Page 15 of Hit the Ground
Ididn’tgetsad.Not like I’d expected. Disappointed. Embarrassed. And for a moment, the rejection stung, and it stung badly.
But over cookies and a mug of tea, I thought about what had happened and decided I wasn’t going to take it personally. Yes, Caleb didn’t want to date me, but his only reason was that he didn’t date. Period. It wasn’t specific to me. How could it be? He didn’t know me.
I’d never even tried to let him know me.
If he’d turned me down because he thought I had crappy taste in books or didn’t like the way my face looked, I probably would have been crying into my chamomile. But that wasn’t it. He just didn’t date.
Still, I couldn’t shake the gnawing thought that maybe part of the problem was me. Not as in who I was, but as in how I moved through the world. For as long as I could remember, I’d been firmly on the sidelines, watching the world go by.
I lived in this town. At night, I served a good portion of the population at Joy’s. During the day, I checked out books to therest of them. I was as much a part of the fabric of Sugar Brush as everyone else, but how many of themknewme? How many knew my last name, what music I liked, or that I was writing my own novel?
I sipped my tea, the steam curling up into my eyes. Maybe I’d gotten so used to being a pane of glass to my family, I expected everyone to look right through me. Maybe Caleb wasn’t the only one who didn’t see me. Maybe I’d never given anyone outside of a small handful of people a chance. No one knew me because I didn’t let them.
That thought turned into resolve. For once, not being known didn’t make me feel sad. I was motivated to end my ghostly existence.I liked my little house, mugs of tea, and quiet life, but I’d like it even more if I had someone to share it with. It wouldn’t be Caleb, but there was someone out there for me. Except if I kept on how I was, I wouldn’t find him.
Wrapping my hands around my mug, I made myself a promise. I wouldn’t let this shut me down further. I’d let it be what cracked me open.
Joy looked like I’d punched her in the nose. “You wantwhat?”
I picked up the end of my heavy ponytail. “A haircut. And some highlights too. I don’t know where to start.”
Tossing her cleaning cloth over her shoulder, she folded her arms across her chest. “This have anything to do with the date you don’t want to talk about?”
I tucked my hands in my apron pockets, clicking the pen I kept in there. “I did talk about it. There isn’t anything to say about a date that didn’t happen.”
“Yeah, you said that.” She worked her jaw back and forth. “Yet, here you are a week later, looking for a makeover. I’m not stupid, Alice. I see the connection, and I don’t like it.”
I sighed, leaning my elbows on the bar. “Can’t this be about me? I’m ready to make more of an effort. For me, not anyone else. For heaven’s sake, I’m almost thirty, and I’ve never done a single thing with my hair and have no clue how to put on makeup.”
Joy propped her arm on the opposite side of the bar, leveling me with a probing gaze. A few customers were seated nearby, but her focus was solely on me.
If I had faltered, even for a second, I didn’t doubt she would have taken the shotgun from beneath the bar and hunted Caleb Kelly down. But I wasn’t lying. I had changes to make, and I was starting on the outside and working my way in.
“I hear you,” she gruffed. “But do I look like I’m the one to come to for beauty advice? I’ve been using the same black-box dye since my first gray showed up. I cut my ends with nail scissors. If you want that kind of treatment, I’m your gal. Anything else—”
“Excuse me, ladies.”
We both turned to the woman who’d slid in beside us. In her forties or fifties, Margot was more glamorous than a patron at Joy’s had any call to be, but this seemed to be her default setting. She was a regular, and from what I’d seen, had a penchant for rugged cowboys.
I smiled. “What can I get you?”
She slid closer. “I’d apologize for eavesdropping, but I’m not really sorry since I think I can help you.”
Joy shook her finger at Margot. “That’s right. You’re exactly who this one needs. I’m useless in this department.”
Margot’s lips curved into a confident, bright smile. “I manage the salon at Sugar Brush River Ranch Resort. Why don’t youcome by tomorrow? I’ll set you up with a full treatment. Cut, color, style, and maybe a brow cleanup if you’re brave.”
My mouth fell open. The Kelly ranch. Caleb’s family. A long time ago, it had been partially turned into a luxury resort for billionaire tourists and company retreats. I’d never even thought to set foot on the property. It wasn’t for me.
“Oh, I don’t know…” I stammered, reaching for a valid reason to say no aside from the idea making me nervous. Of course, I couldn’t find one.
Margot didn’t allow me to say no anyway. “What don’t you know? You said you wanted a makeover, didn’t you? I’m so keen on the idea; if you turn me down, I’ll be insulted forever.”
Joy clapped her hands once. “That settles it. We’re not offending our customers. You’re going.”
I felt like I’d been handled. But could I really complain when I was being given exactly what I’d said I wanted?
“Thank you. Really.”
