***
Once Sandi was out of sight, Debbie Sue closed the Styling Station’s front door and locked it. “Let’s close this place up.” She turned to Edwina. “Wow, Ed. You’re going to be busy with ol’ Jake here.”
“He ain’t exactly a goldfish, is he?” Edwina wiped her eyes and blew her nose. “When do I have time to take care of a bird that’s this much trouble? I can see I should’ve gotten more information from my niece. I should’ve given this more thought. And I definitely should’ve discussed it with Vic.”
“But it’s supposed to be a surprise for Vic.”
“Yeah. Kind of like one of those messages from outer space surprises.”
“What happened to the idea of Vic taking him in the truck?”
“Oh, hell, Debbie Sue. That was BS. Vic won’t take a damn parrot in the truck with him. He’s gonna be busy driving and this silly bird’s gonna be stuck at home with nobody to talk to all day.”
“Who did he talk to in Midland? Isn’t Sandi gone from home all day? Didn’t he stay home alone?”
“Yes, but that was a temporary arrangement. I’m supposed to be what they call the permanent adoptive parent. I’m supposed to give him a loving home, a good environment and attention.”
Debbie Sue squatted in front of the cage and studied the parrot. “He’s really interesting, Ed. I love his red tail feathers.”
Jake whistled. “Hello, pretty lady.”
“We can get a handyman to build him a cage in the corner,” Debbie Sue continued. “That way, he won’t be alone.”
“Yeah, maybe. Hells bells and Jesus Christ. I’ll have to stay home three days a week just to fix his food. Look at his damn feet. Am I gonna have to give him a pedicure on top of everything else? Then there’s the cat. Gus is like a part of the family. What will he think?”
“Last I heard, Ed, a cat doesn’t get a vote in what goes on in someone’s household. Since Vic likes to cook, maybe he’ll fix his food and all of that.”
“You’re right about a cage here in the shop. Jake will have to come to the shop, that’s all there is to it.” Edwina threw up her hands. “Either that or I’ll have to find somebody to babysit him.”
“You’re too stressed out, Ed. This isn’t hard. He can come to the shop. It’s okay with me. Just put him in his cage and bring him. The customers will love him. And I’ll help you make his food.”
“Jake’s a good boy,” the parrot said and fluffed his whole body.
“Yes, you are, baby,” Debbie Sue said. “You’re a good boy. And a pretty boy.” She pushed her finger into the cage and rubbed his head.
Edwina gave the parrot a hard look, then turned back to Debbie Sue, her eyes brimming with tears. “I’ve really done a dumb-ass thing, haven’t I? I hate like hell to disappoint my niece, but tomorrow, I’m gonna call her and tell her she has to take her bird back.”
“No,” Debbie Sue said firmly. “Vic’s going to love him. And if it doesn’t work out for y’all, I told you I’d take him.”
“But Buddy—”
“Buddy will love him, too. I’ll make him.”
Chapter 8
Sandi hadn’t been gone from the Styling Station three minutes before she was awash in a full-on, throat-hitching boo-hoo, her vision blurred by tears. Hogg’s Drive-In was the nearest exit off the street. She pulled into the parking lot, barely avoided clipping the edge of Hogg’s ELVIS ATE HERE sign. She came to a stop and fell over the steering wheel sobbing.
Aware of a presence at her window, she looked up. Ohmygod! Nick Conway! And he was seeing her with her eyes and nose swollen and red and, no doubt, smeared makeup.
He bent down at the driver’s window, gesturing with a twirl of his finger for her to lower the window. She hesitated, then buzzed down the window.
“Ma’am, you need some help?”
“No. Just leave me alone.” She turned toward the passenger seat and rummaged in her oversized purse, came up with a Kleenex and blew her nose with a loud snort.
“Where you headed?”
“What?... Not that it’s any of your business, but I’m on my way home.”
“Midland?”
“Well ... yes, if you must know.”
He pointed behind himself with his thumb at Hogg’s building and the huge ELVIS ATE HERE sign. “You nearly ran over this outfit’s sign.”
Shit! The damn sign was as big as the side of a house and white lights raced around the outside edges. How could she almost run over it?
“You’re kind of upset to be driving as far as Midland,” he said. “I was just about to go inside for a bite to eat. Come inside with me and I’ll buy you supper. Maybe eating something would make you feel better.”
She drew a deep sniff. “I don’t need supper. I’m not hungry. And I’m not upset.”
“Okay. If you don’t want supper, I’ll buy you a cup of coffee. Or a Coke or something.”
She stared up into the bluest eyes she had ever seen framed by the blackest lashes. The world tilted. After a few beats, she lowered her gaze to her tightly clasped hands. “Uh, well...I haven’t eaten since breakfast. Maybe some food would make me feel better.”
“Good.” He opened her car door and held it for her to scoot out. Without pause, she started toward the entrance to the café.
“You’re not gonna take your key?”
She stopped and gave him a glower, then strode back to her SUV, yanked the key out of the ignition and started for the restaurant’s entrance again.
He followed. “You’re not gonna lock your door?”
“This is Salt Lick. No one steals cars in this town.”
She hardly recognized her own voice. Her nose was so plugged from crying, her speech was affected and she had to breathe through her mouth. Dear God. She had become
