“Good for you,” Rose said. “At least you’re getting out. But a pretty, young person like you needs to date more.” Rose glanced at Elle and sighed. “I’m sure that living in this little town doesn’t help.”
“Now, Rose, that's not true. You and Dad go out all the time. This town is okay. Anyway, I’m not looking for a man.” Elle smiled at her customer in the mirror. Rose was perfect for her single father.
But sadly enough, Elle wished for a more fulfilling life. Secretly, she longed for love and adventure and eventually a family of her own.
Rose sat with her thin fingers clasped together in her lap and a mischievous smile curving her lips. “Your dad and I do have a good time together.” Her eyes twinkled with merriment.
Elle teased Rose's hair into a becoming style, all the while trying to push Kole out of her head. What was wrong with her? She was smoldering for the man who’d helped her last night. He had somehow made a psychic impression on her and kept popping into her mind. Why were these feelings happening so fast and so furiously? It didn’t make sense. The more she thought about her reactions to him, the more confused she became. Yet, this mysterious fellow took her breath away. Had the odd aura he gave off had something to do with her attraction? It was as if he could block her attempts to read him. Her curiosity was good and piqued.
Rose smiled when she saw her reflection in the mirror. “You've done it again.” She gently touched her hand to the soft white cloud surrounding her face. “I love the way you put me back together.”
“It's easy when you have great hair. Besides, I've been doing it for years.” Elle laughed and removed the comb-out cape from Rose’s shoulders before helping her out of the styling chair. “You have a great week.”
“Thanks,” Rose said with a sparkle in her pretty brown eyes. She walked toward the reception desk then turned to Elle. “Promise me you'll come to dinner real soon.”
“Well, sure, that's awfully sweet of you.” She pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. “Dinner sounds good, but I'm real busy these days.”
“Well, you have to eat.” Rose patted Elle on the arm. “I'm not trying to give you a hard time, honey. If not before, I’ll see you at my regular appointment.”
“Have a good one.” Elle watched her leave the salon. Rose was a real sweetheart and her dad was lucky to have her in his life.
Jodie’s customer Liz the town gossip, pushed up the dryer lid and peered around the shop until she spotted Elle. “So, what do you think of folks seeing those lights again?” She continued to glare at Elle. “What do you suppose it means?” She stuck her nose in the air waiting impatiently for Elle to answer.
“I have no idea,” Elle said and continued getting ready for her next customer. Her gut feeling said the return of the lights had something to do with her, but she wasn’t about to tell anyone that—especially not Liz. Besides, it wasn’t any of Liz’s business. She hated when Liz came to the salon to grill her about town happenings. It didn’t escape her notice that Liz was reading the tabloids. Elle held back a chuckle.
“Hasn't your dad told you anything?” Liz glanced at her.
Elle took note of the haughty look on her old wrinkled prune face. “No, he hasn't mentioned it.”
“He's the Sheriff. He gets inside information on things like this, doesn't he?” Liz tapped her newly manicured red fingernails against the mauve armrest, putting Elle’s nerves more on edge.
“Sure, sometimes he hears things, but I haven't talked to him today. I don't put much stock in lights in the sky.” Liz was the last person she'd tell about her and Sara’s adventure last night. “It's probably the military doing some kind of exercise.”
“That's what they always say. I think it's the UFOs. Remember when the cows were mutilated not far from here last fall? It's that time of year again.”
Elle remembered it all too well. Almost everyone in town had avoided her as if she were contaminated after the incident. At the age of three, she’d been found by Crazy Herman, the town plumber and resident kook. He had discovered her sleeping on a large flat rock in Red Rock Canyon in the middle of a scorched circle of ground. She wore only pink footie pajamas and was covered with a soft purple blanket as she clutched a stuffed white kitty to her chest. Elle shook away the memory that had gotten bigger and more hurtful with every story.
“If you’re so interested why don’t you ask my dad? Or maybe the aliens have developed a taste for our Colorado beef.”
“You don’t have to be rude.” Liz stuck her nose high in the air. “Maybe they’re coming back for you.” She gave Elle a hateful look and in a huff shoved her head back under the dryer.
* * *
As Elle worked from one customer to the next, tremors reverberated through her body. Something was going to happen. Something bad. She didn't want to think about it. She was afraid to know, but the images didn’t care. She gripped the edge of the styling counter and braced herself for the vision to come.
The crystal-clear image materialized before her. Six horses stood in a moonlit meadow with a small brown donkey. The beautiful sight almost stole her breath away. On this cool fall evening, she could almost reach out and touch them. A chestnut brown foal suckled against its mother’s side. Other horses grazed nearby.
Out of nowhere, a luminous light fell from the star-covered sky. Feeling the panic of the animals, she shivered inwardly. A metallic scent of death hovered on the still night air. Slowly, the vision shifted. The donkey stood to the side, her eyes round with fear. All the horses were dead. The most wicked things happened by moonlight.
This was going to come to pass and soon. Elle silently prayed to the universe. Please, don’t let me be related to those monsters from the stars who can do this to defenseless animals.
“Elle, you have a phone call.” Gloria the receptionist bounced over to her styling chair, bringing her a bottle of water. “It's Sara. Can you take it?”
Elle glanced toward the reception desk, coming back to the moment. “Sure . . . ah. . .thanks for the water. Give me a minute to straighten my station and I'll be right there.”
Her heart constricted for those poor innocent horses. If only she could help. Elle took a deep swallow of the cool water and tried to shake off the horrible sight she had visualized. First order of business was to find those horses. Second, she had to find a way to save them.
Elle set down the water bottle, putting the vision out of her head. Because of the talk all over town she had been expecting this call. She picked up the phone. “Hey, girl. What's up?”
“I know how all this alien stuff bothers you. You okay?”
Elle grimaced, holding the phone tighter. “It's been an interesting morning. Everyone is watching me like I'm about to sprout wings. You'd think I'd be used to it.”
“I doubt that's something you ever get used to,” Sara said. “Can you take the rest of the day off?”
“No, why should I? I’ve nothing to hide.” Elle glanced around the salon, making sure nobody could overhear their conversation. “Today, after work, I'm going back out there. It'll be daylight. Will you come with me?”
Sara's hesitation told her that she wasn't too keen on the idea. A couple of heartbeats later, Sara said, “Yeah, but do you think we should tell someone what we saw?”
“I told Dad. He said there were several reports last night. We weren’t the only ones who saw something.”
“That’s what I hear.” Sara laughed. “Earlier, I overheard people in the coffee shop here at the bookstore discussing it. I have to tell you it's starting to creep me out.”
“Me too, but I have to go back there.” I have to find out once and for all what happened to me when I was a kid. This time, I’ll be the one asking questions.
“Can you meet me for lunch?” Sara asked.
“Let me check the schedule.” Elle glanced at the appointment book under her name and noted a cancellation. To her surprise, Kole Stith had been penciled in for a haircut. She smiled and her heart did a slow tumbl
e. “I had a perm cancel. Guess who's scheduled for a haircut?”
“Who?” asked Sara.
“Kole. From last night. Can you believe it?”
“Wow, that was quick. He didn't look like he’d ever had a haircut.” She laughed. “You must've made quite an impression.”
“Yeah, I guess. Anyway, let me finish with him then I'll be free for lunch in about forty-five minutes.” She glanced at her Mickey Mouse watch. “I can meet you at twelve-thirty. Where do you want to go?”
“Let's go to the diner. It’s cold today and I'm in the mood for homemade soup and Dotty’s apple pie. I need comfort food.”
“Good idea. See you there.” Elle hung up the phone. When she got ready for Kole, her stomach quivered as she thought of him. She found herself reviewing their conversation, the sound of his voice, and the sensations he caused when he was near her.
“Elle, your next appointment is here.” Gloria leaned toward her and whispered. “And he's cute. Are you ready?”
“Yes.” Elle said. Excitement ran through her body at the prospect of seeing him again. “Send him on back.”
Kole strolled toward Elle's styling station dressed in jeans and a black t-shirt. Much better. A lurch of anticipation jumped within her at the sight of him. Damn, I didn’t imagine it. He’s as hot as I remembered. Strong broad shoulders, dark wavy hair and those blue eyes. What wasn't to like? “Have a seat, Kole. I didn't expect to see you this soon.”
“I decided this morning it's time for a change. I want my hair cut short.”
“Are you sure?” Elle was surprised.
A frown crossed his face as if he were deep in thought. He looked a million miles away. Apparently, he had something on his mind other than a haircut. “Yeah, a lot shorter than it is,” he said at last.
“Okay, if you want it that way, I can do it. If you don’t mind, I’d like to save the long hair for Locks for Love, the people who make wigs for cancer patients.”
“Sure, go ahead, I have no use for it.”
Once again the realization zinged through her that she had barely met the man, yet there was this instant forceful attraction. Something she’d never experienced. She shook her head. “So, you're here for a few weeks?” She tried to hold a normal conversation while she got her emotions under control.
“That's the plan.” The admission seemed to confuse him.
Elle tucked the haircutting cape around his shoulders and lowered him back into the shampoo bowl. He closed his eyes as she shampooed his hair. His scalp was tight. He needed to relax. Heat rippled under her fingertips as she recognized a flush of desire she hadn't felt in ages. There hadn't been many men in her life and not any lately. She hurriedly rinsed out the shampoo and towel-dried his long hair. It really was beautiful.
“What do you think of our town?” She wrestled with her own inner demons as she combed through the long lengths. “You're probably not used to having the sidewalks rolled up at six o'clock.”
“I don't mind. I like the peace and quiet and quaint Victorian homes. They're different from where I grew up.”
For a moment, a vision of vibrant stars and a distant solar system flashed in her mind’s eye. Where did that come from? She blinked and the image disappeared. “Are you sure you want your hair really short? Sometimes, it's a shock to go from this long to barely there hair.”
Two deep lines of worry appeared between his eyes, then he grinned. “It's okay. I need a change. Cut it how you think it would look good, maybe something like that.” He pointed to the picture of a young man with longer hair and a short beard. The hair was tailored to the middle of the ear and longer in the back.
“Sure, it'll look good on you.” She pulled his hair back with a tie then cut it off and set it aside. She continued to shape the hair working with the natural curl, and focused on keeping her mind clear. This style would look great on him. He closed his eyes. She noticed the soft beginnings of a beard and mustache and fine crinkles etched around his eyes. She wondered if the lines were laugh lines or he got them from squinting through a camera lens.
“The newspaper is looking for a new photographer here in Sweetwater.” Damn, why did she say that? The last thing he would be interested in would be working for a small-town newspaper.
“Funny you should mention that.” He laughed. “I'm staying at Yesterday's Rose Bed and Breakfast. Rose, the owner, told me the same thing. I told her I gave you and Sara a ride into town last night. She invited me to have dinner with her and the sheriff.” He raised an eyebrow.
“Yeah, my dad is the sheriff. She mentioned dinner to me, too.” So that was what Rose was up to. Trust her to play matchmaker. Elle finished his cut and reached for the dryer, deliberating what to say about dinner.
“Listen, Elle.” He studied her then glanced into the mirror avoiding her direct gaze. “I'm not sure how to word this, so I'm just going to say it. I got the impression that Rose is trying to set us up.” He cleared his throat and gazed at her directly. “I'd enjoy going to dinner with you as a friend, but I'm not interested in anything else.” His intense blue gaze sent her a completely different message as he measured her with a cool appraising look.
Caught off guard, Elle could only stare at him. Talk about mixed signals. Apparently, all those soul-searching looks meant nothing. She swallowed her suddenly dry throat and composed herself. Thank goodness her mouth hadn't dropped open. “You have nothing to worry about. I’m not looking to get involved, either.” It would be wise to keep her distance in spite of the powerful surge of attraction that hit her whenever he glanced her way. Somehow, she'd manage to wrangle her wayward emotions back under control.
“I didn't mean to be abrupt.” He sighed. “I'd truly like us to be friends.”
“Of course.” Embarrassed, she clicked on the blow dryer. That was odd. Although she had to admit, at least he’d taken her mind off everybody in town thinking she was an alien. She could feel his eyes on her. He was different, more real, even in this strangely surreal day after the events of last night. She continued blow drying his hair, realizing her feelings for him scared the crap out of her. She met his gaze in the mirror and his eyes darkened. Deep within, where she held her sixth sense, she knew no matter what he said, he was attracted to her. The eyes never lied.
Chapter Three
After dealing with her disappointment with Kole, Elle wanted nothing more than the comfort of Dotty's Diner and to visit with Sara. The café was warm, inviting, and filled to the rafters with the noisy lunch crowd. She eased into the booth across from Sara. “What's going on? There was a line to get in.”
“I know, I was lucky to get a table,” Sara said.
Elle glanced at the customers, recognizing most of them. The diner always made her feel good. As a child, for a special treat, her dad brought her here for pie. The building was at least a hundred years old and had been through a few renovations. However, it retained its antique charm with the original metal-legged stools at the counter. The oak floor slanted just enough to make it quaint and the fresh flowers Dotty placed in the middle of the sparkling white tablecloths made it homey.
Dotty, the frazzled dishwater-blonde owner, sometimes cook and waitress, hurried over to their table. “Hey there girls, the special today is beef stew.”
“I'll have that, a side salad and a Coke,” Elle said.
“Make mine the same,” Sara chimed in. “You're really busy today.” Clusters of townsfolk milled around the café in tight little groups talking with their heads together as if they somehow all shared a great secret.
“Apparently, you haven't heard the latest.” Dotty's voice drifted into a hushed whisper.
“Now what?” Sara asked.
“They're saying there were sightings of another UFO.”
Elle forced a smile. “That’s what I’ve been hearing at the shop.” She knew why they all had their mouths yapping in their conspiracy theory. Her stomach quivered at the thought of what she and Sara had witnessed.
“Yeah
, it's got Crazy Herman all worked up,” Dotty related with a gleam in her eyes. “He's been in here most of the morning warning people not to go out at night.”
“Dotty, we need more coffee over here,” shouted an older fellow sitting at the next table.
“Hold your horses Wilber, I’ll be right there.” Dotty glanced back at the girls. “I'll get this right out.”
Elle watched Dotty give the cook their order. “Here we go again.” She reached over and touched a sunflower in the small vase, taking comfort in the softness of the perfect orange-yellow petals. She would get through this like she’d gotten through the other times there had been sightings. One day at a time.
“It scares me,” Sara said.
Dotty set down their drinks. “Oh, by the way Elle, Herman has been looking for you.”
Elle's blood pressure shot up. “What does he want?” She pulled her Coke toward her, knowing exactly why he was reaching out to her. Sometimes she wished he would leave her alone. She sighed. Like that was going to happen.
“Wouldn't say, but he's going on about how the aliens abducted him. I told him not to bother you, but you know how he is when he gets on that particular bandwagon.”
Of course Herman would track her down. She was the only one who knew he was telling the truth. Not that she could confirm it to the Sweetwater grapevine. If the busybodies knew the truth, they'd contact those scientists from Los Alamos labs, and she and Herman would be their newest experiments. “Thanks for letting me know.” Dotty left to fill another order.
“Don't let it get to you.” Sara patted Elle’s hand.
“I try not to. Though I know something happened to Herman.” She sipped her drink. “Trouble is he realizes I believe him. That's why he talks to me. He's not crazy.”
“Oh, I agree. After last night, I'm sure Herman has some interesting things to tell you.” Sara paused. “But what if its things you don't want to know.”
Starseed Page 3
