Page 51 of Shar: A Woman Alone

“Welcome, ladies andgentleman. Come up and join us. We have coffee and pastries at the ready.”

Letting Zara and me go first,I can almost feel Sharp pushing us up the stairs to get at the pastries. I hopethey brought plenty, though I doubt Zara and I will have more than one each.

Reaching the top of thestairs, August and the two stylists stand almost at attention. I’m impressedthat all eyes are on Zara, as the boss, and that apart from quick glances,Sharp and I are ignored.

August steps forward andintroduces Taylor to Zara. She looks like everyone's perception of atwenty-year-old 5’6” librarian from a porn movie! Her hair, as you’d expect, isperfection. It is as ginger as you could imagine and has to have come from abottle. Such a striking color can’t be natural, surely. It is hanging loose andreaches halfway down her back. She has red framed glasses encasing green eyesresting on her nose, and she is looking slightly over the top of them. There islittle evidence of makeup other than a shiny lip gloss that only enhances hernatural lip color.

Her white blouse and blackcalf length pencil skirt cover an hourglass figure and her breasts, even thoughI say so myself, are magnificent. A quick glance at Sharp, and I know it’s notjust my opinion. Her legs are encased in nylon with black strappy heels tofinish the vision that is Taylor.

Holding out her hand, sheshakes Zara’s, then mine, then Sharp’s. “Thank you for giving me thisopportunity, Zara. I‘ll endeavor to be the best I can be for your business.”

“I’m sure that if you are thebest you can be for yourself, that will be enough in itself, Taylor,” Zararesponds. “Why didn’t you apply for the job when we did the first interviews?August said you knew about them.”

“I worked with Nataliepreviously and had no wish to work with her again, never mind have her as myboss. I wanted to tell you, but it wasn’t my place at the time. I’m just gladyou saw her true nature before she could harm your business.” Taylor looksembarrassed as she says this.

“Well, in the future, if youcome across anything like that, you feel free to come and talk to me. It won’treflect badly when you try to do the right thing.” Zara is just such a naturalleader at such a young age.

“Sierra, you’ve already metbriefly when you gave her the job,” August states.

Sierra is your stereotypicalstylist. Blonde hair, makeup, jewelry. Slim but not quite skinny build. Sheisn’t the brash, loud character that her appearance first hints at, though. Sheis quiet, polite, and gives off an air of professionalism when she speaks.

“Welcome to the business,ladies. Let’s have a seat and I’ll introduce you to our business partner,Sharp, and my business consultant, Shar.” Zara gives a brief explanation to heremployees about Sharp and myself, then gives what I think is just the rightamount of emphasis to the Rogue Legions MC being involved.

After thirty minutes or so,the salon team seems well suited, and I don’t see any potential characterclashes within it. Sharp, I notice, has been paying a lot of visual attentionto Taylor and her attributes. If Zara ever diversifies into a male barber shop,Taylor would be the ideal candidate as the manager. She would attract clientslike bees to a honeypot.

Taking our leave, we are justwalking across the lot to the SUV when the roar of Harleys echoes from MainStreet. Oh my God, I think to myself. This is where Sharp is going to get hiscomeuppance.

Trip pulls up in front ofSharp, hops off his hog and goes nose-to-nose with Sharp. After shouting for afull two minutes, he stares at his Pres and waits for a response.

“It’s not my fault you’recrap at keeping track of one guy. It’s your only proper job, after all.” Sharpleaves Trip raging and calmly climbs into the driver’s seat of the SUV. We headback to the clubhouse trailing a long line of laughing bikers and one verypissed off VP.

CHAPTER 26

Zara

Sitting here each morning,it’s hard to imagine how this kitchen and the clubhouse were only a few monthsago. At this time of day, there would hardly be a soul up and about, and thefew that were would be scruffy and stinking of beer. The place would have beenfilthy with to go containers and pizza boxes covering the surfaces. Oh, anddon’t get me started on the whores and their lazy skank asses.

Wow. I didn’t think I’d wokenup in such a bad mood, I think to myself. The addition of Lira has been thefuse that has sparked a well overdue change for the MC. Even my dad has gonethe extra mile with his appearance and attitude. He stepped up big time whenthe trouble brewed with his treatment of Mia, and her time in prison, but Iwouldn’t recognize him now compared to then.

Shar didn’t like him when shearrived, I know that. It wasn’t difficult to pick up on. She has certainlymellowed toward him though. I don’t think she’ll ever be his number one fan,but at least he’s no longer at the top of her hit list.

“Morning, Crack.” I see himjump a little and have to hide a grin.

“Morning, Zara. I’m not usedto having anyone else up and about before me. You okay?” Stopping to kiss myforehead, he gives me a worried look.

“Yes, everything's good. I’mgetting nervous now that the opening of the salon is so close. It’s all been abit like role play up to now, but this is getting real.”

“I understand that, but fromwhat I’ve seen and heard, you have nothing to worry about,” Crack states, thenstands up straight and breathes heavily. I wonder what’s coming next. “Theforce is strong within you.”

I can’t contain my laughterand bust out laughing, I see him grin. “Oh, Crack. You are so ‘not my father,’but should I ever need another, you’ll be top of my list.” Jumping up, I wrapmy arms around him and hug the ever-loving shit out of him.

“Am I interrupting a loving,tender moment? I can come back later if you like?” Shar stands in the doorway,hands on hips.

Taking a step closer, Crackreaches out and pulls her into our hug. “What a way to start any day. Huggingmy two favorite women in the whole wide world at the same time.” Wrapping hisarm around Shar’s neck, he uses his other hand to scrub his knuckles across thetop of her head.

“OWWW! Jesus Christ, Crack!”Shar jumps backwards. “It’s too early for that shit!” She squeals as she rubsher head.

“It’s what brothers do totheir sisters, and time of day doesn’t come into it, little sis.”

---