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"Good. I'm glad he took care of you."
He sipped his mimosa as he looked around the growing crowd. "So, did you grow up with Lizzie, too?"
"No. Lizzie, Chelsea, and Adam came into my life when Lizzie bought the inn and convinced two of her siblings to move here. Gianna, Hannah, and I grew up together. My other good friend, Keira, is in Florida at the moment, but I'm hoping she moves back at some point. Oh, and I knew Jake in high school. He and Hannah were high school sweethearts."
"Like you and Kevin."
"Not exactly like us. Kevin and I went strong from high school until four years ago. Jake and Hannah broke up at the end of high school and hated each other with a white-hot passion until about a year ago, when they reconnected. They say love and hate are two sides of the same coin. That was true for them. I'm so happy they got back together, because they really complement each other."
"Zach told me he first met Gianna at summer camp when they were teenagers."
"Yeah, they also had a big misunderstanding that didn't get cleared up for a long time."
"Zach wants me to look at some plans he has for a new house build for some wealthy celebrity who wants a state-of-the-art vacation home."
"We're getting more celebrities since Whisper Lake has grown into a thriving resort community, which is great for me." She paused. "Does Zach want you to bid on his plans?"
"I think he just wants my opinion."
"Because you're leaving."
"Yes," he said, wondering if there was more behind her question.
"Right. That's what I thought. Well, it should be interesting. I wonder if it's going to be one of those super deluxe mansions with spectacular views."
"I'm guessing yes." He paused as Hannah joined them.
"Lizzie said the buffet is open, and everyone should eat." Hannah said. "Is Joel here yet?"
"He's not coming," Chloe said shortly. "He had to go back to New York, some sort of business crisis."
"That's too bad," Hannah said, her sharp gaze assessing Chloe's mood. Then she turned to him. "I'm glad you made it, Decker."
"Happy to be invited."
"You're part of the group now. Jake wants to talk to you about hiking Stone Mountain with him one day. Just to warn you, it's a very aggressive, steep hike. He seems to think you'd be into it."
"I'd love to do that," he said, feeling excited to get into the mountains.
"Well, I'm sure he'll talk to you about it. Go get some food. And we're playing trivia after brunch. Since Joel isn't here, Decker can be your partner," Hannah said.
"Only if you want to be," Chloe said quickly. "I don't even have to play."
"You're the best player, Chloe. You have to play." Hannah gave him a questioning look.
"Well, if Chloe is the best player, I definitely want her on my team."
"Great," Hannah said, as she moved on to nudge other people toward the buffet.
"What about you?" Chloe challenged. "Are you good at trivia, Decker?"
"I'm great."
She laughed. "Sandcastles and trivia. You have an eclectic skill set."
"I am good at a lot of random things," he said with a smile. "Shall we eat? I'm starving."
"Let's do it."
