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“Okay.” Amber sighed. “People who get to know you generally like you. That’s not the problem.”
“What is, then?”
“Well, you don’t get to know a lot of people, for one thing. There are people you feel are…”
“Are what? What are you trying to say, Amber?”
“Let’s put it this way. Would we be friends if I weren’t friends with your sister? Would you have bothered getting to know me?”
“Of course. You’re the best manicurist Judy’s ever hired.”
“That’s not what I mean.”
“What do you mean then?”
Amber sighed. “Sure, you’d let me do your nails. That’s one thing. But would we hang out together during happy hour at The Bullfrog? Would we spend the day in Denver shopping?”
Angie bit her lip. Amber had a point. She’d never made friends with her manicurist before.
“And there’s another thing.”
God. “What?”
“No one wants to work for you.”
“What do you mean? You work for me.”
“I do your nails. Judy does your hair. We don’t teach you to ride.”
“I don’t see what the difference is.”
“We pamper you.” Amber let out a giggle. “You’re very good at being pampered. You won’t get any pampering learning to ride. Riding is hard work. Don’t get me wrong. I love it. The rewards are great. But you will not be pampered.”
Angie’s hackles rose. Who did Amber think she was? “It sounds like you’re saying I’m spoiled.”
Amber concentrated on the cuticles again. “You asked me to be honest, and you said it wouldn’t harm our relationship.”
“So you’re admitting it? You think I’m spoiled?”
“I think you’re a great person. I like you. We’re friends, remember?”
“So I’m not spoiled?”
Amber started filing, still averting her gaze. “Let’s put it this way. Remember a couple months ago when Judy added a touch too much red to your hair color?”
Angie remembered well. She’d looked like Elmo. “Yeah, I vaguely recall it.”
“You called her incompetent and threatened to put her out of business. Never mind that she fixed your hair that same day, free of charge.”
Warmth flooded to Angie’s cheeks. Yes, I overreacted. “I apologized for that.”
“I know you did, and Judy’s still happy to have your business.”
“She’s the best hairdresser in this town.”
“That she is. You knew it then, too.”
Angie stiffened in her chair. “But demanding excellence doesn’t mean I’m spoiled.”
