I fist my hands, but there’s nothing to be done. Will leaves and walks past the window with his head down.
I glance at the class going on across the street and see Olive walking around among her students and inspecting their poses. She finally got her wish.
Reaching under the counter, I flip the switch that darkens my sign for good.
Olive
“So, was it magical, amazing, like finding the last unicorn, what?” Candace stares at me as I unbraid my hair. “Come on, give me the details. I want to live vicariously!”
“I enjoyed it.” Understatement of the year. I’d never been with a man like Hank—one who took charge in the bedroom and also made a mean apple pie.
“How big was it? Huge? He’s tall so it must be huge, right?” She takes the brush from my hands and starts running it through my locks as I lean closer to the mirror in the studio’s private bathroom.
Given the soreness between my thighs, I’d have to say he was well endowed, but I didn’t kiss and tell. “He was, let’s say, more than adequate.”
“More than adequate?” She smiles and brushes my hair with gleeful vigor. “I knew it.”
“You guessing he’s hung doesn’t exactly mean you’re the oracle of Hollyton.”
“Oh, shush. I wasn’t even talking about that. I’m saying that I knew he was the one for you.” She finishes untangling my hair and then perches on the vanity. “Ever since high school, there’s been something there.”
I snag my tube of mascara and begin applying it to my lashes. “That reminds me of something. Did you know that Pace Beverly told everyone that we were sleeping together?”
She shrugs and avoids my eyes. “I heard a rumor, yeah.”
I stop the wand mid-stroke. “You knew? And didn’t tell me?”
“Well, back then, I figured it would sort of, I don’t know, help your goody-two-shoes reputation. Remember when we got invited to all the parties the second half of senior year?”
“Yeah.” I gawk at her. “I do.”
She pretends to pick a piece of lint from her top. “I’m pretty sure we got into those because of the rumors.”
I ram the mascara wand back into the tube. “Candace!”
“What?” She hops off the vanity and backs to the door. “Oh, come on. That was forever ago, and we all know Pace is now happily married to a man. No harm done.”
I snatch up the wooden paddle brush and brandish it at her.
She giggles and takes off down the hall toward the front of the studio. “I’m sorry, okay?”
“Why you little bi—”
“Hey, what’s wrong with Hank’s shop?” She’d made it to the front windows and was staring across the street.
“Don’t try to distract me.”
“No, seriously, the lights are out and it’s only six o’clock.”
I walk up beside her and see that she’s right. His sign is dark, and I don’t see anyone inside.
“Weird.” She cocks her head. “Especially since he’s usually busy around this time. I saw Will over there earlier. I wonder if—”
“Shit! Will Shurtz?”
“Yeah, that’s the one.”
I wring my hands. “Oh no, oh no.”
Candace turns to me and crosses her arms over her chest. “What did you do?”
“A few days ago, before Hank and I . . . Anyway, I went to his shop and saw he had an open burner behind the counter, so I—”
“You didn’t.” Her face falls.
“I did.” I put a hand to my throat. “But it was before. I forgot all about it. Shit, shit, shit!” I feel like the floor is sinking beneath me.
“Here.” She walks to her coat hanging by the door and fishes out her cell. “Let me get Will on the phone.” She swipes through her contacts, hits the button, and puts it on speaker.
“Candace?”
“Hey Will.”
“To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“Don’t get fresh with me, buddy.” Candace adopts her no-nonsense tone as I stand frozen with shame. “Why did you shut down Hank’s shop?”
“Ask your friend Olive. She called me a few days ago and reported a violation. When I went to see about it, I found out she was right. City code says I have to shut him down.”
“The city code can suck on a lemon as far as I’m concerned.” Candace’s voice rises. “Now you get back over here and tell him everything’s all right.”
“No can do. I can’t just go back on it like that. He’s shut down until the council meets again.”
“Oh my god.” I stare at the phone. “When is that?”