15. Claire
15
“Thanks, Liv,” I call over my shoulder before biting down into the crumbly pastry, bursting with a citrus cream, making me groan.
“Oh my god, this is amazing,” Lex says, licking a rogue dollop of cream clinging to her lip from her chocolate éclair.
I smirk as she guides the long pastry to her lips, catching more cream on the side of her mouth, and burst out laughing.
“Yeah, it looks like you’re really enjoying it, babe.” I almost can’t say the words through my wheezing. “You’re handling that treat like a pro.”
She looks down at her pastry, to me, and then back at the dessert when her eyes widen in realisation.
“Oh, get your mind out of the gutter.”
We stop at the edge of the sidewalk and wait for a few cars to pass.
The late morning sun is scorching down on us, the street crowded with people enjoying the finer weather Heart City has to offer as we move into October. The jacaranda trees that line the street are being taken over with bright purple blooms.
Lex goes to take another bite of her éclair and frowns.
“Now I can’t eat this without thinking of a penis,” she says, just as a guy stops beside her on the sidewalk.
“Wow.” He coughs out the word, cheeks flaming, and I can’t help the snort that erupts out of me.
“I’m so sorry,” Lex squeaks before latching onto my free hand and dragging me across the now empty street, only letting go once we reach the other side to open the door to Parlour Tricks.
It’s my last chance to look at the painting and tiling before the floorboards go in tomorrow, and then we’re on a one-week lockdown for the stain to cure and dry out.
I wipe my pink work boots on the mat before going in. Lex borrowed a pair of combat boots I had in the back of my closet from when I dressed up as Lara Croft one Halloween.
On the off chance we bumped into the boss, I didn’t want to risk being read the riot act for not following safety protocols.
“Claire! I can’t believe how different this looks.” Lex stares at the wall, now covered in giant, blooming peonies. “That wallpaper is beautiful.”
The deep crimson background makes the pink flowers pop, and the sunlight coming in through the windows catches on the little gold touches, making them glitter. I smile, content with the decision to change it.
“Hey, Claire.” Jeremy, one of the guys often working here with Westley, bounds into the room with the typical upbeat energy I’ve seen from him before. “Who’s your friend here?”
“Hey, Jeremy. This is Lex. Lex, Jeremy.”
“Nice to meet you, Jeremy.”
“You too, Lex.” He draws out her name and gives her a wink. Lex looks over at me with a nervous smile.
“Just ignore him. He’s harmless. Finish your éclair,” I say, as I walk past her with a smirk on my face, watching her cheeks pink.
“Did you guys go to Sweet Escape? Man, I swear I’ve put on five kilos since we’ve been working here.” Jeremy hums in delight as I watch him pat his trim stomach.
“Huh, must have put all that weight on your head.” I smile.
“Yeah, I’m normally pretty good at eating healthy, but Westley goes over every morning. I think he goes for the brunette behind the counter, though.”
“Liv?”
He shrugs. “I dunno. She’s got wavy hair. Quiet little thing.”
“Oh my god, that’s so cute. It’s like a Hallmark movie. He goes to her bakery every morning just to see her.”
“Since when do you find things like that cute?” Lex asks.
Yeah, since when the fuck do I find that kinda shit cute?
I shake my head, ridding myself of rogue thoughts that have no business being in my head as I walk around the room to check out the painted walls.
My eyes practically bug out of my head as I take in the sweet pink gracing my salon walls. It’s event season at the moment, lots of weddings and school formals. I’ve been so busy at my day job that I haven’t been able to get down to the salon since the painting was finished last week.
“What do you think?” Jeremy asks when he joins me. “I thought all that pink would give me a headache, but it actually looks pretty good.”
Lex walks past me, sticking her head into the small treatment rooms at the front before making her way to the classroom at the end.
She spins around, taking it all in before coming to stand in the middle of the room.
“That’s going to look so good once the barn doors are on. Do you still have the paint sample here for the doors?” she asks.
“Yeah, I’ll go get them,” Jeremy says and dashes down the back hallway.
“Wow, there’s a cute bar right outside this window. This was such a good idea, putting the classroom in the front. Look at how much foot traffic you’ll get.”
I blow out a breath. “Yeah, I know. The guy was right. With every little suggestion he’s made, it’s all worked out better than I imagined.”
“We’re calling them suggestions now?” She chuckles. “I thought they were him exercising his male dominance?”
“I’m woman enough to admit I may have been wrong.”
“To his face?”
“Oh, god, no.”
To myself, let’s just call it a strategic marketing move. It’s still my idea, my concept. I’m just trusting him to guide me in the best way to reap the benefits. Besides, it’s not like my heart is on the line for letting the guy suggest a few paint colours.
Okay, more than a few paint colours. I suppose this guy knows his shit.
“Here we go,” Jeremy calls, stepping into the room with a board painted in the soft, bubblegum pink.
“This is what you wanted, right? Romance?”
Apparently.
From: [email protected]
Subject: Parlour Tricks Beauty - Off Limits
Hi Claire,
Westley has had to take some personal leave, so I’m looking after your project in his absence.
Please be aware the floorboards in the salon have been laid and the lime wash stain has been poured.
Absolutely no inside entry to the salon is permitted for the next seven days while the stain cures.
Thanks,
Lee