The Summer's End by Mary Alice Monroe Page B

fat?”
    â€œHoney, I ain’t stupid enough to try and answer that one.”
    Dora sucked in her belly, wishing she’d had the discipline to skip the grits the night before. She stepped into the dress, wriggling as she tugged it over her hips. It was snug around the caboose, but it fit. “Harper picked these out. She always goes for that sleek, severe look. Don’t you think it’s a bit plain? I wish it had a bit of ruffle, or some bling on it.” She sighed and walked to Devlin’s side. “Zip me up?”
    Devlin obliged. It was like being a married couple, she thought contentedly as he worked the tiny clasp at the top. Only better. She was free to come and go from his house as she pleased, though she supposed that would come to an end once she and Nate moved out of Sea Breeze and he didn’t have his aunts or great-grandmother to keep an eye on him at a moment’s notice. Devlin wanted to tie the knot, but after a lifetime of being at her mother’s or her husband’s beck and call, she was enjoying her newfound freedom—though she didn’t dare tell him that.
    â€œHow’s Carson doing?” Devlin asked.
    She’d already told him that Carson was keeping the baby. It was typical of Dev to be concerned about her. He and Carson had been surfing buddies since they were kids. Dora was secretly convinced that Carson once had a crush on Dev back when he was a dashing blond surfer and a leader in her surfing crowd. Though, of course, Carson denied it.
    â€œGood. Real good.”
    â€œSaw her with Blake. They on again?”
    â€œYou mean Rhett and Scarlett?” She chuckled. “The jury’s still out on that. They’re seeing each other ostensibly to make plans for Delphine.” Dora smirked. “But they’re not fooling anyone.” She thought of the knowing smiles, the cuddling, and other indicators. “But you know Carson. When things get too close, she bolts.”
    â€œI always said that was one fish that was hard to catch.”
    Dora chuckled as she began to set her blond waves, knowing it was true. Carson’s history of running from relationships was legendary. “I think the only reason she hasn’t run back to Los Angeles yet is because she can’t afford to.” Dora sighed. “She’s jumpier than a driver who’s got to pee looking for exits.”
    Devlin chuckled, a low rumbling sound. “You get like that whenever I mention marriage, too.”
    Dora scoffed and waved her hand dismissively. “Not the same thing at all. I figure her being stuck here is a good thing. She’s forced to stay and deal with her problems rather than run from them. Or from a guy.”
    â€œBlake’s a good guy.” Devlin went to the bar and poured himself a glass of seltzer water over ice. Dora noticed, pleased that he was cutting back on his drinking. “Speaking of guys, what was that you were mentioning about some guy coming from Florida to see Carson and getting our boy all riled?”
    Dora put down her brush, her eyes gleaming with news. “Mamaw told me all about it. It was a big misunderstanding. Anyway, this Taylor fella . . . Mamaw say’s he’s quite the looker . . . is just a friend of Carson’s. From when she was in Florida. But”—Dora’s eyes sparkled—“as it happens, he turns out to be a person of interest for Harper.”
    â€œHarper?” Devlin said with doubt. “Our Harper? I didn’t figure she got her nose out of her computer long enough to be attracted to any guy. Thought she’d have hooked up with one of those online things . . . what you call those, anima icons?”
    â€œAvatar.” Dora knew such things because of Nate. “What you talkin’ about, boy?” she teased. “Our Harper’s got plenty of interest from real flesh-and-blood fellas. Except she’s not interested in