Page 101 of The King Contract
Fred gives me a crooked smile, running his hand over his grey beard. “Wonderful. Thinking of shaving the beard today. What do you think?”
I whistle loudly. “You’ll look twenty years younger, hot stuff.”
His chuckle rasps. “It’s too bloody hot for a beard in this weather.”
“That’s why I shaved mine,” I agree.
He winks as Ellis emerges from the back room and greets Fred with a loud cheer. “Ellis, my darlin’. My day keeps getting better.”
Ellis puts an arm around his shoulder, reaching for his scraggly beard. “What’s this I hear about shaving this beauty?”
I smile as Ellis steers Fred into the temporary salon area, listening as they discuss the latest sports results. Fred doesn’t own a television, but he listens to updates on his transistor radio.
“Where do you want these?”
I spin to see Noah standing with a giant stack of water bottles, his handsome face peering over the top. My smile almost breaks my cheekbones. “I didn’t know you were here.”
He shifts the package to rest on his shoulder with ease, and my gaze travels to the taut tendons in his arms like magnets. He’s so sexy. He’s always been sexy, but when he’s looking at me like he wants to swallow me whole, that’s another layer of hot.
“I’ve been watching you from that corner for the past ten minutes,” he says with a grin. “I’m mostly here to watch you carry heavy things and bend over every few minutes.”
“Pervert.”
His eyes crinkle. “I don’t think I’ve ever told you this before, but what you do here is incredible.” His tone is sincere. “You really are a saint.”
“Being kind to other people doesn’t make anyone a saint,” I argue. “The water can go outside. We’ve got buckets of ice lined up in the freezer ready to unload.”
“Yes, ma’am.” He winks and starts to push past me but ends up slowing down and leaning towards me. He stops right before reaching my mouth and raises his eyebrows expectantly. I grin and reach up, planting a chaste kiss on his mouth. “That’s better.”
He saunters off and I check out his tight butt as he walks away. That every part of his body is toned and ripped sure doesn’t hurt.
I catch Fred watching me, and my cheeks heat. He’s taken a seat, waiting in line for his haircut, and I carry over his usual coffee with extra syrup for good measure. “Extra sweet, as always.”
Fred graciously accepts the cup, tilting his head in Noah’s direction. “That the surfer boy?”
I glance at Noah’s retreating back. “That’s the surfer boy.”
“He treating you well?”
I smile. “Yeah. He’s treating me well.”
Fred grunts in approval. “Alright. What’s this I hear about a photography exhibit?”
My eyebrows fly to my hairline. “How’d you know about that?”
“I might be out of touch with society, but I’m no fool.” He sips his coffee and groans, smacking his lips together. “Ellis showed me some of your photos.”
I tut under my breath. “They’re meant to stay out of the way until the end of the day.”
“It’s like you’re meeting your cousin for the first time.” Fred nods to Ellis, who holds up a framed photo of mine, showing it to a few others who have wandered in. When she sees me staring, my mouth hanging open, she smiles.
I shake my head. “You’re right, Fred. Sometimes I forget who I’m dealing with.”
“You should be proud,” he says gruffly. “We all are. Donna would be, and so would your parents.”
I snap my mouth shut to stem the lump in my throat. “Thanks, Fred.”
The morning takes off as more people trickle in. Some are familiar, others are brand new, and our staff and volunteers are on hand to help coordinate. Ellis takes coffee orders and hands them to me as she guides people to wait in the seats for haircuts, the buzz of conversation filling the room. People scatter throughout our display room, looking at our items for sale. Some linger outside eating breakfast and swapping stories. Staff and volunteers hand out toiletry packs and blankets, as well as information on where they can receive mental health support in the area. It’s humming, and my heart warms at the sight of it.
