Page 36 of Finding New Dreams

“Sorry,” she said. “I had to tell someone.”

“Why not me?” Gina asked, crunching on a chip.

Chloe bit her lip. “Sarah pretty much grew up with him as well, so I figured she’d understand.”

Gina shrugged, flipping her long braid over her shoulder. “That’s okay. I already knew anyway.”

Chloe’s eyes widened at me, and I shrugged like Gina. “I had to tell someone,” I said, echoing her.

“Yeah, yeah, we all know now,” Sarah said, waving her hand as if batting away the details. “But I wanna know how this happened. Like, was this a full-on Cinderella moment where you kissed him and ran, but smarter because you kept your shoes on? Or was it like, you slipped on a banana peel and fell on his mouth?”

I couldn’t help laughing. “It wasn’t a Disney movie, Sarah. But it was…magical.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Chloe’s fingers tighten around her water glass.

Gina nudged me. “Go on, Rosie, tell them the whole thing. It’s straight out of a movie, seriously.”

So I told them about my awful date. They looked appropriately horrified, which warmed my heart.

Then I dove into what happened at the club. The mood on the other side of the booth grew slowly more tense as Chloe and Sarah shared a few knowing looks.

It was true that they had been friends since childhood. Therefore Sarah probably did know Flynn pretty well. Gina and I were the “newcomers,” having transplanted to Tangled River about ten and five years ago respectively.

Our meals had arrived by the time I’d finished my story, but no one had touched their food yet.

Gina also seemed to be picking up on their tension. “What’s with you guys?” she asked. “You’re acting like she banged somebody’s husband.”

I grimaced, but I was curious as well, so I waited.

Chloe answered first. “Just to clarify, I’m still not mad at you, Rose. I…I just think that you getting involved with my brother is a bad idea.”

I frowned. “Why?”

She picked up her fork and started toying with her grilled chicken garden salad. “He has a bad track record. When we were in school together, he broke as many hearts as were given to him. And some of them belonged to my friends. It was really hard to watch, especially when they put me in the middle or used me to get to him.” She sighed, putting down her fork. “Eventually, we made a pact that he’d stay away from my friends, and he honored that. For the most part.”

“But that was high school. We’re all adults here.” I had no idea why I was arguing this point when I’d already decided nothing would happen. But it seemed important.

Chloe nodded. “I’m not worried about an old pact. I’m worried about you. Flynn tends not to think very far into the future. He cares about the here and now then moves on to the next easily.”

A pit formed in my stomach. One that my black bean burger wouldn’t fill, no matter how tasty it looked.

“Exactly,” Sarah continued. “He was a player—and still is, from the looks of it. Trust us. We know him, but we also know you.”

“And you think I’m naïve?” A bitter edge crept into my voice.

“No,” Chloe said vehemently. “But I don’t think it’s a good fit, Rose. You’re kind and supportive but also like a sponge that absorbs everyone’s feelings. Whereas everything just seems to bounce off Flynn—nothing ever really gets to him. I just don’t want my very lovable but very casual brother to add yours to his list of broken hearts.”

“Right,” Sarah said, pointing a ketchup-drenched French fry at me. “Besides, he’s leaving soon, and we all know you’ve had your sights set on finding Mr. Rose Rafferty lately. Despite the fact that your last few dates haven’t gone well.” She cringed, then wolfed down the fry. “Have there been any good ones?”

I thought back. Then thought back further. “There was John Ber—something or other, and he was nice. Liked the outdoors. Took me ice skating. But didn’t want kids.”

Sarah grunted, munching on her fried shrimp.

Gina waved her spoon in the air. “What about that other guy who took you to a play at the Orpheum? Eric something?”

I chewed a bite of burger, nodding. “Very sweet. Very quiet. But he left the theater three times to answer his mother’s phone calls. Then had to end the night early because of his ‘curfew.’”

My three friends groaned.

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