Total pages in book: 59
Estimated words: 57908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57908 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 290(@200wpm)___ 232(@250wpm)___ 193(@300wpm)
She looked dazed. “But not now?” she whispered.
“No. If I start, I won’t stop, and your daughter and her friends will get quite the show,” I replied, wrapping my hand around her thick braid. “But soon.” I tugged gently, tipping her head back. I pressed a kiss to her forehead. “Until then, Cherry G.”
I turned and walked away before I did something I shouldn’t. I heard her hard exhale of air as I walked toward the door.
“Don’t count on it, Mr. Salvatore.”
I grinned as I walked out the door.
There she was.
Chase was quiet that week. He’d been so excited and upbeat before the painting party, and I wondered what had happened. I didn’t like to pry, and I was grateful when I saw him talking to Charly privately. I knew how close they were and that she would help him solve whatever was bothering him. At least, I hoped she did. I wasn’t so good with conversations involving other people’s feelings. Although, if a friend needed me to listen, I would try. I could barely understand my own emotions, never mind anyone else’s. None of the guys in the garage were good at discussing feelings with each other. Charly excelled at it—whether you wanted to share or not. Somehow, she dragged it out of you.
Chase and I had plans this weekend after we shut the garage. We were heading into Toronto to a large building supply store. They had a bigger selection of materials at better prices than we could get in the tiny hardware store in Littleburn. Then I was taking him to my favorite barbecue place so we could stuff ourselves with the best barbecue around. And I planned on picking his brain about Cherry. Any little piece of information I could get would be helpful. I was especially hoping for her number or even her place of employment so I could go and find her.
She was on my mind constantly. Her pretty eyes and unique hair color were intriguing. The way she took charge and treated the people around her was as endearing as it was a turn-on. And that ass. Spectacular. So was her attitude. She wouldn’t suffer fools easily, and I had a feeling she was going to be a challenge.
One I would enjoy.
I only had to make her realize she would as well.
That right there was the first hurdle to overcome.
But I was ready.
CHERRY
I finished up the client, spritzing on some hair spray and tucking an errant curl into place. Handing her the mirror to allow her to inspect my work, I was pleased when she smiled. “Awesome as usual, Cherry.”
After chatting with her for a moment, I began to clean up my station. She was the last client of the day. My daughter, Hannah, had called to say she was coming in early. We were going for supper and would spend the evening watching a movie and catching up. Tomorrow was a big shopping day for us. She needed linens and house stuff for her new place, and I loved to shop the warehouse sales with her. You never knew what you might find.
I waved goodbye to the other stylists and headed up the back steps to my apartment over the salon. Inside, I grabbed a quick shower to rid myself of the chemical smell since I had done a couple of perms today, and that always left an odor. After making a cup of coffee and curling up on the sofa with a sigh, I shut my eyes, feeling tired. I was always tired by the end of the week. Standing all day and the constant strain on my shoulders and arms as I cut hair took a toll. My back ached lately, and I had to admit, I wasn’t sure how much longer I wanted to cut hair. It had been great when I was younger. I owned my own place and could make my hours around Hannah’s schedule. Standing all day didn’t bother my much-younger body the way it did now.
When I’d closed my shop and gone to work for someone else, I had been glad to be rid of the constant headaches of owning my own business. The staff, the worry over bills, maintenance, supplies, and troublesome clients were now someone else’s concern. I found this job and the small apartment right over the shop, and it had worked out fine, although the apartment wasn’t a place I saw myself in forever. Hannah was on her own, and I didn’t need the house anymore. It had felt good to leave it. Leave the memories that, even after all these years, stayed with me in that house. I could never open the door without remembering the day I’d found Mike’s commanding officer on the other side with the news that had changed my life—our lives—forever.