Read Magic Hands for Free Online Page B

a frown.
    “You can do one more set. Here.” She took hold of his sleeve and dragged him back to his table but he pul ed free.
    “No,” Rachel said, seeing the struggle of wil s. “I’l come back.”
    “It’s late,” Cort told Miss Chachi as respectful y as he could. “And I have school tomorrow.”
    He strode back, gathered his coat and returned to her.
    Something ominous simmered behind her black eyes. He didn’t like it.
    He looked at Rachel. “I’l walk you out. See you tomorrow, Miss Chachi.”
    Then he held the salon door open for Rachel and as she passed, he smel ed the great shampoo she used. Maybe it was just that his nostrils had been assaulted al day by acetone and nail junk but he took in a long, deep breath and sighed.
    “Your employer reminds me of Mrs. Meers.”
    “Yeah, she does.”
    “You’ve seen Thoroughly Modern Millie ?” Another point for Cort Davies, Rachel thought, a guy with some culture.
    “In New York,” he said.
    She could relate to a guy who had traveled like she had.
     
    “I liked it.”
    “It was pretty cool, yeah.”
    Although her car was parked next to his white truck neither stopped. They continued to walk the emptiness of Main Street at a slow and easy pace.
    Inviting, cozy, the street was lined with buildings from the turn of the century, each painted a different, soft shade that, under the moon’s hazy light, looked ghostly now. Most businesses were closed, but their windows were lined with colored lights. Cort and Rachel peered in the various store-front windows as they passed.
    “You like New York?” Rachel asked. For her, how a person viewed New York was tel ing. New York was a pivotal place, where fresh ideas sprung, where anything was possible.
    Someone who couldn’t appreciate that was not someone she would spend much time with.
    He shrugged. “It’s a cool place—kind of crowded.”
    Rachel’s heart took a hit. She tried to ignore it. “But you can learn a lot watching crowds.”
    “I guess.”
    They passed Minerva’s, a little imported gourmet foods shop. The rich scent of coffee snuck out in the air and they stopped under the purple and green awning and looked at the display of Harry Potter chocolates in the window.
    “Smel s good,” Rachel said. “I love the smel of coffee.”
    “Want some?” he asked.
    “Sure.”
    He opened the door for her and they went in. The store was warm inside; the cozy air fil ed with the mix of brewing coffee, chocolate and cinnamon.
    The petite woman behind the counter greeted them with a grin that deepened a smattering of wrinkles. “What can I get you?”
    Cort looked at Rachel, waited for her to give her order.
    “I’l take a medium coffee with cream and sugar.”
    “Make that two,” Cort said.
    They browsed the store, enjoying the odd English biscuit, the beautiful y boxed Belgian chocolates. Final y they sat at a smal , green wrought-iron table in the center of the large front window where the Harry Potter candy was on display.
    “You work at Chachi’s, don’t you?” the woman asked Cort as she set down their steaming white mugs.
    “Yeah, I do.”
    “I’ve seen you go in. How’s it doing? Business can be kind of slow in this part of town.”
    “It’s picking up.” Cort thought of how he’d increased Miss Chachi’s revenue. He glanced at her nails. “You should come in.”
    The woman laughed heartily with a look at her hands.
    “Not when I use my hands as much as I do, there’s no point.”
    “We do pedicures and stuff too.” Nervously, he picked up his hot mug and sipped. He couldn’t believe he was talking about nail stuff.
    “Sounds good. I’m Minerva by the way.”
    “Cort. And this is Rachel.”
    “Nice to meet you. Maybe I’l drag by aching feet down there one day and let you give me a pedicure.”
    “Any time. Great coffee,” he smiled at her.
    “You two have a good night.” Minerva went about tending the store.
    Rachel sat back with her coffee studying him.
    “What?”