One Silent Night (Romeo Family Romance #9) - Jennifer Youngblood Page 0,16

salon before taking off after Holden, her heels clopping noisily against the polished concrete floor. Meredith caught up to Holden just as he was going out the door.

Judy, one of the stylists, threw Noelle a surly grin. “Well, Miss Georgia Royal,” she quipped, “you’re making quite the name for yourself.” In her early thirties, Judy was thickly set with long, curly bleached blonde hair.

“So it would seem,” Noelle muttered.

“That was beautiful,” Tina trilled from the front desk. “I thought Meredith was gonna wet her pants when she realized that you were cutting Coach Hunt’s hair.” She leaned over the reception booth and looked at Noelle as she spoke. “For the record, Coach asked for you when he came in.”

Noelle rocked back. “Really?” It pleased her to know that Holden had come in for her.

Judy rattled on, “Sugar, you’ve got my vote. Coach Hunt would be much better off with you than Meredith.”

“Amen,” the older woman sitting in the chair chimed in. “Meredith has no idea what she’s getting in the middle of with Coach Hunt and Noelle. If she were smart, she’d bow out now.”

The comment took the air out of Noelle’s lungs. She took a closer look at the woman in the chair. She was wearing silver, cat-eyed glasses, and layers of silver foils were pressed around her hair. Noelle’s brain dinged with recognition. “Mrs. Blanche? Is that you?”

“Hey, dear,” the woman smiled. “It’s good to see you again.” Her cultured voice was a touch gravely with age.

Phyllis Blanche had been the high school secretary, working in the front office. “It’s good to see you again,” Noelle said. “I’m sorry I didn’t recognize you earlier.”

Phyllis grunted. “I probably wouldn’t recognize myself with all this aluminum foil stuck to my head. Who needs an antenna? I could channel an entire TV station right now.”

Judy and Noelle looked at one another as they laughed.

“Coach Hunt’s a fine man,” Phyllis observed, cutting her eyes at Noelle, “inside and out.”

A startled chortle rose in Noelle’s throat as her hand went to her mouth to stifle it.

Phyllis sported a mischievous grin. “I may be old, dear, but I’m neither blind nor dead. I know a good-looking man when I see one. Do yourself a favor, run interference before a certain other cat gets her claws in too deep, if ya know what I mean.”

“I hear ya,” the middle-aged woman sitting next to Phyllis agreed.

“I’m afraid that ship sailed a long time ago,” Noelle said glumly. She’d forgotten how smothering it was to live in a small town and have everyone in her business. All eyes were lasered in on her. She didn’t like her personal life being on display to the entire salon.

Phyllis didn’t skip a beat. “Well, then I suggest you chase that ship down and hop back on board. Life only gives us so many chances to make things right. If your mama were still alive, she’d tell you the same thing.”

“Yes, she would,” the woman beside Phyllis piped in, giving Noelle an encouraging smile.

“Thanks … I think,” Noelle mumbled. She turned her attention back to her station and the scattered bits of hair over the floor. With a sigh, she went to retrieve a broom so she could sweep it up. Holden seemed like he was in a good place now. According to Birdie, he’d not had a drop of alcohol in years. It was obvious that the townsfolk loved him. Noelle had no doubt that Holden was a terrific coach, but what would happen if the going got tough? Life was bound to throw its share of curve balls. Would Holden cave under the pressure and go back to his old ways? Or was he truly a changed man? Noelle knew there was no perfect guy out there, but she had to do all she could to protect Aiden. She couldn’t put them in a bad situation. They were dealing with so much already—the divorce, starting over, the incessant hounding of her ex-mother-in-law who’d already called twice today and left messages. The smart thing for Noelle to do was to keep her feelings in check and stay as far away from Holden Hunt as she could get. That wouldn’t be easy in a small town, but it was her only viable course of action.

The sooner her gullible heart got the message, the better off she’d be!

4

As they drove through the open gate, Noelle looked up at the arched sign that read Thousand Acres Ranch. She had fond memories of visiting