Page 58 of Brandt's Rule

“You know what? Never mind. It obviously is going to do what it wants to do, and I don’t have any more time to waste on it. I’m just going to get dressed and let the hair do what it wants,” Tempest said, throwing up her hands in surrender.

“You sure? I still have half a can of hair spray,” Bailey said.

“I’m sure,” Tempest said defeated.

“It’s still gorgeous, even without the curls. You don’t need curls,” Bailey said.”

“I just wanted to feel fancy, you know?” Tempest asked.

Bailey laughed. “Tempest, you are the most elegant woman I’ve ever met, and you do it effortlessly. You don’t need to do anything to outshine anybody else nearby.”

Tempest looked at Bailey. “Thank you. I just never did the whole makeup thing and doing my hair and getting all dressed up. I never needed it. And I wanted to look different tonight.”

“You look different every night. You just stand out.”

“Thank you for saying so, Bailey,” Tempest said, still unconvinced.

“Here, let’s put a little soft brown eyeliner on you, and a touch of mascara, a little lipstick and I think you’ll be shocked at just what that little bit of difference will make. You won’t even think about the curls anymore.”

“You think so?” Tempest asked.

“I do.”

An hour later Tempest smiled at her reflection in the mirror. Bailey had finished up quickly and gone home so that Brandt wouldn’t have an audience when he arrived to pick Tempest up. Bailey had been right, just a touch of makeup to accentuate and Tempest couldn’t believe she was the same person. She grabbed her hairbrush and ran it through her hair once more. A sharp knock startled her, causing her to drop the brush. She leaned over to pick it up and banged her head on the edge of the bathroom counter. “Dang it!” she growled, rubbing the spot on her head while slapping the brush onto the cabinet next to the sink.

Huffing out her frustration quickly before stepping out of her bathroom to go answer the door, she couldn’t help smiling when her gaze met Brandt’s through the cut glass pane in the door. She opened the door and continued wearing her grin.

“Wow,” Brandt said, taking the opportunity to look his fill.

“Is that a good wow, or should I go wash my face?” Tempest asked a little worriedly.

Brandt’s expression skewed up like he couldn’t believe she’d asked that. “You are so beautiful, Tempest. I thought I’d noticed it before, but tonight, it’s just much more evident.”

“Thank you, I think.”

Brandt chuckled. “You’re welcome. You ready?”

“I am.”

“Let’s get going then. We have a bunch of people waiting on us, I’m sure.”

“A bunch of people?”

“My family. And my extended family I have no doubt. It’s impossible to do anything of any importance without every one of them wanting to witness it for themselves.”

“Oh, okay.”

“Kind of like you described your family and uncles and all,” Brandt said, feeling the need to smooth her nerves.

Tempest grabbed her keys and shoved them into a small over-the-body-bag she threw over one shoulder and joined Brandt on the porch before locking the door and pulling it closed. “So, I just have to be sure… no matter who shows up and may or may not be impressed with me, I still get barbecue, right?”

Brandt barked out a laugh. “That you do. I can promise you barbecue. In fact, my mother always makes two types of pulled pork. One with a sweet, smoky sauce mixed into the meat, and one with just the meat itself and it’s own juices keeping it moist. Plus all the sides. It’s all delicious. My mom can really cook.”

“I like your mother. She’s very kind, and very sincere. So accepting.”

“My mom has always been that way. She’s kind to everybody. Probably even more so to you.”

“Why more so to me?” Tempest asked as they reached the bottom of the steps and she turned to look back at him.

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