Page 19 of Striker's Foul
Now, I’m regretting my decision about the makeup and about Luke coming with me. I feel someone watching me. When I turn around, I see the photographer. I’m sure the media will mess up the story and blame Luke, so now I have to make a statement. I walk toward the photographer, but they take off before I reach them.
As I turn back to the salon, I notice two bikers sitting on their rides, watching me. Luke sent his men to keep an eye on me. Then I spot an SUV with men inside and know that is Julian. No wonder I feel like I’m being watched.
Stepping into the salon, I’m greeted by music and the scent of clean shampoos and hair products.
“Hello, can I help you?” a young woman asks from behind the counter.
She’s even smaller than my five-foot-three frame, but she’s wearing heels that bring her up to my height. Her hair is cut in an edgy short bob, black at the back, white-blond in the front, with a bold chunk of pink. She’s curvy and cute.
“I’m here for a spa day.” Sundays are the only time I can do this, and today I’m going to make the most of it. “I’m Amelia Granville.”
“Oh, cool. I’m Joely. I’ll be your stylist and esthetician today.” She walks around the counter and shakes my hand.
“Show me the way. I need some pampering.”
“This way.” She gestures with her arm, and I follow her to a small room in the back. She hands me a robe. “Take off your top and put this on.”
When she leaves me to change, I take a deep breath, trying to absorb the peace and calm of the room. Soft, gentle music plays through a speaker. The diffuser fills the air with lavender, chamomile, and a hint of spicy orange—bergamot. I take off my shirt and bra, slip on the robe, and sit on the edge of the table.
Joely knocks softly, and I tell her to come in. She takes a seat on a rolling chair with a swiveling armrest. She asks what I’d like done today and whether I have any allergies. She takes notes, then looks up at me. I know what she sees, so I decide to explain.
“My restaurant was broken into last night, and I was attacked. You should see the other guy. They took him to the hospital because between my son and myself, we beat him up.”I chuckle, trying to make light of the situation. “Oh, and I…” I pause. I don’t know how to explain the love bites Luke left on me. I’m not even sure if he’s my boyfriend now or what. So I let it go.
“Okay. I didn’t want to ask, but I was concerned.”
I wave my hand over my face and neck. “Oh, no man would do this without me fighting back or without my friends jumping in too.”
She looks down at her tablet, her voice so soft it’s almost hard to hear. “Those sound like good friends to have. I wish I had some like that.” I want to reach out to her, but she jumps up and turns her back to me as she begins preparing things. Over her shoulder, she says, “Go ahead and lie down face up.”
An hour later, my skin feels amazing, and my eyebrows look on point. I’m now sitting in a chair in the main salon as she plays with my long hair.
“What are you thinking of doing today?”
I chuckle. My hair is so long and thick. “How about trimming it up and adding more highlights so it looks like I spend more time outside than just at my son’s soccer games.”
“Your hair is beautiful. I’ll trim the dead ends and then lighten it up a bit. I’ll be right back.”
While she gave me the facial, I told her about my restaurant. She said she’d think about coming by sometime. I look at myself in the mirror. She also helped me apply a light dusting of makeup to cover up the bruising.
Joely is sweet and kind. I’m going to enjoy working with her now that I’ve found her. When she comes back with the bowls of product to lighten my hair, she begins sectioning it.
“So how long have you been in town? Or were you raised here too?” I ask, trying to get to know her. She already knows a lot about me from when we talked during my facial.
She fidgets with her comb before meeting my eyes in the mirror. “I moved here a couple of weeks ago. I’m not from here. I’ve always loved the images of fall colors and the ocean.”
“Where are you from? I missed the fall colors when I lived in Texas.”
“Out west.” She doesn’t elaborate, and I don’t push.
“You should come by the roadhouse next Friday. It’s our first concert night, and I’ve got a local band playing.”
“I’ll think about it.” She changes the subject and starts asking questions that aren’t so personal. I kind of want her to open up. I don’t have very many friends here yet.
I’m planning to get a tattoo in a couple of weeks from the place owned by the guy who sold us the warehouse we’re in. I loved the idea of converting the building into both my business and living space. He’s the same age as me, but we never met when I was growing up here. I wasn’t allowed to mingle with very many locals. Luke was the first.
I went to boarding schools in Providence instead of staying local. I didn’t want Jude to have the kind of childhood I did, but when Julian told me about Eastport Prep School, I really liked the idea.
Julian. Ugh. That’s a conversation I’m going to have to face soon. I still feel betrayed by him. He shouldn’t have kept from me the fact he knew who Luke was and where he was. Julian knew how much I wanted to tell Luke about Jude. He knew I missed him. He knew I kept my vow. No, Luke and I never got married, but we made promises to each other. In our hearts, we were already husband and wife.
