Page 39 of The VIP Doubles Down

“I can’t believe it!” Allie said, rounding the sofa and hugging Claire. “I haven’t seen you in, what, ten years?”

“I’m so sorry about your mother’s passing,” Claire said, taking both of Allie’s hands. “She was a wonderful lady. Always ready to lend a helping hand to anyone in need.”

“I miss her,” Allie said, feeling the tears prickle. “How’s your sister doing?”

Claire’s eyes lit with joy. “So much better since she left Frank. In fact, I think we may have a wedding sometime soon. She and Robbie McGraw.”

The giant of a man standing beside Claire cleared his throat.

“Oh, Tim. I’m so sorry. We got caught up in catching up.” Claire smiled in apology. “Allie, this is my husband, Tim Arbuckle.”

“You took over Doc Messer’s veterinary practice,” Allie said, putting her hand in Tim’s enormous grasp.

“You must be from Sanctuary,” Tim said, a twinkle in his eyes. He had a slow smile that made you trust him instantly.

Allie laughed. “How did you guess?”

“It seems to be old home week,” Gavin said from beside Allie. She hadn’t noticed his approach.

Claire threaded her arm through Allie’s. “We all grew up in the same town. I’m a few years older than Allie, but it’s a small place, so everyone knows everyone. Well, except for Tim, because he left when he was really young and returned just a couple of years ago.”

Chloe joined the little group, her face glowing with delight. “I’m patting myself on the back for bringing you all together. Not that I knew I was doing it, but I’ll take credit anyway.”

They decided to go right in to dinner because Tim confessed that he was hungry. “It takes a lot of fuel to keep this body going,” he said.

“I hear you,” Luke Archer said.

As they walked down the hall to the dining room, Claire fell into step beside Allie. “How do you know the Trainors?” she asked in a low voice.

“I just met them. I’m Gavin’s physical therapist,” Allie said. “What about you?”

“I started as Nathan’s art adviser, back when I was in New York. He walked into the gallery where I worked when he started collecting,” Claire said. “But we’ve become friends. I just brought up a new Julia Castillo painting he bought and advised him on the best place to hang it.”

“I heard you’d gotten famous in the art world,” Allie said. “I love it when a fellow mountaineer hits it big.”

Chloe was arranging her guests around the oblong table in the dining room. “I have to do a little regrouping based on our newly discovered connections,” she said, putting Allie between Tim and Gavin.

“Let’s find time to talk later,” Claire said.

As Allie waited for everyone to settle, she glanced around the room. Two chandeliers that looked more like sculptures than light fixtures hung over the polished wooden table with its inlaid border. An enormous Oriental rug covered most of the floor. The walls appeared to be covered in a shimmering green fabric. Another wall of windows offered a view of the Hudson River.

The table itself was set with leather place mats and gleaming modern silver flatware, centered by a row of pillar candles alternating with bowls of orchids. It was simple but beautiful in a way that only lots and lots of money could create.

Yet she wasn’t the only person from Sanctuary, West Virginia, at this table. She sat up straighter.

“You’re not going to spend the entire dinner reminiscing about riding your ponies down to the old watering hole, are you?” Gavin’s tone bordered on obnoxious.

“We might even throw in a yeehaw or two,” Allie said, amused by his crankiness. He almost sounded jealous.

Luke Archer heard the exchange from across the table and nodded, his pale blue eyes picking up the flicker of the candle flames. “Don’t let him get under your skin, Allie. It’s best to ignore him when he’s in one of his moods.”

“I rescind my apology, Archer,” Gavin said.

“I knew it was too good to be true,” Luke responded.

Nathan laughed. “You should have gotten it in writing.”

“You forget that I haven’t written anything in months,” Gavin said. But this time it was a joke, not a bitter statement of fact.