Chapter 27 #2
“I’m so glad you were pleased with them.” Swayze’s face lit up in a way that told me this work mattered to her. “I think either is a good choice and will show up well on business cards and signage. My personal favorite is the one with the halo over Hair.”
“I like that one, too! It’s clever without being too cutesy.” Goldie beamed. “I’ll let you get back to your breakfast. I just wanted to say. See you for your trim next week.”
“Will do.”
As she strode away, I settled back in my seat, surprised by this revelation. “I didn’t know you were redoing the logo for Bless Your Hair.”
One shoulder lifted in a shrug as she poured the tea into her mug, steam curling up between us. “I’ve been spreading my fingers locally, putting the word out that I have the skills. More than a few folks have taken me up on the offer for a rebranding package.”
She hadn’t said a word to me about it, but here she was, quietly integrating into the community.
Putting down roots with no fanfare or announcement.
Maybe it wasn’t what she’d expected when she came here to Gibson’s Hollow, but she was doing it, and that made something in my chest loosen, a tension I hadn’t fully acknowledged I was carrying.
Because I’d taken a risk with her. On her.
Hoping that she might be willing to stay, to build something with me here instead of running off to the next adventure.
We hadn’t talked about it. It hadn’t seemed right to start out with some kind of ultimatum about what I needed out of a relationship, what Oakleigh needed in terms of stability.
But she was giving it to me anyway, in her own way, on her own timeline.
I reached out to cover her hand with mine, threading our fingers together on the worn Formica tabletop.
“That’s awesome. And guaranteed, if they’re happy with the work, they’ll tell others, and you’ll have more business than you know what to do with.
That’s how it works around here—word of mouth is everything. ”
Her smile was quiet, almost shy, as she hooked her thumb around mine, linking us. “That’s the hope.”
“Oh, that’s just the sweetest thing I’ve seen all morning!”
At the unmistakable sound of a camera shutter, Swayze stiffened, her spine going rigid, eyes scanning the room for the offender with something almost like panic.
Monique stood near the counter with her phone raised, fingers already flying over the surface with the speed of someone who lived half their life on social media. “This will be such good promo for the show. My followers are going to eat this up.”
Swayze had gone pale, the color draining from her face in a way that set off alarm bells in my head. “Monique, can you maybe not post that?”
“Oh, sugar, you look fabulous, and everybody’s just gonna love the real life romance between our leads,” Monique continued, oblivious to Swayze’s distress. “It’s exactly the kind of organic content that builds buzz. Trust me, I know my business.”
Stress lines fanned out around Swayze’s eyes, and her hand had gone tense beneath mine. Something about this whole situation legitimately distressed her, but I couldn’t figure out what. She knew she’d be in the marketing for the show—we’d all signed releases. This shouldn’t be a surprise.
As Monique wandered away, already absorbed in her phone, I squeezed Swayze’s hand, trying to draw her attention back to me. “Hey, you okay? What’s wrong?”
She exhaled slowly and waved her free hand, but the gesture was shaky. “Nothing. I just… I didn’t come here to be the center of attention, you know? That wasn’t part of the plan.”
It was the second time she’d said something like that, and it made me wonder what was really behind it.
I’d seen her on stage during rehearsals.
She didn’t balk at the general concept of attention, didn’t shy away from the spotlight when she was performing.
That contrast suggested she’d had attention she didn’t like before. The kind that left scars.
“Did something happen in New Zealand?” I asked carefully, keeping my voice low. Was that what had been behind her decision to return to the States after all those years abroad?
“No. No, I just needed a change of pace,” she said, but there was something in her voice that didn’t quite ring true. “That’s all.”
Grandma Elsie appeared with a tray full of breakfast before I could press further. “Here we go, darlin’s. Two lumberjack specials, hot off the griddle.”
As she began to unload the tray, we both sat back in our seats, breaking apart to make room.
I could tell Swayze wasn’t being completely honest with me, and I wasn’t sure what that was about or how much I should worry.
Now wasn’t the time to press, not here in the middle of The Commissary where half the town could overhear.
Maybe with some time she’d get more comfortable and willing to talk about whatever had happened in her past. For now, I was just going to enjoy where we were, at the heady beginning of a new relationship, and hope that eventually she’d trust me enough to let me in on whatever secrets she was carrying.