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Ally’s eyes widened, and she gave an open-mouthed smile. “Oh my, really? Anyone who knows me, knows I love art and design. I even have a growing business selling my handmade plant pots over at Aggie’s nursery. If you show me around the cottage, I’m sure I’ll have a bunch of ideas.”
Emilia held up a hand, warning Ally to slow down. “It’s a disaster in there, and I haven’t had a chance to make much of a dent on the mess, so I’m not subjecting poor innocents to the place just yet. Besides, I’m not looking for anything too complicated, so maybe I can let you know my budget, and you can help me figure out what I can afford?”
All her money was cash, notes rolled up and hidden inside a few pairs of shoes since she’d wanted to avoid Anthony tracing any bank transactions. She hadn’t taken a whole lot of money, but she could afford to buy a few things.
“Ya sure, I heard things got weird between you and Blaine yesterday, so does that make this a covert decorating mission?” Ally’s leaned-in whisper seemed to ignore the fact that there were about a thousand acres between them and the next person. “Don’t worry about him, okay? He’s a prickly one occasionally, but you get to love him once you know him.”
Emilia opened her mouth ready to defend Blaine, but then the line about knowing him and loving him hit her square in the chest. She had known him and, because of that, had loved him. And she’d ruined their lives in doing so.
She pressed her lips together and said nothing. Maybe it was best that only Frank knew of their past. Blaine didn’t deserve the local gossip and questions, and she wanted a clean slate too.
Ally clapped her hands in a super-energized display of excitement. “Will we be slipping secret furniture orders past him? Cause that would be so much fun and would serve him right for being rude to a town newbie.”
Emilia gave a tight smile, still unable to produce any words, which Ally seemed to take as a “yes” since she proceeded to talk again. “Oh, I know. I’m going to Maynard’s Tavern tonight. You should come with. We can swap ideas, and I can introduce you to the locals.”
Somehow this woman flipped from buying covert furniture to introducing Emilia to the whole town. Emilia blinked a bunch and ground out some sounds, her frozen state hard to escape. She’d planned on maybe getting to know each person one at a time and never imagined a mass meeting involving booze and potential run-ins with the love of her life.
Ally threw a sideways glance, her lips coated in a happy shade of cherry-red lip gloss. Everything about her exuded youthful exhilaration, something Emilia had lost the day she’d been pried from Blaine’s side.
“Okay, sure.” Her skin prickled, not all that certain where those words came from.
Maybe she just wanted an escape from thinking about him. Besides, what was the point of escaping if she didn’t at least try to enjoy her freedom?
