Free Long Slow Burn by Isabel Sharpe

“We’ll have a bottle of the Washington State Chardonnay, please.”
    â€œPamper heaven sounds great.” Kim forced enthusiasm into her voice. She’d agreed to come today, but the whole chic salon thing was better suited to women such as Marie and Candy. Kim had been to a fancy salon once before, when her friend Becky got married, and had found the women snooty, the skin and body treatments of dubious benefit, and the products wildly overpriced. She could use a haircut, that would be nice, but for a basic trim she hardly needed La Bellezza. Or its prices.
    Instead she’d look at it as a great excuse to spend girls’-day-out time. That was worth plenty. She’d do whatever was cheapest and try not to panic over the cost.
    â€œKim, have you heard from Dale?”
    â€œYes.” She kept her eyes on her menu and miraculouslymanaged not to blush yet again. “We’ve been corresponding pretty regularly. I’ll finally meet him on Monday.”
    â€œHow does he sound?” Candy asked.
    â€œPretty fabulous. He’s in Jamaica right now. I guess he travels a lot. He’s been all over the world. The Far East, Australia, the Middle East, Europe, everywhere.” She closed her menu, still not having decided, and smiled wanly while her friends made appropriate ooh and aah noises. “We’ve been having great chats.”
    â€œBut?” Marie, always the perceptive one.
    â€œI’m…not sure I’m being myself, exactly. I mean I’m flirting with him, and it’s really fun, but online it’s easy and safe, and not real. I can’t be that person. I’m afraid when we meet he’s going to be disappointed.”
    â€œTroy wasn’t disappointed,” Candy said.
    â€œHe had no expectations. I probably made my life sound more exciting to Dale than it is, and probably made myself sound more sophisticated. I’m probably worrying over nothing. He does seem sweet.”
    â€œI don’t see the problem.” Candy winked at Marie. “But I do know the solution.”
    Marie was grinning. “Uh-huh.”
    Kim glanced warily between them. “What’s going on?”
    â€œCandy and I have an early birthday present for you. And Darcy, but she couldn’t get away from the restaurant today.”
    The waitress arrived with their wine and Kim had to wait while the bottle was opened and a half inch was poured for Marie to try.
    â€œIt’s the perfect solution. You are worried about how you’ll come across and we’re going to a beauty salon in an hour.” Candy gestured toward her, top to bottom. “We’re giving you a makeover.”
    â€œ Me? I don’t think—”
    â€œWell, we do.” Marie nodded her approval of the wine; the waitress went around the table pouring. “It’s perfect. Anew haircut, makeup and you’ll feel like the woman you think you’re only pretending to be.”
    â€œAnd since we’ll all be tipsy and don’t have anything else going on, we’re taking you shopping afterward for a first-date blow-him-away outfit.” She lifted her glass. “Casually sophisticated. Sexy without being obvious.”
    â€œWhat do you think, Kim?” Marie asked in her gentle therapist voice. “Of course, we won’t force you.”
    â€œOh, yes, we will.” Candy giggled when Marie glared. “Okay, we’ll encourage you strongly, how’s that.”
    â€œI don’t think I’d be comfortable—” Kim broke off. Something deep inside her was shimmering with excitement. Too often she said no to anything that took her out of her comfort zone, and her comfort zone had always been pretty damn small. Maybe she needed to start saying yes more often. Maybe she already had. Yes to trying for the Carter job. Yes to dating.
    Yes to a makeover at one of the city’s best salons?
    â€œIt’s not going to be that drastic,