Page 108 of Forbidden Harmony

“Oh, call me Shelly, hon,” she cooed.

Her head pounding, Addison stared at thecashier. The woman was in her mid-fifties, but apparently, she had a thing foryounger men.

“I’ve been thinking about getting atattoo,” Shelly said as she slowly scanned the items and stuffed them into a plasticbag. “I was thinking I might get one right here.”

She pulled the neckline of her shirt downand Addison blinked at the neon orange bra that encased the cashier’s oversizedbreasts. Shelly caressed the top of her right boob. “Thought I might get me alittle heart right here. What do you think, Preacher? Would you tattoo aheart on me?”

“Sure,” Preacher said. “Call the shop andNolan will book you in. We’re booking for three months from now.”

“I was thinking,” Shelly leaned forward untilher breasts were nearly falling out of her shirt, “that maybe you could squeezeme in sometime this weekend. To say thank you, you could drop by my place laterfor a piece of my famous meatloaf.”

Addison would have burst into giggles ifher head didn’t hurt so much. She watched silently as Preacher said, “Sorry,Ms. Dicks, I can’t do that. It’s not fair to the other customers. But youcall Nolan and book an appointment and I’ll be happy to tattoo you then.”

Disappointment flickered across Shelly’s faceand she straightened before giving him a strained smile. “I’ll do that, hon.”

She glanced at Addison. “You look real bad,hon. You got that cold that’s been going around? Your face is some red, andyour nose is so swollen. Tricia Rathen came in this morning with the samething. She didn’t look near as bad as you look though.”

“Thanks.” Addison rooted around in herpurse, cursing under her breath when she couldn’t find her wallet. She reachedpast the wad of tissue she had stuffed in before she left her apartment andshoved her bus pass into one of the side pockets. Her phone was lying on thebottom, where was her damn wallet?

“What are you looking for?” Preacher said.

Her eyes watering with unshed tears, she said,“I can’t find my wallet.”

“I’m paying for it anyway.” Preacher pulledhis wallet from his pocket and handed Shelly some cash.

“Aren’t you just the sweetest,” Shellysaid. She gave him his change – she had to count it out three times before shegot it right – and smiled again at Preacher. “You got a big heart under thattough guy exterior, dontcha’, hon?”

Preacher took the plastic bag. “Have agood day.”

“You too, hon. You too.”

He started toward the door and Shellyglanced at his ass before smiling at Addie. “See you later, hon. And don’t youworry about what folks are saying about Harrison dumping you. You’ll findyourself a new man soon.”

Addison couldn’t even manage a politesmile. She followed Preacher out the door of the Walgreens. The hot sun broughta wave of nausea to her stomach, and she grimaced and raised her hand to shadeher eyes.

She reached for the bag that Preacher stillheld. He didn’t let it go, and she smiled tentatively. “Thank you for buyingthe stuff. I’ll drop by the shop as soon as I’m feeling better and pay you back.”

He just grunted and she tried to take thebag again. “Um, the bus will be here soon so…”

“Let’s go,” he said. Ignoring the touristsswarming around them, he took her arm and marched her across the street to his shop.He opened the door and she could have wept with relief at the air conditioningwhen he ushered her inside.

The shop was blessedly empty of customers.She didn’t need everyone in the damn town seeing what a gross snotty mess she was.Nix was sitting at the drawing table sketching onto a tablet, and he glanced upwhen they walked in.

“Hey,” he said. “Addison, right?”

She tried to smile. “Yes. Hello again.”

“Give me five minutes and then you can takeyour lunch break,” Preacher said to Nix.

“Take your time,” Nix said.

He returned to his sketch as Preacher ledher down the hallway to the stairs.

“Preacher, what -”

She shook free of Preacher’s grip and bentover as her body was racked with a coughing fit. Groaning, trying not to cry,she covered her mouth with one hand and held her aching head with the other asshe coughed wretchedly.

A warm hand rubbed her back and as she straightenedand wiped her mouth with the back of her hand, Preacher said, “You okay?”

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