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.

But she was desperate. No one wanted to pay more than ten dollars for anything. In the three days shed been open, Mrs. Van Damme was the only person who hadnt taken one look at her prices and turned and run out. Of course, the woman could barely walk.

“If you do a good wave, Ill recommend you to my friends, but they wont pay more than I do.

Oh goody, she thought, a whole year of frugal old ladies. A whole year of tight roller curls and back combing. “Do you part your hair on the right, Mrs. Van Damme?

“On the left. And since you have your fingers in my hair, you can call me Wannetta.

“How long have you worn your hair this way, Wannetta?

“Oh, for about forty years. Every since my late husband told me I looked like Mae West.

Delaney seriously doubted Wannetta had ever looked anything like Mae West. “Maybe its time for a change, she suggested and snapped on a pair of rubber gloves like a surgeon.

“Nope. I like to stick with what works.

Delaney snipped off the tip of the bottle, then applied the lotion to the right side of the womans head and began to shape the waves with her fingers and comb. It took her several tries to get the first ridge perfect so that she could move on to the second and third. While she worked, Wannetta chatted nonstop.

“My good friend Dortha Miles lives in one of those retirement villages in Boise. She really likes it. Foods good she says. Ive thought about moving to one of those villages myself. Ever since my husband, Leroy, passed on last year. She paused to slip her bony hand from beneath the cape and scratch her nose.

“Howd your husband die? Delaney asked as she formed a ridge with her comb.

“Fell off the roof and landed on his head. I dont know how many times I told that old fool not to climb up there. But he never listened to me, and look where he is now. He just had to get up there and fiddle with that TV antenna, so certain he could get channel two. Now Im alone, and if it werent for my worthless grandson, Ronnie, who cant keep a job and is always borrowing money, maybe I could afford to move into one of those retirement villages with Dortha. Only Im not certain I would anyway being that her daughter is a—she paused and lowered her voice—“lesbian. I tend to think that sort of thing is genetic. Now, Im not saying Dortha is a—again she paused and whispered the next word—“lesbian, but she always did have a tendency toward very short hair, and she wore comfortable shoes even before her arches fell. And Id hate to live with someone and discover something like that. Id be afraid to take a shower, and Id be afraid shed run around the apartment naked. Or maybe shed try to get a peek at me when Im naked.

The mental picture that flashed through Delaneys head was frightening, and she had to bite her cheek to keep from laughing. The conversation moved from Wannettas fear of naked lesbians to the other disturbing worries in her life. “After that house out near Cow Creek was robbed last year, she said, “I had to start locking my doors. Never had to do that before. But I live alone now, and I cant be too careful I guess. Are you married? she asked, peering at Delaney through the wall of mirrors in front of her.

Delaney was getting sick of that question. “I havent found the right man yet.

“I have a grandson, Ronnie.

“No, thanks.

“Hmm. Do you live alone?

“Yes, I do, Delaney answered as she finished the last ridge. “I live right upstairs.

“Up there? Wannetta pointed toward the ceiling.

“Yep.

“How come, when your mamma has such a nice place?

There were a million reasons. Shed hardly spoken to her mother since shed moved out, and she couldnt say she was all that upset about it. “I like living alone, she answered and formed a row of tiny curls across the womans forehead.

“Well, you just watch out for those crazy Basque Allegrezza boys next door. I dated a sheepherder once. They have mighty funny ways.

Delaney bit her cheek again. Before shed opened the shop, running into Nick had been a concern of hers, but although shed seen his Jeep in the common lot behind the two buildings, and their back doors where only a few feet apart, she hadnt actually seen him. According to Lisa, she hadnt seen much of Louie lately, either. Allegrezza Construction was working overtime to complete several big jobs before the first snow, which could come as early as the beginning of November.

When Delaney was finished, Mrs. Van Damme was still old and wrinkled and looked nothing like Mae West. “What do you think? she asked and handed the woman an oval mirror.

“Hmm. Turn me.

Delaney turned the chair so Wannetta could see the back of her head.

“Looks good, but Im going to take off fifty cents for those little curls in the front. I never said Id pay for extra curls.

Delaney frowned and removed the neck strip and silver plastic cape.

“You give a senior citizen discount dont you? Helen isnt as good as you, but she gives a discount to seniors.

At this rate, she was going to be out of business in no time. As soon as Mrs. Van Damme left, Delaney locked up and put away her green smock. She reached for her vinyl jacket and headed out the back. Just as she stepped outside and turned to shut the door behind her, a dusty black Jeep rolled to a stop in the slot reserved for Allegrezza Construction. She looked over her shoulder and almost dropped her keys.

Nick cut the Jeeps engine and stuck his head out the window. “Hey, wild thing, where you headed dressed like a hooker?

Slowly she turned and shoved her arms into her jacket. “I am not dressed like a hooker.

As he got out of the four-wheel drive, he looked her over. His gaze started at her boots and worked upward. A lazy smile curved his lips. “Looks like somebody had a real good time wrapping you up in electrical tape.

She pulled her hair from the back of her collar and subjected him to the same scrutiny hed just given her. His hair was slicked back in a ponytail, and the arms had been hacked out of his blue work shirt. His jeans were worn almost white in places and his boots were dusty. “Did you get that tattoo in prison? she asked, pointing to the wreath of thorns circling his bare biceps.