“I know. I know. This wasn’t my idea. Olivia cornered me,” I said, putting my hands up, signaling my surrender.
She looked me up and down, shifting her stance. Her pout turned into a large grin.
“Oh, I can’t be mad at you.” Keisha ran to me and gave me a hug.
After our embrace, I poured her a drink too. We brought the glasses to our lips and gulped down half of them.
“How are we going to make it through tonight?” I asked, wiping away the liquid that had accumulated above my lip.
“I think the question is, are we going to make it through tonight?” Keisha raised an eyebrow.
We each took a seat at the bar and turned ourselves on the swivel chairs to face the front of the salon. The limo Olivia arranged for would be here in ten minutes. She insisted that we arrive in style. She also demanded that everyone dress up for our night out, and by dress up, using the term “Clexy,” her made-up word for classy meets sexy.
“Why the hell did Olivia plan this again?” Keisha took a sip of her drink.
“I don’t know. She said I needed a night out after what happened with the break-in,” I confessed, taking another drink.
Keisha nodded. “It hurts me to agree with Olivia, but you do. I think a distraction would be good for you.”
“Yeah, maybe. It’s better than being inside my own head,” I said.
“I wish you’d open up and tell me.” She placed her hand on mine. I looked to her and then lowered my head.
“I . . . I . . . know.” I hesitated. “I’m just feeling overwhelmed and alone. Like it’s made me question what I’ve done in my life.” I took a deep breath. “I love this salon. But this salon doesn’t love me. I can’t love something that can’t love me back. This can’t be all I have.” I let out a sigh.
Keisha put her arm around me and pulled me in. “You have me.”
I leaned into her. “I know. Honestly, most days I don’t even feel like I have this salon. Olivia’s always bulldozing over me, and lately, it feels like Glow’s just a wrestling ring for my clients and their husbands.” I shook my head and took a sip of my drink.
“This salon is yours, and don’t you forget that,” Keisha said.
I nodded.
“And like I said, you have me. Men are a dime a dozen. You can get one of those tonight. You found your BFF already. Finding a man—now, that’s the easy part.” She laughed. “Why do you think I switched to women? I wanted a challenge,” she said with a laugh.
I laughed too.
“That’s the spirit.” Keisha squeezed my shoulder. “Now, let’s add some more spirits to the spirit.” She poured vodka into both our glasses and held hers up for a toast. I straightened myself and held my glass up too.
“So, you think I still have time?” I asked. “Like it’s not too late for me? I haven’t missed out on my chance for more in life?”
“It’s not over till you’re dead.” She clinked her glass against mine, and we tossed back our drinks.
52
Karen
“Limo’s here,” Mark called from the living room as I spritzed a floral-scented perfume on my neck and wrists. Giving myself a once-over in the oversized floor mirror, I ensured the emerald lace dress and gold sparkly heels I was wearing was the look I was going for—just a night out with some girls, not me trying to seduce Keisha. I quickly applied a bright-red lipstick and took a deep breath. I was nervous—nervous to be around Olivia. She had promised she’d keep Keisha and me a secret, but Olivia’s word was about as strong as a toothpick. I was also anxious to see Keisha. I wasn’t sure how we were, after how we had left things. I had taken off after Olivia to make sure she kept her mouth shut, and by the time I was done talking to her, Keisha had left through the back for a house call with Shannon. So I never got a chance to speak with her, and I wasn’t sure we’d get that chance tonight.
I walked out into the living room. “Better hurry. They’ve honked twice.” Mark raised an eyebrow. He was lying on the couch reading Gravity’s Rainbow for the second time.
“I know. I know.” I transferred a wallet and some other essentials from my oversized day bag to a small evening purse.
“What’s the occasion?” Mark lowered his reading glasses, examining me from head to toe.
“I told you. Olivia planned some girls’ night out for Jenny.” I zipped up my purse and flung it over my shoulder.
“That’s sweet of her.” Mark pushed his glasses back up the bridge of his nose and refocused on his book.
I rolled my eyes and opened the front door. “Don’t wait up,” I called over my shoulder as I closed it behind me. The limo was parked in the driveway with “Dangerous Woman” playing loudly. Olivia popped her body out of the sunroof.
“ ‘And you make me feel like a dangerous woman,’ ” she belted out as if she were Ariana Grande herself, minus the voice. Olivia was tone-deaf and not just when it came to singing, obviously.
“Get in, loser. We’re going drinking,” she said, giving her best Regina George impression. However, it wasn’t much of an impression, considering being mean and female were her two greatest strengths. I gave a partial smile and walked to the limo. Olivia disappeared inside, slinking back into her seat. Just as I arrived at the door, the driver was there to open it. I shuffled in and was greeted with a drink.
Crystal, Olivia, Keisha, and Jenny were all seated in the limo, holding glasses of champagne and wearing Buckhead smiles.
The driver closed the door behind me. “Let the party begin,” Olivia declared. She downed her glass. We followed suit with far less enthusiasm.
I scanned the limo to gauge everyone’s face. I tried making minimal eye contact with Keisha. As I finished my sweep, I landed back on Olivia and was met with a grin fit for only the devil herself.
“How’s it going, Karen? Anything new with you?” The end of her question was laced with the implication that she already had her own answer to this inquiry.
“Just was finishing up some paperwork and spending time with Riley before our bacchanal this evening.”
“How sweet of you. Mother of the year if I ever saw one.” She smiled back at me, closing our interaction.
“Did you invite Shannon?” Jenny asked from the other end of the limo.
“Of course, darling. This is your night after all. However, she had a prior engagement, if you will, that may or may not involve a gentleman caller.” Olivia winked.
Olivia’s knowledge of Shannon brought out gasps and whispers from each of us.
“She’s going out on a date?” Keisha asked.
“Good for her,” Jenny encouraged.
“Yeah, I’m happy for her,” Crystal said.
“I can’t believe she didn’t tell us.” I crumpled up my face. “She told you?”
“She did. But Shannon was very sorry to miss your night out, Jenny.” Olivia refilled her glass. “Who wants more champagne?”
We each held out our glasses to Olivia, waiting for her to pour ours. Instead, she handed the bottle off to Keisha, tasking her to replenish the drinks. I shook my head. For a moment there, Olivia almost had me fooled.
53
Crystal
We finally pulled up to Death & Company. The limo ride had only been twenty minutes, but with Olivia, everything seemed so much longer. The conversation on the way was filled with awkwardness between Keisha and Karen, snappy and double-edged remarks from Olivia, and peacekeeping comments from Jenny. I stayed quiet for the most part, only answering questions that were directed toward me—like when Olivia asked about how Bryce felt that Shannon was dating again. Bryce didn’t know Shannon was dating again, and frankly, I thought he would be relieved to learn that. Perhaps it would ease the tension between me and Shannon. And maybe someday we could have a relationship or at least be in the same room without her jumping down my throat.