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Ten minutes later I’m stripped of my clothing. Boots, socks, pants, panties…it’s all off.
“What? I couldn’t if I tried.” I hold my hands up to show off my new heated terrycloth robe and thick fleece socks. “I would have to shuffle in these things and we both know you move like a momma with a list on Black Friday.”
Pepper snorted. “I tell you one story from my vacation with my sisters and you forever hold it against me.”
We both smile.
My best asset is currently freshly shampooed and combed out. It might be pin-straight, but the thick silky locks made up for the lack of bounce and curl. Pepper whips out a black apron and pins it into place.
Behind me, Pepper rubbed her hands together in anticipation. “What are we doing?”
“Cut it all off.”
“Fuck me!” Pepper’s gum dropped out of her mouth this time, landing on her pristine white lab coat. She plucked it off her boob and popped it back in her mouth.
Okay then.
“Really?” She reached for her scissors with what I swear is an evil grin plastered on her face.
“No!” I stared at her in the mirror, wide-eyed. “Lord no, woman! Just kidding,” I laughed. “I seriously just want something different but not crazy drastic. Stylish, not like I’m shipping off to basic training next week.”
Pepper crossed herself. “Thank you, Sweet Jesus. I would have gone straight to hell for cutting something so pretty!”
As she set to work, the other stylist, Lana, arrived. Her clients had canceled, too, so Lana set to work on my manicure and pedicure.
I closed my eyes, enjoying the citrus scents of the salon and all the pampering I usually deny myself. If this was queen status, I never wanted to leave.
“How’d you get out of work?”
I peeled an eye open and grinned ruefully. “I’m going on the naughty list for this one, but I told my office I wasn’t feeling well and heading home to work.”
Peppertskedand laughed softly. “Wish I could do that every once in a while. Only thing is in a town this small, step outside once and everyone knows your business.”
I held up my hand, fingers crossed. “Yeah, um, let’s hope not.”
Normally even thinking of doing something like that would wrack me with guilt, but the idea of Mateo placing an ad on Jolly Nights gave me some new motivation. Could it be he felt the same disconnect from the world as I did? Just the thought that he might be lonely meant I had a new mission this year: rock Scrooge’s world!
And my own.
“What do you think?” Pepper swung me around to face the mirror after she spent a very long session with the blow dryer.
Wispy bangs framed my face and my long hair hit my nipples instead of my ass where I had it half an hour ago. Lana had waxed my brows so they drew attention to my hazel eyes.
I blinked at myself in the mirror.
“Wow,” I managed, not recognizing the woman staring back at me.
Pepper and Lana smiled, both of them looking a little smug. “I know, right? You’re gorgeous. Inside and out.”
Leaping out of my chair, I gave them each a hug. “You two are the best, seriously.”
“Why the sudden change of heart, if you don’t mind me asking?” Pepper asked. Lana stopped sweeping up my hair to catch my response.
“Uh, no reason,” I shrugged nonchalantly. “Just the holidays coming up, you know. All the visitors due to arrive for the town’s festivities soon so I wanted to look my best.” I felt heat hit my cheeks. Lying sat at the top of myshit-I-can’t-do-welllist along with ice skating.
Maybe a good trait to have and one that made me a good accountant but not so helpful in other areas of life.
“Oooh, girl! You’re ready to pop your cherry!” Pepper grabbed me and pulled me in tight.
