Page 12 of The Suite Life
‘Oh, Gigi,’ he says with a suspicious grin. ‘I have the answer to all your problems.’
Yep, that’s cryptic enough to be terrifying.
‘Oh, really?’ I reply, widening my eyes for dramatic effect. ‘How so?’
Tom taps his nose before walking away, smiling widely to himself.
I guess I’ll worry about that later at some point – yet another thing to schedule. And to think, I was actually going to get a decent lunch break today.
I shrug it off for now and head to the back room, putting down my bag and jacket before taking a big drink of my coffee. Lattes all winter and then, as soon as there is a sniff of sunshine,I switch to iced coffees again. I can’t start my day without one or the other, though. The thought of running around this place all day, without a few shots of caffeine in me, sounds impossible.
I head back to reception where I find my first client of the day, pop star Kelly Parker, here for her latest transformation. She’s a regular of mine – in fact, she almost feels like a friend. She even follows me on Instagram. That’s when you know you have a great stylist/client bond.
I greet her with a smile.
‘Hey, Kelly,’ I say, kissing her on both cheeks.
‘Hi, babes,’ she replies. ‘I couldn’t be more ready for this – look at my roots.’
She pulls off her trendy trucker cap to reveal hair that, to be honest, most people would be over the moon with.
‘What are we thinking today, Kelly?’ I ask, eager to get started, as I lead her over to my chair.
‘Well, I’m thinking with summer coming up, it might be nice to go a bit lighter,’ she says. ‘Maybe some blonde highlights?’
‘I think that would look gorgeous,’ I tell her.
It’s amazing how many people lighten and darken their hair with the seasons. It’s great, though, it really feels like you shake up your look, and the ritualistic part of it is exciting. I get giddy for summer or Christmas accordingly.
‘I’ll go mix your colour,’ I tell her. ‘Can I get you a drink?’
Kelly flashes her water bottle at me.
‘I’m good, thanks,’ she says with a smile.
I mix the colour and cut long lengths of foil to accommodate Kelly’s super-long hair, and then head back out.
When I return, I find Tom deeply engaged in what seems like his favourite pastime – interrogating clients about their holiday plans. I can’t help but chuckle; it’s the cliché hairdresser’s question, and Tom executes it with the precision and seriousness of a seasoned professional.
‘I’m going to LA for a few months, but just for work,’ Kelly tells him.
‘I wish I could just go to LA for work,’ he says with a sigh. ‘I’m stuck here. Gigi is going to Hawaii.’
‘Oh, really?’ Kelly says.
‘Yeah, for my sister’s wedding,’ I reply, realising my voice isn’t laced with the level of enthusiasm you might expect.
‘Oh,’ Kelly says simply, picking up on a vibe.
‘Her ex-boyfriend is the best man,’ Tom tells her. ‘And his new girlfriend is Sunshine Greene.’
‘Yikes, that’s tough to top,’ Kelly replies, clenching her jaw.
‘It’s actually impossible to top,’ I tell her. ‘I even went on a date with a YouTube prankster, in an attempt to turn up with a date who might be even a little bit impressive, but it was a disaster. Do you know how hard it is, to find a date with an impressive CV?’
I’ve just realised how stupid that sounds.
‘Wait, of course you don’t, you’re Kelly Parker,’ I tell her, pointlessly, laughing at myself.
