All About Charming Alice
Page 18
“Who was that?” Marissa asked, trying to keep her tone nonchalant and disinterested.
Mona frowned. “Brandt Conner. His family owns a big cattle ranch outside of town.”
“Cattle ranch?” She gave her boss a quizzical stare. “I thought people called them farms around here.”
She shook her head. “Most do, but I guess the Conners have a better PR agent.” She laughed under her breath. “Most farms have a variety of animals, but the Conners only deal in cattle. And they keep a few chickens around for eggs.”
Marissa stared at her fingers as she began tapping them on the plastic covering that formed the top of the counter. “He seemed friendly.”
“Oh, he is,” Mona retorted. Their eyes met again, and Marissa didn’t like what she saw there.
“You said his name was Brandt?”
Mona nodded. “You’d be wise to wipe that interested look off your face, young lady. Brandt is a first-class player. His parents might just as well install a turnstile at the top of their stairs. He’s already left a trail of broken hearts from there to here,” she said, sweeping her hand from the front of the store to the back. “If you’re looking for love, come to church with me this week. There are plenty of well-spoken, God-fearing men there who are looking for long-term commitment. With Brandt Conner, commitment lasts about as long as it takes to get his pants off.”
“I’ll try to remember that, Mona,” Marissa replied quietly, anxious for the woman to be out of her hair and no longer spouting gibberish. She’d literally gazed upon Brandt for the first time five minutes ago — and while she was undoubtedly attracted, she hardly needed Mona to dissuade her from anything. She was old enough at twenty-four to make her own decisions, to form her own view of the world. Her own father had shown her that male reliability was not a given, and her luck with past boyfriends had been mixed. But this was a new town, a fresh start, and Mona was the only person here she knew. As her manager walked back to the safety of her office, Marissa couldn’t help but think she’d like to add Brandt to her short list of friends. With Mona’s door shut tight, she pulled a ledger from beneath the counter and scanned its alphabetical listings. The Conners had a standing account, and looked to be frequent customers. With any luck, she’d see Brandt again soon.
Time would tell.
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