Chapter 36
CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX
Adalyn hummed to herself as she floated through the salon, straightening and fixing things as she went. When she swept up to the front desk, Amy crossed her arms over her chest.
“Okay, spill,” Amy said.
Adalyn's eyes jumped to hers. “What?”
Amy lifted one eyebrow as she studied her. “Mhmm.”
Adalyn fought a tiny smile and infused her voice with as much innocence as possible. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Ha.” Amy scoffed and turned to pick up an inventory report. “You think we’re blind to whatever happened between you and your man over the weekend?”
Apparently, Adalyn hadn’t done as good a job hiding her emotions as she thought. “You knew?”
“Please.” Amy let out a little snort. “You were all out of sorts all day Saturday. At first, I thought you broke up, but this makes more sense.”
She looked Adalyn up and down, and Adalyn shifted under the scrutiny. “What makes sense?”
Amy stared into Adalyn's eyes for a long moment. “You’re in love with him.”
Adalyn bit the inside of her lip to contain her smile. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Please,” Amy scoffed. “You’re singing.”
“I’m not singing,” Adalyn shot back, unable to hide her smile this time. Everyone knew that, despite her terrible voice, she sang when she was happy. Amy lifted a brow in her direction, and Adalyn finally caved. “Oh, all right. I’m… happy.”
“Happy or… happy?” Amy asked, a wicked glint in her eyes.
Adalyn swatted her arm, unable to control the laughter bubbling up.
It felt so good to be able to talk about it with someone.
She had kept her feelings toward Jaxon bottled up inside for too long—first the bad memories, now the good.
“He just…” she trailed off, unsure of exactly how to describe the way he made her feel.
“Everything feels perfect when I’m with him. ”
“I like this look on you,” Amy said with a soft smile. “You’re glowing like a new bride. Unless…”
Her gaze dropped to Adalyn's midsection, and Adalyn's own eyes widened, her hands pressing against her tummy. “Oh, no. No,” she said with a laugh. “None of that.”
Amy smirked. “Yet.”
The bell over the door heralded a new customer, and Adalyn sighed with relief as Amy left to greet them.
She allowed her thoughts to drift inward for a moment as she caressed her stomach.
After she had Jaclyn, she had sworn she would be her only child.
But now… What if Jaxon stayed? Would he want another baby?
“I’m headed to lunch.”
Adalyn spun at the sound of Jenn’s voice, her hands dropping to her sides. “Okay. Just be sure to be back for Andrea’s fitting. She should be here at one.”
“I know,” Jenn snapped. “I was the one who scheduled her.”
Adalyn reared back, caught off guard by her tone. Jenn had never spoken to her like that before, and she wasn’t even sure what to say for a moment. Jenn’s face was set in an expression of displeasure, lips pressed into a thin line, refusing to make eye contact. “Is everything okay?”
“Fine.”
Jenn looked like she wanted to say more, but she remained quiet.
Was she that unhappy here? She had been a little crabby the last couple of days, but she had never been downright rude.
When she had given Adalyn her notice a couple of weeks ago and told her she was looking for another job, Adalyn was fairly certain it had something to do with her boyfriend.
Now she was positive. Only a man could drive a woman to the edge of madness.
“Have you found another job yet?”
Jenn’s gaze flicked to Adalyn's, then away again. “Not yet.”
Adalyn nodded. “Okay. I have a couple of interviews set up for later this week. Getting another body in here should help take some of the stress off your shoulders. I know you’re dealing with a lot right now.”
Jenn shot her a begrudging look. “Thanks.”
“Of course. I appreciate your help around here, but I won’t tolerate disrespect, Jenn, even from my best employees.”
Jenn dropped her head. “Sorry,” she grumbled.
“Enjoy your lunch, and I’ll get Andrea settled when she gets here.”
Jenn nodded, then took off. Adalyn shook her head as she watched her.
She wanted to ask about Jenn's boyfriend, the one she hadn’t mentioned until just recently.
Worry niggled at her. She didn’t want Jenn to lose herself trying to make him happy.
But Jenn was a grown woman, free to make her own choices.
If she came to Adalyn, she would offer her advice.
Otherwise, she would just keep her mouth shut and not interfere.
Adalyn gathered Andrea’s dress from the back room and hung it in the fitting room. She smiled as she caught herself humming again, and she warmed from the inside as she thought of Jaxon and how much her life had changed in just a couple of short weeks.
She wasn’t sure what the future held, but she found that the annulment he had offered her no longer held any appeal. Maybe they could make this work, after all.