The door opened to the salon, and she shoved her phone into the pocket of her apron, trying not to grimace. It was Amy, the schoolteacher, an apologetic look on her face. “Is this a bad time? I saw you were open.”

“It’s fine, come on in.” She patted the chair. “I was just snarling at a text from my ex.”

“I know what that’s like,” Amy said with a chuckle. “You do lashes, right?”

“I do!” It was one of her new favorite things, actually. “Your eyes are already beautiful, though. I doubt you need them.”

Amy gave her a rueful look. “Isn’t it your job to talk me into things instead of out of them? I don’t know. I just . . .” She sighed and stared at her reflection in the mirror. “Need a change. I feel blah. Unpretty.” She hesitated a moment. “Alone.”

“Normally I’d say that I can sympathize,” Becca began, settling a pink cape over Amy’s shoulders. “But I seem to be overflowing with men lately. It’s the strangest thing. The last guy asked me out, and my ex is texting me, and I’m already seeing someone.” She shook her head. “Is there a full moon? I’ve been utterly single for two years now and no one had the slightest bit of interest. Now I’m starting to get weirded out.”

“It’s because you’re unavailable,” Amy told her, wiggling her eyebrows. “Men want what other men have. That, and you have the cutest sparkle in your eye. You just look so happy.”

She felt happy. For the first time in a long time, she felt like there was something to look forward to at the end of each day. “Maybe that’s it.”

“At least you’re not going to be lonely,” Amy said helpfully. “I just moved here and I feel like a pariah. Everyone knows each other, and then there’s me, sitting on the sidelines. I need to figure out how to make friends.”

“Well,” Becca began, leaning on the back of the salon chair and meeting Amy’s gaze in the mirror, “I can do your lashes, but that’ll take two hours and you really, really don’t need them. Or I can give you a blowout, and then we can go and get coffee at the bakery and talk about men or the lack thereof?”

Amy beamed. “I would love that!”

CHAPTER SIXTEEN

It had been years since Becca had gone out for coffee with a girlfriend and just chatted. Not that she didn’t talk the ears off everyone that came into the salon, but this felt different, more personal, and it was so much fun. She’d forgotten just what it was like to have girlfriends. All of hers had moved away after high school, and when she wasn’t working at the salon, she’d usually been spending time with Greg.