And he made a really good point, except for one thing.
“Tripp,Iwas the one who came up with this whole idea,” Allie reminded him.
“But he went right along with it, didn’t he?” Tripp asked. “And look at him today. His ex isn’t even here, and he’s acting up a storm anyway, pretending like he’s hanging on your every word, holding your hand.”
Allie tried not to wince. The day with Ash had felt so good. Was he really only listening to her because he was pretending to be in love with her?
“Whatever else he’s doing, he’s going to help my students,” she told her brother, calling on the calm she projected in her classroom, even on days when things were chaotic. “So I’m along for the ride.”
“What do you mean he’s going to help your kids?” Tripp asked, looking even more suspicious.
“We’re putting in a greenhouse at the school,” Allie said, unable to keep the smile off her face just thinking about it. “And he’s going to provide everything we need to maintain it.”
“Why?” Tripp asked. “Tax write-off?”
“No,” Allie said. “Well, maybe, I don’t really know. But mainly in exchange for me tutoring Maya, and…”
“And what?” Tripp asked.
“And going along with this fiancée thing,” Allie admitted quietly.
“So you made abargainwith him?” Tripp asked, looking horrified.
“He’s not a goblin prince in a fairy tale or something,” Allie said. “People barter all the time in real life. You covered a shift at the ice cream shop for Charlotte last week in exchange for one of her homemade pumpkin pies.”
“That’s not the same thing, Allie,” Tripp said softly. “Just be careful, okay? I don’t want you getting hurt.”
“You were fine with me falling for him before you knew he was rich,” Allie realized out loud.
“No I wasn’t,” Tripp said.
“You said I had good instincts,” Allie reminded him, then lowered her voice to do her terrible impression of her brother. “He’s a good guy. There’s a reason your heart told you to say what you did. Don’t question it.”
“That doesn’t sound like me,” Tripp said.
But his eyes were twinkling.
“So you don’t trust my instincts now just because he’s got money?” Allie asked. “How is that fair?”
Tripp sighed.
“I guess when I thought he was a regular guy, you helping him seemed almost noble,” he said after a moment. “But now that I know he could probably hire a Hollywood actress to play his fiancée if he wanted, it worries me. What does a man like that want with my baby sister?”
You don’t think I’m good enough for a rich man,Alliewanted to say.
But she kept her mouth shut. She knew that wasn’t exactly right. Tripp had lived his whole life on this farm, and it made sense that he was slow to trust someone who was so different. And neither of them had any real idea just how different Ash might be.
Maybe I really should slow down…
“Miss Lawrence, Miss Lawrence,” Maya called out, her words accompanied by the sound of quick footsteps. “It’s time fordessert.”
“Be careful, Allie,” Tripp said, grabbing her hand and squeezing it. “That’s all I ask.”
“Of course,” she promised him, squeezing his hand back and looking him right in the eyes so he would know she meant it.
“That’s my girl,” he said with a smile.
“Are you having dessert too?” Maya asked as she appeared in the doorway, her beautiful dark eyes dancing.
