Текст книги "Truly Madly Yours "

Автор книги: Рэйчел Гибсон

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Текущая страница: 5 (всего у книги 18 страниц)

She turned her gaze to the teenage girls on the beach below waving their arms and running to the edge of the water. She wasnt that much older than Steve, and it wasnt like she was looking for a commitment. Delaney raised the bottle to her lips again and took a drink. Maybe she could just use him for the summer. Use him, then dump him. Men had certainly used and dumped her. Why couldnt she treat men the same way men treated her? What was the difference?

“Uncle Nicks back, Sophie called up to Louie, who stood in a knot of people.

Everything inside Delaney stilled. Her gaze flew to the boat slowly cruising toward the end of the dock, to the man standing behind the wheel of the Bayliner, his feet wide apart, his dark hair blowing about his shoulders. Shade from the towering pine fell across the surface of the water and bathed him and his three female passengers in shadows. Sophie shot down the dock with her friends trailing behind her, their excited chatter rising above the noise of the outboard engine. Nicks responding laughter reached Delaney on the breeze. She set her beer on the rail and turned to find Lisa several feet away, looking very guilty.

“Excuse me, Steve, she said and moved to her friend.

“Dont kill me, Lisa whispered.

“You should have told me.

“Would you have come?

“No.

“Then Im glad I lied.

“Why, so I could get here then leave again?

“Dont be such a wimp. You need to get past your hostile feelings for Nick.

Delaney looked into her childhood friends eyes and tried not to feel hurt by her remark. She reminded herself that Lisa didnt know about Henrys will or the night Nick had used her ten years ago. “I know hes going to be your brother-in-law, but there are some very good reasons why I feel hostile toward him.

“Louie told me.

A myriad of horrible questions ran through Delaneys head. She wondered who knew what. What they knew, and who had said what to whom. “What did he tell you?

“He told me about the will.

Delaney glanced over her shoulder at Louie, who was staring out at the lake. She would have preferred that no one know about the will, but it wasnt her biggest concern. Hopefully, her greatest fear was still buried in the past. “How long have you known?

“About a month, and I wish you would have told me. I wanted to ask you to be in my wedding, but I was waiting for you to tell me you were going to be here. Pretending I dont know has been really hard, but now I can ask you to be one of my bridesmaids. I wanted you to be my maid of honor, but I couldnt, so I had to ask my sister. But I—

“Exactly what did Louie tell you? Delaney interrupted as she reached for Lisas arm and pulled her to a deserted part of the deck.

“That if you leave Truly, Nick inherits your share of Henrys estate, and if the two of you have sex, you inherit his.

“Who else knows?

“Benita, I think.

Of course. “And maybe Sophie. She said something about overhearing her grandmother. Dread settled in the pit of her stomach, and she let go of Lisas arm. “This is so humiliating. Now everyone in town will know, and I wont be able to go anywhere without people watching me to make sure I dont leave town or have sex with Nick. She felt her skull tighten at the very thought. “As if that would ever happen anyway.

“No one else will find out. If youre worried about Sophie, Ill talk to her.

“And shell listen to you?

“If I tell her the gossip could hurt Nick, shell listen. She worships him. In Sophies eyes, Nick is a saint and can do no wrong.

Delaney looked over her shoulder and watched Saint Nick with his harem of females make their way up the dock. He handed a large paper sack to Sophie, and she and her friends took off toward a picnic table on the beach. In his loose green tank top, battered Levis with the large three-corner tear above the right knee, and rubber flip-flops, he looked like hed just gotten out of bed. Delaneys gaze moved to the three women. Maybe he had.

“I wonder where he picked them up, Lisa said, referring to the blond by his side and the two brunettes following close behind. “He was just going to his house to get some fireworks for Sophie.

“Apparently he picked up more than a few smoke bombs. Who are those women?

“The blond is Gail something, I dont know her married name, but her dad was Judge Tanner. The two behind him look like the Howell twins, Lonna and Lanna.

Delaney remembered Gail Tanner. Shed been several years older than Delaney, and their families had occasionally socialized. She also recognized her as the woman Nick had pick up at Henrys funeral. The Howell twins she didnt know. “Gails married?

“Divorced.

Delaney turned around for a better look. The women wore tight tank tops tucked into jeans. Delaney would have loved to dismiss them as tramps, but she couldnt. They looked more like centerfolds than hookers. “Did Gail get a boob job? I dont remember her being that big.

“A boob job and a little fat sucked out of her butt, too.

“Hmm. Delaneys gaze returned to Nick and the triangle of thigh visible through the tear in his jeans. “Have you seen them do liposuction on TV? Damn, it hurt my buns just thinking about it.

“Its disgusting. Looks just like chicken fat.

“Would you ever have it done?

“In a second. Would you?

Delaney looked at her friend as she thought about it. “I dont think so, but Ill probably have my breasts lifted when they start to sag past my belly button. Hopefully, that wont be for twenty more years. Delaneys statement drew Lisas attention to her chest.

“You always did have pretty good boobs. I never had great boobs, but I have a really nice butt.

The two women switched their attention to Lisas behind.

“Better than mine, Delaney admitted, then returned her gaze to Nick and the three women making their way across the beach toward the bottom of the stairs leading to the deck. “So, which one is his girlfriend?

“I dont know.

“Probably all three.

“Probably, Lisa agreed.

“None of them, spoke Louie from behind.

Delaney did a mental groan and closed her eyes.

Shed been caught gossiping about Nick. Worse, shed been caught by Louie. She wondered how long hed been standing there. She wondered if hed heard her talking about getting her breasts lifted, but she didnt dare ask. Slowly she turned to face him, racking her brain for something to say.

Thankfully, Lisa didnt have the same problem. “Are you sure he isnt dating the twins?

“No, he answered, then announced with a completely serious look on his face, “Nick is a one-woman man.

Delaney glanced at Lisa and the two of them burst into laughter.

“Whats so funny? Louie wanted to know. He crossed his arms over his chest, and his dark brows formed one prominent line across his forehead.

“You, Lisa answered and kissed his firm mouth. “Youre crazy, but thats what I love about you.

Louie put an arm around Lisas waist and pulled her tight. “I love you, too, alu gozo .

No one had ever whispered exotic endearments to Delaney—unless she counted “Do me, baby. No man had ever loved her the way Louie obviously loved Lisa. And no man was likely to, either, as long as she was stuck in Truly with nothing to do but walk dogs. There had to be something better than picking up dog poop. “Do you know who owns the building next to you?

“You do now. Louie shrugged. “Maybe your mother. I guess it depends on how everything shakes out in your fathers will.

“I do? As she absorbed the news a big smile parted her lips.

“Yep. Henry owned that whole block.

“Your offices, too?

“Yep.

She had a lot to think about and took a step backward. “Well, thanks for having me, she said, fully intending to beat a retreat before she got within spitting distance of Nick.

“You just got here, Lisa pointed out. “Stay until after the fireworks. Louie, tell her we want her to stay.

“Why dont you stay? Louie said and took the bota he had hanging from his shoulder and held it toward her.

Great, now shed look like a baby if she left. She took the pigskin bag from him and asked, “Whats in this?

“ Txakoli . When she didnt drink, he added, “Red wine. Its for special occasions and holidays.

Delaney lifted the bag and hit her chin with a thin stream of wine before raising it to her mouth. The wine was sweet and very potent, and when she lowered it again, she got wine on her throat. “I guess I should stick to a glass, she joked and wiped her chin and neck.

From behind, the bota was plucked from her hand. She turned and stared at a wide chest and faded green cotton. Her stomach twisted like a pretzel as she slowly raised her gaze past Nicks lips to his gray eyes. The Allegrezza boys had a habit of sneaking up on her from behind.

“Open up, he said.

She tilted her head to one side and stared at him.

“Open up, he repeated and raised the bota to within several inches of her face.

“What are you going to do if I dont? Squirt wine all over me?

He smiled, slow and sensual. “Yes.

She didnt doubt him for a moment. The second her mouth opened, wine shot between her parted lips. She watched helpless as Lisa and Louie walked away. She would have followed if she hadnt been forced to stand very still. Then the stream of wine was gone without leaving so much as a drop anywhere. She swallowed and licked the corner of her mouth. She didnt say a word.

“Youre welcome.

The breeze carried the scent of his skin and tossed strands of his thick dark hair about his bare shoulders. He smelled like clean mountain air and dark sensual man. “I didnt ask for your help.

“No, but you need a lot of txakoli to kill that bug up your butt. He leaned back slightly and raised the bota. A red arc filled his mouth, and his throat worked as he swallowed. Fine black hair shadowed his armpit, and for the first time, Delaney noticed the tattoo circling his right biceps. It was a thin wreath of thorns, and the twists and barbs of black ink looked remarkably real against his smooth tan skin. He lowered the bag and sucked a bead of wine from his lower lip. “Were you going to run me over the other day, wild thing?

She tried not to react. “Dont call me that, please.

“What? Wild thing?

“Yes.

“Why not?

“Because I dont like it.

Nick didnt give a damn what she liked. Shed tried to run him over, no doubt about it. He slid his gaze down the curves of her body as he screwed the cap onto the spout of the bota. “I guess thats too bad. The second hed stepped foot on the deck, hed noticed her, and not just because she wore a turtleneck and green leather vest when everyone else had dressed for summer. It was her hair. The setting sun caught all those different shades of red and set them ablaze.

“Then I guess the next time I see you in a crosswalk, I wont put on the brake.

Nick stepped forward until she had to tilt her head back to look up at him. His gaze moved over her flawless porcelain cheeks to her pink lips. The last time hed been this close to her, shed been naked. “Give it your best shot. White and pink. Thats what he remembered about her most. Soft pink mouth and tongue. Firm white breasts and tight pink nipples. Silky white thighs.

She opened her mouth to say something, but whatever she meant to say was silenced by Gails approach.

“There you are, Gail said as she wove her arm through Nicks. “Lets hurry and get a place on the beach before the show starts.

Nick stared into Delaneys big brown eyes and felt a tightening in his groin that had nothing to do with the willing woman by his side. He stepped back and turned his attention to Gail. “If youre in a hurry, go ahead without me.

“No, Ill wait. Gail turned her gaze from Nick to Delaney. Her grip on his arm tightened. “Hello, Delaney. I hear youve moved back.

“For a while.

“The last time I talked to your mother, she told me you were a flight attendant with United.

A slight frown wrinkled Delaneys brow and she glanced around as if she were desperately looking for a reason to escape. “That was five years ago, and I was a baggage handler, not a flight attendant, she said and took a step backward. “Well, it was nice to see you again, Gail. Ive got to go. I told Lisa Id help her... ah ... do something. Without a glance in Nicks direction, she turned and walked away.

“Whats going on between the two of you? Gail asked.

“Nothing. He didnt want to talk about Delaney, especially not with Gail. He didnt even want to think about her. She was trouble for him. She always had been. Since the first time hed looked into her big brown eyes.

“When I walked up it certainly looked like something.

“Drop it. He shook free of Gails grasp and moved into the house. Earlier, when hed gone to his own house to get the fireworks hed promised Sophie, Gail and the twins had been knocking on his front door. He didnt like women dropping by his house. It gave them unrealistic ideas of his involvement with them. But it was a holiday, and hed decided to overlook the intrusion this one time and had invited them to Louies. Now he wished he hadnt. He recognized that determined look in Gails eyes. She wasnt about to drop anything.

Gail followed close behind Nick, but waited until they were in the deserted kitchen before she continued, “Do you remember when Delaney left ten years ago? A lot of people said she was pregnant. A lot of people said you were the father.

Nick tossed Louies bota on the counter, then reached into a cooler. He grabbed two Millers and twisted the caps off each. He remembered the rumors. Depending on who you listened to at the time, gossip had him and Delaney getting it on in a hundred different places and in very imaginative ways. But whichever version you heard, the ending was always the same. Nick Allegrezza had put his dirty hands on Delaney Shaw. Hed impregnated the princess.

Henry hadnt known what to believe. Hed been enraged at the very possibility that the rumor could be true. Hed demanded Nick deny it. Of course, Nick hadnt.

“Were you?

Now it was ironic as hell. Ten years later, Henry wanted him to knock up Delaney. Nick handed Gail one of the cold beers. “I told you to drop it.

“I think I have a right to know, Nick.

He looked into her blue eyes and laughed without humor. “You dont have a right to know squat.

“I have a right to know if you see other women.

“You know I do.

“What if I asked you to stop?

“Dont, he warned.

“Why not? Weve gotten close since weve become lovers. We could have a wonderful life together if youd let it happen.

He knew for a fact he wasnt the only man on Gails list of potential husbands. He just happened to be at the top. For a while, being number one on Gails sexual hit parade had been amusing. But lately shed begun to get possessive and that irritated him. “I told you from the start not to expect anything from me. I never confuse sex and love. One has nothing to do with the other. Nick raised the beer to his lips and said, “I dont love you, but try not to take it personal.

She crossed her arms beneath her breasts and leaned her behind against the edge of the counter. “Youre such a shit. I dont know why I put up with you.

Nick took a long drink. They both knew why she put up with him.

Delaney felt Steves strong masculine arm encircle her waist and pull her against his side. Red, white, and blue exploded in the black night, showering the lake with fiery sparks as Delaney tested the feeling of Steves embrace. She decided she liked it. She liked the contact and the warmth. She felt alive again.

She glanced to the left and watched Nick bury the bottom half of a pipe in the sand. A few minutes earlier, shed gotten a real good look at the fireworks “Uncle Nick had brought his niece. There wasnt so much as one legal sparkler in the sack.

A cascade of gold illuminated his profile for a few brief seconds, and she looked away. She wasnt going to avoid him anymore. She wasnt going to limit where she went because she didnt want to run into him. And she wasnt going to spend the rest of her time in Truly like she had the past month. She had a plan. Her mother wasnt going to like it, but Delaney didnt care.

And she had a wedding to look forward to in November, too. Lisa had approached her again about being in her wedding and Delaney had gladly said yes. She remembered the many times she and Lisa had pinned dishtowels in their hair and pretended to walk down the aisle. Theyd speculated over who would marry first. Theyd hoped for a big double wedding. Neither of them would have believed they would remain single until the ripe old age of twenty-nine.

Twenty-nine . As far as she could tell, she was the only one of her school friends who wasnt at least engaged. In February she would turn thirty. A thirty-year-old woman with no home of her own and no man in her life. The home she wasnt worried about. With three million she could buy a home. But the man. It wasnt that she needed a man in her life. She didnt, but it would have been nice to have one around sometimes. She hadnt had a boyfriend for a while and she missed the intimacy.

Her gaze was drawn again to the dark silhouette of the man lighting rockets from a pipe near the waters edge. He turned at the waist and looked over his shoulder in her direction. A funny little tickle settled in the pit of her stomach, and she quickly glanced up into the night sky.

The town sent up a finale so spectacular it lit the lake like dawn and caught the canopy of Colonel Mansfields pontoon boat on fire. The people loved it and showed their appreciation by setting off their own bombs from beaches and balconies. Happy Dragons, Cobras, and Mighty Rebels burst in fiery showers of sparks. Legal fireworks like Whistling Petes, modified to screech and take flight, buzzed the night sky.

Delaney had forgotten what pyromaniacs the people of Truly were. A shrieking missile whizzed past her head and exploded in a red shower on Louies deck.

Welcome to Idaho. Land of potatoes and pyros.

Chapter Five

The Miatas door handle dug into Delaneys behind as Steve pressed into her front. She placed her hands on his chest and ended the kiss.

“Come home with me, he whispered above her ear.

Delaney pulled back just far enough to look into the dark shadows of his face. She wished she could use him. She wished she was tempted. She wished he wasnt so young and that his age didnt matter, but it did. “I cant. He was handsome, had pecs of steel, and seemed genuinely nice. She felt like a cradle robber.

“My roommate is out of town.

A roommate . Of course he had a roommate. He was twenty-two. He probably lived on canned chili and Budweiser. When shed been twenty-two, a well-rounded meal consisted mostly of corn chips, salsa, and sangria. Shed been living in Vegas, working at Circus Circus, not even concerned with the rest of her life. “I never go home with men Ive just met, she told him and pushed until he took a step backward.

“What are you doing tomorrow night? he asked.

Delaney shook her head and opened her cars door. “Youre a nice guy, but Im not interested in seeing anyone right now.

As she drove away, she looked into her rearview mirror at Steves retreating back. At first shed been flattered by the attention hed paid her, but as the night had progressed, shed become more uneasy. A lot of maturing happened in seven years. Matching furniture became as important as a killer stereo, and somewhere along the way, the phrase “party till you puke lost its appeal. But even if shed been seriously tempted to use Steves body for her own pleasure, Nick had ruined it for her. He ruined it by just being at the party. She was much too aware of him, and there was just too much history between them for her to ignore him completely. Even when she did manage to forget him for a few moments, shed suddenly feel his gaze, like hot irresistible tractor beams pulling at her. But when shed looked at him, he was never looking back.

Delaney turned up the long driveway and pressed the garage door opener on the dash. And even if Nick hadnt been there, and Steve hadnt been young, she doubted she would have gone home with him. She was twenty-nine, lived with her mother, and was too paranoid to enjoy a one-nighter.

After she parked next to Henry and Gwens matching Cadillacs, she headed into the house through the door off the kitchen. A bug light and several citronella candles cast a dim glow on the porch out back, illuminating Gwen and the back of a mans head. It wasnt until Delaney walked outside that she recognized Henrys lawyer, Max Harrison. She hadnt seen Max since the day hed read Henrys will. She was surprised to see him now.

“Its good to see you, he said, standing as she approached. “How do you like living in Truly again?

It sucks, she thought as she sat in a wrought-iron chair across the matching table from her mother. “It takes some getting used to.

“Did you enjoy your party? Gwen asked.

“Yes, she answered truthfully. Shed met some nice people, and despite Nick Allegrezza, shed enjoyed herself.

“Your mother was just telling me youve been busy training Henrys dogs. Max took his seat once again, and his smile seemed genuine. “Maybe youve found a new career.

“Actually, I like my old career, she said. Ever since her conversation with Louie, shed been thinking about the vacant building downtown. She hadnt wanted to discuss her ideas with her mother until she was sure she could pull it off, but the person she needed to talk to most just happened to be sitting across the table, and her mother would find out sooner or later anyway. “Who owns the building next to Allegrezza Construction? she asked Max. “Its a thin two-story with a hair salon on the bottom floor.

“I believe Henry left that block of property at First and Main to you. Why?

“I want to reopen the salon.

“I dont think thats a good idea, her mother said. “There are a lot of other things you can do.

Delaney ignored her. “How do I go about doing it?

“To get started, youll need a small business loan. The previous owner is dead, so youll need to contact the attorney representing her heirs to determine the value of the salon, he began. When he was finished half an hour later, Delaney knew exactly what she had to do. First thing Monday, shed pay a visit to the bank holding her money in trust and apply for a loan. As far as she could see, there was only one drawback to her plan. The salon was located next to Nicks construction company. “Can I raise the rent on the building next door? Maybe she could force him out.

“Not until the current lease expires.

“When is that?

“Another year I believe.

“Damn.

“Please dont swear, her mother admonished while she reached across the table and placed her hand on top of Delaneys. “If you want to open a little business, why dont you think about a gift shop?

“I dont want to open a gift shop.

“You could open up in time to sell Christmas Spode.

“I dont want to sell Spode.

“I think its a wonderful idea.

“Then you do it. Im a hairstylist, and I want to reopen the salon downtown.

Gwen sat back in her chair. “Youre just doing this to spite me.

She wasnt, but shed lived with her mother long enough to know that if she argued, shed end up looking childish. Sometimes talking to Gwen was like wrestling with flypaper. The more you fought to get free, the more you got stuck.

It took Delaney a little over three months to secure her loan and get the salon ready to open for business. While she waited, she did an unscientific study of the downtown business district, with emphasis on the number of customers who walked into Helens Hair Hut. With legal pad and pen in hand, she parked in alleys and spied on her childhood nemesis, Helen Markham. When Lisa wasnt working or busy with wedding plans, Delaney had her report any activity she might notice as well. Delaney charted demographic statistics and visually gathered bad perm versus good perm data. She even went so far as concocting a phony English accent in case Helen recognized her when she called to ask what her competition charged for a color retouch. But it wasnt until she found herself digging through Helens Dumpster one night to check out what kinds of cheap products Helen used that several thoughts struck her at the same time. As shed stood there, up to her thighs in garbage, her foot sinking into a container of spoiled cottage cheese, she realized shed gone a little overboard with her investigation. She also realized that the success of the salon had as much to do with fulfilling a dream as it did with kicking Helen to-the curb. Shed been away for ten years, only to come back and fall into the same patterns. However, this time she wasnt going to lose anything to Helen.

By the end of the unscientific study, she could see that Helen did a thriving business, but Delaney wasnt worried. Shed seen Helens hair. She could steal her old rivals clients—no problem.

Once the loan went through, Delaney put away her legal pad and got busy on the shop itself. A grimy layer of dust covered everything, from the cash register to the perming rods. Everything had to be scrubbed down and sterilized. She pored over the previous owners books, but the numbers didnt match the inventory. Either Gloria had been completely inept, or someone had come in after her death and stolen cases of hair products. Not that Delaney minded the theft all that much since she didnt have to pay Glorias heirs for the missing supplies, and everything in the shop was at least three years behind the current trends anyway. Still, it left her a little uneasy to think that someone might have access to the salon. In her mind, the prime suspect was of course Helen. Helen was a thief from way back, and who else would have use for things like cotton strips, shampoo towels, and wig pins?

Delaney had been assured that she had the only key to the front and rear entrances, as well as the only key to the apartment above. She wasnt convinced and called the sole locksmith in town, who promised hed be out in a week. But she was living in Truly, where a week could sometimes mean a month depending on hunting season.

Nine days before she opened for business, she had the old name scraped from the front window, and the words the cutting edge applied in gold. She had new products sitting in the storage room and new black lacquer chairs in the reception area. The hardwood floors were refinished and the walls painted a bright white. She hung up trade show posters and had the old mirrors replaced with bigger ones. When she was finished she was very pleased and very proud. It wasnt her dream salon. It wasnt chrome and marble and filled with the best stylists, but shed accomplished a lot in a short amount of time.

She introduced herself to the owner of Bernards Deli on the corner and the T-shirt shop next door. And on a day when she didnt see Nicks Jeep parked in the lot out back, she marched into Allegrezza construction and introduced herself to his secretary, Hilda, and office manager, Ann Marie.

Two nights before she opened, she gave a small party at the salon. She invited Lisa and Gwen and all of her mothers friends. She sent invitations to business owners in the area. She excluded Allegrezza Construction but had an invitation hand delivered to Helens Hair Hut. For two hours her salon was packed with people eating her strawberries and drinking her champagne, but Helen didnt show.

Gwen did, but after half an hour shed made up a dumb excuse about having a cold and left. It was just one more expression of her mothers disapproval. But Delaney had stopped living for her mothers approval a long time ago. She knew she would never get it anyway.

That next day, Delaney moved into the apartment above the salon. She hired a few men with trucks to haul her furniture from the storage unit to the small one-bedroom. Gwen predicted Delaney would be back in no time, but Delaney knew she wouldnt.

From a small common parking lot behind the salon, a set of old wooden stairs climbed the back of the building to the emerald green door of her new home. The apartment was run-down and needed linoleum, new curtains, and a decent stove post-Brady Bunch era. Delaney loved it. She loved the window seats in the small living room and bedroom. She loved the old clawfoot bathtub, and the huge arching window that looked down on Main. Shed certainly lived in nicer apartments, and the shabby little place couldnt begin to compete with the luxuries of her mothers house. But maybe thats why she loved it most of all. The things in it belonged to her. She hadnt even realized how much she missed having her stuff around until her own dishes filled the cupboards. She slept in her own wrought-iron bed and sat on her own cream linen sofa, with the zebra print pillows, to watch her own television. The black coffee and end tables belonged to her, as well as the pedestal table in the small dining area at the far left of the living room. The dining room and kitchen were separated by a half wall, and a person could see most of the apartment all at once. Not that there was a lot to see.

Delaney unpacked what she considered her business clothes and hung them in her closet. She bought a few groceries, a clear plastic shower curtain with big red hearts on it, and two braided rugs for the worn patches on the kitchen floor.

Now all she needed was a phone and a few new locks.

Three days after she opened for business, she had her phone, but she was still waiting for those locks. She was waiting for the stampede of customers, too.

Delaney sat her first customer in the salon chair and took the towel from her head. “Are you sure you want finger waves, Mrs. Van Damme? She hadnt done finger waves since beauty school. Not only had it been four years, but a whole head of finger waves was a pain in the backside.

“Yep. Just like I always get em. Last time I went to that shop around the corner, she said, referring to Helens Hair Hut. “But she didnt do a very good job. She made it look like I had worms laying on my head. I havent had a decent hairdo since Gloria passed on.

Delaney shrugged out of her short vinyl jacket, then shoved her arms through a green smock. The smock covered her raspberry Lycra shirt and vinyl skirt, leaving her knees and shinny black boots exposed. She thought of her old job at Valentina in Scottsdale and of her clients who knew a little something about fashion and trends. She reached for her shaping comb and began to remove the tangles from the old womans nape. Shed found some waving lotion in the storage room, left there by the former owner. Normally, she wouldnt have agreed to style Mrs. Van Dammes hair, especially after the woman had bartered the price down to ten dollars. Delaneys intuitive talent lay in her ability to see natures flaws and fix them with cut and color. The right cut could make noses look smaller, eyes bigger, and chins stronger.