Page 21 of Second Time Around

Seven

She was going to kill him! It would be a crime of passion, but not the love kind of passion. However, to kill him, she’d have to face him, which went against her plan to avoid him at all costs.

“You got three more new clients today,” Lexie chirped.

“I can’t take any more. I’m slammed.”

“I told them you were booked for the next two months, but they were willing to wait.”

“All three of them?”

“Well, except for Barb Montgomery. She wants to be called if you get any cancellations.”

“I’m going to kill him,” Jenna muttered under her breath.

“I think it’s sweet.”

“Sweet? He’s trying to work me to death. I don’t call that sweet!”

Lexie laughed. “But you love your job, and it’s good for business.”

“I was getting enough business on my own, no thanks to him!”

“Who are we complaining about?” Crystal asked as she came up to the front counter.

“Beck Montgomery,” Lexie provided.

“If he needs another haircut, I’ll volunteer. I’d love to get my hands on his hair…and some other parts of him too.”

Lexie laughed, and Jenna scowled at them. “Just because he looks good, it doesn’t mean he is good.”

“The man gave us coupons for his restaurant and greets us all by name. What’s not to like?”

“Plenty,” Jenna huffed. Then she turned and walked away. She’d wasted enough time discussing Beck as it was.

Throughout her busy day, she stewed over his so-called “sweet” gesture of sending her referrals. She hadn’t asked for nor required his help with her business any more than he needed help with his.

True, she loved the sandwich shop, and so did her coworkers, but they’d enjoyed it long before he’d come along. She was ashamed of them for falling for his charms so easily. All he’d had to do was stroll into the salon with his thick head of hair and wave some coupons around, and he had them all eating out of his hand! It was maddening.

While she could have sat back and done nothing, she wasn’t a “do nothing” kind of gal. By the end of the day, she’d decided to put a stop to this madness once and for all.

After her last customer had left, she plopped down in her salon chair and pulled out her phone. She thought for a moment and then typed out a text: We need to talk.

Then she slipped the phone in her pocket and began clearing off her workstation for the night. It was seven o’clock on a Wednesday, and she was tired and hungry. She half-hoped he wouldn’t respond to her message until tomorrow, when she had a clearer head. She should have known she wouldn’t be that lucky.

A few minutes later, her phone pinged with his response. Great! When and where?

She rolled her eyes at his misguided exuberance. She’d already decided they should meet somewhere private and not at either of their workplaces. How about the park in downtown Rochester in half an hour?

Works for me. See you then.

If this had been a date, she would have wanted to go home and take a shower first, but since it wasn’t, she simply ran a lint roller over her top and skirt and called it good. Then, out of habit, she fluffed up her hair and applied some lip gloss. It wasn’t until she drove away from the salon that she realized she shouldn’t have bothered.

Her days of trying to look good for Beck Montgomery were long gone. As she drove to the park, she remembered the last time she’d dolled up for him—on prom night twelve years ago. The memories rose to the surface and were just as clear as if it’d happened yesterday…

She’d been excited for weeks leading up to the big event, and she couldn’t wait to model her prom dress. When she went outside to where Beck was waiting with their friends, his eyes lit up at the sight of her. She felt like a princess in her frothy peach dress with the tight bodice and flowing skirt. Her friends had chosen more provocative styles, but she’d purposely chosen a demure one. She wanted Beck to want all of her and not just what was underneath her dress, although she couldn’t wait to show him that too!

The night started out like a dream, fueled by hormones and adrenaline. She was hyperaware of his every look and touch, and her body tingled with anticipation. When they packed into the limousine, she relished the feel of his strong, hard body next to hers and his warm palm resting on her thigh. She wanted so badly to kiss him, and she imagined all the things they could have done in the back of the limousine if they’d been alone. She could tell by the way he gazed at her that he was thinking the same things too.