Free Decker's Wood by Kirsty Dallas Page B

that had them completely intrigued. He hadn’t been willing to tell them what he did for a living either. Belle Ferrara, the owner of the exquisite evening wear store directly across from my book store, was a curvaceous woman with a booming laugh and an equally large personality. Just a glance in her direction made me smile. Her husband, Rod, was a tall, lanky man with an untroubled smile and kind eyes. Belle was quite obviously the social one in the relationship, while Rod seemed comfortable simply standing submissively at her side. Imogen and Vanessa were joint owners of the hairdressing salon. They had both cooed and awed over my hair the moment I stepped over the threshold, onto the roof. Imogen was the more subdued of the two, and Vanessa—the undresser as Casey had whispered in my ear—was clearly the life of the party. She was from England and liked to say bloody and shite a lot. Bruce was the owner of the convenience store at the end of the street. His name caught me by surprise, considering he was Asian and his English was limited.
    “Like Bruce Lee,” someone mumbled at my side. I turned to notice Imogen and Vanessa watching me with questions burning behind their inquisitive gaze. “His real name is impossible to pronounce, so we just started calling him Bruce, like Bruce Lee,” Imogen explained.
    “Oh,” I said. “That makes sense, I guess.” I knew the girls had questions, so before they could launch into an interrogation, I started talking. “My name is Andrea Jennings, but I hate Andrea, never call me Andrea, it’s Andi. I’m twenty-eight-years-old, single, and an Aries. I have a degree in English, and I have worked as a freelance editor for the last seven years but quit so I could follow my dreams of opening a book store in New York. I love coffee and vintage furniture. My boots are sacred, touch them and you die. And I hate peppermint ice cream.”
    Both the girls grinned.
    “So, you’re single?” Vanessa asked. Oh boy, in New York a week and I was already being hit on by a woman.
    “Ummm, I am, and completely one hundred percent heterosexual. Not that I have a problem with people that aren’t. I mean, if you prefer Miss. Kitty to Mr. Winky, all the more power to you.” I held my hand up for a high five that never came.
    “Andi, I just wanted to check if that fine specimen you brought as your date was available or not,” Vanessa explained.
    “Oh, my bad,” I murmured. I glanced at Decker who was still being hounded relentlessly by Casey and Lionel.
    “So, you won’t mind if I go…” Vanessa tilted her head Decker’s way.
    “No, no, not at all.” I plastered on my best smile and hoped it was convincing, when in truth, the fact Vanessa had her eyes set on Decker bothered me a whole bunch.
    “Any advice?”
    “Sure, he loves country music.” Both the girls glanced at Decker with disbelief. “I know, crazy right? I mean, who likes country? It’s depressing.”
    “Awful,” Imogen murmured.
    “I don’t know any country. I’m British,” Vanessa sighed.
    “Oh, come on, everyone knows Dolly Parton. What about ‘Nine To Five’?” Her eyes lit up. “Decker loves country. If he heard you singing a little, you’d have him wrapped around your little pinky.”
    Vanessa gave me a grateful smile and skipped off to introduce herself to Decker. I should have felt bad for misleading her like that, but I didn’t. Casey and Lionel and moved away and Vanessa set her sights on Decker. He gave her that devious smile I remembered so well, while Vanessa flicked her hair about in an attempt to appear casual. I could tell she was anything but. Her body language gave her away, the way she leaned towards him, the way her fingers danced across her cleavage in an attempt to draw his attention to it, which worked like a charm. I shook my head. Men, such simple creatures!
    “So, how’s the store coming along?” Imogen asked.
    “Really good, actually. I’m ready to open, just need to beat the