Page 39 of Rebooting Conor Flynn

Devon poked her head around the corner from what was probably the kitchen, her blonde hair in a high ponytail, an apron tied around her long, lithe frame. “Hey, Noelle.”

“Does Charlie have you slaving away in the kitchen for this party?” I crossed the room and gave her a one-armed hug while I sniffed the scent of butter and sugar floating out of the oven.

“Everything’s catered but the sweet stuff. You know I can’t have anyone else making the dessert.”

“Yeah, I heard you opened a bakery in London several years ago—Sweet Devon.”

Devon made a face that did nothing to alter her beauty. “Not so sweet...it didn’t work out.”

“But song writing has. You two are killing it.”

Charlie slung his arm around Devon’s shoulders and licked a dab of frosting from her cheek. “She’s the best song-writing partner I ever had—just don’t tell Ian.”

An ear-splitting scream from the staircase interrupted our conversation, and a blonde in a pair of shorts and a crop top barreled down the stairs. “Oh my God! It’s Noelle.”

My mouth dropped open as the blonde almost tackled me. “This can’t possibly be Poppy.”

“She and Lily were just girls when you saw them last. Now she’s...” Charlie waved his hand over his sister “...an annoying influencer.”

“I remember the twins, but how do you remember me?”

Poppy twirled around. “You gave me and Lily a tour of the bus and let us have a fizzy drink from the fridge and chocolate bars from that basket. Mum was so mad.”

I hugged Poppy and rubbed her back. “I’m so sorry about your mum.”

Poppy dropped her gaze, and her lip quivered. “Charlie showed us the flowers you sent.”

Another blonde jogged down the stairs, and I did a double-take. This wasn’t Poppy’s twin, Lily though.

Devon pointed at the young woman. “This is my sister, Chelsea. She and Poppy have a...thing.”

I snapped my fingers. “Of course. You’re the Bizzy Blondes. Even I’ve heard about your fashion critiques. Just don’t turn your gaze...or your wit on me.”

Tilting her head, Poppy put her finger on her chin. “Dark jeans, white blouse, French tucked, black flats, stacked gold bangles and a sleek do with just a little messiness.”

Poppy glanced at Chelsea and both girls made zigzags in the air with perfectly manicured fingernails and said, “Bi-zzy.”

Devon rolled her eyes. “That’s a good thing in case you were wondering.”

I laughed. No wonder the Bizzy Blondes went viral almost daily. “Does this go on all day?”

“Pretty much. Fuck my life.” Charlie gulped back some beer from a bottle. “But none of that shit tonight. These are my guests, and I’m not subjecting them to a couple of snarky TikTok birds.”

Poppy and Chelsea flounced away, their heads together, cooking up a plan, I was sure.

Devon tugged on my hand. “Help me stack these cupcakes while you and Charlie reminisce.”

As Devon put me to work placing perfect confections on a tiered silver server, Charlie nudged me. “Talking about reminiscing, you and Con fall back into your old...habits.”

“Old habits?” I wiped some pink frosting from my fingers on a paper towel. “I mean, no. We were in a sort of young love relationship back then. It didn’t last.”

“Now you can be in an old love relationship.”

Devon kicked Charlie’s foot.

I shrugged. “Haven’t you heard? Conor and Ashley Bennett are a thing now.”

“Yeah, right.” Charlie tapped a tin of nicotine strips. “That’s as fake as that bulge in Sam’s sparkly jumpsuit he used to wear.”