Chapter Eight

Monday morning Delaney thought about advertising for a manicurist in the small daily newspaper, but she resisted the idea because the salon would be open for only seven months. Shed stayed awake last night thinking of ways to make a success out of the business, even though she would have it for only a short time. She wanted to feel proud of herself. She was going to end her secret hair war with Helen and stay as far away from Nick as humanly possible.

After Delaney opened the salon, she grabbed a poster of Claudia Schiffer, her perfect body squeezed into a lace Valentino, her golden hair curled and blowing artfully about her beautiful face. There was nothing like a glamorous poster to draw attention.

Delaney kicked off her shoes with the huge buckles and climbed up on the window bay. Shed just stuck the poster on the plate glass when the bell over the door rang. She glanced to her left and set the tape on the ledge. One of the Howell twins stood just inside the entrance gazing about the salon, her light brown hair held back from her pretty face by a wide red headband.

“Can I help you? Delaney asked as she carefully climbed out of the window, wondering if this was the twin who had jumped on the back of Nicks Harley last Saturday night. If she was, the woman had bigger problems than split ends.

Her blue eyes raked Delaney from head to toe, scrutinizing her green and black striped tights, green lederhosen, and black turtleneck. “Do you take walk-ins? she asked.

Delaney was desperate for clients, desperate for anyone who didnt qualify for a senior citizen discount, but she really didnt care for the womans close examination, as if she were looking for faults. Delaney didnt care if she lost this potential customer, and so she said, “Yes, but I charge twenty-five dollars.

“Are you good?

“Im the best youll find around here. Delaney shoved her feet into her shoes, a little surprised that the woman wasnt already out the door, running down the street toward a ten-dollar haircut.

“That isnt saying much. Helen sucks.

Perhaps shed rushed to judgment. “Well, I dont suck, she said simply. “In fact, Im very good.

The woman reached for the headband and pulled it from her hair. “I want the bottom trimmed and layered up to here, she said, indicating her jaw-line. “No bangs.

Delaney cocked her head to the side. The woman standing before her had a great jawline and nice high cheekbones. Her forehead was in proportion to the rest of her face. The cut she wanted would look good on her, but with her big blue eyes, Delaney knew something short and boyish would look stunning. “Come on back.

“We met briefly at a party on the Fourth of July, the twin said as she followed Delaney. “Im Lanna Howell.

Delaney stopped in front of a shampoo chair. “Yes, I recognized you. Lanna sat and Delaney draped the womans shoulders in a silver shampoo cape and white fluffy towel. “You have a twin sister, right? she asked, when what she really wanted to know was if this was the sister whod glued herself to Nick the other night.

“Yeah, Lonna.

“Thats right, she said as she analyzed her clients hair between her fingers and thumb. Then she adjusted the cape over the rear of the chair and carefully eased Lanna back until her neck rested comfortably in the dip of the shampoo sink. “What did you use to lighten your hair? She grabbed the spray nozzle, then tested the water temperature with her hand.

“Sun-In and lemon juice.

Delaney mentally rolled her eyes at the logic of some women who spent big bucks at the cosmetics counter, then went home and dumped a five-dollar bottle of peroxide on their heads.

With one hand she protected Lannas face, neck, and ears from the spray while the other saturated the hair with warm water. She used a mild shampoo and natural conditioner, and as she worked, the two women chatted idly about the weather and the beautiful colors of autumn. When she was finished, she wrapped Lannas head in a towel and led her to the salon chair.

“My sister said she saw you the other night in Henneseys, Lanna stated as Delaney blotted the water from her hair.

Delaney glanced in the big wall mirror, studying Lannas reflection. So, she thought as grabbed her comb, it was the other twin who had been with Nick. “Yeah, I was there. They had a pretty good R&B band up from Boise.

“Thats what I heard. I work in the restaurant at the microbrewery, so I couldnt make it.

As Delaney combed out the tangles and secured the hair into five sections with duckbill clamps, she purposely moved the subject away from Henneseys. She asked Lanna about her job, and the conversation turned to the big ice sculpture festival the town held every December. According to Lanna, the festival had turned into quite an event.

As a child, Delaney and been shy and introverted, but after years of attempting to put her clients at ease, she could shoot the bull with anyone about anything. She could moon over Brad Pitt as easily as she could commiserate over cramps. Stylists were a lot like bartenders and priests. Some people just seemed compelled to spill their guts and confess shocking details of their lives. Styling chair confessions were just one of the many things she missed about her life before shed accepted the terms of Henrys will. She also missed the competition and camaraderie between stylists and the juicy gossip that made Delaneys life look tame in comparison.

“How well do you know Nick Allegrezza?

Delaneys hand stilled, and then she blunt cut a section of hair at the center of Lannas nape. “We grew up here in Truly at the same time.

“But did you know him very well?

She glanced into the mirror again, then back down at her hands, snipping a guideline from left to right. “I dont think anyone really knows Nick. Why?

“My friend Gail thinks shes in love with him.

“Then she has my sympathy.

Lanna laughed. “You dont care?

“Of course not. Even if she thought Nick was capable of loving any woman, he wasnt her concern. “Why should I care? she asked and removed the clip at the back of Lannas head and clamped it on the bib of her lederhosen.

“Gail told me all about Nick and you and what happened when you lived here.

Delaney wasnt all that surprised as she combed out tangles and cut the new section. “Which story did you hear?

“The one where you had to leave town years ago to have Nicks baby.

Delaney felt as if shed been hit in the stomach and her hands stilled again. She shouldnt have asked. There had been several rumors churning the gossip mill of Truly when shed left, but shed never heard that one. Her mother had never mentioned it, but then she wouldnt. Gwen didnt like to talk about the real reason Delaney had left Truly. Her mother always referred to that time as “when you went away to school. Delaney didnt know why such old news should bother her now, but it did. “Really? Thats news to me, she said, ducking her head and sliding strands of Lannas hair between her fingers. She laid the open scissor across her knuckle and cut a straight line. She couldnt believe the town had thought she was pregnant. Well, actually, she guessed she could. She wondered if Lisa knew of the rumor—or Nick.

“Im sorry. Lanna broke into her thoughts. “I thought you knew about it. I guess Ive stuck my foot in my mouth.

Delaney glanced up. Lanna looked sincere, but Delaney didnt know the woman so she wasnt real sure. “Its just a little shocking to hear Ive had a baby when Ive never been pregnant. She let down another section and combed it free of tangles. “Especially with Nick. We dont even like each other.

“That will relieve Gails mind. Lonnas too. The two of them are kind of competing for the same man.