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“Seriously?” I groan. “I knew she was a gossip, but now she’s just making up lies.”
“More like exaggerating the truth,” Piper says, earning a glare from me.
“Whose side are you on?”
Her eyes go wide. “Yours. Obviously. But you know this town better than I do. They love a juicy story.”
I sigh, rolling my eyes. “One broken pipe isn’t a juicy story,” I mutter.
Piper nudges me with her elbow. “But the hot guy coming to fix your broken pipe is.”
I feel my face heating against my will. “Shut up.”
She grins at me and waggles her eyebrows. “Is he going to come lay some pipe, Harlow?”
“Shut up.”
“What kind of tool is he working with?”
“Shut up.”
“I love a man who’s good with his hands.”
“I’m telling Luke about this.”
Piper just laughs. “You will not. It’s against girl code. Besides, I can admire an attractive man when I see one.”
She’s right and she knows it. I won’t tell Luke about her teasing. Because then he might ask why we were discussing Linc in the first place and then another person would know about my stupid crush.
“I hate you,” I mutter.
Piper waves away my words. “Nah. You love me. Can’t live without me.”
I glare at her through narrowed eyes. She’s right, but I won’t give her the satisfaction of admitting it.
“Hmm. Whatever you choose to believe.”
Chapter 10
Harlow
I spend most of Sunday afternoon doing damage control. I start by calling my clients for the coming week and reassuring them that the shop will be open for business and confirming that they’ll still be coming in for their scheduled appointments. Luckily, no one cancels. That’s a surprise that I’m grateful for. Something is finally going my way.
Then, I call Dottie and apologize again for what happened and offer her a free haircut next time she comes for her appointment. I assure her that the shop is back in working order and that it will be like new the next time she sees it. I make sure to talk a big game in hopes that she’ll spread the word around town. There’s no guarantee she will, but I need all the help I can get. I even drop Linc’s name, letting her know that he’s the contractor.
Linc's popularity is a holdover from his days as a high school football star. It doesn’t hurt that he grew up to be one of the nicest guys in town. Not to mention the hottest. Needless to say, the ladies of Peach Tree are fans of Linc Prescott. I’m hoping to use that popularity to my advantage. Everyone in town knows Linc’s business does quality work. The knowledge that he has a hand in fixing my salon should help my own credibility. By the time I end my call with Dottie, I feel marginally better about the whole situation. I do feel a little guilty using his name like that, but I tell myself it’s for a good cause. And I doubt Linc would be bothered by it. In fact, he’d probably laugh about it.
By the time Monday morning rolls around, I’m too busy pretending everything is perfect to worry about being nervous. I talk up the planned renovations with my clients, making it seem like they’d already been in the works before Saturday’s disaster. When my last client finally leaves in the afternoon, I’m exhausted. I feel like I’ve run a marathon after being on my feet all day and my face hurts from all the fake smiling.
I’m sweeping the floor when I hear a knock and turn to see Linc standing on the other side of the glass door. He gives me a little wave and a smile as I walk over and unlock the door to let him in.
“Sorry,” I say. “I guess I should have left it unlocked. Habit.”
He shakes his head. “It’s a good habit to have. Even in a town this small, you should lock your doors.”
“You can never be too careful,” I say, wincing inwardly at the awkwardness of the conversation. When did things between us get so awkward?
Linc motions toward the back of the building. “I’m going to go get started, if that’s okay.”
