Page 27 of Too Enchanting

Serena

Something about Jed made me giddy, and I’d never felt that way before. It was a young, girlish feeling, and as I rounded the corner with a small smile playing on my lips, I realized I actually really liked it.

It felt like the promise of something more.

I walked through the house, looking around and smiling at the people I passed, excited about … everything. Working on this house, opening the gallery, being back home, and, if I was honest with myself, seeing Jed again for dinner.

Life was going exactly as I’d hoped it would when I decided to finally move back to Cherry Springs.

I was floating on a cloud, content and happy, which was why I was caught unaware and totally unprepared for what happened next.

“Oh. My. God. If it isn’t little miss ‘too good for anyone else’ Serena, the teeny-tiny bean.”

I froze. Dozens of memories flooding me all at once as that voice triggered dread, misery, and, yes, a little bit of fear.

I spun slowly toward the sound of my childhood nemesis, my armor clinking into place with each movement, so by the time I was facing Kylie, all proof of my earlier excitement was gone, replaced by my mask of indifference.

I arched an eyebrow, crossed my arms over my chest, and looked at the blonde nightmare without saying a word.

“Whatever are you doing here … on my show?” Kylie asked, her beautiful face ugly with her sneer.

I mentally kicked myself for not watching a few episodes of Fix it Up before agreeing to work on it. Although, I’d never in a million years imagined that Kylie would have anything to do with it.

I’d hoped to go the rest of my life without ever bumping in to her again. Now, it looked like I’d be stuck with her for the next week.

“Ah, Serena, I see you’ve met Kylie, our host. Sadie told me she sent you in to meet everyone,” the producer said as he walked up to us.

The change in Kylie would have been comical, if she wasn’t the devil in disguise.

Her eyes brightened and her smile turned from brittle to dazzling. She instantly went from bitchy to flirty in one point five seconds.

I’m almost impressed.

“Dale,” she cooed. “How’s the most handsome producer this side of Hollywood?”

Dale chuckled and said, “You flatter me, Kylie.” He cleared his throat. “Anyway, Serena, why don’t I take you to see the last few people, and then we’ll set you free until tomorrow?”

“Sounds good,” I replied lightly, then looked at Kylie and lied. “Nice to see you.”

“Likewise,” Kylie replied, with just enough bite for me to know I needed to avoid her as much as possible during my time on Fix it Up.

I finished up, then got into my car with a sigh of relief and turned it toward Main Street, all of my earlier lightness gone, replaced by a cement-like weight in my stomach. Out of all the people in the world I could run into, why did it have to be her?

I opened the gallery and got right to work, losing myself in the task. The construction and renovations were complete, so it was time for my favorite part, decorating and placing the pieces where I wanted them to go. Opening night was just two weeks away, and there was still so much to be done.

Laurel’s company, Party with Laurel, was taking care of the hors d’oeuvre, beverages, and basic catering for the event. The wait staff would be in black and white, and the only decoration needed were the pieces on display.

But first, I needed to figure out how I wanted to display them.

Mr. Tyson, the silent owner of the gallery, and the man who hired me, had given me carte blanche to open the gallery as I saw fit. He gave absolutely no input and trusted me to do it all myself, which was somewhat intimidating, while at the same time empowering.

I’d never even met the man. I’d been recruited from my old gallery and interviewed by his assistant. I wanted the position, and the opportunity to move back home so badly that I’d never even questioned it. At least not out loud. But there were times, like now, when I looked around the space and wondered why such a man would put so much faith in a woman he’d never even met.

And, sometimes, I wondered if he was involved in something illegal and kept me out of his dealings for my safety, but that was probably just my active imagination talking.

By the time I’d organized my office and gotten most of the boxes unpacked, I’d almost forgotten about Kylie and her unwelcome reappearance in my life. That’s when I heard a commotion out front and then a knock on the gallery door.

I dusted off my hands and crossed the gallery floor to get to the door. I could see Jed and Dillon standing out front. Curious, I opened the door with a smile, then looked down and saw they’d brought the river table, and my heart fluttered with joy.

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