Tangled Fury by Kristen Middleton, Book Cover By Design, K. L. Middleton Read Free Book Online Page A

released the breath that I was holding and smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Mr. Bishop.”
    “Thane.”
    “Thane.”
    Our eyes held again and I felt like he was going to say something else, but changed his mind. Instead, he walked out of the room and I began skimming the contract. When I got to the monthly lease price, my jaw dropped.
    Two-hundred-fifty dollars per week.
    Per week!
    Back in Wisconsin, before I’d gotten pregnant with Emma, I’d only paid three hundred a month.
    I closed my eyes and rubbed the bri dge of my nose, wondering how I was ever going to make it on my own.

Chapter Five
     
    Thane
     
    “So, who’s the gal in your office?” asked Sinclair, as I neared her station. Her chair was empty and she was sweeping up clippings from her last customer.
    “New nail tech .”
    Her eyebrow arched. “Oh. I thought you were going to hold off on hiring one until your niece , Anna, moved here next month.”
    “ She decided to try modeling, instead,” I answered, removing a rubber binder from around my wrist. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail, and cinched it tightly.
    Sinclair eyed my shaggy style , and I could tell she was still itching to cut it. She’d already offered several times. “Well, she’s beautiful enough. I’m sure she’d make more money modeling than doing nails anyway.”
    “Maybe, but in L.A. there’s some stiff competition. At least I could have helped get her career started , so that one day she could own her own nail shop.”
    “ But, now she doesn’t want that?”
    “Nope. Not anymore .”
    She smiled. “ From that expression, I take it you’re not happy about it?”
    “ Hell, I don’t know. You know, ever since we moved the family from Alaska, she’s had her head up in the clouds. She used to want to be a veterinarian and I know she would have been a damn good one. Then when she found out Uncle Thane was buying this place, she surprised the hell out of all of us, and said she wanted to run her own nail business. Now, she wants to be a runway model. I don’t think she really knows what she wants.”
    Sinclair smil ed. “She’s still young. She’ll figure it out.”
    I scratched my stubbly chin, which also lacking attention. “Maybe.”
    “Which reminds me,” she said, putting away the broom. “You must have surprised your entire family when you decided to invest in Tangled.”
    I smiled and folded my arms across my chest. “What makes you say that?”
    Her eyes lowered to my flannel shirt and then to my brown boots. “You’re not exactly the poster-child for a California salon owner. Let me guess – you did it as an investment?”
    “ What if I told you that it was a dream of mine growing up?” I joked.
    She smirked. “Seeing that you have enoug h of it on your head, it certainly wouldn’t surprise me. My offer still stands to cut it, by the way.”
    “ No way. Having it longer covers up my bald spot.”
    “You don’t have a bald spo t,” she said, squinting. “Come here.”
    “I do, actually,” I answered stepping closer. I pointed to an area behind my ear. “If you look closely, you’ll notice where it is. Here, I’ll take out the ponytail and you’ll see what I’m talking about.”
    “Oh, I see,” she answered, after I pushed my hair out of the way.  “ There’s a scar there, too. What happened?”
    “Got in a scuffle a few years ago. Needed some stitches , and now, for some reason, I can’t seem to grow hair in that spot anymore. Keeping it longer makes it less noticeable.”
    “ You know, it wouldn’t be noticeable if I cut it the right way,” she answered. “Your hair is thick and it’s not that big of a spot.”
    “Well,” I said, stepping away. “It’s something to consider, I guess.”
    “You should definitely consider it,” said Felicia, peaking around their divider. “You can’t be getting too many dates, walking around and looking like Tarzan.”
    “I get my share,” I protested, although I hadn’t been with a