Page 94 of Unlikely to Stay
CC nearly choked on the sip of water she was drinking.“Really?”she said, trying to play dumb.
Kelda rolled her eyes.“Don’t be lyin’.I was just testing you and your honesty.Guess what?You failed.I know she told you and Annie before she ever shared the news with me and Susan.But she’s blown up as big as the side of a house now and there’s no hiding it.”
CC couldn’t disagree more.Her friend was adorable.Her little belly was the only thing that had grown and she was positively glowing.CC couldn’t even tell she was pregnant.It was the prettiest CC had ever seen Breckin.
“Anyway, Griff is over the moon.He talks to her belly all the time.It’s so annoying.He does it on the couch while we’re waiting for Susan to finish Sunday lunch after church.When we go to their house, they show us what they’re doing to the nursery.I get tired of seeing it, I tell ya.”
Much like they get tired of hearing about your sexcapades with Burt, CC thought.“I think it’s cute,” she said instead.“The baby will be totally used to its daddy’s voice when he or she gets here.He’s going to be amazing.”
“Oh, I know he is.Much better than that deadbeat dad of his, that’s for sure.I keep trying to convince them to get hitched before the baby comes but they won’t listen to me, even when I tell them they’re living in sin.”
“Aren’t you living in sin with Burt, too, Kelda?”
“That don’t count.I’m in my nineties.Things like that stop counting after seventy.”
“Is that so?”
“Yep.I’m pretty sure it’s in the book of Revelation in the Bible.Look it up if you don’t believe me.”
CC rolled her eyes.She was pretty sure the book of Revelation was about Armageddon,notold people shacking up together.“Okay, I think I’ve got it all rinsed out.Let’s go dry and curl it so you can be on your way.”
Kelda rubbed her hands together in anticipation.“Burty is gonna be so excited.Orange is his favorite color.And I love oranges.It’s perfect.”
CC dried Kelda’s hair, curled and styled it.True to the color, it was definitely orange.In fact, it looked like Kelda poured a glass of Tropicana over her head.“Like it?”
“Iloveit!”
CC blew out a breath.She never knew what Kelda was going to say about her hair, even if she was the one who chose the color.
“Don’t tell her this, but you’re even better than your momma,” Kelda said, placing two twenty dollar bills on CC’s tray before getting out of the chair and walking to the door.
“See you next time, Kelda.What do you think you’ll want?”
“I’m not leaving this orange in as long as I normally do,” Kelda said, fluffing out her hair.CC was still amazed it all hadn’t fallen out as much as she dyed the old woman’s hair.“In a couple of weeks is the big Fourth of July bash.I’m thinking snow white, just like Uncle Sam’s beard.I’m pretty patriotic you know.Gotta support the red, white, and blue.That and the fact that I don’t think you can dye my hair to look like the flag.”
“I think white is the way to go.”
Kelda gave her a wave and walked out the door, CC’s bell jingling her exit.With a shake of her head, she began sweeping the faded green and red hair on the floor.Kelda was some kind of mess.
All of a sudden, the bell over her door jingled again.CC hoped it wasn’t Kelda returning.She didn’t think she could handle more of the woman in one day.She grinned when she saw it was Brant.
“Well, hey there, Snaps.To what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?”
“It’s lunchtime.I figured I’d take you to lunch.What do you say?I could go for a club sandwich at the bar.”
CC paused her sweeping.“You want to go eat?In public?”
“I figured we’ve gone long enough being stealthy.Besides, the gym is pretty much finished.I’ve been used to seeing you on a daily basis.I don’t know if I want to go back to seeing you from a distance.You might change your mind and start hating me again.”
There was no way CC would ever hate him.She couldn’t believe she had ever been so intimidated by the man standing before her.He was so warm and gentle and kind.“Sure,” she said, leaning the broom against the counter.“Let’s go to lunch.But what are we going to tell people if they ask what we’re doing together?”
“We’ve been working together in your gym for almost three months.I’m pretty sure they’ve already made their assumptions and nothing we say will change their minds.Let’s give ’em somethin’ to talk about.What do you say?”
“I say Bonnie Raitt would be proud you were quoting her lyrics.”
Brant smiled.“I knowsomemusic other than Motown.”
“True.You now know Chris Stapleton and Ed Sheeran.”