The Bachelor And The Beauty Queen. Carolyn Hector

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СКАЧАТЬ confidence and she hated herself for noticing. So what? Not like she hadn’t seen a handsome man before.

      Stephen cleared his throat and ran his large hand over his bearded face. “We’re hoping after tonight we’ll spend more time together,” said Nate.

      The double innuendo was not lost on Lexi’s ears but she did not encourage with a flirtatious smile. She did not get involved with parents of clients. Not anymore, a bitter voice whispered in her ear.

      “Not if I can help it,” Stephen injected over a cough into his balled-up fist.

      Lexi cocked her head to the side. “Bless your heart, are your allergies getting to you?”

      “We went to see the animals,” Philly Reyes said, tugging on the pocket of Lexi’s denim overalls.

      She’d forgotten about the attire for the judges, the camaraderie it gave the panel, and now she bit her bottom lip. Dressing up as a farmhand wasn’t Lexi’s first choice, but she knew how to make it work, accessorizinng the attire with a pair of red cowboy boots. “Hi, sweetie,” Lexi cooed, and squatted down to get to Philly’s eye level.

      “I am going to remember my cupcake hands.” Philly beamed, holding her hands out to her side and pretending to cup the invisible hem of an invisible cupcake dress. The five-year-old nailed the movement. A lot of other girls from the pageant workshop kept curling their fingers under as if holding a bar. Philly held her arms out to the side and left her hands limp at the wrists, as Lexi had taught her.

      Proud, Lexi gave Philly a hug. Smart of whoever decided to dress the family in matching clothes. At an event like this, things became crowded. Already she’d seen a bouncy house filled with lost kids waiting for their parents to arrive. “I can’t wait to watch, Philly. Don’t forget to have fun, though.”

      “You’ve met Philly,” Stephen’s deep voice said. He loomed over them with a smirk across his devastatingly handsome face. “Here comes our other niece, Kimber.”

      The niece in question practically skipped over toward her two uncles before skidding to a halt when Lexi stood up. Things began to click in Lexi’s mind. Nate had come into the boutique followed by an entourage of women and their daughters. With him had been Philly and another girl. During the chaos, Kimber Reyes had appeared to be in the middle of an argument with someone on the phone. Lexi recalled the girl being close to tears and that she had allowed her to use the private bathroom in the loft—where the dress was kept. Given the teenager’s wide, deer-in-the-headlights stare and the way her barbaric uncle had overreacted, Lexi planned on keeping Kimber’s secret—for now.

      “Kimber,” Stephen said, his eyes steady on Lexi, “you remember Lexi Pendergrass.”

      Kimber chewed nervously on her gum and avoided eye contact with everyone. Instead she studied her canvas-covered feet. “Um, yeah, hi,” she said, tugging a strand of hair behind her ear.

      “Hi, Kimber.” Lexi tried to keep her voice cheerful. Stephen stood behind Kimber with his arms folded across his judgmental chest. Screams from kids on death-defying rides filled in the awkward silence.

      “Um, Uncle Nate, can me and Marvin get on the Ferris wheel?”

      “Marvin and I,” Stephen corrected. Lexi mentally rolled her eyes. Of course he’d correct the child. The boy named Marvin gulped.

      Kimber cocked her head to the side. “You want to go on the Ferris wheel with Marvin?”

      “Girl, go,” Nate growled. “Be back in time for the pageant.”

      Kimber took off, grabbing Marvin’s hand and dragging him away with her. Lexi shook her head and smiled, watching the two run off.

      Her attention was captured by Stephen clearing his throat. “Well?”

      “Well, what?” she asked him.

      “Does seeing her bring back any memories for you?” Stephen asked. He stepped close to her, toe-to-toe. His dark eyes searched hers for an answer she did not want to give. Lexi did not waver. She folded her arms across her bibbed top and raised one brow, challenging him.

      “What’s going on here?” asked Nate.

      Behind them, someone sounded a cowbell. Lexi cringed at the noise. “Well, there’s the cue for me to get over to the judging table. I’ll see you all around.” Lexi smiled sweetly at Philly, waving toward her. “Don’t forget—have fun this evening.” Before leaving, she nodded at Nate, then purposely dropped her smile at Stephen.

      A lot of cupcake dresses from Grits and Glam Gowns adorned the stage. The above-the-knee dresses with the layers of tulle were the bestsellers. The tulle material helped poof them out at the hem. The bigger the better and these dresses sold quickly.

      Philly definitely stood out in her peach-colored OOAK, as Lexi had dubbed the garment. The one-of-a-kind dress stopped above the knees and was fluffed out with layers of tulle and stones. Andrew had worked hard and today it paid off. Nate had chosen the right color for his niece to represent the festival, as well as the state symbol. What did Stephen think?

      Settling her nerves, Lexi took a seat next to the judges’ table beside one of Southwood’s first ladies, Mrs. Ramona Ramsey. Her daughter, Rosalind, had attended Cypress Boarding School for Girls with Lexi and was one of her best friends in the world. The Ramseys had encouraged Lexi to open up her boutique downtown.

      “Stop turning around, dear,” Mrs. Ramona scolded, tilting her head to the side.

      “Was I?” Lexi realized when her body relaxed that she had been twisting around.

      Mrs. Ramona nodded her head and patted Lexi’s denim-clad thigh. “Who is the young man?”

      “Who said I was staring at a man?”

      “Because the stage has been filled with all types of gorgeous gowns and you have yet to coo over any of them,” Mrs. Ramona noted.

      Lexi grinned. “Because I created most of them,” she replied with confidence. “But if you must know, there is a gentleman back there who accused me of selling something to his niece, and I did not.”

      “Well, if you were honest, what’s the problem?”

      “I don’t know.” Lexi shrugged. “It doesn’t sit well with me he thinks so little of me.”

      Ramona Ramsey stopped fanning herself. “Since when do you, the Southern Hellion, care what other people think of you?”

      The beauty walk for the young girls of the Peach Blossom began, and Lexi smiled and clapped for all those who attended her workshops. The Peach Blossom Pageant, held every year, was made up of girls from all four local counties. Not every parent took their child to a pageant coach, and Lexi respected and understood, but she easily picked out the girls who did not have any training. She also noticed the beauty walks of some girls whose parents clearly took them up to Atlanta for some coaching. The judges were going to have a hard time here. Things always took a turn during the talent portion.

      The other judges were Mrs. Beaumont, Lexi’s retired Sunday school teacher; a veterinarian from the nearby town Samaritan; and a teacher from Peachville. From peering over everyone’s shoulders, Lexi guessed the judges gave tens to their hometown heroes. But after the talent completion, they were all СКАЧАТЬ