Page 26 of This Feeling

“I don’t want anyone seeing where we’re going.”

I laughed, then stopped when it made my head hurt worse. “Wherearewe going?”

She walked next door and started up the back steps to the apartment above her toy shop. Did she keep a secret stash of hangover cures up there?

“I thought you were going to rent this place out,” I said when we reached the landing.

“I did.”

She knocked on the door…and I tried to ignore the sudden warning bells going off in my head.

“Who rented it?”

The door opened, and I had my answer.

Staring at us was Declan. His hazel eyes danced with curiosity and a bit of amusement.

“Brystol. Harper.”

Putting her hands in a prayer position, Brystol said, “Please tell me you have the makings for a bloody mary, Declan.”

He pushed the door to the apartment open and said in his deep, soothing voice, “Come on in. I’ll make you both one.”

Brystol sighed in relief and tugged me into the apartment.

I hadn’t been up here in a number of years, not since Brystol had taken over running the toy store when her mom retired. She’d updated the furniture but left all the original fixtures of the old building; it was a charming little place. The living, dining, and kitchen areas were one big open space, with the windows in the living room looking out over Main Street.

There was a sofa, a love seat, a dining room table that seated four, and the kitchen had a bar with three stools. If I remembered right, it was a one-bedroom, one-bathroom. Off to one side of the living room was a bar area, that I assumed Brystol must have added at some point. It was fully stocked, and I couldn’t help but wonder if that was left over from the previous tenant or if Declan stocked it.

“You moved in here?” I asked, looking around. There were no boxes, nothing personal out at all. The apartment was definitely cute but lacked any sort of homey feeling.

“I sure did. Wasn’t looking forward to living with my parents any longer than necessary,” Declan said, with a wink in my direction that caused my stomach to flip.

I let out a nervous laugh, and Brystol turned to glance at me, one brow quirked up and an amused look on her face.

I cleared my throat and looked away.

“Who’s watching the flower shop and toy store?” Declan asked.

“My aunt Olivia’s watching the flower shop.”

“I just put a sign on the door for the toy shop that said I was out and would be back soon. I don’t do that normally, so I think it’ll be okay. My part-time girl will be there in about an hour.”

Declan nodded as he made the drinks.

“Did you,” I said as, I pointed to the bar, “buy all this alcohol?”

Declan nodded. “I did. It’s a good thing too. I figured I’d need it for my friends, not two beautiful women dropping by to cure their hangovers.”

I smiled and took the drink he held out for me. Brystol took the other one and downed it quickly.

Declan and I both gaped at her in stunned silence.

Closing her eyes, she sighed. “God, I needed that.”

Glancing at Declan, who just shrugged, I turned back to my friend. “Um, Brystol…is everything okay?”

She turned to look at me, her eyes suddenly filled with unshed tears. All she could do was nod.

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