Page 2 of Hello Heartbreaker

I could see young me all over this town, cruising Main Street with him. Wearing his jersey to football games. Getting shakes at the diner for our very first date. Holding hands in the movie theater. Giving him all of my firsts, all of myself... And I remember the small-town skyline in my rear-view mirror as I drove away.

I took a breath. I could handle being here. I wasn’t the eighteen-year-old me with her faith shaken and tears in her eyes anymore. I was a grown woman with hopes, dreams, notches in her bedpost and a future ahead of her. I could own a business, live closer to my dad, enjoy time with my friends. Finally reach my dreams.

Getting out of my car, I walked to the front door of the salon, just in time to see Rhonda flip the sign from “Sorry, we’re closed” to “Come in, we’re open!”

She waved at me through the glass, her eyes crinkling with her smile. Her permed brown hair was piled atop her head with a clip, and her lips were painted with bright red lipstick to compliment her cheetah print blouse and teal-blue glasses frames. She always did have flair.

The bell on the door jingled as she opened it and said, “Come here, you!” She pulled me into her arms, and I grinned, hugging her back and basking in the familiar smell of her perfume.

Rhonda was like a second mom to me after my own mom left Dad and me, giving me work at the salon to sweep up hair, stock products, make sure everyone had what they needed. The money had been helpful, but the work gave me a much-needed distraction while it felt like my world was falling apart.

“It’s so good to see you,” I said into her shoulder.

“You too.” Her smile turned to a scowl as she pulled away. “It’s been too long since you’ve been home. A phone call every month wasn’t near enough Maggie time for me.”

I gave her a guilty shrug along with a smile. “Guess I’ll have to make up for lost time.”

She put her arm around me, pulling me close. “Good girl. Now let me show you around.”

For the next half hour, she showed me how she’d rearranged and updated the shop over the years, made sure I was familiar with the payment system and scheduling software, and then glanced at the windows. “Oh, it looks like your first appointment is here.”

I followed her gaze, expecting to see an older woman from the community.

Instead, I sawhim.

Rhett Griffen walked down the sidewalk toward the salon in all his six-foot, two-inch glory. His jeans hugged his legs like God himself painted them there. His T-shirt wrapped around thick biceps and hung loose around his waist. But best, or possibly worst, of all were his hazel eyes, staring right at me, stealing all the breath from my lungs.

“Oh, hell no,” I said.

Rhonda turned and stared at me like I’d kicked a kitten. “Language, dear.”

“Sorry, it’s just—you know our history. Are you sure you don’t want to take him?” I asked.

With a knowing look, she said, “This is a test, Maggie. Can you take care of every client in this town the way I would? If not, I’m afraid I’m not sure what you’re doing here.”

I gritted my teeth together. This six-month trial period wasn’t going to be a walk in the park. Rhonda was going to make me work for this opportunity.

I took a deep breath as he approached the door.

“Of course I can take care of him.”

Scissors would help.

2

RHETT

If looks could kill,I’d be a pile of ash blowing down the sidewalk.

But even with that stink on her face, Magnolia Ray Gibson was beautiful as always.

She had her dark brown hair pulled back off her neck, showing earrings shaped like a pair of saguaros. Soft pink lipstick made her lips that much more appealing. And years had curved and shaped her body in a way that had my hands itching to reach out and hold her.

Knowing I couldn’t, I pushed my way through the door and then kept my hands hooked to my pockets just in case. “Rhonda, Mags, aren’t you a sight for sore eyes.”

Rhonda fanned her face. “Aren’t you the charmer.”

I smiled back at her, but my eyes quickly slid over to Maggie. The passing years hadn’t changed my attraction to her, and just like back then, I felt like a planet spinning around her, just begging for an ounce of sunlight.

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