Blinking, she smiled. That soft one that she ducked her head into like she was shy. “And thank you, Harper.”
My heart pulsed hard in my chest, leaving me stunned. “Go, Alta.”
Because if she didn’t leave now, she’d be taking my pounding heart with her.
Chapter Twelve
ALTA
If divine intervention was a real thing, I had to wonder what the heck I did to the gods for them to skip me in bestowing luck. Or grace. Or really anything good.
I guess I won enough of a lottery being born into the family I was. Rich, tight knit, seemingly perfect. Maybe the gods didn’t think I had a need for any other gifts like say, I don’t know,how not to look like a blubbering idiot in front of the guy I just kissed.
The ship had long sailed on that one I guess, as the only actual conversation I’d been able to have with Harper today was concerning business. Anything else and I was as frozen as an iceberg in front of the Titanic, my mouth doingthis fish gaping thing where the only options were between blowing out silent air or saying the most ridiculous things imaginable.
Thankfully, everythingotherthan my interactions with Gus Harper had been a success for the day.
Festival Day!
After a morning full of set up, there was only a ten minute lull where we needed to calm my nervous sister down, assuring her that people would show up.
All of us, Fergusons and Fernandez’s included, stood around her as she paced the entrance in a panic. And admittedly, her stress had quickly become our stress. All of ours. We wanted this to be good for Ceci. After working so hard to find her passions this summer, she deserved it.
She didn’t end up waiting long.
What started as a few stragglers, turned into a few families, and then before we knew it people were pouring in the gates ready to shop and eat and be entertained all in the name of the Seaside Waterways Women's Shelter.
I was so happy for her. And after checking in with all my participating vendors, I would also be happy to finally take a seat. I just had to go grab that report I told Harper to hold for me.
The first face I saw when I walked up to the mostly black booth was Jules’. Her blonde hair was down over her shoulders and shining in the sun. Her tattoos on display as she sported a little sundress for this sunny day. As I neared, I couldn’t help but run my eyes up the expanse of her pale arms and over the various black ink designs that she had painted there.
Absently, I wondered if it hurt. Could I ever get one?—
“Hey, Ally!” Jules said, ducking slightly to catch my eyes from spanning her body. “Doing okay?”
My eyes speared up to her, realizing how rude I was being. I smiled hoping to mask my weirdness. “Yeah, sorry. How’s it going over here?”
“Pretty damn good,” she said, leaning down on a palm. “Ahead of our goal for the day. Gus says if I sell more than ten, he’ll split his tips with me for the rest. So I’m putting in the extra mile, if you feel me.”
I blinked, frowning.And why was she looking at me like that?
“C’mon, Ally. I saw you looking.” She waggled her eyebrows. I cocked my head in confusion and she blinked too. “Oh God, you really don’t know what I’m saying?”
I shook my head, eyebrows pinching.
Suddenly, Lana’s hands came down on the surface of the table right beside Jules, braids spilling all over the table as she did. “She’s flaunting the goods, Ally, c’mon keep up.”
“What!” My mouth dropped open. “Did Harper tell you to do that?”
Laughter erupted instantly from the two girls. Apparently, something was very funny. “No! He would never, at least not seriously.”
“Oh,” I straightened up, closing my mouth. “Okay, good.”
They stopped laughing, Lana’s eyes squinting slightly. “Why? Did he askyouto do something like that?”
“No!” I said quickly. Too quickly. They both gasped. “Guys, no!No.He wouldn’t do that. You know that.”
“So what happened when you guys were in his office, then?” Lana pressed.
