Page 13 of Finding New Dreams

Her friend’s confused expression suddenly cleared. “Ohhh, okay, I get it now.” She gave me a once-over, then a sly grin. “I see what you mean, Rosie.”

Rose stiffened as my gaze shot back to her. She’d talked about me?

Before I could answer her, Chloe pulled the door all the way open. “Did someone say my name? Oh, hey, guys!” She gave the two women a bright smile, which faded to a frown when she glanced over at me. “Why are you answering the door shirtless, Flynn?”

Seized with the oddest urge to laugh, I scrubbed a hand over my face. “I didn’t answer the door. I was getting the newspaper.”

“Oh. Here,” Rose said breathlessly, shoving the crumpled newspaper into my hand.

The tips of our fingers met all too briefly as she yanked her hand back. But not before she left the faintest tingle on my skin. She wouldn’t meet my eyes after her initial shocked stare, but I couldn’t take my eyes off her.

Chloe cleared her throat over the awkward silence. “Well, anyway, Flynn, this is Rose and Gina, two of my best friends and bridesmaids.” Rose’s eyes darted to my bare chest then to my eyes before fastening on Chloe. Gina waggled her fingers at me, a mischievous gleam in her gaze.

Chloe tugged me out of the doorway. “And this is my brother, Flynn, who decided to grace us with his presence a few weeks early. He’s going to go put on a shirt now.” She gave me a shove down the hall.

I hurried back to the guest room as I listened to my sister shepherding her friends into the main living area. I tossed the Gazette onto the small desk by the window. Dumping my bag over the bed I’d barely slept in last night, I rifled around for my least-wrinkled t-shirt. I didn’t want to miss a minute of Rose being so close by.

Questions raced through my head, bumping into each other.

Why did Rose look less than pleased to see me?

Why did Gina look like she’d just learned a naughty secret?

Had Chloe mentioned Rose before, and I’d simply forgotten?

I had just tugged a blue t-shirt over my head when my lovely sister barged into my room like we were kids again and she’d come to tell me off about something.

She crossed her arms and leveled me with a familiar, blue-eyed stare. And said nothing.

My breath caught. Did she know? About me and Rose? No way could she know. She wouldn’t have introduced us like that.

Rose had seemed too shell-shocked to say anything, but I hadn’t corrected Chloe because of a certain pact we’d made back in high school. Not that I was still a horny teenager. I just didn’t want my first day back in Tangled River to start off with admitting I’d had my hands—and mouth—all over one of my sister’s best friends the night before.

Keeping my movements calm and smooth, I straightened out my shirt and raked my hands through my hair a few times. I’d taken a record three-minute shower last night, just to get the paint off.

“What’s up, Chloe Bear?” I asked, using the nickname I’d given her as a kid when she’d dressed up as a Care Bear for Halloween.

I gave myself a quick mist of body spray, and she waved her hand in front of her face as if I’d stunk up the place. Granted, I’d been a little heavy-handed with the body sprays in my teens. But I’d learned.

“You got in late last night,” she said, her gaze still trying to X-ray my secrets out of my soul.

“Late flight. Did you already make coffee?”

She scoffed. “I wouldn’t be talking to you if I hadn’t. First, your plan was to get here months ago. Then you told me you’d be here in about five weeks—right before the wedding. Instead, you text me two days ago, saying you’ll be in this weekend. What’s going on with you?”

Ah, my sister. She’d probably been so mad when she had to cross my arrival out of her color-coded planner. Twice.

I shrugged, ducking into the small ensuite bathroom to brush my teeth. “Plans change, Chloe. It’s not the end of the world. This weekend worked best for me.” I leaned back to look at her when she didn’t respond. Her mouth was twisted in a frown.

Sighing, I squirted some toothpaste on my toothbrush and proceeded to brush while waiting for her next questions.

“You said you were in some kind of trouble a while back. What happened?”

I winced, then finished rinsing out my mouth before responding. “Just some stuff with a few clients. No big deal.” It was actually a very big deal. And getting bigger with each day my creativity remained hunkered down in a canyon-sized rut.

Chloe blew out a breath and twisted her long blond hair up into a ponytail—a sure sign that she was ready to get down to business.

“Well, whenever you’re ready to talk, I’m here.” She smiled a bit. “And I am glad you’re here, Flynn. I can’t wait for you to meet Hunter. And I’m so excited you’ll get to be a part of all the wedding festivities. I still have so much to do with the invitations, the bridal shower, the groom’s dinner, the bachelor and bachelorette parties, the seating chart—”

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