beautiful woman with short black hair, not long blonde hair.”
“You think Ciminelli will get this close to me?” Her gaze raked over Beau’s face. His serious expression caused fear to creep up her spine.
“I don’t want to risk it.” He stood, letting her body slide down from his lap. Taking her hand, he led her to the truck, ready to get the night on with.
Chapter 7
“It looks amazing. You’re like a completely different woman.” Beau couldn’t believe his eyes when the chair spun around and Mara looked at him. Gone were the long locks, and in their place was a shorter, shoulder length, jet black style. She went from a free spirit looking young woman, to a mature, grown one. She was a whole new person. Mara reached up, nervously twirling her shorter locks around her finger. It fell in waves around her face.
“You think so?” Beau wanted nothing more than to ease her self-consciousness.
“You look beautiful. Gorgeous.” He wrapped his fingers around her hand, helping her from the chair. Sally swept up the long locks that covered the tiled floor of the salon.
“Thank you so much, it was great to meet you Sally.” Mara pulled her wallet out to pay. Sally waved her off, winking at Beau. When he had called ahead, he arranged to pay.
“And Sally,” he said to her, “Remember what we talked about. You cannot mention to anyone that Mara was a blonde. Got it?”
“I told you Beau, I get it. I won’t say nothing. Why is everyone always so worried about me keeping secrets? It’s almost as bad as the time Carey didn’t want me to let anyone know she was doing the deed with Nathaniel from over there on Mr. Carlton’s ranch, because she kept sneaking onto his land.” Instantly, the woman clasped a hand over her mouth. “Damn, double damn. I guess it’s part of being a hairdresser. But I swear, Beau. I won’t tell anyone.” Mara watched the interaction between the two, wondering when she had missed this conversation. Beau took her hand, pulling her to the door.
“Good night Sally.”
The couple walked out, ambling slowly down the block towards the diner. Mavis Meals was the only small dining place in town. There were a few chains and bigger restaurants that had opened up on the outskirts of town, more towards Dallas, but Mavis Meals was a staple. That’s where the locals all ate. Beau held the door open for Mara and they were surrounded by sounds of chatter, dishes clanging, and laughter. As Mara slowly stepped in, all sound stopped. She twitched slightly, realizing that everyone was staring at her. Fear stiffened her spine. Beau slid up behind her, placing his hand on her lower back, steering her towards an empty booth. Along the way, he waved at people he knew, smiled at old friends. Mara moved into the seat, Beau sitting next to her, instead of across. Slowly, the noise picked back up, townfolks losing their interest in her quickly. A woman in a blue waitress uniform stepped up to the table. Her red hair was piled on top of her head, curls cascading down. Mara felt a twinge of jealousy at the way the woman batted her eyes at Beau.
“Betty Mae, this is Mara. She just bought Ms. Mariner’s house. It’s going to be a bed and breakfast.” Betty Mae looked at Mara questioningly.
“Oh,” she said slowly. “That’s nice. So y’all are neighbors?” Mara felt bad, seeing the hope in her eyes that Beau and her were just out for a friendly dinner. Beau eased the tension by taking Mara’s hand in his. He smiled at Betty Mae.
“Sure are,” he looked at Mara, his eyes sparkling with humor. It was as if he could read her mind. “Betty Mae, we’ll take two of today’s specials and two glasses of sweet tea.” Their waitress didn’t even respond, she just turned on her toes and stalked away.
“She doesn’t seem happy that Fort Mavis’s sexy bachelor isn’t eating alone tonight,” he said to Mara jokingly. She just grinned.
Throughout their meal, people stopped by, hoping
“You think Ciminelli will get this close to me?” Her gaze raked over Beau’s face. His serious expression caused fear to creep up her spine.
“I don’t want to risk it.” He stood, letting her body slide down from his lap. Taking her hand, he led her to the truck, ready to get the night on with.
Chapter 7
“It looks amazing. You’re like a completely different woman.” Beau couldn’t believe his eyes when the chair spun around and Mara looked at him. Gone were the long locks, and in their place was a shorter, shoulder length, jet black style. She went from a free spirit looking young woman, to a mature, grown one. She was a whole new person. Mara reached up, nervously twirling her shorter locks around her finger. It fell in waves around her face.
“You think so?” Beau wanted nothing more than to ease her self-consciousness.
“You look beautiful. Gorgeous.” He wrapped his fingers around her hand, helping her from the chair. Sally swept up the long locks that covered the tiled floor of the salon.
“Thank you so much, it was great to meet you Sally.” Mara pulled her wallet out to pay. Sally waved her off, winking at Beau. When he had called ahead, he arranged to pay.
“And Sally,” he said to her, “Remember what we talked about. You cannot mention to anyone that Mara was a blonde. Got it?”
“I told you Beau, I get it. I won’t say nothing. Why is everyone always so worried about me keeping secrets? It’s almost as bad as the time Carey didn’t want me to let anyone know she was doing the deed with Nathaniel from over there on Mr. Carlton’s ranch, because she kept sneaking onto his land.” Instantly, the woman clasped a hand over her mouth. “Damn, double damn. I guess it’s part of being a hairdresser. But I swear, Beau. I won’t tell anyone.” Mara watched the interaction between the two, wondering when she had missed this conversation. Beau took her hand, pulling her to the door.
“Good night Sally.”
The couple walked out, ambling slowly down the block towards the diner. Mavis Meals was the only small dining place in town. There were a few chains and bigger restaurants that had opened up on the outskirts of town, more towards Dallas, but Mavis Meals was a staple. That’s where the locals all ate. Beau held the door open for Mara and they were surrounded by sounds of chatter, dishes clanging, and laughter. As Mara slowly stepped in, all sound stopped. She twitched slightly, realizing that everyone was staring at her. Fear stiffened her spine. Beau slid up behind her, placing his hand on her lower back, steering her towards an empty booth. Along the way, he waved at people he knew, smiled at old friends. Mara moved into the seat, Beau sitting next to her, instead of across. Slowly, the noise picked back up, townfolks losing their interest in her quickly. A woman in a blue waitress uniform stepped up to the table. Her red hair was piled on top of her head, curls cascading down. Mara felt a twinge of jealousy at the way the woman batted her eyes at Beau.
“Betty Mae, this is Mara. She just bought Ms. Mariner’s house. It’s going to be a bed and breakfast.” Betty Mae looked at Mara questioningly.
“Oh,” she said slowly. “That’s nice. So y’all are neighbors?” Mara felt bad, seeing the hope in her eyes that Beau and her were just out for a friendly dinner. Beau eased the tension by taking Mara’s hand in his. He smiled at Betty Mae.
“Sure are,” he looked at Mara, his eyes sparkling with humor. It was as if he could read her mind. “Betty Mae, we’ll take two of today’s specials and two glasses of sweet tea.” Their waitress didn’t even respond, she just turned on her toes and stalked away.
“She doesn’t seem happy that Fort Mavis’s sexy bachelor isn’t eating alone tonight,” he said to Mara jokingly. She just grinned.
Throughout their meal, people stopped by, hoping
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