Page 9 of Her Rock Star's Dark Secret

“Ten. He’s coming in at ten,” Lauren said. She knew she had an opening then.

“That’s right,” Chase said. “It’s at ten.”

“Then I’ll take your ten-thirty slot,” Mrs. Wheaton said.

“Sounds perfect.” Lauren had no idea if Chase was really coming in for a haircut, but she was grateful to him. And now Mrs. Wheaton would most likely be telling everyone she was going to a celebrity salon.

That gave Lauren an idea. “Chase, I ought to have you help me with some marketing.”

“That’s a smart woman you have there, Mr. Remington!” Mrs. Wheaton said. “Make sure you hang onto her.”

“Oh, he doesn’t have me,” Lauren corrected.

Mrs. Wheaton looked at her like she didn’t believe her. “You could’ve fooled me. You sure look like you have him. And what a beautiful family you’ll make!”

Lauren glanced around for Penny. She wanted to cover the young girl’s ears. She didn’t need to get any big ideas in her head. Because what Mrs. Wheaton was indicating was completely impossible on so many levels.

Panic struck her heart. She couldn’t see Penny anywhere. She’d been so distracted by Mrs. Wheaton she’d failed to keep track of her daughter. What kind of mother did that? “Where’s Penny?”

“She’s over there, coming down the slide,” Chase said. “I’ve been watching her the entire time.”

Penny emerged from the big yellow tube and landed on both feet. “Chase! Can you push me on the swings now?” Penny ran toward them.

“Let’s go!” He took her hand, and she tugged hard on it as she dashed toward the swings.

“They really do look so natural together,” Mrs. Wheaton noted as he lifted Penny onto a swing.

Lauren scowled. She didn’t want to hear this. It was nonsense. Lauren wasn’t looking to get remarried, and Chase was the last guy she had her sights set on. She didn’t even know what she was doing at the park with him. She’d just kind of gotten sucked into it because it was what Penny wanted. It wasn’t what she wanted at all.

But maybe she could turn this park outing into a success after all. Maybe if she buttered up Chase enough, she could get him to agree to do a video promoting her salon.

“Chase and I aren’t together,” Lauren told Mrs. Wheaton. “He’s just in town for our ten-year high school reunion. After that, he’s going back to California.” Or wherever he came from. She didn’t even know. She hadn’t bothered to ask him much about his life in the music industry.

“Then change that,” Mrs. Wheaton said.

“Change what?” Lauren asked.

“Don’t let a man like that slip through your fingers. Your daughter needs a father.”

Lauren bristled at her words and had to work hard to bite back an angry response. What did Mrs. Wheaton know about what her daughter needed? She wanted to give the woman a piece of her mind, but she needed to be on Mrs. Wheaton’s good side so she would tell all her friends about the salon.

“I don’t see how I could do anything to keep a man like that.”

It was true. Chase was a celebrity. Lauren was just a normal girl. She wasn’t going to kid herself into thinking that he would see her as more than a worn-out, single mom and struggling business owner. “But even if I could, I don’t want to,” she told Mrs. Wheaton.

“Why on earth not?” Mrs. Wheaton looked at her like she’d grown two heads. “If I were young and single, I’d be fighting hard for a man like that!” For a moment, Mrs. Wheaton got a faraway look in her eyes.

“Because I’m handling life fine without a man. I don’t need one.”

“I’m sure you are,” Mrs. Wheaton said. “But it’s not about needing a man. It’s about wanting one. And that is one remarkable man.”

Lauren didn’t want to agree. She refused to be pulled into another façade. She’d fallen for it once with Brandon. She refused to fall for it again. One outing to a park wasn’t enough to prove anything to her.

“If you don’t want him, then why did you go to Ravioli’s with him?” It was like the woman had eyes and ears everywhere. Just one more reason to get her to come into the salon. She just had to find a way to convince her to come back because her gossip could make or break her business. Lauren was fantastic at doing hair, and her employees were great as well. It was just that dated interior that was running people off. It had to be.

“How do you know we went to Ravioli’s?”

“I was there. Mr. Wheaton and I just celebrated our thirtieth anniversary.”

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