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Gen barked out a laugh, her eyes twinkling with mischief. “Don’t play innocent, missy. Just then, you had a thought. A specific thought. I saw it on your face. What were you thinking about?”
Alison blushed. She couldn’t help it.
This whole blushing phenomenon was new to her. After all, she worked in an industry where costume designers poked and prodded every inch of your body. Where the press dissected every single picture ever taken of you. It wasn’t a line of work for the faint of heart, or people who were easily embarrassed and couldn’t handle attention. In fact, before arriving in Valentine Bay, Alison couldn’t remember the last time she’d blushed.
But since she’d met Troy it seemed like her cheeks were permanently red.
She opened her mouth to answer but then snapped it shut again, pressing her lips together tightly. She didn’t know what she was ready to share about her budding relationship with Troy, especially with his three de facto sisters-in-law.
She didn’t want to jinx it. Or, to think of it in a less mystical way, she didn’t want to put too much outside pressure on it too soon and crush it while it was still young and vulnerable.
Ella took the option of remaining mum on the subject of Troy away from her, though. She clapped her hands together in front of her chest and leaned forward, her face lighting up with pure joy. “You’re thinking about Troy, aren’t you? I can tell. Don’t even bother to deny it—it’s written all over your face.”
Alison took a long sip of her wine and nodded. “Okay, yes. You got me. I was thinking about Troy.”
She gave the girls a shy glance and decided to take the plunge and confide in her new friends. “In fact, it kind of seems like thinking about Troy is pretty much all I do, lately.”
Abby grinned. “That is such great news!”
“Is it?”
“Absolutely!” Ella agreed. “Troy deserves happiness. He deserves a good woman in his life, and even though I don’t know you super well, I can tell that you’re one of those. I have artistic intuition. I’m a great judge of character, and I spotted you right off the bat—you’re very empathetic and loyal. It’s all over your aura. That’s exactly what Troy needs. He’s such a good guy.”
“He seems like a really good guy,” Alison agreed. “I don’t know if I would call myself a spectacularly good judge of character, but I don’t think I need to be one to know he’s a good person. It’s pretty obvious in everything about him.”
Gen nodded. “It sure is. I mean, look at the way he gave up his professional baseball career to come home and take care of Mila. None of the rest of the family was in a position to do that at the time, and he did it without a second thought.”
“Wow. I knew he used to be a pro ballplayer. And I knew he’d come home to take care of Mila. But I didn’t know that he actually gave up his career to do it. That’s a major personal sacrifice.”
“Troy is an amazing guy,” Abby confirmed. “But I think you’re coming to that conclusion on your own.”
Alison nodded, warmth spreading slowly through her chest. Yeah, she’d come to that conclusion, all right. She just wasn’t sure what it meant for the future.
