polite thing to do, since Charlotte went out of her way to bring them in. Annie washed her hands again and then went to join Charlotte.
“Did you hear about Wylie’s promotion?” Annie asked as she wrapped the cape around her client.
“Which is a joke,” Charlotte pointed out. “That boy couldn’t find his way out of a paper bag. You know his father had a hand in that one. By the way, do you still want to do dinner tonight?” Charlotte looked at herself in the mirror. “You know, some days I look in that mirror and think I’m not doing too bad for my age. Then other times, the only thing I can see is a fat, old lady.”
“Do you know what I see? A vibrant woman who I adore, one that I’m happy to call my friend. No more putting yourself down,” she said with a frown.
“You’re right, of course. I’m just in a mood. What can I say?” Charlotte shrugged.
“Can we do seven o’clock at Uncle Buck’s for dinner?” Annie had to do a few things before she could enjoy the evening out.
“Seven works, but you know the fireworks don’t start until at least eight,” she laughed, pointing out that’s when Charlie showed up, the neighborhood drunk, and usually ended up in a fight with someone.
“Pip will disown me and find a new owner if I’m out too late,” she laughed. That little dog had become her entire world. After her divorce, she ’d adopted a mix from the shelter, and the two of them took to each other like peanut butter and jelly, meshing so well that Annie wasn’t sure how she lived all her life without Pip by her side.
“She’s a dog, Annie, she can’t tell time,” Charlotte pointed out.
Annie clasped her hand over her mouth in exaggeration. “Don’t tell her that! She thinks she can.” Pip was way too smart for her own good.
Starfish Square was the little section of town that housed her “Beachside Beauty” shop. There were little boutiques and restaurants tucked throughout the tourist shopping square. It was a popular tourist draw during the busy season, but it became a ghost town once the cooler months rolled around. Most of the shops closed for the winter.
Annie hoped at some point to expand into both a salon and spa, but for now, they only catered to hair, as well as some waxing. If she added massage, nails, and facials, she could expand her business, but there wasn’t space in her current location. She thought about finding another building, but being in the center of things got her a lot of foot traffic and visibility during the busier summer season.
The second floor of the shops housed condos, and while some of them were empty most of the year, only acting as vacation homes, some residents lived on the island year round, Mrs. Bushmiller being one of them. It was an island of leisure and a playground for those who could afford it. What once started as a blue collar vacation destination had turned into an island of mansions and overpriced homes. Many sat on stilts with decks jutting out in every direction, aiming to get a view of the ocean or bay, sometimes both with the help of a roof top deck.
Annie Addison grew up vacationing on Sandy Beach Island, her family coming down during the summers, but it was her marriage to Alex that brought her here as a full-time resident. She was ready to live the good life, a lawyer’s wife in a beautiful home, but that dream came crashing down when she found out he had a mistress. When push came to shove and it all came out, he settled with his secretary and Annie took the settlement he offered to open her shop. She could have gone anywhere else, but she’d grown to love the island and the quirks of the many people who called it home.
“I had the chicken dream again,” Annie said, knowing Charlotte would be amused. She shook her head. “Those feathered fiends taunt me in my sleep.”
“How can a smart, savvy woman like you be afraid of chickens , of all things?” She chuckled.
“I have no idea where it came from, but those
“Did you hear about Wylie’s promotion?” Annie asked as she wrapped the cape around her client.
“Which is a joke,” Charlotte pointed out. “That boy couldn’t find his way out of a paper bag. You know his father had a hand in that one. By the way, do you still want to do dinner tonight?” Charlotte looked at herself in the mirror. “You know, some days I look in that mirror and think I’m not doing too bad for my age. Then other times, the only thing I can see is a fat, old lady.”
“Do you know what I see? A vibrant woman who I adore, one that I’m happy to call my friend. No more putting yourself down,” she said with a frown.
“You’re right, of course. I’m just in a mood. What can I say?” Charlotte shrugged.
“Can we do seven o’clock at Uncle Buck’s for dinner?” Annie had to do a few things before she could enjoy the evening out.
“Seven works, but you know the fireworks don’t start until at least eight,” she laughed, pointing out that’s when Charlie showed up, the neighborhood drunk, and usually ended up in a fight with someone.
“Pip will disown me and find a new owner if I’m out too late,” she laughed. That little dog had become her entire world. After her divorce, she ’d adopted a mix from the shelter, and the two of them took to each other like peanut butter and jelly, meshing so well that Annie wasn’t sure how she lived all her life without Pip by her side.
“She’s a dog, Annie, she can’t tell time,” Charlotte pointed out.
Annie clasped her hand over her mouth in exaggeration. “Don’t tell her that! She thinks she can.” Pip was way too smart for her own good.
Starfish Square was the little section of town that housed her “Beachside Beauty” shop. There were little boutiques and restaurants tucked throughout the tourist shopping square. It was a popular tourist draw during the busy season, but it became a ghost town once the cooler months rolled around. Most of the shops closed for the winter.
Annie hoped at some point to expand into both a salon and spa, but for now, they only catered to hair, as well as some waxing. If she added massage, nails, and facials, she could expand her business, but there wasn’t space in her current location. She thought about finding another building, but being in the center of things got her a lot of foot traffic and visibility during the busier summer season.
The second floor of the shops housed condos, and while some of them were empty most of the year, only acting as vacation homes, some residents lived on the island year round, Mrs. Bushmiller being one of them. It was an island of leisure and a playground for those who could afford it. What once started as a blue collar vacation destination had turned into an island of mansions and overpriced homes. Many sat on stilts with decks jutting out in every direction, aiming to get a view of the ocean or bay, sometimes both with the help of a roof top deck.
Annie Addison grew up vacationing on Sandy Beach Island, her family coming down during the summers, but it was her marriage to Alex that brought her here as a full-time resident. She was ready to live the good life, a lawyer’s wife in a beautiful home, but that dream came crashing down when she found out he had a mistress. When push came to shove and it all came out, he settled with his secretary and Annie took the settlement he offered to open her shop. She could have gone anywhere else, but she’d grown to love the island and the quirks of the many people who called it home.
“I had the chicken dream again,” Annie said, knowing Charlotte would be amused. She shook her head. “Those feathered fiends taunt me in my sleep.”
“How can a smart, savvy woman like you be afraid of chickens , of all things?” She chuckled.
“I have no idea where it came from, but those
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