Two of a Kind (Fool's Gold #11)(43)

Consuelo turned to her friend. “Not dangerous enough for you?”

Isabel flipped her blond hair over her shoulder. “I’ll have you know I was wildly in love with Ford long before he was dangerous. No one truly loves like a fourteen-year-old girl.”

“And now?”

“I don’t know him.” She glanced around and lowered her voice. “Essentially, I’m still avoiding him. It’s not that hard. I suppose working in a bridal shop helps.”

Denise, an attractive woman in her early fifties, looked up and saw them. “Hello, girls,” she said, waving them into the booth. “Come to apply?”

“Not exactly,” Isabel said. “But the booth is fabulous.”

Denise smiled. “I’ve been getting a lot of applications.” She motioned to a pile of papers in a plastic box in a corner of the booth. “I’m also taking pictures of each of the girls that I’ll attach to the applications. I’m going to be checking all the information and their references before telling either of the boys.”

“Speaking of the boys,” Isabel said. “Do they know?”

Denise’s smile turned slightly wicked. “Not yet. I’m sure they’ll be upset when they find out, but that will pass. In a few months, when they’re happily married, they’ll thank me.”

“It’s good to have a plan,” Isabel said, then turned to Consuelo. “I’m sorry. I should have introduced you two. Denise, this is my friend Consuelo Ly. She’s new to Fool’s Gold. She’ll be working at the bodyguard school. Consuelo, Denise Hendrix.”

Consuelo shook hands. “Nice to meet you, ma’am.”

“Denise, dear. Call me Denise.” Her dark gaze swept over Consuelo. “Are you single?”

“Yes.”

“Ever married?”

“No.”

“How old are you?”

“Thirty.”

Denise frowned. “Is there a reason you haven’t married?”

“I traveled a lot for work.”

“Any children?”

“No, ma’am.” Consuelo fought the need to take a step back. She knew she could easily shut down the other woman—physically or verbally—but this was Fool’s Gold, and she had a feeling she was supposed to treat her elders with respect.

“Do you like children?”

The question shouldn’t have surprised her, but it did. When she’d been a little girl, her mother had always told her to take care of her younger brothers. That she was the oldest and it was up to her. She’d done her best. Had tried to keep them out of trouble, but the neighborhood was tough and the allure of the gangs was irresistible.

Her youngest brother had died before his fourteenth birthday, the victim of a drive-by shooting. The other spent his life in and out of jail. She’d wasted years trying to show him there was another path, but he didn’t listen. Now they barely spoke. The only time he called was to ask for money, and she refused to give him any. If her mother were still alive, she would be crushed to know her family had fallen apart.

“I always wanted children,” Consuelo admitted. A chance to start over. To live somewhere nice. To belong. Loving a man was a risk she wasn’t sure she could take, but a child seemed safer. With a child, she could offer all she had.

Denise reached for an application, then pulled it back. “Are you planning on staying in Fool’s Gold?”

Consuelo nodded.

Denise’s smile returned. “Excellent.” She handed over the application, then turned to Isabel. “Unfortunately, I’ve heard you’re leaving in a few months, so you’ll understand why I don’t want you to apply.”

Isabel took a step back. “Not a problem. Good luck.”

“Thank you, dear.”

Isabel grabbed Consuelo’s hand. “We should go.”

Denise moved toward them. “Don’t you want to fill out an application?” she asked Consuelo.

“Um, no, thanks. I already know Ford and he’s not my type.”

“What about Kent? He’s very smart. And a good father.”

Isabel tugged, and Consuelo followed her out of the booth, while calling out a quick “Sorry.”

Isabel kept walking. “If it wasn’t ten-thirty in the morning, I’d suggest we go to Jo’s and get drunk. Was that as scary as I think it was?”

“It was unusual. You have to give her credit for initiative.”

Isabel laughed. “Is that what we’re calling it? I swear, if I wasn’t avoiding Ford, I would hang around the booth just to watch the explosion when he finds out what his mother is doing.”

She kept talking, but Consuelo wasn’t listening. Instead she found herself glancing over her shoulder and looking at the picture of the other Hendrix brother. The one with kind eyes.

* * *

FELICIA UNDERSTOOD THE various causes of a headache. Ruling out a brain tumor and an aneurysm, she was left with a host of innocuous causes. Most likely the throbbing in her temples came from a lack of sleep and the steady stress of her new job. When she next saw Pia, she would apologize for ever thinking what the other woman did was easy. Because in truth, this was the most difficult challenge she’d ever faced.

It was nearly five on Friday afternoon, which meant they were in day two of the festival. They’d gotten through the fireworks the previous night, along with the first concert. Tonight was concert number two—the main draw being a bluegrass band with the unlikely name of A Blue Grass Band.