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She moves out from behind the desk, wearing a long, black apron with her name embroidered on the front. Even in the cold, Audra is wearing a crop top that shows off most of her back, which is covered in a colorful tattoo of Ganesha.
Skinny jeans cling to her skin, making me wonder if her pants are actually painted on and she’s just fooling everyone into thinking she actually has fabric covering her.
The salon is gorgeous. Old wood floors mixed with upcycled antique buffets make the whole space feel eclectic. Large mirrors with white frames run the length of each station from floor to ceiling, where women are perched in their chairs, getting color added in. The metallic sounds of scissors working and the smell of burnt hair from dozens of dryers reach me.
Audra guides me to a seat in the middle of the chaos, and I sit in the chair she offers me. She grabs one of those cape things and, like a matador trying to distract a raging bull, expertly drapes it across me before fastening it behind my neck.
It’s been so long since I’ve actually had my hair cut. Usually, I just chop it off with a pair of kitchen shears.
Audra stands behind me and tugs at my hair, her head cocked to the side as she checks its length. “So! Whatcha feeling? Up or down?”
“Uhh…” I stutter out, having no idea what I’m getting ready for or if I’m even getting ready.
“Oh, that’s right! It’s a surprise.” Audra winks at me, and I like her a little more.
“Apparently, and I’m the only one out of the loop.” My stomach rumbles then, and it’s like a light goes off in her head.
“I’ll be right back.”
Audra rushes away for a moment and hurries back with a platter of cheese and crackers and a glass of wine.
“Hell yes,” I say, grabbing a few. “I’m so hungry.”
Audra starts to laugh, and I swivel back to look at her, getting angry thinking she’s laughing at me. “What’s so funny?”
She points at my feet where I see the little foam dividers between my toes. “I think we can take those off now,” she says, amusement lacing her tone.
I burst out laughing with her, cracker crumbs flying from my lips. I had forgotten all about them, but now that she’s mentioned it, I almost can’t stand the feeling of them between my toes. Trying not to choke on my bite, I reach down and peel the foam out then toss them into a garbage can.
“Feeling better?” Audra inquires, wiping the tears from her eyes.
“Yeah, thanks for the laugh,” I say, spinning to face the mirror.
Audra begins tugging on my hair, and soon she’s snipping away the dead ends, taking a good three inches off my length. It’s never looked healthier. “Half up, half down,” she mutters to herself as she begins to curl my hair. I keep the plate of cheese and crackers on my lap as she works, but before she makes much progress, she spins me again so I’m facing the rest of the salon. She pulls on sections of my hair and curls it, taking her time with each strand.
Audra begins to pull some onto the top of my head and pins it, making me wonder if this is what it would have felt like if I had been allowed to go to homecoming or had the money to attend prom. That wasn’t my path, and I’m okay with it, but I have to admit it feels good to have someone else do my hair for once.
The time flies by as I eat and watch the other patrons come and go with fresh styles and vibrant colors.
“Done,” she says. “Are you ready to see?”
“Hell yeah!” I answer.
Audra spins my chair to face the mirror, and I gasp. My hair is stunning. The top half is pulled up and pinned to the top of my head in a mass of curls. The bottom half is curled too, and loose ringlets hang past my shoulders. “Oh! You need one final touch.”
Audra rushes away and comes back holding a single red rose. She steps in front of me and secures it to the side in the curls on my head. It somehow makes the whole style sexier, and I feel like a gorgeous Latin dancer getting ready to take the stage. “I love it. Thank you so much, Audra.”
She smiles. “You’re quite welcome. Hope you have fun tonight, whatever you’re doing.” Audra pulls the cape off of me, and I stand up. She offers me a mirror, and I accept, turning to see the back of my hair. It’s literally a waterfall of curls cascading down my back. It’s fucking exquisite and I love it.
“Wow,” I whisper.
“Yeah. You look amazing,” Audra comments with a smug grin on her face. “Now off you go! Have to keep you on schedule!” Audra guides me through the salon to another chair where she gestures for me to sit. “Marina will be right with you.”
She walks away, and a minute later, a gorgeous woman with tan skin and dark hair sits down. She could be a fucking model she’s so stunning.
“Time for makeup,” she announces with a smile. “Close your eyes.”
Wondering what Alistair has up his sleeve, I obey and close my eyes. Marina gets to work, plucking my eyebrows before airbrushing my face. “Okay, you can open them again.”
