Tender to His Touch by Adrianne Byrd

Author:Adrianne Byrd
Language: eng
Format: mobi, epub
Publisher: Kimani Press
Published: 2009-05-18T22:00:00+00:00

Chapter 12

Wednesdays were normally slow days at Hoops and it was then that Beverly and her employees would perform inventory calculations, rearrange the floor and/or do some intense cleaning. Basically, it was just busy work. Clarence, whose hair salon was just a few doors down, dipped into the shop around lunchtime, carrying two plastic containers of his and Beverly’s favorite grilled salmon salad from Le Chez restaurant.

“I’m here to rescue you,” he announced when he entered her office.

Beverly looked up from her endless amount of paperwork and smiled. “You’re a lifesaver.”

“That’s what they all say.” Clarence fluttered his long lashes and then set their food down on the corner of the desk while he removed his jacket. “You just make sure that you buy me a fabulous gift for Christmas next month. I got my eye on this gorgeous Louis Vuitton Bastille bag.”

Beverly laughed. “Louis Vuitton? Girl, you better get your man to hook you up. I was thinking along the lines of a free manny and peddy.”

“Hmmph. Cheap heifer.”

“Whatever.” She cleaned a spot on her desk and then reached for her salad.

“I come not only bearing good food, I got some gossip, girl.” He pulled out a magazine. “Word is music mogul Micah Ross is getting hitched.”

“Really?” Beverly said. “You know he came to my class reunion a couple of weeks ago?”

“I know. I’m still mad that you didn’t get me an autograph—at least from that fine-ass Justice Kane.”

“You’re always mad.” Beverly looked around. “What—nothing to drink?”

Clarence’s gaze raked her up and down. “Oh, no you didn’t.”

Beverly turned toward the small personal refrigerator and pulled out two iced tea bottles. “Look at that. Bam! I got you,” she said, laughing.

“Good thing or we would’ve just had to bust out some water up in here.”

Beverly took the first bite of her food and moaned her approval.

“If you moan like that over some food then I just know how you—”

“Cut it out,” she warned with a sharp look.

Clarence snickered. “Fine. I was just saying.”

“So who is Micah Ross marrying?”

“Some writer chick…Tamara Hodges, I think.”

Beverly dropped her fork. “Get out of here. Are you for real?”

Clarence frowned at her reaction. “What? You know her?”

Beverly nodded while recalling the brief conversation she had with Tamara at Cork’s ladies’ room and, more importantly, her admitting her pregnancy. It wasn’t hard to draw a conclusion. “Wow. Micah and Tamara.” She shook her head. “Seems like a lot of people were hooking up at the reunion.”

“Oh? Maybe at your twentieth they’ll just cut to the chase and call it an orgy party.”

“My goodness. Don’t you ever quit?”

“Well, one of us got to be scandalous. It’s how we keep balance in the world.”

At the knock on her door, Beverly glanced up to Leslie, one of her part-time employees.

“There’s someone here asking for you.”

She frowned. “Who is it?”

Leslie shrugged and walked away.

Beverly glanced over at Clarence.

“Good help is hard to find,” Clarence joked.

She shook her head, took another bite of her salad and then went to go talk to a customer.

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