Page 12 of Sin With Me

Chapter4

Kate

Heavenly Father, please keep my mother’s soul in your sight. Please keep her safe and healthy. I will try to make right of what’s been wronged, I will serve you as long as you need me to, and I will help the kids at this parish to follow in your footsteps. I humbly ask that you keep those around me safe and that my mistakes are not felt by others. Thank you for all the opportunities you’ve given me and for all the ones that are yet to come. Amen.

I madethe sign of cross, and bracing myself against my bed, I stood up from the floor. I pulled my fingers through my hair. A thicker clump reminded me that I’d run out of my hair conditioner, so I checked the time. Lola didn’t officially open for another hour, but she was an early bird, restocking, sweeping, cleaning, and organizing as if her shop were located at one of the busiest New York streets.

I hadn’t seen Lola since she’d left me at the bar with a priest. That was four days ago. And since she wasn’t one to attend Sunday mass regularly, I missed her two days ago as well. Mondays the salon was closed, as Lola believed that each weekend should be a long weekend. With twenty minutes to spare before my work day, I grabbed my purse and headed out. Two minutes later I was knocking at herdoor.

“Good morning. How are you and what are you doing here this hour? Coffee?”

A freshly brewed aroma wafted, awakening my salivary glands, and I couldn’t decline.

“Sure, thank you. And the early bird catches the worm, isn’t that what theysay?”

“What worm are you planning to catch today?” She poured a cup of steaming black coffee, looking at me suspiciously.

“Don’t think that I don’t know what you’re talking about.” I wiggled my finger at her. “You knew he was a priest, didn’tyou?”

She laughed. “I’m sorry. He came in for a cut that morning. I wanted to warn you, but it was much more fun watching you hit on a priest.”

“I hateyou.”

“Why? It wasfun.”

“Until I embarrassed myself and threw up while he held myhair.”

“Then the wise thing to have done would have been to thankhim.”

“I did. But…”

“You still think he’shot.”

“Is that bad? He’s a priest, but when I see him, I see this hot guy – who, by the way, I’m workingwith.”

“Are you going to confess your impure thoughts to him or to Father John?” Lola asked, completely ignoring my predicament.

“Oh, my God! I haven’t even thought about that. He’ll totallyknow.”

Add to that the fact that I’d forgotten to confess how, for the past three nights, I’d dreamt about Father Cameron in his naked glory, the severity of my penance was increasing with every moment. I wasn’t afraid to pay for my sins, but I didn’t want to pay for them all at once when the Grim Reaper came to collect all the lost souls.

“You don’t have to mention any names, Kate. It could be a thousand differentmen.”

“In a town of one hundred and seven?” I sat down in one of the hairdresser chairs and sipped on my coffee. Well, it was one hundred and eight now, because Mrs. Windsor had gone into labor early this past weekend.

“They don’t ask for names. Believe me. Iknow.”

“Argh! I wish you’d told me who he was before I made a fool of myself.”

“So what? You think Father Cameron is hot. So does half of the parish.”

Which obviously equaled all the women in town. “Yeah, but I have to work withhim.”

“Congratulations to you, then.”

“Argh, Lola! This isn’t funny.”

“Then get rid of those hormones you’re stashing. Have a fling or a one-night stand with someone else and you’ll feel much better. Daryl seemed available.”

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