Page 2 of Knot Your Sunshine
Snip. Snip. More hair falls away.
"But I don't want to shine." My voice comes out small. "I just want to fit in. To be normal."
"Baby girl." She pauses, scissors mid-air, catching my eyes in the mirror. "You weren't made to fit in. You were made to stand out. Strong women don't waste time trying to impress mean girls."
Mrs. Williams, who's been quiet this whole time, speaks up from behind her magazine. “Amen.”
“Mm-hm,” Mrs. Johnson adds from the manicure station, holding her fingers up to the light. “They hate you ’cause they ain’t you, sweetie.”
A little knot in my stomach loosens, and before I realize it, my lips curve into a small smile.
Grandma works in silence for a few minutes, trimming layers and texturizing ends, her fingers moving with confidence.
"Now for the magic," she finally says, reaching for the blow dryer.
Hot air lifts my hair as she works her round brush through the layers, everything else in the world fading to background noise. I watch her in the mirror, her tongue poking slightly between her lips like it always does when she's focusing.
Click. The dryer goes silent.
My gaze slips from Grandma’s reflection to my own, and my breath catches.
"Oh my goodness!" Mrs. Williams's magazine slips from her fingers. "Look at you Mia!"
"Those mean girls are going to eat their words tomorrow," Mrs. Johnson adds, giving a firm nod of approval.
Grandma rests her hands on my shoulders and meets my eyes in the mirror. "See, sweetheart? You are absolutely beautiful. Tomorrow, you're going to walk into school with your head high, and that picture will be perfect."
Chapter one
Mia
I make one final snip and step back to examine Sarah's new bob. The layers catch the light perfectly, framing her face in a way that brings out her natural beauty.
"There." I set my scissors on the counter with a soft click. "Take a look."
Sarah turns her head slowly from side to side, studying her reflection like she's seeing herself for the first time. Her fingers hover near her cheek before finally touching the soft waves. The corner of her mouth twitches, then curves, then blooms into a full smile that reaches her eyes.
"I love it, Mia. It's beautiful." Her shoulders pull back from their usual hunch and she sits a little taller in my chair. "You really have magic hands."
I laugh, wiping my hands on my apron. "I don't know about magic, but I'll take the compliment."
She lifts her chin, still watching her reflection. Then something shifts in her expression, her smile wavering.
"I hope it makes a difference tonight." The words hang in the air for a moment. She catches her bottom lip between her teeth,worrying it the way she always does when she's anxious. "Speed dating isn't exactly kind to betas."
I meet her eyes in the mirror, my expression soft but determined. "Now, we're not doing that. You're so much more than a designation, Sarah."
Sarah's eyes drop to her hands, which have started picking at the edge of the cape. "It's just… sometimes it feels impossible, you know? Competing with omegas who smell like walking aphrodisiacs. Especially someone like you... naturally pretty without even trying."
"Sarah." I spin the chair around to face her, crouching slightly so we're eye level. "First of all, you're not competing with anyone. Second, have you seen yourself? Your bone structure alone could cut glass. Add in that killer smile? Devastating."
A flush creeps up her neck, but before she can deflect, Mrs. Gable clears her throat from the corner chair where she's been letting her color process.
"She's absolutely right," she says, her voice carrying that raspy quality that comes from decades of late-night conversations and strong coffee. "My daughter's a beta, married to an alpha who worships the ground she walks on. Only ever had eyes for her, even when omegas were practically throwing themselves at him."
She pauses to adjust the magazine in her lap. "Hell, my Gerald's a beta too, and I wouldn't trade him for half a dozen alphas." She shifts, crossing one leg over the other as a wicked smirk curls her lips. "Though I admit the image doth make a lady's mouth water."
Sarah's surprised laugh bursts out of her, genuine and bright. Her whole body relaxes back into the chair, tension melting from her shoulders. "Gladys, you're terrible! I love it."
