Page 6 of Tempting Fate

“It wasn’t a line darlin’, but as long as you think it’s charming, I’ll keep pouring my heart out.”

Charlotte shakes her head and takes another bite of her burger. When she’s finished chewing she wipes her mouth and takes a sip of her beer. “So what made you move back to Rolling Hills?”

I grab my beer and take a long pull from it then set the bottle down. “I had one too many cases showing me the ugly side of people.”

Charlotte nods thinking about what I’ve said. “Isn’t that the job though? I know Uncle Nolan has a slew of stories from over the years about things he’s witnessed.”

“It is. Don’t get me wrong, I love what I do. I like that I get to help people when they’ve gone through something and hopefully get them the justice they deserve. On the flip side of that, when you’re constantly working sixty to eighty-hour work weeks with barely a day off it gets to you. I was getting burnt out. I was ready to come home and settle down a bit.”

“That makes sense. I can’t relate to the horrible crap you’ve seen and I thank God for people like you and my uncle that I don’t have to. I remember when I opened my salon a few years ago though. I was going nonstop for the first two years. Now things have finally calmed down some. I guess you could say I’ve found my sweet spot.”

“Did you always want to be a hairstylist?” I ask before taking another bite of steak.

“My mom was a hairstylist and always did my hair when I was little. I begged her for years to teach me everything she knew, and finally when I was ten, she did.”

“I bet she’s proud of you.”

“I’d like to think she would be.”

I quirk my head to the side, about to ask her what she means, when she sighs and shakes her head. “I’m so used to everyone knowing my business around town, I forget it’s been years since you’ve lived here.” She gives me a sad smile. “My mom and dad died when I was twelve years old in a freak car accident. It was storming one night and they collided with another vehicle. I went to live with my aunt and uncle after that. They were never able to have children and raised me as if I were their own.”

“Shit. I’m sorry Charlotte.” I say, grabbing her hand, rubbing my thumb over her knuckles.

Charlotte gives me a warm smile. “Nothing to be sorry about Beau. They have been an amazing second set of parents. I’m lucky to have them. When I graduated high school, I told them I wanted to follow in my mom’s footsteps and open a salon one day like she had done. They supported my dreams and after I had finished cosmetology school, I went to work at the same salon my mom owned before she died. A couple years later I felt ready to open my own salon.”

“Were you ready?” I ask.

Charlotte laughs. “God no! I thought I knew what I was doing, but I was so wrong. Thank God there were so many great people on my side willing to jump in and help, even when I told them I could do it on my own. After a lot of hard work and long hours, things are finally going well.”

“What about boyfriends?”

“What about them?” she asks, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Is there anyone I need to be concerned about?”

“Oh yeah. There are so many Beau. Should I make you a list?”

I tap her foot under the table and she bursts into a belly laugh. “There’s nothing to worry about. The last boyfriend I had was in high school. We broke up when he went off to college. After that I didn’t have much time for guys.”

“Do you have time now?”

“I’m here aren’t I?” She says and then winks.

Her sassy mouth is going to get her in trouble one day.

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