They’d been trapped in close quarters that had been growing smaller by the day. It could be that all of this infatuation was a result of that, more than anything.
Sydney waved her off. “I’ve already done my part by asking you. And Reese and Brynn can meet up at some point, where Reese will pop the question. You did bring up a fair point. If,for some reason, Brynn does feel uncomfortable and if she and Reese need to have a conversation about it, it’s probably better that there isn’t an audience.”
Hallie laughed wryly. “I assume that Reese isn’t used to not getting what she wants.”
But all that comment did was make Sydney beam. “She’s really one of a kind.”
Just because Hallie had been caught up in her own melodrama didn’t mean that she wanted to leave Sydney hanging. Especially not when she was finally settling into a life that she seemed truly excited about. Regardless of the fact that it was moving at the speed of a freight train. “How is everything going? Wedding planning? Coaching?”
“Everything is sort of… perfect,” Sydney said wistfully. She radiated the type of happiness that was contagious whenever Hallie was in her friend’s presence. Sydney looked down at her watch before glancing through the massive window to the courts below. “Okay. I have a nine-thirty session. But before I go…”
Hallie went on high alert. Anyone could say what they wanted about Sydney King, but she definitely knew how to keep someone on their toes. She and Reese were perfectly suited on that front. Hallie clicked her tongue. “What’s that now?”
“You never actually said yes. To being my maid of honor,” Sydney clarified, looking at Hallie intently.
“I would be honored, Sydney,” Hallie assured her best friend before letting out an exhale. This was good. Focus on Sydney’s wedding. Get some clarity with Brynn.
For the first time in weeks, she felt like she had a plan. Of course, it was one that Sydney had essentially created for her, but she was going to adhere to it, dammit!
Spend time with Brynn outside of the inn. Help Sydney plan the wedding of her dreams as her maid of honor. And, inthe meantime, not say or do anything that would get her into trouble.
She took a long drag from her straw. That last one was always easier said than done.
CHAPTER TWELVE
“Do you want to put our coats down? I can grab us drinks and then we can look around?” Hallie was standing next to Brynn, pointing at an empty table.
Brynn appreciated that, like herself, Hallie liked to get to places early. The winter arts market at Stoneport Brewery had only started a few minutes ago, but the limited tables for seating were already filling up, with more people milling in behind them. It seemed like everyone had the same idea: to get there early and beat the snowstorm that was supposed to roll through later.
Though Brynn had never been here before, Hallie had explained to her how the large, industrial space had been reconfigured for the day, with about two dozen tables set up along three of the four building walls for local vendors.
Apparently, the dead of winter in Stoneport brought people out in droves for a warm building and a cold beer.
Brynn nodded. “I can do that. Um…” She looked toward the large menu hanging from the ceiling, at least a dozen different beers brewed in-house written across it. “What do you recommend here?”
Hallie squinted adorably up at the board, closing one of her eyes completely. “I recommend that I should get glasses, first and foremost.”
Brynn looked up at the board, too, smiling as she tried not to stare too intently at Hallie. Brynn was a smitten kitten. Endeared beyond measure. She’d been learning lots of new, descriptive words this week. The hardest part had been keeping them to herself, given that she’d started to share almost everything with Hallie.
She clocked a seasonal winter beer that said there were notes of candied nuts and peanut brittle. That sounded right up her alley, especially as she waited for the feeling in her fingers to return. And if she wasn’t sold on the taste, the name alone pushed her over the edge. “I’ll take the Hoppy Hibernation.”
With a decisive nod and a matching smile, Hallie handed over her own bulky coat. For some insane reason, they’d decided that it would be a good idea to make the ten-minute trek to the brewery on foot. By the time they’d arrived from their short walk, Hallie’s face was flushed, and her cheeks had a rosy glow. “One Hoppy Hibernation, coming right up.”
Hallie turned around and joined the line of people already a few deep, waiting to be served at the bar. Meandering through the family-style tables that were still situated in the middle of the brewery, Brynn grabbed the two seats at the end of one of the tables that Hallie had pointed to earlier.
Ten days ago, Brynn had experienced intense, profoundly life-altering attraction for the first time ever. The source of it was the woman she was staring at across the room, waiting patiently to get to the bar like she hadn’t upended Brynn’s whole world.
Brynn’s life since then had been far more interesting than she ever could have imagined. Because everything was different now.
The most different part of all was Brynn.
It was like a veil had been lifted, and she couldn’t unsee what was on the other side. Now, there was an ever-present awareness whenever Hallie was close.
The morning after she and Hallie had fallen asleep together, Brynn had gratuitously checked someone out for the first time. She’d always been able to appreciate beauty. Well-done makeup. A great fashion aesthetic that allowed someone to look put together.
But this had been so, so different.
She’d felt a prickle at the base of her spine, watching Hallie that day. She’d scanned her eyes up the contours of her tennis outfit, which showcased Hallie’s legs and her hips and her breasts.
