Page 24 of Secondhand Secrets

“Right?” Ally bit her lower lip, delaying the next thing she had to say. “And seeing him again… He’s so different… and then last night, I don’t know how, but… but we kissed.”

“Wait. What?” Emilia’s voice shot higher, and she lashed out her hands, grabbing Ally’s arms and tugging her in. “You kissed him?”

“Well, yeah, though he didn’t much appreciate me admitting the whole thing was weird.”

Emilia let loose with a series of stupefied blinks, her lips parted in a way that confessed an inability to know what to say.

So, Ally stared at the ground and spared her friend by offering further explanation. “But it wasn’t the kiss that was weird, it’s that I’m even attracted to him in the first place. And I know I’ve been here countless times before with other guys, but this one really does feel different.”

“Because you two were so close?” Emilia’s lowered tone indicated her shock had settled, but Ally shook her head again, still trying and failing to process her feelings.

“That, but there’s more too. For so long, he was everything I didn’t want.” She lifted her gaze, catching the small and confused twist of Emilia’s brow. “We’ve both changed so much, Emilia. And Chip, he’s different and scary. As in, so smart and sure of everything he does while having this unexplainable intuitive grasp of what I’m thinking. I wouldn’t know where to start with a man like that. Jeez Louise, even if I did, there’s just no going back if things don’t work out. I don’t know what I’m supposed to do here.”

A gentle smile played at Emilia’s lips, her fingertips curling into a reassuring grip around Ally’s arms. “Sounds like you had a solid decade to disassociate from whatever bonds you two had. Things feel different because they are different. You could start with getting to know the man he is today.”

“I don’t know if I want to.”

“Why?”

“Because ever since I’ve known him, he’s had this bright future mapped out. I, on the other hand—”

“Shine bright in your own way”—Emilia reached up and tapped the tip of Ally’s nose—“and don’t you forget that.”

She released Ally from her hold and dipped her head, her stance denoting a moment of thought. “He’s not in town for long.”

“Yep, which is why I told him nothing can happen between us.”

Emilia whipped her chin up and leveled a death stare Ally’s way. “Not with that attitude, it won’t.”

“I don’t need another soul-destroying crush.”

But Emilia swatted a hand at Ally’s husky admission, her attention dropping again, as though she returned to whatever plan she hatched. “Look at Blaine and I. We bridged ten years apart as well as my temporary plans in Harlow and my being fresh from my first marriage. Plus, don’t forget, I even had my ex literally gunning to end me. So in comparison, getting you and Chip to work will be easy.”

“Except if it isn’t, then I’m lumping you with my therapy bill.” Ally held a flat tone and stare, even though the light fluttering in her tummy said the woman’s logic already took effect. “What if this goes all wrong? I’m not on great terms with his sister. If things go bad with Chip, she’ll probably make friends with the syndicate just put a hit out on me .”

Emilia gave a light chuckle. “But you like him, don’t you?”

Wanting to escape the weight of Emilia’s scrutiny, Ally stared down at the white floorboards and offered a weak nod.

“Great.” Emilia’s enthused tone had Ally lifting her chin. “And are you tied to living in Harlow forever, or would you consider relocating for love?”

She scowled at Emilia for a bit, not happy to confront her old habit of throwing herself all-in for a man, much less consider sacrificing her ties to her entire family. “I want to see the world, but leave Harlow and my family altogether? That’s a major leap of faith, dontcha think.”

“And yet that’s not an outright no.” The woman’s gaze swept over her. “Where’s your phone?”

“In my pocket…” Ally pitched a frown. “Why?”

“Don’t even stop to hesitate. Send Chip a message right now. Just tell him to meet you tonight.” Emilia crossed her arms and gave a resolute shrug. “You haven’t got all that long to decide how you feel, and the only way to do that is to spend as much time with him as you can… while you can.”

“Nah-ah.” Ally shook her head, pressing a protective hand over her phone tucked in her short denim skirt’s only pocket. “That’s not going to happen. I can’t—”

Emilia shot back a hard scoff. “Yeah, well, you already have. You kissed him, and it was clearly good enough to leave you all tied up and confused. I’d even wager you’ve barely thought about anything other than Chip since.”

Ally narrowed her eyes into a half-hearted glare. “No comment.”

“Yeah, exactly.” Emilia matched Ally’s expression. “So, get your phone out of your pocket. Now.”

For the first time ever, Ally saw what Blaine meant when he complained about his fiancée’s stubbornness. Still, not quite ready to surrender, Ally slipped the phone from her pocket and clutched it to her chest.

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