Free An Accidental Family by Loree Lough Page A

were every bit as bad as they looked, the Lord would pull her through. He always had in the past.
    “There y’go,” Kaye said, spinning the chair to face the mirror. “What do you think?”
    Nadine turned right, then left. She’d never worn her hair this short, but she’d get used to it. With God’s help, she’d adjust to an apartment in the city and life without her critters, too.
    “All the dead stuff’s gone,” Kaye added, ruffling Nadine’s bouncy curls. “Nothing left but healthy, shining waves!” She whipped the pink smock from her client’s shoulders. “You’re gonna love having wash ’n’ wear hair.”
    Good point, Nadine thought. With all she had to do in the next weeks, easy-care hair would be a blessing. “I’ll have to pay you next time,” she said. “My wallet was lost in the—”
    “It’s all taken care of, my dear.” Kaye winked at Lamont, whose fire-reddened cheeks darkened with a blush.
    In place of an explanation, he held open the door. “We’d better skedaddle if we want to get back in time to have supper with the kids.”
    Kaye draped a pearl-buttoned sweater over Nadine’s shoulders. “Put this on,” she said, shoving her friend toward Lamont.
    Too much had happened in too short a time, and Nadine was having trouble taking it all in. Blinking back tears of gratitude and helplessness, Nadine said, “I’ll return the sweater soon as—”
    “Honey, don’t you worry your pretty head about it. I have three more just like it upstairs.” She gave Nadine a bear hug and bussed her cheek. “You need anything,” Kaye said, holding her at arm’s length, “anything at all, you call, hear?”
    Nodding, Nadine followed Lamont to his pickup. They rode in silence for a few minutes before he reached across the seat to pat her hand. “Kaye was right.”
    “About?”
    “You look adorable with short hair.”
    Her heart skipped a beat. A simple “thank you” would have sufficed. But she didn’t want him comparingher to the women he’d so often joked with her about, who, in his words, “live and breathe to hear a man tell ’em they’re purty.”
    “So do you,” she said instead.
    Both brows rose high on his forehead as Lamont met her gaze. “Uh, I, ah—”
    The compliment rattled him, which only made him look more adorable. “I read a poll in a ladies’ magazine once that said scars make a man look handsome.”
    Eyes on the road again, he huffed, shook his head. But she could see that he was grinning.
    “Harrumph,” he said, scrubbing a palm over his face. “If this mess turns into scars,” he joked, “I might just give ol’ Brad Pitt a run for his money.”
    She gave in to an urge and gently grazed his right cheek with her knuckles. “‘Ol’ Brad’ only plays heroes in the movies, but you’re a hero in real life.”
    Lamont swallowed, cleared his throat. “So…nice day we’re having, don’t you think?”
    Yes, he was at least as uncomfortable with compliments as she’d always been. “Thank you, Lamont,” she blurted, “for pulling me out of the fire, and putting the kids up for the night, and picking me up at the hospital and—”
    “It was my pleasure. All of it.” He held up a hand to silence her. “I’ve had the feeling ever since we left the hospital that you wanted to ask me something.” He glanced over at her. “And I’m pretty sure I know what it is.”
    “Is that so?” she asked, daring him to read her mind, yet again.
    “You want to stop off at your place on the way to River Valley, have a look around.”
    Amazed, she nodded.
    “That’s okay with me, if you think you’re up to it.”
    The question caught her off guard, and she bristled slightly. “’Course I’m up to it. Why wouldn’t I be?”
    “Well, the doc made it pretty clear. You’re supposed to take it easy these next few days, because of the concussion and smoke inhalation.”
    As if on cue, she coughed. “Looking won’t expend any energy.” Unless, she thought,