Magnolia Blossoms by Rhonda Dennis Read Free Book Online

someone, so I can kill others and become one of the most famous serial killers ever. Yeah, that will go over really well! I have to stick to my “hungry for pig” story.
    “You must have one hell of a craving for pig. And normally, people don’t pour accelerant over the pig and then toss in a match. There’s a little more to a cochon de lait than your method,” he says, waving his partner away. “I got this, Joe.” Joe happily strikes up a conversation with one of the firefighters.
    “Yeah, I think I just figured that out,” I say.
    He carefully unravels the rest of the sheet from my head, and I’m not sure how to read his look. It’s kind of a cross between concerned and amused. “I have good news and bad news,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest then pinching his lower lip between his thumb and forefinger.
    “Okay, what’s the good news?” I ask.
    “Your burns don’t appear to be anything too serious.”
    “Bad news?”
    “You’ve suffered some hair loss.”
    “Hair…loss?” My fingers drift upwards and land where my eyebrows used to be. Where in the hell are my eyebrows! Oh, my God! WHERE IS MY HAIR! There are so many questions I want to ask, but the words won’t leave my throat.
    “Hey, try to calm down, Mags. You still have some hair, and what’s gone will grow back with time.”
    I pat around to assess the damage, and as near as I can tell, I look like Larry from the Three Stooges, bald on the top, and a ring of kinky, bushy hair around the rest. Heartbroken, I pull the oxygen mask back over my face and stare off into the darkening sky. Jace pulls the mask off me. “Hey, it’s not so bad. There are wigs and stuff. Come on. Let’s get you to the hospital so they can check you out.”
    “Do I have to go?” I ask.
    “No, but I think it’s best that you do,” he answers, smiling a sexy sort of half grin. “Do you want me to call your boyfriend? What’s his name? Demon or something? I can have him meet us at the emergency room if you’d like.”
    “Diablo. And thanks, but we broke up.”
    “Oh, I’m sorry if I caused any hurt feelings to resurface.”
    “Nah, we only dated for twenty minutes.”
    Jace throws his head back and laughs heartily. “Twenty minutes? That has to be a record. Okay, Mags. Ready to load up and go?”
    “No, I really think I’d just like to go upstairs, take a shower, and go to bed. I’m fine. Not much is hurting except my pride.” I slowly sit up, and Jace extends a hand to help me to my feet. A jolt of energy shoots from his hand and surges through my body. He gives me a few friendly pats on the back.
    “You sure?”
    “Yeah, I’m sure,” I say, taking off towards the stairs. I couldn’t care less that the backyard is still crawling with firemen. I figure they’ll leave when they’re ready.
    “Magnolia, I have some paperwork that you have to sign saying I offered to bring you to the hospital, but you didn’t want to go.”
    “Sure, okay. Bring it over,” I mumble. He points out a few spots on a form, and I scribble my name accordingly.
    He lifts an eyebrow at me. “Need help getting settled? I feel bad leaving you like this. You don’t look so good.”
    “I feel fine. It’s just a disappointing day is all.”
    “You must’ve really wanted to eat that roast pig to be this forlorn over it,” he mentions.
    “Yeah, something like that. Thanks for coming out to check on me.”
    “Of course. If you start to feel bad, call, okay?”
    “Okay,” I agree. One together, two together… I start my stair climbing ritual, and once I’m at the top of the landing, I give Jace a little wave before entering the apartment. I disrobe, shower, and sit down at the vanity to assess the damage. It is so much worse than I thought: bald at the top, a mix between super short and long scraggly pieces everywhere else, no eyebrows. I try not to cry, but it doesn’t work. I boo-hoo myself to sleep, partly over my hair, and partly over the fact that