Page 58 of Secondhand Secrets

“No way.” Kelly’s face lit up, and she nudged out an elbow in a you-go-girl show of support.

Meanwhile, a distinct lightness spread through Ally’s chest. At Kelly’s reaction and the pride in which Chip had defended her.

William pressed his lips together, as though still considering Chip’s words, the man’s face a harsher version of his son’s, his hair a similar length, albeit styled back and about eighty-percent gray these days.

“Not bad.” His attention landed on Ally. “What are your plans if the deal falls through?”

Her mind drew a blank, and she plodded back to her seat, where she swiped up her wine glass and took a long swig. Frankly, the whole Argyle thing had been Emilia’s idea. Ally had just assumed a scrapped deal would mean her prospects simply ended there.

“She has a business consultant.” Chip’s hand slipped over hers under the table. “A ruthless one who won’t stop until another deal is found.”

She startled at his artful description of Emilia. Strong minded, sure. But ruthless? Anyone who’d met the diminutive woman would not agree.

His defense had started to slip into dishonesty, and his ongoing insistence on her potential made her skin prickle.

Why was he trying so hard? And what if the Argyle deal did fold?

Would he be less proud of her?

Needing a moment to sift through her thoughts, she frowned at her empty plate, only for Senior Overton to hit her with another question. “So, let’s say this or another deal goes ahead. It sounds to me you’re a one-woman production line. How will you keep up with demand?”

She forced the muscles on her face to remain loose, the desire to shoot William a pinched scowl all-too strong while a hot, swelling sensation pushed against her lower ribcage. “I haven’t thought that through just yet.”

The glacial edge to Senior Overton’s eyes defrosted slightly, a hint he saw her lacking plans as a win for him. “One perk of being in private practice, I have a number of wealthy and grateful former patients. I’m sure I could pull some strings to help you expand. Someone who can organize other artists to increase production, maybe even an investor, or—”

“Dad, no.” Chip’s stern glare held firm on his father’s, two men wearing the same expression but for different reasons.

She sat silent, her face cold, and a sharp tension clawing at her heart.

“And what if another opportunity knocks tomorrow?” His dad leaned over the table, his tone harsh and his fingers curled tight around his scotch glass, as though he rebuked one of his cardiac patients for picking up smoking again. “She won’t be prepared.”

“It’s still early days.” Chip’s statement was delivered in a taut staccato, the clench of his jaw further hindering the sound.

His dad scoffed. “She still needs a plan.”

“Ally will wait and see what happens next.”

A short pause ensued, and she opened her mouth to say something, but Kelly got in first. “Bill. Please.”

Do I get a say in any of this?

He flicked a hand through the air, dismissing his wife, and she settled into her seat beside him, sending Ally a shrug.

“Businesses rise and fall.” Bill stilled a beat before pressing on. “People go bankrupt far quicker and easier than you think, William.”

That was the first time, outside their school days, Ally had ever heard anyone refer to Chip as William, his father’s formal approach strengthening the divide between them.

But Chip plastered on a derisive smile, not even flinching at the address, as though icy exchanges were the usual price of entry into this house. “Nice of you to acknowledge that I even think.”

Not yet ready to look at the two bickering men, she shook her head at her plate, an uncontainable heat pushing to burst out from within her.

Bill Overton’s attitude, the pressure he laid on Chip, much less on her—a woman he’d met for the first time in a decade. No wonder Chip believed he wasn’t enough.

And still, as much as he disliked his upbringing, the speed in which he spoke for her, lumping her with the same burden to excel. Well, she couldn’t deal with that either.

“I’ve been in this room all of half an hour.” She spoke in a low, frustrated tone. “And you’re both already planning my life.”

She lifted her attention to Chip but refused to look at his dad, mostly because of what she might do if she did.

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