Page 28 of Weatherman

“Insurance will pay for it or else I will.”

“I don’t want them people here making a fuss. All they’re gonna do is get me up and leave. No sense in spending money for that. I’ll just wait for someone else.”

Weatherman gritted his teeth in frustration. He’d never won an argument with the woman and recognized that he wouldn’t now either. Who was available? Betsey? She was at the hospital with Table, as Lori had gone into labor that afternoon. Molly? Asleep from working the night shift at the sheriff’s office. Tambre? Maybe she could get away from the shop. He dialed the hair salon and waited for someone to pick up.

The line rang twice before someone answered.

“Salon, what can I do for you?” a grating voice smacking on a piece of gum asked.

“Hey, it’s Weatherman… uh… Bryce Turner. Is Tambre around?”

“No, it’s been slow today, so she went over to Dillsboro for some supplies.”

Shit!He thought about calling Opal, but he felt awkward after their near kiss the last time he saw her, and he didn’t know quite how to handle being around her yet.

He bit his lip.Suck it up. Your mom is in pain.“Is Opal around?”

“Nope, it’s her day off.”

Good news that might make her more available. “Thanks anyway.”

He hung up and scrolled to the most recent number added in his contacts. His mind raced through other possibilities, but this was the only one that worked. Before he could talk himself out of it, he hit Call and held the phone to his ear.

CHAPTER 14

No doubtthis would be more fodder for the salon gossip mill. At least three of my regular clients came in the coffee shop this morning and spotted Pastor Robert and me sitting together. I couldn’t call him Bobby or Brother Bobby or whatever. It was too familiar, and I wasn’t ready for that yet.

He’d called the salon yesterday afternoon and asked if I’d join him for a cup and to talk a bit. Today was my day off, but I had some errands I wanted to get done, so I still left Pearl for a few hours at Lori’s daycare with one of the other mothers who ran it. She’d told me Lori was in labor, and I hoped it would go well.

“I have a staff meeting later and a prayer group this afternoon,” he stated while dumping three packets of sugar into his coffee. “Wednesday is my longest day with all the youth activities, but today I just have the two tasks. I take off Fridays and Saturdays as my weekend, since my work week starts at eight o’clock Sunday morning.”

He was a nice man, good-looking, and stable. Some women would give their eyeteeth to be at a table across from him. I wasn’t sure I was the right one for this.

My head was still full of my panic attack and encounter with Weatherman a few nights ago.

How did this happen? I thought I was immune to bad boys.

But is Weatherman a bad boy just because he wears biker colors?

“What made you decide to cut hair?”

Robert’s question broke into my musings, and I quickly took a sip of my coffee to cover my inattention.

“I always liked doing hair and makeup when I was a teenager. I guess it just made sense to become a stylist.” There was more to my story, but he didn’t need to know that.

He stirred the sweet brew and sampled it. His mouth turned down, and he added another sugar packet. “What makes hair and makeup appealing? I’ve never understood why women have this need to adorn themselves like that.”

I hesitated before speaking, not sure how to take that statement. Was he saying he didn’t like different hairstyles or colors or all the different ways makeup could be applied?

He looked up from his cup as if realizing how his words sounded. “I don’t mean that in a bad way. I think all women are beautiful the way they are. They have no need for anything but themselves.”

“Some women want a little extra, I guess.”

He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry if I offended you. I haven’t been on a date in a while.”

This is a date?“No worries. I haven’t either.”

“Let’s not get into the heavy stuff for now. You like movies?”

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