Page 35 of No Place Like Home
“It doesn’t matter.” Darcie said, swiping her hand through the air.
Damn. Is she really only five?
“I said to Uncle Rowan that my dad and Lilly were talking and said that they thought Uncle Rowan came home because he finally wants to admit he has feelings for Summer. Do you think that’s true?”
“What the fuck?” I asked as I choked on the water I’d gotten from the water cooler. I glanced at Summer. Her eyes were huge and her hands frozen over Mrs. Ledbetter’s hair.
Mrs. Ledbetter pinched her lips together, and when I glanced at the other women in the salon, they all had the same expression and gazes were fixed on me.
Wonderful. Just what I needed, to be in Orlinda Valley for only a few days and already be on the town’s gossip loop.
Kaye said, “Well there, little one, that’s something you should have asked your uncle.”
“I did.” Darcie said her arms flapping up and down. “See, he wasn’t listening to me and so I did what I was told and asked Grandma. Oh,” she turned toward me and raised her brow with her hands on her hips, “you owe me a dollar.”
I had to gain control of this situation. Every woman over forty in the shop was staring at me, wearing silly, uninterpretable looks ontheir faces—except my mother, who was, I think, in shock. Summer stomped into the kitchen, since Mrs. Ledbetter was one of the over-forty women who were staring at us, laughter and questions in their eyes.
“Yeah, no.” I looked at Darcie. “This is none of your business, and you’re not getting a dollar.”
“Well, my dad said you’ve liked Summer since high school, but were just too into yourself to realize it and you owe me a dollar because you said a bad word. That’s the rules.”
The women in the room could no longer contain their laughter, and the entire salon rang with it. I’m glad I came home to be the laughingstock of the hair salon.
It probably wasn’t the first time, but still. “Fuck.” I couldn’t think of anything else to say.
Darcie stuck out her hand and wiggled her fingers. “You owe me two dollars.”
“I . . . what? Why the hell would I owe you two dollars? For what?”
“Three now.” Her brows were again raised as she craned her neck looking up at me.
“There’s no way to get around this Rowan.” my mother said, finally gaining control of herself. “We all are held to the same rule. We cuss, she gets paid. Her father pays her a dollar for every cuss-word he utters.”
I glanced at her. “I’m not her father. I’m not paying up.”
“Doesn’t matter, Uncle Rowan. And I only said what I heard. You don’t have to be so rude.” She walked to my mom and hopped on her lap.
Kaye said, “Well, Darcie, sometimes adults get rude when something is true, and they’re embarrassed.”
“Good Lord, Kaye.” I raised my hands in question. Why did she have to get involved? “You’re not helping.”
“Summer left. Maybe there’s something to this?” My mother said.
“Mom . . .” I stopped myself, then glanced toward the door to the kitchen that Summer had disappeared through. Well, better to clear the air now than never. I sighed and stalked heavily into the kitchen.
Chapter 16
Summer
What the hell was that about? Jamison and Lilly were talking about us?I leaned on the sink and stared through the window onto the parking lot at the back of the salon. A robin perched on the branch of a nearby Bradford Pear tree, and I watched him for a while to give my mind something else to think about. But then he flew off, and my mind was back on the gossip. Fucking hell. There was nousas far as Rowan and I were concerned—or there shouldn’t be anus. Anuswould destroy the friendship we’ve always had, not that we could go back to that if we wanted to. Not after last night.
Warmth spread through my body and my nipples got hard just thinking of the things Rowan did to me. His lips, his fingers, his . . .
“Hey,” Rowan was right behind me, thankfully interrupting my thoughts. I felt his presence hovering close, and my body went rigid. I stood tall and pushed back my shoulders.Keep your thoughts and feelings in, Summer. It’s what you do best. Don’t get soft now.
“Summer, you okay?”
I tried hard to keep my feelings in check, yet even as my stomach started to churn with anxiety, my body was still reacting pleasantlyto the memories and Rowan being right here in the room with me.Shit.I leaned back onto the sink.
