“Classic,” Cyn corrected her. “And believe me, that’s not boring. Your Wilde man’s eyes are going to pop out of his head when he sees you.” Cyn gave her a firm nod to go with the smile that said she knew what she wastalking about. “Now, let’s finish this look so you can get home and put on something sinful and pretty.”
Shelby thought about the sexy underwear she planned to wear under her simple but curve-hugging dress. No, not simple.Classic.
She liked that word. It did suit her. At least it fit who she was now.
And when Cyn finished her hair and she looked at herself in the mirror, her first thought kind of stunned her.This is how I was meant to look.
“You even hold yourself different now. You see it. This is the real you.” Cyn beamed with pride. And she should. She’d helped uncover the real Shelby.
“I should have let you lop off my hair a long time ago.”
“Everything in its time. You weren’t ready then. Now you are.”
She hadn’t been ready for a lot of things until now. What a difference a few weeks of seeing herself through someone else’s eyes made, especially when it was someone who loved her.
Chase loves me.
Every time she thought about it, it made her heart soar and sent a rush of happiness washing over her.
Cyn undid the drape and pulled it off her.
Shelby couldn’t take her eyes off her image in the mirror. “Cyn, I really can’t thank you enough.”
“You’re happy, so I’m happy. Come on, you don’t want to be late for your big date.”
Shelby paid for the haircut at the register and left Cyn a huge tip.
“That’s too much,” she protested.
“Take it. You earned it. And I’m now your loyal customer for life. Lunch next week is on me, too. I really want us to be the best of friends.”
Cyn’s eyes softened, and she looked really touched. “I’d like that. And happy birthday, Shelby.”
“Thank you. See you soon.”
Shelby slipped the dress on over the black lace bra and panty set she thought made her look amazing. She was still riding the high of her new haircut and how it made her feel. She tried to be careful and not flatten her hair, but it seemed no matter what she did, it stayed put.
Thank you,Cyn.
She found the black strappy high-heeled shoes she’d only worn once and slipped them on, making sure the tiny buckles were secure.
The doorbell rang, and she gave herself one last check in the mirror. Cyn was right about the makeup. It highlighted her green eyes, and the soft pink lipstick she’d chosen complemented the hunter green dress. The dress color also made the golds in her light brown hair stand out.
A glance at the clock told her Chase was early. He must be as excited as she was about their date.
She rushed out of her room to the front door and threw it open wide, eager to see Chase’s reaction to her new look. But the bright smile on her face fell into a scowl the second she spotted the man standing on her porch. All her happiness vanished under a wave of anger.
“Shelby, you’re... stunning. You remind me of your mother.”
The compliment and the comparison from Kyle left her cold. “Leave.”
Kyle’s eyes narrowed. “I just want to talk to you. Please.”
“You are not welcome here.” She grabbed the door to slam it in his face, but he slapped his hand against it, held it open, and took two steps inside her house. Heart jackhammering in her chest, she shouted, “Get out!”
His shoulders slumped. “Happy birthday, sweetheart. It’s the first one we can celebrate together.”
“That is never going to happen.”