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“I just slept well last night. I’m refreshed.”
“Oh, I bet you slept like a million fucking bucks with a man like Brody Steele beside you.”
I can’t fight the red that blooms on my cheeks. With a quick look around the salon, I confirm we’re alone. “We didn’t—haven’t slept in the same bed. Not that it’s any of your business, Snoopy.”
“I’m not gonna tell anybody, sugar. Just razzing you a bit.”
“I know. I know. Sorry for jumping at you.”
She waves her hand, swaying toward me. The nails that tap the desk beside mine are painted with candy cane stripes and mistletoe. “We don’t know each other well, so I can’t blame you for being guarded. I haven’t spent too much time at the salon as of late, but it’s nothing personal. I’ve been in town for too long and am in need of a change of scenery soon.”
“You’re a bit of a move-arounder, then?”
“‘Flighty’ is I think the word my father likes to use,” she says with a painfully fake smile.
I shrug a shoulder. “So you like to explore. Who cares.”
“My mom, for one. Most of the judgmental pricks in this town, for another. My dad took off for most of my childhood, and now that he’s retiring soon, everyone assumed I’d stick around to play catch-up and wait for him tomaybecome back. It’s ridiculously sad, but I keep starting these businesses with the hope he’ll finally start to pay attention to me. I’ve never even liked cutting hair, let alone owning a salon. But I think I’ve had enough of trying. I have to stop putting my life on hold for the off chance he wasfinallyready to give us the time of day, y’know?”
“I do, actually. It’s not exactly the same, but I haven’t spoken to my dad in three years. Sometimes you have to know when to look out for yourself regardless of the familial obligations you think you have. It’s not always worth the stress and hurt.”
Wanda nods, eyes sparking to life. “Exactly! God, I’m so tired of hearing the guilt trips. Especially around the holidays. I’ve been fending off my mom’s phone calls for weeks.”
“Are you seeing anyone for Christmas?”
“Nah. I’m thinking I might book a trip somewhere hot. Laze the days away on beaches littered with shirtless surfing men.”
I tip my head back and laugh, my chest full and warm. “I’d join you if I could. It’s looking like I’ll be spending Christmas alone. My sister’s going to spend the holidays with her husband’s family, and I don’t feel like being a cling-on while she’s there.”
Wanda doesn’t look at me with pity. No, she’s too busy looking behind me. I spin on my heels and immediately grin at who I find in the doorway.
Wanda moves to greet the customer but stops at my side, our shoulders brushing. Dropping her voice, she says, “Looks like the mother-in-law is here.”
I pinch her underarm, and then she’s breezing past me, her boots clipping the tiles.
“Mrs. Steele, this is a lovely surprise,” I call, following Wanda.
“Eliza,” the older woman corrects me gently before pulling me into her arms and hugging me tight. “And I figured I better stop in to get this old mop of hair done right up for Christmas.”
“You came on the right day. Anna’s the best I have.” Wanda winks at me, leaning back against the desk.
As soon as I’m out of Eliza’s arms, I’m thanking Wanda with a subtle nod. “I try my best.”
“But first, what is this I hear about you spending Christmas alone?” Eliza asks, voice firm, like I imagine it would have been back when she had to scold a young Brody.
Wanda sucks in her lips while Brody’s grandmother stares fiercely at me, expecting an answer and a damn good one at that.
Gesturing toward my station, I suggest, “Let’s get started on your hair first.”
“No. Tell me first so I don’t have the chance to get sidetracked,” she demands. “You are under no circumstances spending Christmas alone.”
“Well, I don’t want to spend another year hanging around my brother-in-law’s family. I’ve done that before, and they’re nice enough to include me, but it’s not the same.”
“I don’t see anything wrong with spending the holidays alone, Eliza,” Wanda puts in.
“Well, then you can call me Mrs. Steele, Wanda,” Eliza tuts.
The salon owner huffs a laugh and pats Eliza on the back. “Just for that, I’m not going to give you all the mini samples you love so much.”
