she said no, right?”
Did Devon tell her that, or is she guessing? I nod, even though it’s not the whole story.
“She gave you a reason then.” Allie puts her hands on her hips. “What was it?”
I still don’t understand what happened that first night, even though I think about it constantly. The reason Devon gave me the next morning was an excuse, but I tell Allie anyway. “She said she doesn’t date guys who work in our industry because we’ll inevitably end up on jobs together.”
“Which you have,” Allie adds.
“Which we have,” I reluctantly agree.
She reaches up and pats me on the shoulder. “That’s a great reason, especially for Devon. You should do something about that.”
Chapter 7
Devon
1:00pm – Cabinet review @ Peach Ridge w/ Trey & Rhett
- From Devon’s schedule, August 12th
“This is a new low,” Bea drawls, looking up from her computer and tossing her voluminous brown hair over one shoulder. “You’ve got to come over here and see this. You know how Trina Boatswain keeps on coincidentally ending up with projects that were supposed to be ours?”