Tangled Fury (5 page)

He continued typing.
“Keep it. I don’t need it.”

I lowered the file.
“Don’t you want to know where I’ve worked? Or see, my license?”

He sighed.
“I suppose I should make sure that you
are
licensed. As far as your work history goes, it doesn’t particularly matter. You’re renting a space from me. It’s your business. I could care less what you’ve done in the past, as long as you perform well in the future.”

My eyes widen
ed. “What if I’m a criminal or have a history of being a horrible nail technician? It could wreck your reputation.”

He smirked. “Believe me,
Ms. Billings, my reputation was ruined a long time ago.”

“I mean
t the shop.”

“I know
,” he answered, sitting back in the chair. “Look, I trust both Sam and Fred. Theirs is the only reference that I need. They say you’re dedicated to your daughter and although I know that you’re carrying around some baggage, I’ve been told that you’ve got your head on straight and are a hard worker.”

“
Baggage?” I repeated dryly.

“Let me rephrase it for you… y
ou’ve been through a lot of shit and could use a break, which I have the means to give.” His lips twitched. “Is that better?”

Although he was right, I
still didn’t particularly care for the way he’d stated it. It almost hinted of… contempt.

“So,
in other words, you’re really only hiring me because I’m a ‘hard-luck case’ and you feel compelled to be the good guy and help out?”

“
That and Sam did mention that he’d cater our Christmas party if I gave you a chance,” he replied, staring at me in amusement. “How could I say no to that?”

“Oh.
”

“
You know, he’s got a lot of faith in you. You should be grateful,” he said, making me feel like a child.

“I am
very grateful,” I replied stiffly. “He’s been wonderful to us.”

“
Now you can pay it forward by showing him that you’re worth his services. I’m not sure if you know this, but
Tangled
brings in some very wealthy clients. Most nail technicians would be thrilled to work in this particular shop and I’m basically offering it to you on a silver platter.” He smiled. “Don’t make me regret it.”

“I’ll try not to
,” I answered, clenching my fists on my lap. I was irritated with Thane, but I needed a job and after doing my research, had learned that it really was one of most respectable and busy salons in the area. So, I’d have to deal with another guy who thought he could move mountains with his hot air. If it meant making a decent living for me and Emma, then I’d swallow my pride and make him see that I was more than just a pity hire.

“Are you okay, M
s. Billings?” he asked, studying my face.

I forced a smile
. “I’m fine, and… it’s Sera.”

He nodded and then turned back to
his laptop.

“So, do you have any questions for me?” I asked
, after watching him type quietly for a few minutes. The silence in the room made it almost uncomfortable.

He looked at me.
“About?”

I stared at him i
n wonder. He seemed almost ignorant when it came to the hiring process. “I don’t know… anything that you might want to know about me? The hours I’m available, maybe?”

“
Okay, when are you available?”

“For now, when Emma is in school
, during the day. If that’s okay? And, maybe… Saturdays, if I can find a sitter.”

He continued typing. “Whatever works for you. Like I said, this is your business. As lon
g as you make enough to pay rent and bring in extra clients, I’m fine with you working those hours.”

“Okay
.”

“I imagine you have your own equipment?”

“Some of it.”

“T
he last technician, Amy, left quite a bit behind, so feel free to use what you’d like.”

“Thank you. I’ll check it out
.”

He nodded.

“What about pricing?”

“Again, it’s your business and up to
you. Amy left some brochures, listing all of her prices. You can use them as references. Once you’ve figured out what you’d like to charge, I’ll have new ones printed out, with your information, instead.”

“That would be great,” I answered. “I’m not from this area, so I really have no idea of what to charge.”

“Many of our clients are very wealthy. They expect to pay more and if you undercharge, they might not take you seriously. You could actually lose business.”

“
I guess that makes some kind of sense, crazy as it sounds.”

Thane turned on the p
rinter. “I’m going to print out the contract. Why don’t you look it over while I go and check on things in the shop?”

“Okay.”

When he was finished printing all of the forms, he handed them over to me, and then stood up. “I’ll be back in a few minutes. Would you like some coffee or water?”

“I’m fine,” I answered, watching him as he stepped around the desk and headed towards the doorway.
He wasn’t very personable, but he was definitely easy on the eyes.

He turned back around. “One more thing, before I forget. You’ll see a paragraph in there about client confidentiality.
We do get some celebrities in here, occasionally, and it’s important that they we help keep some kind of anonymity. In other words-”

“Keep my mouth shut?”

He grinned. “Exactly.”

“I figured as much. By the way, they aren’t the only ones who appreciate anonymity, Mr. Bishop.”

“I understand,” he answered.
His eyes hardened. “Which reminds me – do you know where your husband is, currently?”

“No idea
.”

“Is there a warrant
out for his arrest?”

I shook my h
ead. “He’s just wanted for questioning. They don’t have any evidence linking him to the crime. He made sure of that, obviously.”

He
sighed. “He definitely knows how to play the system.”

“He also
still has friends on the force.”

He grunted
and shook his head. “Incredible. And you wonder why so many people are leery of cops. Do you think he has any idea of where you are at the moment?”

“I
certainly hope not.”

“Me, too,”
he replied. “I’d hate to put any of my stylists in danger.”

“Well, if you’ve
changed your mind about this, I’d totally understand,” I answered, feeling my stomach tighten. I really wanted the job and it made me ill to think that Ray could keep it from me.

“No,
Sera,” he answered. “I want you here.”

I
released the breath that I was holding and smiled gratefully. “Thank you, Mr. Bishop.”

“Thane.”

“Thane.”

Our eyes held again and I felt like he
was going to say something else, but changed his mind. Instead, he walked out of the room and I began skimming the contract. When I got to the monthly lease price, my jaw dropped.

Two-hundred-fifty dollars per
week.

Per week!

Back in Wisconsin,
before I’d gotten pregnant with Emma, I’d only paid three hundred a month.

I closed my eyes and rubbed the bri
dge of my nose, wondering how I was ever going to make it on my own.

Thane

“So, who’s the gal in your office?” asked Sinclair, as I
neared her station. Her chair was empty and she was sweeping up clippings from her last customer.

“New nail tech
.”

Her eyebrow arched. “Oh. I thought you were going to hold off on hiring one until your niece
, Anna, moved here next month.”

“
She decided to try modeling, instead,” I answered, removing a rubber binder from around my wrist. I pulled my hair back into a ponytail, and cinched it tightly.

Sinclair eyed my shaggy style
, and I could tell she was still itching to cut it. She’d already offered several times. “Well, she’s beautiful enough. I’m sure she’d make more money modeling than doing nails anyway.”

“Maybe, but in L.A. there’s some stiff competition. At least I could have helped get her career started
, so that one day she could own her own nail shop.”

“
But, now she doesn’t want that?”

“Nope. Not anymore
.”

She smiled. “
From that expression, I take it you’re not happy about it?”

“
Hell, I don’t know. You know, ever since we moved the family from Alaska, she’s had her head up in the clouds. She used to want to be a veterinarian and I know she would have been a damn good one. Then when she found out Uncle Thane was buying this place, she surprised the hell out of all of us, and said she wanted to run her own nail business.
Now,
she wants to be a runway model. I don’t think she really knows what she wants.”

Sinclair smil
ed. “She’s still young. She’ll figure it out.”

I scratched my
stubbly chin, which also lacking attention. “Maybe.”

“Which reminds me,” she said, putting away the broom. “You must have surprised your entire family when
you
decided to invest in Tangled.”

I smiled
and folded my arms across my chest. “What makes you say that?”

Her eyes lowered to my
flannel shirt and then to my brown boots. “You’re not exactly the poster-child for a California salon owner. Let me guess – you did it as an investment?”

“
What if I told you that it was a dream of mine growing up?” I joked.

She smirked. “Seeing that you have enoug
h of it on your head, it certainly wouldn’t surprise me. My offer still stands to cut it, by the way.”

“
No way. Having it longer covers up my bald spot.”

“You don’t have a bald spo
t,” she said, squinting. “Come here.”

“I do,
actually,” I answered stepping closer. I pointed to an area behind my ear. “If you look closely, you’ll notice where it is. Here, I’ll take out the ponytail and you’ll see what I’m talking about.”

“Oh, I see,” she answered, after I pushed my hair out of the way.  “
There’s a scar there, too. What happened?”

“Got in a scuffle a few years ago. Needed some stitches
, and now, for some reason, I can’t seem to grow hair in that spot anymore. Keeping it longer makes it less noticeable.”

“
You know, it wouldn’t be noticeable if I cut it the right way,” she answered. “Your hair is thick and it’s not that big of a spot.”

“Well,” I said, stepping away. “It’s something to
consider, I guess.”

“You
should
definitely consider it,” said Felicia, peaking around their divider. “You can’t be getting too many dates, walking around and looking like Tarzan.”

“I get my share,” I protested, although I hadn’t been with a woman in months.

Felicia walked over and put a hand on her hip. “Is that right? When was the last time you went on a date, Jungle Boy?”

“Why? A
re you interested?” I teased. “You find yourself thinking about me when you’re testing out your online store?”

Sinclair and Felicia
looked at each other and then both of them burst out laughing.

“Oh, hell no, you did not just say that,” said Felicia,
still grinning as she fanned herself. “And here I thought you were an uptight log-jockey.”

“A… wh
at? A log-jockey?” I asked. “Does that mean you thought I was gay, or something?”

“No,” she replied, wiping
some moisture from under her eyes. “I mean…cause you’re from Alaska. I’ve watched Axmen and those other shows. Guys are always driving big-assed trucks and getting stuck somewhere in the woods. It’s like y’all see a patch of mud or a stream and just have to tackle it, regardless of how deep the damn thing is. Then some big old excavator has to travel twenty miles, through dense wilderness, to pull your asses out. That’s what
I
call a log-jockey.”

I chuckled
. “Not all of us from the north tear down trees or go off hunting for gold.”

“
Aren’t you from the Klondike area, or something?” she asked.

“You’re thinking Canada. The Yukon area. I’m from Anchorage Alaska.”

She waved her hand. “It’s all relative to me. Ice, snow, and… moose. So, what did you do back home? Let me guess – you were a fisherman? Crab catcher?”

I snorted.
“The only crabs I’ve ever caught were from a girl I met in a bar, back when I turned twenty-one. Let me tell you, the only person paying for those little bastards are the ones catching them.” 

Sinclair laughed and raised her hands in the air. “Okay
, T.M.I, Thane. That’s not an image I need.”  

I laughed
. “I’m kidding. Just wanted to see your reaction.”

“
Cute. I think you’re just avoiding my original question  of – what made you buy this place?”

The front bell rang.
“You hear that? Sounds like a customer,” I replied, changing the subject. I really didn’t want to get into any details about my past
.
I wasn’t proud of it. My life in California was somewhat normal, for once. Or as normal as it could be for a man who used to beat the shit out of other guys for a living. So, I kept my private life private. Unlike many of my employees. The things I’d learned when my office door was open, was enough to make me want to wash my ears out with sulfuric acid. I’d always thought that men were offensive and vulgar. These girls often made Lisa Lapanelli sound like Mother Goose.

Tiffany walked ou
t of the backroom carrying her purse and staring down at her cell phone.

“You done for the day?” I asked.

She looked up and smiled. “Yes. By the way, how did your interview with Sera go?”

“It went well
. She’s still in my office.”

“You d
idn’t scare her away?” she teased.

I feigned shock. “
Me? Scare her away? Whatever do you mean?”

“
You’re kind of a jerk.” She quickly added, looking almost apologetic. “I mean, you said so yourself last week.”

“I think the word I
actually used was
straight-forward
.”

“Which
also means that you can be a jerk at times,” added Felicia.

I smiled
grimly. “Thanks for clearing that up, Felicia.”

“Someone has to. By the way, I sell products for men, too. Thinks that will take the edge off, if you know what I mean.”

I rubbed a hand over my face. “Jesus, the only thing I need right now is a stiff drink. I’m going to check on Sera and then head out early.”

Felicia handed me a card. “I accept cash, check, or charge. And,” she lowered her voice. “Everything gets delivered in
discreet packaging.”

I handed the card back to her. “No offense, but I don’t need to pay to
… get off, Felicia.”

“Well, then at least let one of us cut your hair,” she said, shoving it back into her purse.
“So you do get laid and come in to work with a smile on your face.”

“I always smile,” I protested.

“Not the kind that reaches your eyes,” she answered, her voice softening. “And a guy like you deserves that kind of smile.”

“
If I didn’t know better, Felicia, I’d think that you were finally warming up to me.”

“Maybe just a little,” she answered, walking away.
 

Smiling
to myself, I walked back to my office and found Sera, face-down on my desk, snoring softly.