“Phoebe! I miss you at the school every morning!” I smother my sister in a hug, and I’m close enough that I can hear her strangled sigh. “There’s room in Dylan’s truck for both of us. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind giving us a ride.”
I bat my eyelashes at him.
Hannah gives me the universalwhat the hell is wrong with you?look.
Dylan purses his lips together, his dimple peeking out, his eyes amused but tired. “Sure. Lots of room for both of you.”
“That’s okay. The walk is good for us.” Phoebe holds out her hand and twitches her fingers, and he surrenders Pebbles and my purse. “Lovely to see you, Dylan. And—you too. Whoever you are. C’mon, Tavi. Can’t be late. You know how much Gigi hates that.”
She loops her arm in mine and tugs.
Swear I’m a human pinball this morning with all of these people dragging me here and there.
“I’ll see you at lunch,” I call to Dylan.
I blow him a kiss and hate myself a little for it.
What would it be like if I could just kiss him goodbye, right here on the street, and not have complicated emotions about exactly how soon I’m intending to leave Tickled Pink—and by extension, him—behind?
“I’ve been trying to have patience,” Phoebe says as she drags me through the square, completely oblivious to the fact that the man I’m pretty sure I’m in love with is talking to the womanhe’sin love with,“but screw that. Do you have a business-and-marketing plan for your secret project? Because I feel like if you did, you wouldn’t still be here.”
She’s a week early, which I won’t be telling her. Dylan’s right. It’s not right to make people carry your secrets. “Phoebe. You’re not the only businesswoman in the family.”
“I never said I was.” She frowns down at me.
It’s not the same frown it would’ve been three months ago. That one would’ve beenyou’re annoying me, and I don’t know why I have to be related to you.
This one’splease don’t reject me. I’m trying.
And nowI’msighing like Dylan would. “I don’t want ... ties and obligations.”
“It’s not great for Tickled Pink that people are saying you and Carter are trapped here. If I can help you, I’m helping the town.”
I study her as we walk.
She studies me right back.
And then I think about Dylan not talking to his siblings, and I realize I don’t want that.
This Phoebe?
She’smore.
I admire her. Not because I have to. But because she’s found where she belongs and she’s doing what she needs to do to fit in, just like Iwantto do.
“I ... could possibly use an opinion or two on appealing to potential business partners.”
She studies me more.
For an entire block, in fact.
“You’d turn me down flat if I offered you money, wouldn’t you?”
“Yep.”
“Send me what you have, and I’ll meet you tonight in the place we don’t talk about.”
“You’re not going to argue?”
