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“Uncle Rhett!”

“I mean... Don’t tell your parents?”

She laughed. “They already know you cuss, Uncle Rhett.”

“True,” I said as I drove down Main Street. “Anyway. Where’s this kid? I’ll beat up his dad.”

“Not him?” she asked.

“Can’t hit a kid, but I’ll teach his daddy a lesson on how to raise a young man. You listen to me, Maya girl, you are perfect the way you are, and anyone who can’t see that needs a pair of glasses. Got it?”

She didn’t seem too convinced.

“You know how Livvy and Mags have bigger bodies, but Tessa’s mom is skinny? Or how your daddy is tall and Mindy’s dad is short?”

She nodded.

“They’re all different. Not better.”

She seemed to catch on as we pulled up to the diner. “Thanks, Uncle Rhett.”

I smiled. “Any time, baby girl.”

25

MAGNOLIA

SeeingRhett with the girls on the team and at the diner with his niece had my heart all sorts of confused when I went into the salon the next morning. So much so that I put three creams in my coffee because I was too busy thinking about him to keep count.

I nearly started when Rhonda said, “We have a few minutes till we open. Come sit with me.”

I refocused on the present and followed her to the couch in the waiting area. I sat across from her, sipping my coffee. “We have a full schedule today for both of us,” I said. “I only have one appointment open. That’s exciting.”

She smiled. “It’s great news. I wanted to check in on you. How does it feel so far?”

I paused, trying to sort my logical thoughts from my feelings about the night before. But the more I thought about what it was like to be here, the less logic played a role.

“It feels like home,” I said with a small smile. “I really hope you’ll give me the opportunity to purchase the salon at the end of this trial period. How do you think I’m doing? Anything I can improve on?”

Her Cheshire smile grew. “I’ve always liked your willingness to grow.”

I swirled my stir stick in my coffee. “I try.”

She listed off a few ways I could do better with the older clients who liked things just-so and then said, “I love how you interact with the younger clients. I can tell they feel so special when you ask to feature them on your social media.”

I grinned. “I love it. Although I think Ms. Fields almost had a heart attack when I asked her.”

Rhonda waved her hands through the air. “She thinks they’re spying on her through the internets.”

I stifled a chuckle at the word “internets.” “Who’s they?” I asked.

She shrugged. “What I want to know is why she thinksthey’dwant to spy on her? To get her grocery lists?”

I laughed. “They must be pretty good lists.”

Rhonda winked. “How are your finances? Are you still looking good for the purchase in a few months?”

I nodded. “Especially if we stay this busy. Rooming with Cam really helps me save too, since we’re splitting rent.”