You are my hero."
Bekki laughed and shook her head, the waves of her long , dark hair sweeping back over her shoulder. "No, I'm not the hero, remember?" she smiled slightly as she thought of her sort of boyfriend. Nick Malonie was the one who got away in high school. The two of them had a wild summer fling that fizzled out as soon as school was back in session because Nick disappeared for a few months. Bekki had spent most of the time believing that Nick never truly cared about her. Since they had seen each other again, the old sparks still flew, and now that she knew that the breakup had all been a misunderstanding, she was eager to see where their relationship might lead. However, it was still in an iffy phase. Nick had taken a weeklong vacation from his job as a detective for the Harroway police department to go fishing in the deep country. He had invited her to come with, but Bekki had declined.
"Don't you want to spend the wee k with me?" Nick had teased as he gazed into her clear blue eyes. Bekki glanced away with a small frown.
"It's not that I don't want to," she replied quietly. "I just don't know about leaving the shop, and Sammy has that party to do and…"
Nick's smooth voice interrupted her train of excuses. "And you're just not ready," he said in a whisper that could not hide the slight hurt that colored his tone.
"I'm sorry," Bekki replied and stared down at her shoes. Nick's fingertips glided softly along the curve of her cheek to gently grasp the slope of her chin. When she looked up at him he was smiling.
"It's okay," he promised her and kissed her lightly. "I've got all the time in the world."
Bekki's mind was still lingering on the memory of that conversation, when Sammy hurried back towards the door of the salon.
"Don't rush," Bekki called after her. "Katherine can wait a few minutes!"
"I'll be done soon!" Sammy called back over her shoulder as she darted down the sidewalk to the parking lot where she had parked her car. Just about everything in Harroway was within walking distance, but the big homes were on a hill further away from the main area of town. Bekki turned to the customer who was waiting for her hair to be done and had a short chat with her about what she would like done. Bekki always took plenty of time with her clients, not only listening to what they wanted, but getting to know them, so that she could give them a style that suited them. Even though she was focused on the woman in the chair before her, her mind continued to drift back to Nick. She thought about what he was doing right at that moment. Probably sitting in a boat out in the lake with his fishing pole. Possibly, hopefully, thinking about what she was doing right at that moment as well.
As Sammy drove back to the Windward estate, her heart was pounding. All she could hope was that Katherine wouldn't outright fire her the moment she walked back in. Or worse yet, let her finish her work and then refuse to pay her. Despite being very wealthy the Windwards had a reputation for being very cheap. They were not generous or involved in any charities and seemed intent on hoarding their wealth. Katherine didn't even allow her own children to inherit their wealth early. She was determined to hold on to every penny until she kicked the bucket, at least that was what the rumors around town said. Of course, gossip was something Sammy heard plenty of while working at the salon. She knew just about everything about everyone she encountered. She parked in the large , circular drive of the Windward mansion and hurried up to the door. When she stepped inside she noticed the absence of giggling. She walked back to the dressing room where she had left the girls waiting for their makeup. The door was slightly open, but it didn't sound like anyone was inside.
***
She nudged the door the rest of the way open and stepped inside, bracing herself for the consequences of her mistake. She thought perhaps there would be a note from Katherine
Bekki laughed and shook her head, the waves of her long , dark hair sweeping back over her shoulder. "No, I'm not the hero, remember?" she smiled slightly as she thought of her sort of boyfriend. Nick Malonie was the one who got away in high school. The two of them had a wild summer fling that fizzled out as soon as school was back in session because Nick disappeared for a few months. Bekki had spent most of the time believing that Nick never truly cared about her. Since they had seen each other again, the old sparks still flew, and now that she knew that the breakup had all been a misunderstanding, she was eager to see where their relationship might lead. However, it was still in an iffy phase. Nick had taken a weeklong vacation from his job as a detective for the Harroway police department to go fishing in the deep country. He had invited her to come with, but Bekki had declined.
"Don't you want to spend the wee k with me?" Nick had teased as he gazed into her clear blue eyes. Bekki glanced away with a small frown.
"It's not that I don't want to," she replied quietly. "I just don't know about leaving the shop, and Sammy has that party to do and…"
Nick's smooth voice interrupted her train of excuses. "And you're just not ready," he said in a whisper that could not hide the slight hurt that colored his tone.
"I'm sorry," Bekki replied and stared down at her shoes. Nick's fingertips glided softly along the curve of her cheek to gently grasp the slope of her chin. When she looked up at him he was smiling.
"It's okay," he promised her and kissed her lightly. "I've got all the time in the world."
Bekki's mind was still lingering on the memory of that conversation, when Sammy hurried back towards the door of the salon.
"Don't rush," Bekki called after her. "Katherine can wait a few minutes!"
"I'll be done soon!" Sammy called back over her shoulder as she darted down the sidewalk to the parking lot where she had parked her car. Just about everything in Harroway was within walking distance, but the big homes were on a hill further away from the main area of town. Bekki turned to the customer who was waiting for her hair to be done and had a short chat with her about what she would like done. Bekki always took plenty of time with her clients, not only listening to what they wanted, but getting to know them, so that she could give them a style that suited them. Even though she was focused on the woman in the chair before her, her mind continued to drift back to Nick. She thought about what he was doing right at that moment. Probably sitting in a boat out in the lake with his fishing pole. Possibly, hopefully, thinking about what she was doing right at that moment as well.
As Sammy drove back to the Windward estate, her heart was pounding. All she could hope was that Katherine wouldn't outright fire her the moment she walked back in. Or worse yet, let her finish her work and then refuse to pay her. Despite being very wealthy the Windwards had a reputation for being very cheap. They were not generous or involved in any charities and seemed intent on hoarding their wealth. Katherine didn't even allow her own children to inherit their wealth early. She was determined to hold on to every penny until she kicked the bucket, at least that was what the rumors around town said. Of course, gossip was something Sammy heard plenty of while working at the salon. She knew just about everything about everyone she encountered. She parked in the large , circular drive of the Windward mansion and hurried up to the door. When she stepped inside she noticed the absence of giggling. She walked back to the dressing room where she had left the girls waiting for their makeup. The door was slightly open, but it didn't sound like anyone was inside.
***
She nudged the door the rest of the way open and stepped inside, bracing herself for the consequences of her mistake. She thought perhaps there would be a note from Katherine
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