Page 3 of Homebody (The Long Road Home #21)

Chapter Three

R uby ran her fingers through Tessa’s hair and tsked . “ Who cut this last?” the salon owner asked, the expression of horror clearly visible on her face.

Already feeling uncomfortable enough seated in the chair Red had vacated to make room for her, Tessa cringed. “I did.”

Ruby sighed and glanced at Susan. “How much time do we have? When is Dean home?”

“This afternoon,” the mysterious Dean’s mother answered.

Dean truly was a mystery. Tessa knew nothing about this man except for what she’d heard his mother say. Hell, she barely knew anything about his mother either. Yet she’d agreed to date this unknown woman’s son anyway. For money.

What did that say about her? She didn’t even want to consider that.

What had she been thinking?

That answer she knew. The check Susan had just written out and handed to her like it was nothing would pay Tessa’s rent for the next two months.

How bad could he be? Right? Dating a stranger for money. What could possibly go wrong?

She swallowed hard and considered where around here might sell pepper spray. Just in case Dean turned out to be a pervert or something.

“Not ideal, but that gives us a little bit of time,” Red said, her hair still in foils as she stood off to the side so Ruby could tend to Tessa’s apparently hopeless hair.

“Not a lot. Barely enough.” Ruby shook her head. “It’s not just that it needs a good cut and blow dry. I could do that quick enough between appointments. But I want to add highlights to brighten up the brown a bit. It’s just so… dull and lifeless.”

Tessa tried not to be insulted as she watched in the mirror’s reflection the conversation happening around her about the apparently dull lifelessness of her hair.

Ruby turned to fully face Susan. “What time exactly?”

“His plane is supposed to land at three. Ted and I are planning to leave right after I’m done here to drive to Albany to pick him up at the airport.”

“Okay. So with the drive back from Albany, that gives us a little extra time,” Ruby nodded, lifting pieces of Tessa’s hair and letting them fall again.

“That’s right.” Red nodded. “It’s over an hour and a half drive back from Albany, depending on traffic, so if he lands on time, they won’t hit town until at least four-thirty. Maybe later. Especially if Dean checked a bag and has to wait for it at the luggage claim.”

“I can tell Ted to drive extra slowly,” Susan suggested.

Tessa was so focused on the discussion, not to mention the tools of the trade that Ruby now used to attack her hair from behind, the sudden and loud BING of a cell phone had her jumping in the chair.

As pieces of her hair went flying, Tessa realized it wasn’t her phone. Hers was set on vibrate and stashed in her purse in the back room. The question of whom it belonged to was answered when Susan reached beneath the cape and pulled out her cell.

“Oh, it’s Dean texting me.” She glanced up with a smile. “His flight’s been delayed.”

“How long?” Ruby asked.

“Three whole hours,” Susan answered in a voice an octave higher than normal with excitement.

“Hallelujah!” Red clapped her hands together. “That’ll give us time for hair, nails, make-up and wardrobe! ”

Normally, a three-hour delay was not good news. It was Tessa’s nightmare scenario. What she worried about whenever she had to fly. But here and now it was apparently cause for celebration for the three others.

These women, this entire situation, got more surreal by the moment.

“It’ll be late enough that we can pick him up then drive directly to the Muddy River Inn for dinner,” Susan began.

“Where the new and improved Tessa, looking amazing in the clothes I choose for her, will happen to be sitting at the bar,” Red added.

“Or maybe eating alone at a table so you can invite her to join you,” Ruby suggested.

“Exactly! I’m going to call him now and tell him we’ll be going out to dinner tonight to celebrate his homecoming. It won’t make him suspicious because I won’t be home to cook since we’ll be on the road.” Susan turned her attention to making the call on the cell in her hand.

Things seemed to be moving at the speed of light as this whole batty plan began to feel really real. Unfortunately, Tessa was going to have to put a damper on their excitement.

Tessa raised one hand. “Excuse me.”

Making eye-contact with Tessa in the mirror, Ruby lifted a brow. “Yes, Tessa.”

“What do you mean by wardrobe ?” she asked.

“We need to lay out at least a week’s worth of outfits to go with your new look. Day time. Nighttime. Date looks. Casual. Dressy.” Red’s list was long and frightening.

“I don’t have the clothes for anything like that.” She had jeans and leggings. T-shirts, sweatshirts and sweaters. All of which had seen better days.

“Not to worry. I do.” Red grinned. “I do own a store, you know.”

Wardrobe shopping? Maybe that check wasn’t going to last as long as she’d hoped.

“Okay, so we’ve got a plan.” Ruby twisted to speak to the other hair stylist leaning, arms crossed, against the wash sinks with a scowl on her face.

If Janelle had ever liked Tessa at all, she didn’t any longer. Not after today between the broom incident and Ruby telling her to move aside so Tessa could take Red’s place in the middle of her appointment.

Pure hatred. At least that was the impression Tessa got from the woman’s expression now. Kind of like she’d tasted a sour lemon.

“Janelle, can you handle rinsing out Red and Susan when they’re ready?” Ruby asked.

“Yeah, fine.” Janelle’s scowled deepened.

“Good. Thanks. Now, what are we going to do with you?” Ruby made eye contact again with Tessa in the mirror.

For the first time Tessa felt included in the conversation that the others had been having around her. Which was nice since Ruby hadn’t asked before she’d hacked off a good two inches of length from Tessa’s hair.

Ruby continued, “I’m thinking highlights and low lights. Warm tones, like chestnut because of your brown eyes. Or we could go with cooler tones. You do have very fair skin.”

Fair, or more accurately pale . That was partially because Tessa didn’t go outside unless absolutely necessary, but there was no time to worry about that.

She was starting to panic. All these highlights and lowlights were very expensive.

She saw the fists of cash being paid for similar services by Ruby’s clients.

Tessa lifted one finger. “Can I ask a question?”

“Yes,” Ruby said on a sigh, finally stopping the perpetual motion of her fingers in Tessa’s hair.

“How much will all that cost?”

Ruby held Tessa’s gaze. “First one’s on me, sweetie. After that if, when , you want touch-ups we’ll talk price. Sound good?”

Relieved, Tessa let out a breath and nodded.

Susan had finished with her call and lowered the cell. “Dean is on board for dinner at Muddy River tonight.”

“Good. Tessa, looks like you’ll be going out tonight.” Red smiled.

“Excellent. We’ve got a plan. Bridget! I need you over here on nails, please. As soon as you’re done chatting ,” Ruby called across the salon.

The nail technician who’d been standing at the front desk talking to a friend of hers for the better part of ten minutes raised her gaze in their direction before she nodded.

Great, now Bridget was going to hate her too. Tessa was just winning friends all over the place today. And this was why she was a happy introvert.

After one more glare at her employee, Ruby focused back on Tessa. “Manicure first since your fingers are in as bad shape as your hair. We’ll tackle your feet, which I’m afraid to even look at, next. Just in case Red puts you in open toe shoes.”

Open toe shoes? In September? That sounded frightening. Especially since fuzzy socks were Tessa’s go-to ten months out of the year.

“Good call,” Red agreed. “What about a bikini wax?”

Bikini wax? Did they think things were going to get that far with this Dean person she’d never met that he would see that area?

Before she could ask, clarify what she’d actually agreed to, a woman walked up to Susan. She looked to be maybe a few years older than Tessa. It was hard to tell past the over-abundance of make-up and exposed cleavage.

“Hey, Mrs. Sinclair.”

“Oh, Juniper. Hello.” Susan’s tone—low and flat and loaded with barely camouflaged distaste—left no doubt how she felt about the other woman.

There was a definite nip in the air now, thanks to Susan Sinclair’s chilly tone toward the newcomer.

“Did I hear you say Dean was coming home?” Juniper asked with overt interest.

“Yes. But it’s just a very short visit, strictly to spend some time with family.”

“I’d love to see him. Does he still have the same phone number as he did a few years back?”

Susan’s face pinched a little further. “Yes,” she answered between clenched jaws.

“Great. I’ve still got him in my contacts. I’ll text him. See if he wants to hang out.”

“Mm-hm. If he has time. He’s going to be very busy. And as I said, it’s just a short visit,” Susan pointed out again.

“All right. Thanks. See you soon.” Juniper delivered a little wave and spun to leave.

“Who was that?” Tessa asked, letting curiosity get the better of her.

“Dean’s high school girlfriend,” Susan hissed low. “The one you’re going to have to keep him away from.”

Red cringed as she watched Juniper sashay away, hips swaying seductively. “That might be harder than you think. How long is he home for?”

Susan pulled her mouth to one side unhappily. “Ten whole days.”

“ Definitely gonna need a bikini wax,” Ruby said, watching Juniper bounce her way out the door as even the old men went silent to watch her pass.

“Agreed,” Susan said, lips tight.

“One hundred percent.” Red nodded before asking, “Any chance Bridget does anal bleaching too?”

Tessa’s eyes popped wide.

What the hell had she gotten herself into?