Because even though a good bit of time had passed, she still didn’t believe she was out of the woods yet. He’d turn up eventually and find a very different Harmony waiting for him. Maybe he’d stop being attracted to her, too.

If only she could be so lucky.

“What can I do for you today?” a red-headed woman who looked to be about Harmony’s age asked as she came up behind her in the chair. She wore a brightly colored maxi dress in a light floral pattern and thick combat boots that had surely seen better days.

“Something totally different,” Harmony announced with an excited bounce of her shoulders.

The stylist wrinkled her nose. “Are you sure? Cuz a lot of time women come up in here saying the same thing but then wind up complaining that it’s too different. And I lose myself a customer. Name’s Avery, by the way, Avery Hollis.”

“I’m Harmony, and—yes—I am 100% sure. Can you make it the exact opposite of what it’s like now? I can take it.” She waited, praying the woman would not only agree but come up with something fabulous.

Avery walked a slow circle around Harmony, taking in all her angles. “So seeing as you’re long, dark, and curly as a before, I’m guessing you might like short, straight, and blonde as an after? How much time have you got?”

“As much time as it takes,” Harmony said, wiggling her butt in the chair with anticipation.

“Belle!” the stylist hollered toward the back of the house, startling Harmony by her sudden switch in volume. “Can you whip up a batch of bleach for me?”

“Sure thing!” came the cheery response.

“First I’ll do a quick cut,” Avery explained, snapping her scissors playfully. “Then we’ll bleach ya, dye ya, and finally, we’ll finish you up with an angled bob. Good?”

“Great.” Harmony could hardly wait. Maybe all the time she now spent creating pretty things with Virginia was starting to rub off on her a bit more than she’d realized.

Avery spun her chair in a full circle. Her eyes widened as she said, “All right. Looks like we’re going to have ourselves some fun this afternoon. Now, seeing as we’ll be here for quite some time, you may as well start with your life story. Make it good. I do so love being entertained while I work.”

Harmony swallowed, coughed, then licked her lips to stall for time.

“Oh, honey! Relax! You don’t have to tell me anything you don’t want to. It’s just a lot of people use this chair as if’n they’re in a shrink’s office. You won’t believe the things folks will confide in me when I’m wielding these here scissors.”

“Actually,” Harmony said, coming up with an idea she rather liked. “I’d much rather hear about you.”

Avery crossed her arms and shifted her weight so that one hip jutted out to the side. “About me, huh? Well, whatcha want to know?”

Harmony shrugged. “Start at the beginning?”