to the polished blonde. “Does Dylan get credit for that?”
“No, but it’s a good thing if he’s helping her realize she has to take care of herself in addition to everyone else.”
“You’re talking about me like I’m not standing here.”
“True,” Meredith said with a nod. Carrie wasn’t sure who she was talking to. “Maybe he’s not all bad other than the business about wanting to change the very fabric of the town we love.”
“Enough.” Carrie put her brushes in the Mason jars of mineral spirits, and then stalked to the doorway before looking over her shoulder. “I missed dinner, and talking to the two of you is giving me a headache.”
“She’s hangry,” Avery said to Meredith.
“Happens to the best of us,” Meredith agreed.
Carrie wanted to shout in frustration, but a laugh bubbled up inside her instead. It was crazy to think that she’d spent most of her life as an only child. At this point she couldn’t imagine not having her sisters to frustrate, annoy, entertain and support her.
“There’s food in the office fridge,” she told them. “You two can fill me in on what I missed from the meeting while I’m eating.”
Meredith winked. “And you can fill us in on your new and vastly improved love life.”
“It’s not love,” Carrie whispered.
Avery gave her a funny look but didn’t argue.
“I just realized something tragic.” Meredith made a face. “I’m now the only one of the three of us who’s all shriveled up and lonely in the lady parts department.”
Carrie grimaced. “Shriveled up? Too much information, sis.”
“You know what I mean.”
“Then we need to find a boyfriend for you, too,” Avery offered.
“Dylan isn’t my boyfriend,” Carrie reminded them as she walked toward the small office at the back of the studio. She grabbed the half sandwich leftover from lunch and joined her sisters at the small cluster of chairs they’d set up for sip and paint customers.
“Boyfriend. Netflix and chillin’. Friends with benefits.” Meredith let out an exaggerated sigh. “I don’t care what name you use. I’m jealous.”
“We’ll find you a man,” Avery assured her.
“Dylan isn’t my man,” Carrie argued. “It’s a...”
“Fling?” Avery suggested.
“Mistake?” Meredith offered at almost the same time.
“Diversion,” Carrie supplied after a moment.
“Nothing wrong with a diversion that makes your toes curl.” Meredith chuckled.
Carrie folded her arms across her chest. “I didn’t say that.”
Avery leaned closer. “You didn’t have to, sweetie. It’s written all over your face.”
“And painted all over that canvas.”
“You two need to mind your own business.”
Avery threw back her head and laughed. “I remember thinking the exact same thing after Gray and I got serious.”
“It’s not serious,” Carrie insisted then held up a hand. “I’m done talking about this. Tell me about the meeting.”
She took a bite of sandwich and waited, wondering if the two of them would let the subject go.
“Your vision is coming to life all around Magnolia,” Avery said finally, grinning widely. “You’re like a flippin’ holiday festival genius. The town council is so excited, they want me to come up with a tourism plan for the first quarter of the New Year. I think they might actually give us a decent budget. Tourism revenue is strong again with local businesses, and they’ve even had interest from several midsize companies that are looking to build new headquarters in an up-and-coming East Coast town.”
Carrie listened as they spoke, pride filling her at the same time that guilt made her stomach twist. She really should have been at tonight’s meeting. Dylan was a fun distraction, but she had to keep her eye on the prize. There’d be plenty of time to focus on herself, her art and even her love life if that was what she wanted.
Now she had to get through the next few weeks of the holiday season and make sure Magnolia was positioned for the future she and her sisters planned.
* * *
“THIS IS SO DUMB,” Sam muttered as he and Dylan walked across the parking lot of the old textile factory building Friday afternoon. “Why do I have to be here?”
“Natural consequences,” Dylan replied.
“You can trust me,” Sam insisted. “I learned my stupid lesson. At least let me sit in the car.”
Dylan turned on his heel, placing his hands on the boy’s shoulders when Sam almost plowed into him. He paused for a moment, noticing that Sam seemed taller than he had even a week ago and would soon catch up to Dylan in height. A kid in a man’s body.
It shouldn’t be a surprise. Wiley and Uncle Russ had