Hello everyone,
This story has taken on a life of its own. When I started it, it was specifically for the song contest but it has grown into something I am going to really enjoy writing. I hope you all enjoy it too.
Thanks for reading, reviewing, favoriting, and following.
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Bella picked up her phone as it buzzed. It was Rob, from their speed date a week ago. A part of her was a tad offended he'd waited a week to send a message, and another part was very much excited.
She would love nothing more than to talk to him. What was stopping her? Her horrid history with men. Typically, the only ones interested in her were liars and cheats, and while she'd found him adorable—in a miserable sort of way—she wasn't in any hurry to repeat the cycle.
Tossing her phone on the counter, Bella turned her attention back to her client. Using the pick in her hand, she separated strips of hair, combing it out of her way as she brushed the bleach through the strands. Bella wrapped the lock of hair in foil before tucking it to the side. She was about to reach for another lock when Rose caught her eye over Jane's head. Holding the clip between her teeth, she said, "What?"
"Who was that? Please, please tell me it was the hunk from the speed date. He looked just like Edward Cullen from that movie—what was it? The name is slipping my mind," Rose prompted, as she wrapped Regina's hair in a curler. "You seriously need to hop on that hunk."
"Who?" Bella wanted to know, her nose wrinkled. The only shows she'd watched in the last year were kid programs, and she hadn't seen a movie in years. "Who are you talking about? You know I don't watch movies."
Rose hurriedly tucked the hair around the curler. "Edward Cullen—he was on all those tabloids last year with Kristi Peters. They were all hot and heavy for a long time. They were plastered all over everything. How could you miss it?"
Bella chuckled as if she were thoroughly baffled by her own ignorance. "I don't know, Rose. Maybe because I have two kids at home to take care of. I hardly have time to follow the gossip rags. Plus, I have you to tell me all about it."
"Fine." Rose turned the swivel chair Regina was sitting in to start on the right side of the woman's head. "So, who sent you a message?"
Bella rolled her eyes as she placed the cap over Jane's head. "It was him, but I don't think I'm going to …"
"No, no," Rose reprimanded, shaking her head adamantly. "You are not blowing him off. Bella, you need to take a moment for yourself and enjoy your life while you're still young."
"A guy doesn't want to get wrapped up in a woman with all of my responsibilities, Rose. And you know my luck with men." Bella ignored Rose as she stuck her tongue out. Turning on her faucet, she washed her hands and dried them off before turning back to the room. "Can you imagine Jackson and Bee climbing all over that unsuspecting guy? He wouldn't know what hit him."
"Your dad is a rat for leaving the kids for you to take care of. We should go find his ass and drag him right back here."
The look on Rose's face caused Bella to chuckle. Bella knew Rose meant what she said. If she gave the go-ahead, Rose would be the first one in the car to hunt Charlie's ass down.
Unfortunately, locating her dad was only half the problem. His love of alcohol and drugs was the other half. Even if she was to drag him back here to take care of his children, nothing was making him do it.
It didn't matter. Jackson and Darla had her, and she was determined to do right by her brother and sister—no matter what it cost her.
Currently, it was costing her—everything, and not just the financial aspects. She wasn't going to throw some unsuspecting guy into the fray. Taking a deep breath, she was determined to forget those bluish-green eyes laughing back at her.
She had to admit, she was beyond curious. He seemed sweet, funny, and of course, he was sexy. With a tortured groan, she threw a look toward her phone.
When she'd heard the message, she expected it to be the babysitter screaming; she quit through the receiver before promptly hanging up and leaving her young siblings on their own. Instead, she'd been shocked to find the message was from the handsome man she'd met a week ago.
The only reason she'd gone to that speed date to begin with was to get Rose off her back. Shaking thoughts of Robert from her mind, she stared at her reflection. Twisting a lock of hair around her fingers, she considered what she'd look like if she dyed all of her hair. Sometimes she had the urge to do something crazy, and just change everything about herself.
The bleach in Jane's hair would take another thirty minutes. With that thought in mind, she collected the supplies she needed. "Hey, Rose, come over here and help me dye my hair. I was thinking of something darker, but not too dark."
"We could give you a peek-a-boo. What do you think about dark red? Maybe a burgundy?" Rose crossed the room, pulling Bella's hair this way and that as if trying to envision it. "I'll tell you what. I will help you dye your hair if you text that guy back."
"You are so mean for trying to blackmail me," Bella laughed with a shake of her head. "Forget it, I don't need your help. I am a trained beautician and …"
"You used to be so much more fun," Rose grumbled, pushing Bella back toward the mirror. "I'll help you dye it. Free of charge. So, what did he say?"
Bella rolled her eyes. Rose was worse than a dog with a bone. She glanced at her friend behind her. They'd been friends since high school and rarely did anything apart. Sometimes she envied Rose's freedom and wished like hell she could trade the places with her.
How fun would it be to only have to worry about yourself?
Bella wouldn't know, she'd been bogged down with her brother and sister for the last year. Jackson and Darla were her world, but she really wished Charlie would get his head out of his ass and take care of his responsibilities.
When was the last time she'd been on a real date?
Her mind drifted as thoughts of the sexy stranger at Pablo's intruded. Despite his claim to work at the coffee shop, she'd seen the twinkle in his eye—not like he was trying to deceive her, but more like just going along with her assumptions. It really had her wondering what the hell he was hiding. She would never know if she didn't call him back.
Better yet …
The coffee shop sat three blocks from her apartment. If he was who he said, perhaps she'd run into him there. Suddenly anxious with the prospect of seeing him, she glanced at the clock. Once she finished Jane's hair, she'd have an hour left—less than that when she cleaned up her workspace.
Two hours later, Bella picked up her bag and headed towards the door. She stopped one last time, checking her freshly dyed hair in the mirror. The burgundy livened up the long curls hanging over her shoulder. Applying a coat of lip gloss, she adjusted the hemp choker she wore, smoothing the wrinkles from her blouse.
If she was going to approach Rob, she wanted to look her best, and with that thought, she turned in front of the mirror checking the fit of her jeans. Yep—she looked pretty freaking good. Let's see what she could find out about this guy.
Thankfully, it was a clear sunny day and pleasant for her walk home. "I'll see you tomorrow, Rose," Bella called, stepping outside. She only waited long enough for Rose to yell back before she let the door close behind her.
She was a block away from the coffee shop when her phone bleated to life. Instinctively, she knew who it was before she looked at the damn screen. Cursing under her breath, she dug the cell from her bag, and almost threw it when she saw Vicki's name flashing on the screen. "Fuck," she mumbled, hitting the accept button and lifting it to her ear. "Hey, Vick, what's going on?"
"Jackson clogged the toilet with two rolls of toilet paper while I was making lunch. I finally managed to get it to flush when I heard glass breaking in the living room. You know that pretty pink vase you had sitting on the coffee table? —well, it's no longer there. Darla knocked it over, running Jackson's truck across the top of the glass. When do you think you will be home?"
Bella cast a glance toward the coffee shop before redirecting her gaze toward the cars driving by. "I am stopping for a cup of coffee, and I will be home. Can you handle it for the next twenty minutes?"
Just as Bella asked the question, she heard wailing in the background. Her stomach seized as her gut rolled. Darla was singing at the top of her little lungs about Bella 'come home right now.' "Vick, I will be home right away. Another twenty minutes—that's it, promise."
"Okay, but please … Jackson! Get down off the counter right now. I gotta go, please, hurry."
Bella shook her head as the phone went dead. For a long minute, she simply stared into the street, her mind going blank. She already knew what was going to happen the second she walked into the apartment. Vicki was going to quit, and she would be completely screwed for a babysitter. Finally, she shook her head freeing her mind from the disaster that was her life, she ran her fingers through her hair. "Fuck."
She had ten more minutes to live her life for herself. With this thought in mind, she crossed the street and entered the coffee shop. She was exhilarated when she came face to face with the man responsible for a few sleepless nights over the last week.
Edward's hand stilled as he wiped the tables scattered around the dining area. When he heard the bell jingle as Bella entered, he smiled as she stumbled to a stop. She looked shocked to see him, and that sent a thrill shooting through his chest. "I was wondering if you were ever gonna stop in and see me."
Bella pushed her hair over her shoulder. A funny little jig danced through her belly, and she tried to harness the butterflies in her stomach.
Nervously, she licked her lips even as she smiled. It was beyond her control. Those molten blue eyes just pulled the corners of her mouth up. She lifted her chin at a stubborn angle. "I come in here everyday. I'm really surprised I haven't seen you over the last couple of days."
Edward's fingers tightened on the rag he held. Gesturing over his shoulder, he said, "That's because Buster over there hasn't put me on the night schedule. He'll be fixing that from here on out, right, Buster?"
"My name is Tom," the barista threw back, pausing as he filled the coffee beans. "Maybe if you weren't late every day… might just have to fire you."
Edward withheld the gurgle of laughter threatening to erupt. When he'd seen Bella headed in their direction, he'd paid 'Tom' for a shirt, cap, and rag. The byplay happening was not something they'd rehearsed. "You wouldn't know what to do without me."
"I wouldn't bet on that," Tom mumbled as he went about stocking supplies.
Bella's gaze shot between the barista and Rob. Something was going on, and she felt like she was standing right on the edge of discovering a big secret. Her hold on the strap of her bag tightened as she tried to determine if she was making a complete fool of herself.
Finally, she slowly approached Rob. "So, would you have a minute to talk? Or should I come back some other time?"
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