Taking the Bull by the Horns, a Cascade Texas novella by MJ Fredrick Read Free Book Online

cowboy?” Mrs. Patterson asked, settling into a chair beside her.
    Lavender jolted. Had Mrs. Patterson been one of the walkers out last night? “What cowboy?” Dummy. Everyone would know she was buying time, and at least a dozen people had seen Taylor leaving her house last night.
    “The one feeling you up in your roses last night.” Mrs. Patterson said it so loud everyone in the shop turned to stare. Mrs. Patterson beamed, pleased with the attention her scoop had garnered.
    Lavender’s ears buzzed as blood rushed in them. It was the only sound in the shop for a moment, then the place exploded in conversation.
    “Lavender? A cowboy?”
    “From the Longhorn? I heard you were dancing with someone there.”
    “Lavender doesn’t go to the Longhorn.”
    “Who is he? He was a cutie. A little young, though.”
    How did she even start to answer? She didn’t know what was going on with Taylor, and what she did know she didn’t want to share. She knew it was foolish, but once again, she took the coward’s way out and bolted.
    And collided with Samantha Starr right on the sidewalk. The redhead cocked a hip and looked from Lavender to the door.
    “They didn’t try to talk you into a perm, did they?”
    Lavender scooped her hair back but didn’t meet Samantha’s eyes. “Too many people.” Wanting to know too much about her.
    Samantha turned an assessing gaze to Lavender’s straight hair. “And you want to fancy yourself up for the cowboy.”
    Lavender stiffened and prepared to walk off, but Samantha reached out and threaded a lock of hair through two fingers.
    “I can fix you up.”
    Lavender hesitated, vanity battling with a need to hide away. “Really?”
    “Sure. I did in for the other girls when I was in Vegas all the time. I thought maybe I’d add a chair or two to my spa, you know, just for an alternative. What about it?”
    Lavender looked over her shoulder at the crowded salon, then back at Samantha, who always looked amazing. “Okay.”
     
    ****
     
    Samantha sat Lavender in a chair in the back of the building she was renovating and dragged her basket of supplies close. She flipped the protective sheet around Lavender and fastened it around her neck.
    “I just want you to give it some shape.” Lavender fingered her hair and dragged it forward. “It won’t do much anyway, it’s so straight and fine.”
    Samantha threaded the hair through her fingers, considering, before pinning up strands with the plastic clips. Lavender’s heart skipped. “Not too short, okay?”
    “Trust me.” Samantha combed out the loose hair, picked up the scissors and got to work. “Are you going to the rodeo today?”
    “I think I might.”
    Samantha’s lips quirked as she flicked a glance to Lavender in the mirror. “When was the last time you went?”
    “Not counting with my class? About ten years ago.”
    “I wonder why you decided to go now.” Samantha’s eyes glinted.
    “He…asked me.”
    “Really.” Samantha’s voice rose in interest. “How long has it been?”
    Lavender didn’t pretend not to know what Samantha meant. She hadn’t thought of much else since that kiss last night. She knew how long it had been to the minute, but all she said was, “A long long time.”
    “And this is the guy you danced with night before last?”
    “If you could call it dancing. You danced with him, too.”
    “Yep. The boy can move. And he sure is pretty, those light eyes and dark eyelashes. Nice haircut, too. Not cheap.”
    Interesting. To Lavender, it had just looked like he was letting his hair grow out, that he didn’t have the time or money to go get it trimmed.
    She sighed and started to relax for the first time since she’d decided to go to the rodeo. She didn’t have many friends she trusted enough to talk to, but Samantha had some life experience. Lavender envied her that. “I wish I could dance like you. He said I was leading.”
    “It’s not hard. Guys just mostly want to get their hands on you