Fatal Impulse: A Widow's Web Novel Page 11

  The young girl perched at the counter twirled her blonde hair around her index finger. Her perfectly arched eyebrows rose as she glanced down at the calendar spread out in front of her. “Do you have an appointment?”

  Andi shook her head.

  The girl ran her finger down the list of names and phone numbers scrawled across the appointment book. “I can get you in a week from tomorrow with Marilyn.”

  “My next appointment cancelled, if you want me to fit you in.”

  Andi looked up at the woman who spoke. When she saw the purple streaked hair, she started to shake her head no, but stopped. This might be just the person to help her. This bold woman might be able to work miracles.

  She looked at the girl who shrugged and went back to twirling her hair.

  The stylist stepped forward and extended her right hand. “I’m Jackie. Come on back.”

  Andi sat in the chair and clutched her purse in her lap. Jackie ran her fingers through Andi’s long, thick hair and said, “Mmmm. Whatdaya have in mind? Just a trim?”

  “No. I want something completely different.”

  Jackie grinned as she wrapped her fingers around a ponytail of hair and pulled it back from Andi’s face. “You know, we could take off a few inches, or we could go with a pixie cut. With your round face, you’d be cute as all get out. You’d look like that actress in Once Upon a Time.”

  Andi’s brown eyes widened in the mirror, and she shocked herself when she nodded. “Let’s go for it.”

  “You’re sure?” Jackie cocked her head and raised her eyebrows. “No going back.”

  “No going back,” Andi repeated. In more ways than one.

  As Jackie moved around her, snipping with her silver scissors, Andi felt lighter with every lock of hair that fell to the floor. For so long, she’d done everything Chad wanted, from keeping his house perfect to looking the way he insisted she look. He was gone now, and she could live the life she wanted. Her spine straightened and she lifted her chin. She would be okay.

  After Jackie finished blow drying Andi’s hair with a round brush, she handed Andi a mirror and spun her in the chair so she could admire her new look. A grin spread across Andi’s face as she turned her head this way and that. Joy overwhelmed her. She handed the mirror back to Jackie and wiped away a tear. “Thank you. I can’t even begin to tell you what this means to me.”

  “Some folks say your hairdresser is like your therapist.” The stylist swept the cape off with a flourish. “In some ways that’s true, and it’s pretty clear to me that you needed a fresh start. I’m glad I could help you do that.”

  The two women walked to the front of the salon and Andi gave her new stylist a generous tip, then made an appointment for a trim in five weeks. She pushed through the door and stood on the sidewalk, giving her eyes time to adjust to the bright sunlight. Her smile was so wide, her cheeks hurt. She turned and walked towards her Jeep, excusing herself as she dodged tourists. Just as she opened the door, someone shouted, “Hey! Get away from that Jeep!” The door froze in mid-swing as she paused and looked around.

  Dana jogged across the street, then pulled up abruptly. “Andi?”

  “Hey! What are you up to?”

  “I didn’t recognize you!” Breathing with the exertion, Dana shook her head. “I thought somebody was trying to steal your new ride.”

  Laughter bubbled up. “What do you think?” She flipped her head left, then right.

  “It looks amazing. You look just like Snow—”

  “White!” Andi tossed her head and said, “I know, right?!”

  “It’s really something.” A sigh escaped Dana’s lips and she shook her head slowly. “You look like a totally new person.”

  “I feel like a totally new person. I feel lighter, happier, better than I have in ages.”

  “I’ve got to get back to work.” Dana threw her arms around Andi in a bear hug. “You deserve this, you know.”

  “Thanks,” Andi waved as her friend crossed the street. It was true. She did feel like a new person. Getting a new haircut was symbolic. She’d shed the last remnants of Chad’s control with those long tresses Jackie swept up and threw away.

  16

  Preparations for the Harbor Fest kept Andi busy that next week. Mildred told Andi how excited everyone was about the expansion of the event to include fine art and, at Andi’s suggestion, local writers.

  The Chamber rented big tents for the artists to display their wares in the park, and Andi spent all day Friday making sure everything was ready for the vendors to set up. She focused the majority of her time on the main tent with rollup sides, and strung white twinkle lights all around it. Mildred arranged for It’s Thyme to cater the event. By the time the shadows lengthened across the park, guests filled the magical setting. Artists and townspeople chatted as they nibbled on lobster rolls and sipped champagne from flutes.

  Mildred approached Andi and said, “You’ve done a fantastic job with this. Why don’t you take a break and get a bite to eat before the lobster rolls are all gone?”

  Right on cue, Andi’s stomach growled. “Thanks, I think I will.”

  She looked around and spotted Dana sitting at a round table at the back of the tent. She wove through the crowd, greeting those artists that she recognized. She pulled out a chair at Dana’s table. “Looks like it’s going to be a success.”

  Dana nodded and waved towards the crowd. “You’ve done a great job with this.”

  “Thanks.” A grin spread across Andi’s face. “It was a lot of work, and I really only did a little bit of it, but I think it’ll be worth it. We have over 75 artists entered.”

  Dana raised her champagne flute. “To a successful Fest.”

  “Cheers.” Andi raised her own glass and took a sip, then, “You need to find Kate Murphy’s booth tomorrow. Her husband, Pete, is a glassblower, and she makes these amazing glass beads over an open flame.”

  “Sounds neat. I love that kind of stuff.” Dana looked over Andi’s shoulder and waved. “There’s Edward. I’m going to go say hello - be right back.”

  Andi glanced over her shoulder as Dana greeted her boss. She took a moment to simply revel in the party atmosphere that she’d helped to create. Being part of something bigger than herself always appealed to her. That’s why she enjoyed serving on the Library Board so much. Maybe she’d get involved again, now that her life was returning to normal. Then again, none of those women reached out to her after Chad’s death. They avoided her like the plague.

  She shook it off, closed her eyes and took a deep breath. The air was crisp and clean, fragrant with lobster and salt. Andi leaned back, letting her cares and worry float away. She felt lighter than she had in ages.

  A shadow fell over her. She opened her eyes to find a dark haired man with piercing blue eyes standing over her. “Are you one of the artists?” His Wranglers were crisp, and his denim shirtsleeves were rolled up, exposing muscled forearms.

  “No, I work for the Chamber.” Her eyes wandered to the tanned triangle of skin revealed at his neck by a couple of buttons left undone. She looked down, but this time she didn’t have enough hair to hide behind. She took a deep breath, lifted her chin and met his gaze.

  He pulled out a chair and sat. “I don’t remember seeing you at other Chamber events.” His ice blue eyes crinkled when he smiled, exposing nearly perfect teeth. He was what most would call ruggedly handsome, probably in his mid to late thirties. Forties tops.

  Her heart thumped in her chest. “I just started recently.”

  He motioned to the artfully stacked lobster cages that she’d strung with red and white lights. “You’ve really captured the feel of Buccaneer Bay. That’ll make a good impression on all the artists.”

  She felt her cheeks heat under his praise, and looked down. “Thanks.” Her stomach did a little flip. It was too soon to be attracted to a man, but she couldn’t deny the tingle she felt in his presence. Besides, she felt as if she had wasted years of her life with Chad.<
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  After they chatted a few more minutes, he leaned forward. “I realize this is a bit forward of me, but could I give you a call sometime?”

  She hesitated, then gave him her phone number and he entered it in his phone. He slipped the phone back into its holster just as Dana returned to the table. She nodded at him once, then glanced at Andi with one eyebrow arched. “Am I interrupting anything?”

  “Nope.” He grinned and pushed to his feet. He glanced at Dana. “Good to see you again.”

  Dana narrowed her eyes and tilted her head. “And you.”

  “Such a beautiful night for a party.” His manner was easy and relaxed. He hooked Andi’s hand with his and brought it to his lips. “You are to be commended on a job well done. Hope the rest of the event is as successful as tonight.”

  He excused himself. Andi watched him walk away, thinking about Wrangler butts for the first time in years.

  17

  As soon as he disappeared into the crowd, Dana interrogated Andi about her new friend. “How do you know him? Are you going to see him again?” She sounded like a mother, a mother with a teenage daughter.

  “Oh, Dana! I don’t even know his name, much less anything else about him! But he’s got a cute butt, doesn’t he?” Laughter erupted like the bubbles in the champagne bottle in the ice bucket and she clamped a hand over her mouth. She felt new, alive. Like a new person.

  Dana narrowed her eyes and focused on Andi. “I’m surprised you didn’t recognize him. I figured you knew him. He’s one of the execs with the Chamber. Supposedly he’s a big time public relations guy from Boston originally. Moved here because of his wife.”

  Andi shrugged. “I don’t have much to do with the Chamber itself. They just send me my paychecks.”

  A frown still creased Dana’s forehead and her jaw clenched and unclenched.

  “Dana?” One of the great things about Dana was that she was always honest, sometimes brutally so. Whenever a straight answer was required, Andi went to Dana. But this time it looked like she was holding her tongue for some reason. Andi pressed, “What is it?”

  She shook her head and glanced around at the crowd. “I really shouldn’t say anything, because I don’t know for sure.”

  “Shouldn’t say what?”

  Finally, she spit words laced with venom. “Didn’t you hear me a minute ago? He’s married.”

  It was like getting a bucket of cold water dumped over her head. Andi frowned, determined not to let it get her down, and turned her attention to the artists drifting in and out of the round tables. “It’s not a big deal. He was just chatting.” Why did this bother her? Chad only been in the ground a month and it was too soon to be looking at men like that anyway. But the possibility of someone exciting and new was, well, exciting. A handsome man approached her and spoke to her like an equal, without a trace of the condescension in his voice.

  The good-looking guy didn’t cross her mind again until the following Wednesday. She was cleaning the downstairs bathroom when the phone rang. She ran and picked up on the fourth ring.

  She huffed out a breath, then said, “Hello?”

  “Hi,” The voice was deep and a little rough, as if he had just woken up. “You probably don’t remember me, but we met at the Harbor Fest.”

  Her skin tingled at the memory, “Right, but I don’t think we ever exchanged names.”

  “I thought about that after I walked off.” He laughed. “Anyway, my name is Paul - Paul Thompson. And you are?”

  “Andrea Adams. But my friends call me Andi.” She caught her reflection in the dresser mirror. A flush of heat colored her cheek like apples. With her new haircut, she looked like an entirely different person. And felt it.

  “Does that mean I get to call you Andi?” That gravelly voice gave her chills.

  A butterfly did a back flip in her stomach as she walked back into the bathroom. “Sure.” She slid down to the floor and leaned against the cool tile of the tub.

  “Good.”

  Silence hummed between them. Her tongue flicked out to moisten her full lips. “I think we kind of work together.”

  “Do tell.”

  “I work at the tourism center, at the Chamber of Commerce.” Her job, so low on the totem pole, embarrassed her a bit, but he didn’t react.

  “We probably have walked right past each other, then. I do some PR work for the Chamber.”

  After a few minutes of small talk, he took a deep breath, then plunged into the meat of the call. “I’m thinking about taking a trip up to Witch Hole Lake this weekend to take some pictures for a brochure. Would you like to come along?”

  “Who all is going?” The butterfly did a double back flip.

  “Just me. And you, if you want to go.”

  She closed her eyes and pictured the two of them, alone in the wilds of Maine, on a deserted lakefront. Just the sound of his voice gave her thrills. What would she do in an enclosed space with him?

  “Still there?” His voice, barely more than a whisper, gave her chills.

  “Yes.” Two sides of her tussled about his offer, until she decided it was best to confront things head on. Her voice came out more abrupt than she intended. “Are you married?”

  The phone line hummed quietly as her heart thumped in her chest one, two, three, four times.

  Finally, he spoke. “Yes. Yes, I am. But we are separating.”

  “Oh.” Oh, God, did that mean he was available? He said separating, present tense - not separated, past tense. She’d have to ask Dana for a judgment call on this one.

  He plunged ahead. “I mean, I don’t want you to think this is a date or anything. I just thought it would be fun for you to go along. And it would actually be helpful to have your perspective.”

  Of course! It was business, not a date. She squeezed her eyes shut, thankful they weren’t face to face. “Oh,” she said again, then cursed herself. He worked with words, and all she could come up with was ‘oh.’ The internal debate continued, while they talked about photos that would appeal to tourists.

  They reached an awkward silence, and he said, “I should let you get back to your day.”

  The lonely voice in her head won the battle. She swallowed hard and took a tentative step forward. “You know, I’ve been reading about that lake, but I’ve never been there.”

  His voice brightened immediately. “Oh, it’s great. There’s a little picnic area and a small beach, all surrounded by woods, with amazing carriage trails. It’s an easy hike. We might even get lucky and spot a moose or a bear!”

  She laughed at his excitement. “Okay.”

  “Okay, as in, okay, you’ll go?” His voice was hopeful.

  She nodded, then realized he couldn’t see her. “Yes.”

  They made arrangements to meet at Caddy’s Quick Shop the following morning. Guilt tugged at her, but she squelched it. After they hung up, she sat on the cool tile floor, hugging herself and grinning at her brazenness. Was going with him the right thing to do? Would she be able to do the right thing and keep this at a friendship level?

  How horrible would it be if she didn’t?

  18

  Andi called Dana and told her about the call. Her friend’s demeanor was a bit cool, but to her credit, she wasn’t judgmental.

  “I know how difficult it is for you to be alone.” Dana kept her tone even. “But, it’s only been a month since Chad died.”

  “I know.” Andi winced at the whiny tone in her voice. “And that’s why I’m feeling guilty. But I want to put that chapter of my life behind me — and it’s not like this is a date. It’s for work.”

  “Just be careful. Don’t jump in to something too fast.”

  “I won’t,” Andi assured her. She appreciated her friend’s concern. “But I feel like I waste
d so much time with Chad. Our marriage ended a long time ago.”

  “I get it. Really, I do.” Dana’s sigh reached through the phone. “But what’s the deal with his marriage? Did you ask him?”

  The corners of Andi’s mouth curled up. “Yes, he’s separated.” Separating, a little voice in her head insisted.

  The next Saturday morning, she pulled into a parking spot at Caddy’s Quick Shop. She ran inside to get a soda. Marilou Young perched on her stool behind the cash register, tapping a stubby yellow pencil on the counter. In all the years Andi’d lived there, she’d never seen Marilou leave her roost. She was old and cranky, and knew every one of her customers by name.

  Wally Morton leaned across the counter, his voice sharp. “You tell Burt to make sure he uses new antifreeze when he flushes my radiator this time.”

  Marilou swiped Wally’s keys off the counter. “Will do.”

  “I’m not kidding around. If I find out he used that old stuff again, I’m going to tell everyone in town. I know that shed in back is full of ancient antifreeze and he’s trying to use it up … but not in my vehicle!” He spun around and came face to face with Andi. His eyes widened and his cheeks burned. He stammered, “Oh, hello.”

  “Wally.” She smiled at him. “Please say hello to Jennifer for me. And, please, let her know that I’d be glad to help again if the Library Board needs anything.”

  “Sure. Of course.” The older man pushed past her and out the door. Andi stared after him, missing her old life for just a moment. Until she remembered that not a single member of the Library Board she’d served on for two years had even bothered to send her so much as a sympathy card since Chad’s death.

  Unfazed by Wally, Marge looked up from her crossword puzzle as Andi set her ice cold Coke on the counter. Even after six years, she looked at Andi with suspicion. “That all?”

  Andi nodded as she pulled two bills from her purse.

  Marge kept her head lowered and peered at Andi over her glasses. “That new Jeep o’ yours sucks gas, I betcha.”