Read Just Beginning: A Prequel to Just Destiny (Destiny #1) Page 29
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“Why can’t we go to the barber?” Michael asked, as Jenny pumped quarters into the Village parking meter.
“Stop whining. Mom said to take you here.” She hurried down the sidewalk, but her brother lagged behind. Hands crammed deep in his cargo short pockets, he lumbered along. “Michael, let’s go.”
“Come on Jen, don’t make me go to that old-lady place. Dad takes me to the barber.”
“Dad’s not here.” And Mom had asked Jenny to take Michael to get his haircut. She’d put up with his mop of hair for half the summer but insisted he get it cut before starting high school. Though it was weeks before school started, tennis practice began next week, and Mom figured shorter hair would be cooler.
Michael came to a halt. “Chez Lou Lou? Lou Lou? You’ve got to be kidding? I’m not goin’ in there.”
It was a fancy name, but Mom raved about the place her long-time hairdresser had moved to. Jenny put a hand to his shoulder and nudged him forward. “Let’s go. We’re late.”
“Barber’s cheaper,” Michael wheedled, pushing back against her hand. “I won’t tell. She’ll never know.”
Jenny held open the salon door. She and Mom had been getting along well lately and she finally trusted Jenny to be alone with Michael again. No way she was crossing Mom over a haircut. “She already paid. Get in here.”
Michael passed by her, took one look at the sparkling chandeliers, chic black-and-white triptych of the Eiffel Tower, and half-dozen chatting women, pivoted and bolted for the street.
Really, Mom? What were you thinking?
Michael collided with a couple of girls on their way in. The three sprang apart and took stock.
“’Scuse m– Oh, hi, Michael,” the pretty blonde said.
“Katie. Sorry.” He flashed her a shy smile and looked at the ground. A flush climbed Michael’s neck.
“Do you go here?” She smiled widely. “This place is awesome.”
“Uh...”
“Isn’t this where Cam got his Bieber, cut?” the brunette asked Katie. “Not that I like Justin Bieber, but Cameron is totally hot.”
“I think so.” She glanced at Michael and shifted her weight from one foot to another. “Guess we’ll see you at orientation.”
“Uh. Yeah.” Michael backed out of the way and let them pass. He pursed his lips, drew in a deep breath, and followed them in.
Jenny suppressed a smile. Way to go, kid.
Cindy looked up from the clumps of hair she was sweeping. “Hi, guys. Have a seat. I’ll be right with you.”
Jenny sat down on the black plush sofa next to the girls. She wouldn’t have pegged this as Mom’s type of place. The black and white decor and chandeliers were elegant and modern, but she’d expected to hear more sophisticated or French music, yet somehow the soft upbeat hip tunes worked too. Funny that it appealed to Mom. Jenny picked up the latest People Magazine.
“I thought we were late?” Michael muttered, while dropping into the corner chair.
Jenny’s hand froze over the opening pages as she shot him a warning glance. Cindy was a nice lady; she’d been Mom’s stylist since they moved back from San Diego, and Jenny didn’t want her feelings hurt because of Michael’s pissy attitude.
Wiping his hands on his shorts, Michael studied the glossy white floor tiles. He looked out the window, then began biting his cuticles, all the while assiduously avoiding looking in the girls’ direction.
With a warm smile, Cindy came over and put her hands on her trim hips. “How’s married life, Jenny? Your mom sure dotes on those grandkids. We love her pictures of Alex and...” She squinted and frowned. “Teddy? Ted?”
“Ted.” Jenny said. “Yeah, they’re pretty crazy about her, too.”
“That Alex is a beauty.”
“She is. How’s your baby? Isn’t he about two now?”
“He’s three—and adorable. Thanks for asking.” She turned to Michael. “Ready, Michael?”
Michael glanced at the girls at the far end of the room where they were consulting with a stylist. With a brief nod, he followed Cindy to her station.
Jenny smothered a grin. The things we do for love.
Jenny thumbed through the magazine, scanning the latest batch of celebrity pictures, when she hesitated on a two-page spread of before-and-after shots of celebrity haircuts. There were several comparison shots of Katie Holmes—she was beautiful with or without long hair, but it seemed hardly a fair comparison when in the pics of her after the haircut she had makeup on and before she seemed more natural.
Reese Witherspoon was the exception who didn’t really look very different with shorter hair, but Jenny unquestionably preferred her as a blonde. She winced at Nicole Kidman’s short haircut shots. Nicole looked okay with a bob, but Jenny definitely liked her better with longer hair. Jennifer Lawrence and Gwyneth Paltrow, too.
Wow. Halle Berry and Victoria Beckham totally rocked a really short pixie cut. She scanned the photos on the next page with envy. Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, and Jennifer Aniston were gorgeous no matter how they wore their hair.
Miley...well...too bad she hadn’t stopped before sliding into ridiculous, where she tried to shock everybody by every means possible. Now Julianne Hough was classy. Julianne’d always been Jenny’s girl-crush. She’d loved her Dancing with the Stars-long sexy hair, but looking at Julianne’s gorgeous layered bob—”
A shadow fell over the magazine, and Jenny looked up at one of the stylists, who craned her head sideways to look at the magazine. “I hear she’s dating Brooks Laich now. I kind of liked her with Ryan Seacrest. They were cute together.”
“Yeah, but Ryan can’t really compare to those hockey player pecs and biceps.”
She chuckled. “True. Do you need help?”
“No, I’m just wait—” She glimpsed Julianne’s happy face, cocked her head sideways and looked up. “Well, maybe...”