Page 14 of Hungry Hearts

While we’re a full-service salon, we specialize in making fairytales come true. At least, the appearance of them. My weekends are constantly booked with little girl birthday parties, and bridal parties wanting the storybook feel as well.

It’s amazing what Rayne can do with her collection of makeup. She keeps to her clients’ requests and does the little girls’ makeup tastefully. Kaitlin looks like a Disney princess and is the perfect receptionist. She loves washing hair and is an expert at keeping the conversation flowing with our clients, young and old.

My talent is being able to replicate the most intricate of hairstyles my clients show me. I always love a challenge, and playing with hair is my favorite thing to do. More than cutting and coloring.

While Dan adores the fairytale as much as anyone, most of the little girls want a woman doing their hair, and he’s sweet enough not to be offended. The bridal parties, however, often request him.

He’s handsome and charming, and not a day goes by that one of his clients doesn’t ask him if he’s sure about his sexuality. My team is amazing, and I wouldn’t have made it through the past four years without them.

“Hey, Maia. I didn’t think you were coming in until your noon appointment?” Kaitlin greets me with her signature smile.

I hadn’t told my staff about my need to get away for a night or my stay at Four Aces. “I have some paperwork to do in my office. Can you let me know when Mrs. McAllister arrives?”

“Sure thing.”

I wave to Dan and Rayne as I head past the hair washing station to the four closed doors. One goes to the bathroom, two are used for massages and waxing, and the last door next to the emergency exit is my office.

Granted, it’s more like a glorified closet with no windows and barely enough room for my desk, office chair, and one other chair that holds paperwork more often than it does people. I rummage through my purse for my keys and huff out a sigh when I can’t find them.

I scrounge some more and come up empty. I never take them out of my purse unless it’s to open the salon or my office and to lock up at night, and I promptly return them to the inside pocket of my purse when I’m finished.

There isn’t a zipper on it, but it’s not like they’d fall out unless...crap. In my frenzy to quietly hurry out of the room this morning, I knocked over my purse. I froze and stared down at Ryder, fast asleep on the bed, the sheet draped low on his hips taunting me with his naked torso.

The man sleeps like the dead not to have heard the ruckus. I swear I scooped up everything that spilled out, but I didn’t have time to do a thorough inspection. Taking out my phone, I look up the number for the hotel.

When a woman greets me on the other end, I turn my back to the open hallway, hoping my staff doesn’t overhear me.

“Good morning. I checked out this morning and I think I may have forgotten my keys in my room.”

“Oh, goodness. I hope you’re not locked out of your home.”

Thankfully those are on a different key ring. One I did see on the bottom of my purse. “They’re my work keys.”

“Hm. Let me check with housekeeping to see if they reported finding them. Your name and room number you stayed in?”

“Maia Remington, room four-sixteen.” I wait patiently while she puts me on hold. A few minutes later, she comes back on the line. “Thank you for holding. Housekeeping hasn’t gotten to your room, but I put a note in the files and called up to the head keeper on duty to search the room. It may take a few minutes. Can I call you back when I have more information?”

“I appreciate it.”

“Is this the correct number to use?” She rattles off the number I used at check-in.

“Yes. Thank you.”

I hang up and go back out to Kaitlin. “I must have left my keys at home. Can you unlock my office for me?”

She follows me down the hall and lets me in. I have my computer open and am reviewing the salon’s financial records when my phone rings from an unknown number.

“Hello?”

“Ms. Remington?”

“Speaking.”

“This is Juliana from Four Aces. Good news. We found your keys.”

I let out a sigh of relief. “Thank goodness.”

“Are you able to come pick them up today?”

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