Chapter 18 #2
“Ugh…you’re a tease, Annie. But I like it.”
Being this brazen with him comes easy, like everything else with him does. “I’m not like this, ever, but somehow you pull it out of me.”
“I’d rather put something in you.”
“Ben!”
“Text me when you get home. See you at six, baby.” He hangs up before I can say goodbye, and although that annoys me, I still have a huge smile on my face.
I spent the rest of the afternoon checking out some of the cute shops and fun stores on Meridian Street, but now I’ve only got a few hours until Ben comes to pick me up.
As I walk past Lawless Protection Agency, I see that Vogueish is open, and for some asinine reason, I walk in.
The stylist is on the phone and barely glances up as she holds up a finger in the universal sign for I’ll be right with you.
Shit.
What am I doing?
I browse the small space and immediately adore it.
There’s a unique and sweet smell, like hair spray and roses, that I wish I could buy in candle form.
The walls are covered in wallpaper with large, thin black-and-white flowers, and everything else is gold, blush, and the occasional deep turquoise accent color.
It’s warm and welcoming, and what I imagine is a vision come to life.
“Sorry about that. How can I help you?”
Whoa. Is this his sister? She’s stunning, like a supermodel with thick, long, glossy hair, perfectly manicured eyebrows, and flawless makeup.
I’m instantly jealous of her and also want to be her best friend.
I have a feeling Ben is holding me off introducing us, so I wanted to smooth things over if needed, but now I’m regretting it because she’s super intimidating.
“Hi, I’m Annie.” I thought she would recognize my name and introduce herself, but maybe it’s not her. “I’m new to town and just wanted to see when I can get in for a trim and some highlights.”
She swallows and slowly scans my hair with narrowed eyes. I know I’m not as pretty as her, but something shifts in her expression…disgust flares, and for a second, I swear she’s about to slap me.
Then, like shaking off a fog, she smiles. “Sorry, Annie, right?” I nod, and she goes on, “When do you want to get in?”
“Pretty much any time before noon.”
“Give me a second.” She flips through her appointment book. “I can actually fit you in right now. I was closing up for the day, but I have time.”
“Really? Are you sure? You don’t have plans or anything?”
She shakes her head. “Nope. Follow me.”
“Great, thank you so much.”
I sit in the chair at the only station, and before my butt is in the seat, she has a black cape snapped around my neck. “So a trim and highlights?”
“Yep, just the split ends, please. And just a couple of face-framing highlights if you can.”
She runs her fingers through my hair. “Okay, I’ll be right back.”
I stare at myself in the round mirror and immediately feel like a loser. Every other woman I’ve seen, not only today but since I’ve been here, is beautiful.
Kit has a sort of punk-rock vibe, but the French manicure on her fingers somehow made sense.
Willa was polished and professional, and I just knew the diamonds in her ears were real.
The saleswoman at the boutique had intricate, shiny, colorful braids that reached her waist. The girl at the bakery counter had beachy waves under her hair net and the coolest pink jumpsuit.
The woman jogging wore neon-green tennis shoes that matched her shorts.
And here I am. No makeup, my hair hangs on my head with no shape, and I have no style. I never cared that much and was fine with how I looked, but I’m realizing just how boring I am, how plain. What does Ben see in me?
“Would you like something to drink?” The stylist asks as she wheels out a tray. “I have Diet Coke, water, RumChata, and Prosecco.”
“Prosecco, please.”
“Be right back.”
She returns, and I do my best not to slam my drink, but my nerves are kicking my ass right now. She works quietly as she applies the dye and foils to my hair. “These should only take about twenty minutes to process. I’m just going to go clean up. Be back shortly.”
“Okay, thank you.”
I sip the Prosecco and feel the alcohol starting to work its magic, my nerves slowly fading to nothing.
She returns and checks the foils. “Looks good, let’s go to the sink.”
I feel awkward, like I should be saying something, but I don’t know what to talk about. The shampoo is wonderful, and when we get back to the station, I can’t help but smile at the hint of color I see. “I like it.”
She smiles back as she tops off my glass. “Good. Just a trim, right?” I nod, and she starts brushing. “You said you’re new to town? What brought you to Matchbook?”
“Um…well, I’ve always heard good things, and then an…opportunity kind of presented itself.”
“What do you do for work?”
“I’m a CNA. I work at Sunny Hill.”
The chair spins, and I hear the scissor blades in my hair. “Where’d you move from?”
“Annapolis.”
She crouches down and cuts some more. “How do you like it here so far?”
“It’s been really great.” I can’t help the warmth that fills my chest at the mere thought of Ben.
“Uh-oh. That sounds like maybe more than a job brought you here.”
I want to make friends. But if this isn’t his sister, after what happened with Tara, I realize any woman in this town could be one of Ben’s exes. I can’t just blab about him to anyone. “It’s kind of complicated.”
“I see.” She doesn’t say anything else, focusing on her task. But only a few minutes later, she spins the chair back around. “What do you think?”
I lean forward, impressed by how precise the highlights are and by the short layers at the bottom, which add a ton of extra volume. “It looks great, thank you so much.”
She takes the cape off and hangs it on the little hook. I retrieve my dress bag from the coat hook and meet her at the register.
“How much do I owe you?”
“Nothing. My brother will kill me if I charge his girlfriend.”
My teeth crash together, and I slowly close my eyes. “So you are Charlie?”
“I am.”
My fingers are shaking as I hold my hand out. “It’s nice to meet you.”
She reciprocates the gesture. “Why are you shaking?”
“You knew it was me the whole time, and now I’m freaking out because I can tell you don’t like me.”
“Why do you think that?”
“I just knew by the way Ben said I still needed to meet you, like he wasn’t looking forward to it.
I don’t blame you for not liking me.” I swallow and wipe the sweat off my hands on my leggings.
“Ben was there for me when I didn’t even know I needed him, and then he got shot because of me, and I hate myself for it.
Then it caused even more problems between my dad and your dad and… I’m sorry.”
“Girl. Take a breath.”
I did, but it was jagged.
“Please don’t cry on me. Ben will really be mad if he thinks I made you cry.”
I feel a burn at the tip of my nose and sniffle to chase it away.
“I have nobody.” I dabbed the corner of my eye.
“The past couple of weeks…the past few years have been… I don’t even know.
It’s hard to explain. Have you ever had something happen and you think you understand it, but then something else happens, and nothing makes sense anymore? ”
She crosses her arms and contemplates what I said. “I have had something happen, but the difference is, I know I’ll never understand it.”
“I’m sorry. That’s such a shitty feeling.
” The next breath I release isn’t nearly as shaky.
“I only came to him because I had nowhere else to turn. I was going to leave, but…he kind of made that impossible. He wants me here, and I want to be here with him. I hope we can get along, and eventually, you’ll see how much I care about him and that I would never do anything to hurt him. ”
She taps her hot pink nails on the counter. “From the way he described you, I’ve gotta say, I’m shocked you’re laying it out for me like this.”
I lift a shoulder. “Honestly, me too. But he means the world to me, and I don’t want to put him in a position where he has to feel tension between you and me.”
A small smile tipped the corner of her mouth. “I don’t want that, either. It’s all good, Annie. I promise.”
“Really.” I smile.
She leans into the counter. “Yes. I just want him to be happy.”
“Me too.” I reach for my wallet. “Now, seriously, what do I owe you?”
“Seriously, not hurting my brother is the only payment I need.”
Joy and excitement underfoot, I float across the street and breeze home, texting Ben on the way.
And then the bubble around me bursts, and I’m not floating anymore. I’m fading, falling…and I surrender to the darkness, because I’m not strong enough to fight it.