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“You beat her,” Erica said, warming up to the excitement. Maybe it was a good idea to take some time off from work. This was a great way to start. Nicole was going to be her brothers’ wife in a month. Their fiancée was already like a sister to Erica.
“I’m sure Destiny’s sweet deputy will love this day of beauty,” Gretchen said.
“We all will,” Belle, Amber’s sister, added, looking in the mirror and running her fingers through her hair. “I could definitely benefit from a new hairstyle.”
“Are you kidding?” Paris said, shaking her dark hair. “I would love to have your blonde hair. It looks beautiful.”
“I love you hair, Paris.” Erica loved the woman’s soft dark pixie cut.
“I’ve been thinking about letting it grow out and lightening it a lot.”
“You can,” Betty said. “Kelly is a genius when it comes to color.”
Nicole came through the door wearing her uniform, her gun by her side. Erica thought she looked so beautiful and powerful.
“Surprise!” they all said in unison.
Nicole smiled. “Jason sent me here to check on a possible break-in. A broken latch? I’m betting there isn’t one. He was in on this, wasn’t he?”
“Everyone in Destiny was in on it, love.” Gretchen handed Nicole a glass of champagne. “Haven’t you figured out how things work around here yet?”
“I’m still on duty,” Nicole told them.
“No you’re not.” Ethel grinned. “The minute you walked into Betty’s place, you were off the clock.”
“Okay,” she said, taking the glass from Gretchen. “Let’s party. Cheers, everyone.”
“Cheers,” they all said together.
It felt good to Erica to be home.
* * * *
The snow-covered peaks sparkled like jewels from the late afternoon sun’s beams. The sky was dotted with puffy clouds. The air was the perfect temperature. Colorado had never looked better to Dylan.
He sat with Cam on the bench in the park, facing Betty’s Beauty Shop, where the woman responsible for his new outlook was enjoying a day of beauty with some of the other women in Destiny.
Day of beauty? Erica was ravishing with or without makeup. She was a natural beauty both inside and out.
“My sesame chicken isn’t going to hold me for too much longer,” Cam said. Around noon, he’d gone into Phong’s and brought back lunch for both of them. “I’m thinking we get some burgers from Lucy’s for dinner.”
“How much longer will Erica be in there?”
“Beats me, but I’m betting it will be a couple of hours at least.” Cam grinned.
“More like four or five.”
“Erica needs this. A day thinking about something other than what happened with the Russians. And Monday is the anniversary and memorial service. That’s going to be rough.”
Dylan agreed. “My money is on Ethel and Gretchen making sure she enjoys herself.”
His cell buzzed.
“That’s got to be you,” Cam said. “I’m still without my phone.”
He brought out his cell. “It’s Black.”
“He’s going to be pissed that you’re going to turn him down.”
