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“See you later,” said Austin. “Better make it seven o’clock tomorrow.”
“Need any help?” Livy asked.
Austin grinned at her. “How about bringing some of your cookies?”
Livy laughed. “I’ll be happy to do it.”
Austin and Shane left, and Charlotte turned to her cousins. “Wow. This visit is off to a great start. It seems like old times.”
“What was going on with you and Shane?” Brooke said. “He couldn’t take his eyes off of you.”
“He seems like an interesting man,” Charlotte said, not certain what to say.
“I guess,” said Livy. “You were staring at him too.”
“Who knew there would be this many attractive men around?” said Brooke. “I remember Austin as a boy, not the handsome man he’s become. That dimple!” She turned to Livy. “Remember how you had a crush on him?”
Livy’s cheeks flushed. “He’s still pretty cute.”
Charlotte gave Brooke and Livy a thoughtful look. “Doesn’t it seem odd to you that so many of us are here at the same time? It makes me wonder if Gran and her friends planned it this way.”
“That would be awful,” said Brooke. “If so, I’m going to feel as awkward as I did back then as a teenager.”
Charlotte wrapped an arm around Brooke. “You don’t need to feel that way now. Livy and I are here for you.”
“Yes,” said Livy. “Of course.”
“Thanks.” Brooke patted her hair. “I want to do something different. I was going to get it cut, maybe color it, but time got away from me.”
“I’ll trim it for you if you like,” said Livy. “I know how.” She flipped her strawberry blond curls. “With hair like this, I’ve had to learn.”
“Okay,” said Brooke. “That would be great. I need all the help I can get.”
The three women went inside to get ready for dinner with Gran and John. Charlotte inhaled the smell of lemon and garlic and grinned. John was cooking something delicious.
Upstairs, she and her cousins went into their rooms to shower and change. Later, as she emerged from her room, she noticed Livy and Brooke in the Jack-and-Jill bathroom between their rooms and went to check on them.
“What do you think?” asked Livy. She stood aside so that Charlotte could get a look at Brooke.
A thought occurred to Charlotte. “Are you feeling adventurous, Brooke?”
Brooke shrugged. “I don’t know.”
“Why don’t you have Livy cut your hair to your chin level. That’s the new look, and it would show off your neck and lighten the weight of your hair.” She turned to Livy. “Do you think you could do that?”
“Yes. I attended beauty school for a while the summer after I graduated high school. That’s where I learned to cut hair.”
“I never knew that,” said Brooke.
“As long as my mother knew it was temporary, it was all right with her,” said Livy. “You know how she likes me to look perfect.”
“Yeah, my mother too. You’re lucky, Brooke. Aunt Jo doesn’t care,” said Charlotte.
“That says a lot, doesn’t it?” said Brooke, her voice flaring a bit.
Charlotte heard the anger and thought once more that this time with Gran would be healthy for all of them. She sat on the edge of the tub and watched Livy go to work, surprised by her skill.
After cutting Brooke’s hair, Livy blew it dry, using a brush to lift and control the ends. The effect was stunning. Brooke’s brown hair, silky smooth, ended at the jawline, emphasizing the bones structure of her face.
