AllFreeNovel
Share Us
Flynn whispered, “We’re getting out of here.” He stood, and she felt his strong hand wrap around hers, urging her to her feet. His fingers were warm against her icy skin.
Ally rose, and keeping her close to his side, Flynn slowly threaded their way through the crowd. Iris stuck close to her on the other side. Between Flynn calling out greetings and Iris smiling and waving, there was a lot of commotion, but Ally focused on putting one foot in front of the other as they slowly wended through the crowds.
They almost made it. Ally heard the voice behind her and knew who it was even before Kendall Meade stepped into their path.
“Excuse me?” she asked. “Ally Mowak?”
“Yes.” Ally felt like she was slowly sinking in quicksand.
The woman’s gaze flicked down to Ally’s and Flynn’s still-joined hands, a smirk playing on her lips. Flynn gave Ally’s fingers a reassuring squeeze.
Flattening a flawless hand just below her neck, she said, “I’m Kendall Meade. I understand you’re a…friend of Tag’s?”
“Yes, I am.” The desire to say she was more than that was overwhelming. The fact that she didn’t know if it was true felt like a knife to the heart.
“Huh. I just wanted to introduce myself to the competition. My goodness, you are a cute little thing, aren’t you? I love how your generation is so…casual.”
Ally was pretty sure the thorough eye trip up and down her blue-jeans-and-fleece-clad length was supposed to be intimidating. Ha. All it did was hint at the woman’s own insecurity. And that’s when Ally realized that it wasn’t Kendall she was jealous of, not precisely. It was what she represented. What she couldn’t have. Still, that didn’t mean she cared about Tag any less.
“Competition?”
A practiced laugh followed, and Ally wanted to roll her eyes. “Yes, competition for his time in the coming months. You’re going to have to share him, you know? He’ll be spending a lot of time in my neck of the woods now.”
Ally knew in her soul that this woman would never love Tag the way she did. Okay, maybe she was a little jealous of Kendall. But the fact that Kendall was manipulative and downright mean was what prompted her to say, “Oh, I’m not worried. I’ll be by his side every minute. After that fiasco with the photographer in Juneau, where you held on to him like a desperate barnacle? He’s refused to ever visit there without me again.” The lie rolled off her tongue like blueberry jelly on oven-fresh bread. She spread a dollop of warm, comfortable laughter on top for good measure.
A less perceptive person might have missed the woman’s subtle reaction, but not Ally. Buoyed by the flash of uncertainty in Kendall’s crystal-blue eyes, the muscle ticking in her neck, Ally knew she had Kendall right where she wanted her. And even though she and Tag might be finished, she wasn’t about to let Kendall Meade believe she’d played any part in it.
“Oh, dear…” Screwing her face into a concerned expression, Ally took a step closer. Tilting her head, she lifted a hand and pointed at Kendall’s face. “Right there…on your cheek. It’s hard to tell for sure with all that makeup you’re wearing, but that rough patch on your skin with the discoloration? You should have that checked out.”
Kendall paled and lifted a finger to touch the spot.
“You know what? Never mind. On second thought, it’s probably just an age spot.”
Beside her, Iris snorted with laughter.
Kendall opened her mouth, but no words came out.
Ally said, “We’ve gotta run. But it was nice to meet you, Kendall. See you in Juneau.” Ally tugged Flynn’s hand, and he and a chuckling Iris fell into step beside her as the three of them continued to Ally’s house.
* * *
IF THE SOUND of the alarm from her phone hadn’t been indicating the need for an emergency medical transport, Ally would have been relieved for the distraction. Okay, she was relieved, but her guilt was alleviated by the fact that her concern was far greater.
Flynn offered to drive her to the hospital, so they left Iris at Ally’s house and took off in a hurry. Shifting into rescue mode would take her mind off Tag and give her a purpose. A quick call to dispatch indicated the emergency was in Killebrew and Ally wondered if she knew the patient. As the crow flies, Killebrew wasn’t far from Saltdove.
