Page 65 of Sandbar Sunrise
They all moved closer to Stone, who looked more and more like a man who fit in Irish Hills—well, if Irish Hills were populated by incredibly well-groomed men.
“I just want to thank you all for helping us soft launch. I have been on the outskirts of this town for around two years, and I have to say, getting to be on the inside of this project and the grocery store has been the most fun I’ve ever had.”
“Come on, you’ve been to Coachella. We heard that had to be something,” J.J. quipped. She couldn’t resist a quip.
“It’s not. The bathroom situation is awful, trust me,” Goldie piped up.
“Coachella notwithstanding, this has been way better. There is one reason for that, and it’s J.J.”
There was hoot and applause.
J.J. shook her head. “Please, it’s a salon, not a military operation.”
“Do not let her fool you. She is a general if I’ve ever seen one.” That got some laughs of recognition.
Yet J.J. didn’t think of herself as a general of anything. In charge of her kids, the PTA, and, of course, Dean when needed, yes. But the boss? She’d never been that. And here was the boss of all bosses saying she’d taken charge. J.J. felt her face get red with the attention, but also, she felt proud. Shehadwhipped this place into shape.
“To J.J.!” Stone said and raised his glass. Her friends and family followed suit.
“Oooh, drink up. He bought the good stuff,” Emma called out.
J.J. mingled, and she checked all the final outcomes of her soft clients. Everyone there booked their first official appointments for the coming weeks.
The salon was on its way.
Slowly, people made their way out one by one, and J.J. found herself sweeping up.
“You’re not supposed to be the one doing that, boss lady.”
“Ah, if you don’t want to sweep up, don’t get in the salon business. Grab the dustpan.”
Stone did as she said, and again, they were happily in the now familiar dance of working together. She was oddly comfortable sweeping dust into Stone Stirling’s waiting pan.
“Well, you did it. You pulled it off.”
“Amazing what a lot of cash and a deadline can do.”
They both walked to the backroom. J.J. leaned the broom by the storeroom door. Stone emptied the dustpan like a pro. She wondered if, a year ago, he’d ever even touched one.
“Oh, hey, you got some hair dye or something there.” Stone pointed to his cheek. She rubbed her own, figuring she must look ridiculous.
“Did I get it?”
“No, wait, here.” He reached out and smoothed his thumb across her cheek toward her ear.
Like a lightning bolt, she was wrapped in Stone Stirling’s arms, and he was kissing her. She kissed him back, and it wasn’t a timid first-date kiss. It was a real, grown woman kiss. For a moment, her head was swimming. She forgot where she was, even who she was.
This is one good kiss.
And just as fast as it happened, J.J. stepped back. She had shocked herself.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to be inappropriate. I don’t know what came over me.” Stone lifted both his hands in the air like it was a stickup.
“No, no, I get it all the time. I’m magnetic.”
J.J.’s go-to mode was humor. It was her crutch, her shield, her weapon, needed. And in this very uncharted territory, she decided to joke her way out of whatever just happened.
“You are,” Stone replied seriously. “You’re beautiful and amazing. I just overstepped. My fault entirely.”
