The Curl Up and Dye by Sharon Sala

glamour girl.”
    Lily snorted beneath her breath. Sister was sweet as anything, but she had just lied through her teeth and they both knew it.
    By the time she was through, Lily only had a few minutes to get back to the pharmacy. She threw on her coat, put her purse over her shoulder, and started out in a long, hurried stride.

Chapter 6

    When Mike walked in the back door of the fitness center with his dad, it felt like he’d been gone a month instead of just over a week. It was his first trip here since the accident, and even though he couldn’t stay, it felt good to be out of the house and back in his own environment.
    He was on his way to the front desk when he saw a woman walk by the front windows. Her head was down, her shoulders slumped. She looked like she’d just lost her best friend. It took him a moment to realize it was LilyAnn, and when he did, he felt like he’d been sideswiped.
    Was he responsible for that? He knew he’d hurt her feelings by shutting her out, but she’d hurt him, too. Still, he knew why he’d reacted so harshly, while she didn’t have a clue. He knew he was a coward for not confronting her years ago, and turning on her like this now, right after she saved his life, must have felt to her like he’d cut her legs out from under her. He was heartsick and mad at himself. Damn it! Why did life have to be so hard?
    His dad walked up behind him. “Is that LilyAnn? She looks upset.”
    “Yeah, she does,” Mike muttered, and then Stewart saw him and shouted out a big hello, which alerted the clients. After that he was caught up in the commotion.
    It wasn’t very long before he began to tire, and his dad called a halt.
    “Hey, Mike, I think you’ve been on your feet long enough, don’t you?”
    Mike was already shaky.
    “As much as I hate to admit it, you’re right. So, Stewart, you’re doing a great job. I really appreciate you and your wife stepping up like this. I’ll see you again soon, okay?”
    “Absolutely! Really good to see you up and about,” Stewart said, and then went back to the front desk as Mike and his dad exited out the back.
    Mike eased into the front seat of the car. This trip was over with, but there was one more stop he wanted to make.
    “Hey, Dad, I need you to drive me up the street to The Curl Up and Dye. The barber is still out of pocket, and I want to get my hair trimmed.”
    “Sure thing,” Don said as he drove out of the alley and back onto Main Street.
    A couple of blocks up, he pulled to the curb in front of the shop.
    “It’ll be good to see everyone again, but you know your mama is going to whip the both of us when she finds out we’ve been to the beauty shop and left her behind.”
    Mike grinned. “You’re right about that, but I’ll take the blame. Right now she’s so glad I’m still alive she won’t be mad.”
    Don was still chuckling as they got out. The bell over the door jingled as they walked in.
    Ruby glanced up.
    “Hey, girls! Look who’s here! My goodness, Mike, it’s so good to see you up and around.” Ruby gave him a quick hug. “And Don, you look all tan and fit! I can’t remember the last time we saw you in here. Where’s Carol?”
    “Back at Mike’s,” he said. “She doesn’t know we’re here, which means we’re both gonna be in trouble.”
    Ruby laughed. “So what can I do for you?”
    “Does anyone have time to give me a trim?” Mike asked.
    “I do,” Ruby said. “Sit yourself over there in the shampoo chair, and I’ll make you pretty.”
    “That’ll never happen today,” Mike said with a sigh, and gladly took a seat.
    Ruby shook her head as she fastened the cape around his neck. “You’ve got it going on and you know it.”
    As soon as she got his hair washed, she moved him to her styling chair, then combed her fingers through his hair, testing the texture and thickness.
    “You just want it trimmed, right? No new style or anything?”
    “Right, just a trim.”
    “Then here we go,” she said,