if she was good at anything besides sex, it was “working it.” She would plan a small gathering of her friends who lived outside Silver Lake and invite her new neighbor. Maybe she would eventually get an invitation from Veronique to visit her estate in Europe. Now that would be
something.
She took her coffee cup to the family room and sat at the computer. Thank God she no longer had to go into that crappy office in town, she thought, as she searched the drawers for her good stationery. Fifteen minutes after winning the lottery she had called her boss and quit, refusing to even give the customary two-week notice. Why should she? She didn’t need them any longer and never would again.
Jolene picked up her new sapphire blue Waterman fountain pen, with its 18-karat gold nib and 23-karat gold-plated trim. Now, should the first invitation be for afternoon tea? Jolene shook her head. No, that was too corny. Besides, the baroness was not British royalty.
She would throw a small luncheon on Sunday two weeks from today and hire a caterer to fix an extravagant meal. She would invite Veronique and a few girlfriends, and she’d have the invitations hand-delivered just like Veronique had. Then she would make sure the word got around to Barbara and all the others in Silver Lake who had snubbed her over the past year that the baroness was coming to her house for lunch. And they weren’t.
PEARL LOOKED UP from her client’s head and noticed a Rolls-Royce parking in front of her hair salon. She frowned. She had only one client who owned a Rolls-Royce, and she was not expected today. Pearl stared as the driver got out of the Rolls and walked around to the rear passenger door.
None
of her clients had chauffeurs. How odd, Pearl thought.
Then she gasped aloud as Baroness Veronique Valentine alighted from the car.
“Ooh,” gushed Mary from beneath the blow dryer in Pearl’s hand. “Isn’t that the baroness who just moved to Silver Lake?” Mary reached for the eyeglasses dangling from the ends of the strap around her neck and slipped them on. “Yep, that’s her.”
Pearl shut off the dryer and watched as the baroness strolled toward the door of the salon. “So it is,” she said, trying to sound calm as she wiped her hands on her white smock. Then she realized that her hands were already dry. Nerves, she thought wryly, and shook her head. Well, it wasn’t every day that royalty visited her salon.
She supposed everyone in Silver Lake knew about the baroness living in their midst. Then she remembered that Mary didn’t live in Silver Lake or Prince George’s County for that matter. She lived in the next county over. News sure traveled fast.
The chauffeur opened the door to the salon and the baroness stepped in, all smiles. She was wearing a snugly fitting crepe silk dress and matching jacket in a beautiful aquamarine that complemented her coppery complexion and womanly figure. Pearl rushed up and extended her hand. This was so exciting. She had to remind herself not to do something stupid, like curtsy.
“Good afternoon, Baroness, and welcome to my salon.”
“Thank you. You must be Pearl.”
Pearl blinked and nodded excitedly. “Yes I am.”
“I heard that you’re the best around when it comes to hair color.”
Pearl felt her cheeks go hot. She waved an arm, trying to appear nonchalant. “Oh, shoot. I don’t know about that. But thanks anyway. What can I do for you?”
“I’m in desperate need of a touch-up around my roots and a trim. Do you think you can match the color?”
Pearl walked around Veronique slowly. She might gush like a schoolgirl about royalty entering her salon, but when it came to hair she was all business. “It’s a beautiful color. Sort of an almond or honey blond, isn’t it?”
The baroness smiled. “Oui. C’est miel blond.”
Pearl nodded even though she barely understood what the baroness had just said. “I should be able to come very close.”
The baroness smiled warmly.
something.
She took her coffee cup to the family room and sat at the computer. Thank God she no longer had to go into that crappy office in town, she thought, as she searched the drawers for her good stationery. Fifteen minutes after winning the lottery she had called her boss and quit, refusing to even give the customary two-week notice. Why should she? She didn’t need them any longer and never would again.
Jolene picked up her new sapphire blue Waterman fountain pen, with its 18-karat gold nib and 23-karat gold-plated trim. Now, should the first invitation be for afternoon tea? Jolene shook her head. No, that was too corny. Besides, the baroness was not British royalty.
She would throw a small luncheon on Sunday two weeks from today and hire a caterer to fix an extravagant meal. She would invite Veronique and a few girlfriends, and she’d have the invitations hand-delivered just like Veronique had. Then she would make sure the word got around to Barbara and all the others in Silver Lake who had snubbed her over the past year that the baroness was coming to her house for lunch. And they weren’t.
PEARL LOOKED UP from her client’s head and noticed a Rolls-Royce parking in front of her hair salon. She frowned. She had only one client who owned a Rolls-Royce, and she was not expected today. Pearl stared as the driver got out of the Rolls and walked around to the rear passenger door.
None
of her clients had chauffeurs. How odd, Pearl thought.
Then she gasped aloud as Baroness Veronique Valentine alighted from the car.
“Ooh,” gushed Mary from beneath the blow dryer in Pearl’s hand. “Isn’t that the baroness who just moved to Silver Lake?” Mary reached for the eyeglasses dangling from the ends of the strap around her neck and slipped them on. “Yep, that’s her.”
Pearl shut off the dryer and watched as the baroness strolled toward the door of the salon. “So it is,” she said, trying to sound calm as she wiped her hands on her white smock. Then she realized that her hands were already dry. Nerves, she thought wryly, and shook her head. Well, it wasn’t every day that royalty visited her salon.
She supposed everyone in Silver Lake knew about the baroness living in their midst. Then she remembered that Mary didn’t live in Silver Lake or Prince George’s County for that matter. She lived in the next county over. News sure traveled fast.
The chauffeur opened the door to the salon and the baroness stepped in, all smiles. She was wearing a snugly fitting crepe silk dress and matching jacket in a beautiful aquamarine that complemented her coppery complexion and womanly figure. Pearl rushed up and extended her hand. This was so exciting. She had to remind herself not to do something stupid, like curtsy.
“Good afternoon, Baroness, and welcome to my salon.”
“Thank you. You must be Pearl.”
Pearl blinked and nodded excitedly. “Yes I am.”
“I heard that you’re the best around when it comes to hair color.”
Pearl felt her cheeks go hot. She waved an arm, trying to appear nonchalant. “Oh, shoot. I don’t know about that. But thanks anyway. What can I do for you?”
“I’m in desperate need of a touch-up around my roots and a trim. Do you think you can match the color?”
Pearl walked around Veronique slowly. She might gush like a schoolgirl about royalty entering her salon, but when it came to hair she was all business. “It’s a beautiful color. Sort of an almond or honey blond, isn’t it?”
The baroness smiled. “Oui. C’est miel blond.”
Pearl nodded even though she barely understood what the baroness had just said. “I should be able to come very close.”
The baroness smiled warmly.
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