Free A Protector's Second Chance (Unit Matched #2) by Mary Smith, Rebecca Cartee Page A

on.
    He held my hand as we headed out to the vehicle. He had used the remote starter, so we weren’t in the cold long. It was cloudy today, which I didn’t mind. It was still fresh air, and I enjoyed the wintery breeze.
    Oliver and I rode I silence into town. My nerves were on edge because I didn’t know what we were doing. I’ve always had mixed feeling about surprises, I think, because I was so nosy, and I hated being left in the dark.
    I watched out my window as he pulled into the plaza where we almost had dinner the last time we had come into.
    “I’m not hungry,” I joked.
    “I didn’t think you would be. However, I thought that you would need a day of pampering.” He shut the car off and pointed out the window.
    “Pampering?” I followed his finger and in front of me was a salon and spa.
    “Your hair is getting long, and I know that you like it short. Plus, I figured you might want a mani-pedi.”
    I snorted. “What do you know about mani-pedis?”
    Oliver smiled. “My mom says all women need them to keep them sane.”
    “She’s correct,” I nodded in agreement.
    “Come on.” He jumped out and came over to my side to help me out.
    Oliver continued to hold my hand as we walked into the salon. The smell of someone getting their hair dyed was a bit overpowering, but it was a welcoming smell, because I missed getting fixed up.
    “May I help you?” a tiny blonde asked from behind the counter.
    “Yes, Amaya Thomas has an appointment.” Oliver said very professionally.
    My mouth dropped. Thomas ? My last name was Roberts. I wouldn’t be a Thomas until after our ceremony. If we had one.
    “Mrs. Thomas, please follow me to your room.” The blonde shined her perfectly bright, white teeth at me.
    “I’ll wait out here.” Oliver smiled as I followed the blonde.
    I should have been upset because he hadn’t used my last name, but there was something deep down that made me stop. Amaya Thomas had a ring to it that Amaya Roberts didn’t have. I wasn’t that mad about. Honestly, I was more taken aback than anything.
    I liked it?
    I liked it.
    I did.
    I liked that Oliver called me Amaya Thomas. I liked that it could have become a possibility at some point. However, I knew it wouldn’t now because of my banishment.
    The blonde guided me to a small room that had a table that looked like it belonged in a medical office in the middle of it. There was a small sink and a large cabinet in there, too.
    “RJ will be here in a moment to take care of you.”
    I nodded as she left. There was soft music playing in the background. It sounded like bad elevator music, a whiny violin.
    “Mrs. Thomas?”
    A small smile crossed my face at the name, as a tall African American man stepped into the room. He looked like he belonged in the NFL, not in a salon.
    “Yes.”
    “I’m RJ.” He held out his hand. “I’m taking care of you today. What do you need today?”
    “Well, I’ve never been here before so I’m not sure what you offer.”
    “If you want it done, I can make it happen,” he chuckled. “Have a seat.”
    I sat on the table. “I know I need a haircut and a manicure. You might as well throw in a pedicure, too.”
    “Any waxing or massages?”
    “Let’s keep the wax on my eyebrows, and no massages.” I narrowed my eyes at him, but kept a humorous tone. I have never had a massage because it would involve getting naked and having a strange person rub on me. It seemed like an oxymoron now considering I was here being punished.
    RJ smiled at me again. “Deal. Your husband said that whatever you wanted, you could have. Let’s start with your toes and work our way up. Follow me.”
    I walked behind himas he headed down the long hall, but his word husband was still in my head. Husband was a title that we didn’t use in Unit. We were Matched, but non-Unit citizens called each other husbands and wives. It sounded very foreign to me. However, my heart still raced at it.
    Amaya Thomas.
    I bit down on my lip,