Free After Hours by Dara Girard Page A

She’d wait for the New Year. She’d been reckless and that wasn’t like her. She spun around.
    “Amera?”
    She froze, hearing Crystal’s heel clicking closer.
    “Amera. Is that you?” Crystal walked in front of her. “It is you! What are you doing here?” Her eyes filled with fear and she glanced around like a scared animal. “Is Curtis having me followed because of the other night?”
    “No, I’m not here because of him.” She turned and headed for the receptionist desk. Since she had gotten caught, she might as well make the most of it. “I’m here for me.”
    “Oh,” Crystal said confused.
    Amera could understand her confusion. They both knew she couldn’t afford the place on her salary. Amera waved her hand. “It’s something I’ve saved up for.”
    Crystal started to reply, then her eyes widened, this time not from fear but shock, her mouth forming a perfect ‘o’. “Oh. My God.”
    Amera frowned. “It’s not that incredible.”
    “You’re getting married?”
    Amera felt blood drain from her face. The damn ring! She waved her hands and shook her head with a vehemence that almost made her dizzy. “No, this isn’t what you think. I couldn’t get it off.”
    Crystal pointed at her and flashed sly grin. “I knew you were the one. You’re so brave. He's paying for this, isn’t he?”
    “No, I told you--.”
    “Sure.” She winked. “No one’s to know. They’re supposed to think it’s real. I get it. But do you think the money’s really worth it?”
    Amera sighed and spoke slowly. “I’m. Not. Getting. Married. And if I were getting married it wouldn’t be to him.”
    “Right, I won’t say a word until it’s announced.”
    An attendant approached Crystal and called her away.
    “Your secret’s safe with me,” Crystal said and gave Amera a knowing wink before she left.
    Amera inwardly swore and again tried to take the ring off. It stubbornly refused to move.
    “Ma’am can I help you?” An attendant, with enviable smooth skin and long lashes, asked with genuine interest. “Are you looking for someone?”
    “No,” Amera said wondering if she should warn Curtis about Crystal’s assumptions. This was all wrong. But she decided she didn’t need to worry. There was no way the two of them would meet.
    “If you don't have an appointment, I'm going to have to ask you to leave.”
    Amera glanced at the clock. Her hour was up. “Right.” She turned to leave then the strap of her bag broke and the contents of her purse fell to the floor.
    The attendant came from behind the counter and bent to help her then froze when she saw something. “Oh wow.” She snatched up the membership card. “You're one of those?”
    “I’m sorry?”
    “A member. Why didn’t you say so? Who are you here to see?”
    Amera took the card back. “I don’t remember.”
    “That’s okay,” the attendant said snatching the membership card back, without appearing rude, then she scanned it with her phone. “You’re here to see Dalia. Oh wow, you’re getting the works.” She called another assistant. “Get her another purse immediately.”
    “But I--”
    “Do you have a particular color or designer you’d prefer?”
    “Not really,” Amera said confused by the question.
    “Then don't worry, we’ll take care of everything.”
    After being given a brand new designer handbag, Amera was ushered into a changing area and provided with a luxurious spa robe and slippers. She settled in quickly. Rejuvenation Spa lived up to its name. While waiting for the stylist to arrive, she was treated to an assortment of herbal teas, sliced fruits and freshly baked pastries.
    “Oh, there you are,” a tall, willowy woman said as she entered the solarium. “Sorry to have kept you waiting. My name is Dalia.” Amera followed her into a private room, where she immediately began assessing Amera’s hair. “You have soft, fine hair, I can see why you haven’t put a perm in it.” Dalia, then spent the next