Page 42 of Secondhand Secrets

“She’s amazing.” Ally flashed her famous wide grin, and he felt like he could finally breathe again. “I’ve tried and failed at digital art many times, but Jamie here is a total gun.”

“Well if you ever want to try again, you can always hit me up on the socials for help.” Jamie pressed her laptop screen closed and peered over to Chip. “And while my art exists only to take my mind off coding problems, your girl here is the real deal.”

A wicked smile pulled at Dean’s lips. “That’s the second person tonight to refer to Ally as your girl, Chip. You move fast.”

Though Chip’s jaw slackened from the shock of another person confronting him over private affairs, Ally cut in with the loud clearing of her throat, her nose crinkled at Dean in a playful expression. “I’m nobody’s girl, thank you very much. And way to draw attention from my professional efforts and onto more personal stuff.”

Dean held both hands up in surrender. “Well, sorry. Please do share more on your professional life.”

While Chip scrambled to acclimate to the dissipated tension since his time at the bar, Ally laughed and sat a little taller. “Well, aside from I coming here to see off Chip’s friends, I also wanted to celebrate receiving some potentially exciting news of my own.”

Matt laughed and pulled a fry from the table’s share plate. “Don’t tell me Encode wants you on the payroll too?”

“Close, but not quite.” Ally stabbed a finger in his direction, her eyes glittering and her cheeks holding a rosy glow. “My friend, Emilia, has a client interested in distributing my pots to an East Coast chain store.”

“No way!” Jamie nudged Ally with an elbow. “Ally, that’s great.”

Ally held a hand up, indicating she wasn’t finished just yet. “It’s still early days, and the Argyles have only asked for samples, but it’s a start, right?”

“Holy shit! The Argyles?” Jamie grabbed Ally’s raised hand and closed her fingers around it in an excited grasp. “My mom shops there all the time. Argyles is her go-to place for housewarming gifts. You should see my apartment. It’s full of their groovy pots. I’m pretty sure Mom would set up a tent and live at an Argyles if she could.”

“Really?” Ally did a little dance where she sat and turned her joy-filled beam to him. “I knew they were big, but I had no idea.”

The muscles in his throat became suddenly too thick, and he struggled to pull his gaze from hers. Not that he wanted to. Only, his news and her news combined to bring his heart to a slow and reluctant beat. “I’m happy for you. I’m really happy for you.”

And really, he was. Even as he reached out and stroked the pad of his thumb over her cheek. His way of holding on to her when he knew he couldn’t. Even as her smile dimmed, and her attention homed on him like he was the only person in the room, a reminder of just how much it would hurt when they’d have to let go. Again.

Caught in the moment, he let himself forget about the others. She had a chance at her artistic dreams. To have money and, therefore, independence. Perhaps one day, she’d travel the world. Just as she wanted.

As much as all those things would lengthen their divide, she didn’t pull away from him like she had before, and so he dared to lean in and drop a quick kiss to her lips.

“Wow!”

He turned to Sarah standing across the table with a tray of plates in one hand, her mouth agape. “Onto public displays of affection already? You move fast.”

Dean barked out an uncharacteristic, hearty laugh and slapped his knee. “That’s what I said.”

“I just…” Ally directed a wide expression to Sarah, her ivory skin somehow markedly paler, her jaw wavering like she didn’t know how to finish her sentence. A plodding silence held before she shook her head as if to awaken from a nightmare. “This is way more than I planned on for tonight. I’m just going to go.”

“No.” She winced at his insistence, like just the chance of being convinced to stay brought real physical pain, but he didn’t want this rift between Ally and his sister to linger without an attempt to reconcile. “You’re both going to talk.”

She stood, chair scraping against the floor, her strained attempt at a reassuring smile looking more like a grimace. “No, really, it’s fine. I’ll see you tomorrow or something.”

She took a step away, but he stood and grabbed her hand. “Stay and talk, please.”

The skin under her eyes bunched, and her burrowing stare fixed on him before flicking over to Sarah. To his surprise, she gave a rigid nod and so did Sarah.

Ally’s hand found his, albeit in a tight hold. Meanwhile, Sarah turned to the neighboring table, serving out the meals on her tray and then twisting back with a tilt of her head for Chip and Ally to follow her.

On the brisk walk to the kitchen, Ally lagged behind, hand still in his even as they crashed through the swinging doors leading to the kitchen.

A mild wave of heat engulfed him. Gordon, Maynard’s chef, spun away from the stove. “Hey, what’s this about? My kitchen isn’t a meeting roo—” A slow smile overtook his face, and he pulled at the tea towel tucked in his apron belt, wiping his hands. “Chip, buddy. I haven’t seen you since high school.”

If he’d planned to shake Chip’s hand, that didn’t happen. Though Sarah kept her back to everyone, whatever look she shot Gordon, had him returning to his stove, shaking his head while muttering something inaudible under his breath.

Sarah changed direction, stalking for the narrow passage leading to the backdoor. But rather than continue, she spun around and paused right there, as though she intended to lead this exchange. Only it was Ally who cut in and spoke first.

Nineteen

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