by Scott, Lisa
She closed her laptop. “So, how do you feel about Tonya being on the show?”
He could feel the veins in his head bulging. “How do you know about that? Thought the contestant list was under wraps for a while.”
“My friend Marge is friendly with one of the crew members…”
“Go on.”
“Anyway, I thought Tonya was…cutting your hair these days.” She cleared her throat.
He looked up at the ceiling. “Tonya and I have been friends for a long time, and that’s all we are now.”
“So then you don’t mind her being on the show?”
His phone beeped with a text. “Can you excuse me?”
“Of course, Chief.” She backed out of the room while Tommy read his text.
He swore under his breath. It was another contractor telling him they couldn’t start the project for at least two months. “Guess I’ll be putting in the bathroom myself.”
After a long day shooing trespassers away from the O’Hara mansion and outlining the increased duties with his deputies, he headed to Ellen’s. She worked an early shift as a hygienist at the dentist office in town, which meant she could pick up Jane from the after school program and be home in time to make dinner. After staying with them for a few days now, he had a new appreciation for everything she did.
Ellen had given him a key, so he let himself in the house and was hit with a marvelous smell. “What’s cooking?”
“Roasted vegetables and meatloaf,” Ellen said.
“I chopped up the carrots, Daddy!” Jane called from the couch.
“Good job, kiddo.” He felt nearly dizzy from the smell of the food. The best that could be said about his own cooking was that he’d never made anyone sick.
He grabbed a can of soda from the fridge and sat down at the kitchen table. “Got bad news. No one can fit the bathroom addition into their schedule for a few months. Looks like I’ll be doing it myself. I’ve done plenty of work at my house, I can tackle it.”
“Are you sure? Aren’t you going to be busy with that TV show in town?” Ellen asked, setting plates on the table.
He chuckled. “It’ll be a good excuse to swing a hammer at something other than a TV camera.”
Ellen laughed. “I was wondering what that show meant for your job.”
“Nothing good, that’s for sure.” But that wasn’t the only reason he hated Small Town, Big Love. He didn’t need to tell Ellen that, though.
“Well, I hate to add to you worries,” Ellen said, taking the meat out of the oven.
“But?”
“My mother is coming up from Charlotte to stay.”
Tommy’s stomach flipped. “Where?” Like he didn’t already know.
“Here at the house.”
Fate was certainly piling on the bad news today. “Does she know I’m here?”
“Yes. But Jane’s her only grandchild, and she insisted she help nurse her through her injury.” Ellen handed him silverware to set the table. “You know how she is when she insists.”
He started laying out the place settings. “Want me to leave?”
“Not if you’re putting in that bathroom for me. Besides, my mother can’t get Jane up and down the stairs. We need you for that. I warned her she has to be civil.”
“This day just gets better and better,” he mumbled.
“So I heard Tonya’s going to be on the show?” Ellen raised an eyebrow.
“That’s what I gather. But how did you hear it?”
“Roy was in the office today and he heard from Pansy who heard from Edna, so I wasn’t sure if it was true or not.”
He plunked a knife down on the table. “It’s true.”
“And it doesn’t bother you?” she asked.
“We broke up a long time ago,” Tommy said, hoping Ellen hadn’t also heard about his early morning trims. He and Ellen might be on friendly terms, but he had no desire to talk about sex with his ex.
“Maybe I should have tried out for it,” Ellen said.
“Hell no,” Tommy said.
Ellen looked surprised. “Why not?”
“It’s just a dumb idea, that’s all.” He certainly wouldn’t want his daughter seeing her mother acting like a fool on TV.
“I made apple pie. That still your favorite?” Ellen asked.
“You bet. Thanks,” he said. But he wasn’t hungry anymore. If he was oblivious to reality TV before, he hated it now.
***
The next few days were just peachy listening to all the chatter about the contestants on the show. Meantime his staff grumbled about the excessive overtime they’d be doing. “It’s just a few weeks, people. We can handle this,” he told them, trying to convince himself at the same time.
On top of the endless speculation about who would win and who would date whom, there’d never been so many strangers in town: dozens of crew members, plus the stars and their entourages. Willowdale was a zoo, and he wanted nothing to do with it. Instead, he was stuck in the middle of this debacle while trying to keep order.
As he pulled in front of the O’Hara mansion for traffic control the night of the show’s first mixer, he spotted Tonya getting out of a limo. He grabbed his binoculars for a better look. She looked dynamite in a sexy red dress, and he realized they’d never had reason to attend a formal function together. How he would’ve liked having her on his arm looking like that. And how he would have liked getting her out of that dress, too.
Someone tapped on his window. “Excuse me, Chief?”
Tommy nearly dropped his binoculars. He looked up and saw his newest deputy. “What is it Marty?”
The officer cleared his throat. “You’re blocking the driveway.”
Tommy gritted his teeth. “I was just keeping it closed off from the general public. But I’ll move.” He pulled ahead on the side of the road, wondering who Tonya would be talking to and how many other men would be eyeing her like he had.
Probably all of them, if they had a pulse.
***
Tonya smoothed down her dress as she got out of the limo. She’d tried on the few formal dresses she had in her closet, finally deciding on this one. Still, she wasn’t sure if it was fancy enough. She’d never been in the O’Hara mansion, but everyone knew it was a replica of the mansion from Gone With The Wind. Sarah O’Hara claimed she was a descendant of Scarlet O’Hara, ignoring the important fact that Scarlet was a fictional character. The mansion was the biggest house in Willowdale until Teague built a dream estate for Kate after they’d gotten married. Sarah O’Hara had acted like a beauty queen stripped of her title after losing that distinction. Having her home featured on the show was sure to help ease whatever sting remained.
Tonight the mansion was the scene of a formal party for the contestants to all meet. The contestant list had been made public earlier in the day, and Tonya had a stream of people pop into the shop to wish her luck—and make an appointment. Her bumper sticker website was up and running and cuter than heck. So far, being part of the show didn’t seem so bad. Except for the realization that Tommy didn’t care she was doing it. The reality show had been a reality slap when it came to their relationship status, that was for sure.
She walked along the red carpet that led into the house. A surge of excitement zipped through her as she realized she was receiving the star treatment. Waiters holding trays of champagne greeted her at the door and directed her to the ballroom. She could get used to this.
Tonya stepped into the ballroom where a small band played banjos and fiddles. “Lordy,” she murmured. They were certainly going to play up the small town aspect.
A waiter walked by with hor d’oeuvres and she slipped a few onto a plate.
At least a dozen cameras followed the guests. Tonya wasn’t comfortable popping a cocktail shrimp in her mouth while a camera recorded the event, so she walked around holding a plate of appetizers she wouldn’t eat. Which made her stomach growl. Tonya wasn’t one to tolerate a growling stomach, so she felt shaky and crank
y as she surveyed the crowd.
She’d read over the rules, searching for a loophole that would allow her to sail through the show without going on any dates. No such luck. They were required to go on at least one date per week, or one would be arranged for them. Contestants could go out with anyone they wanted, including folks in town or fellow contestants. This party was a meet and greet for the people who’d be battling over that one hundred thousand dollar prize. Most of the smiles here tonight are fake, Tonya decided.
Marge was chasing a cute waiter while Marisa chatted up one of the movie stars on the show, twirling one of her long, red curls. Teague was putting on the event since he was the show’s host. Tonya considered latching onto him for the evening so she wouldn’t have to mingle, but he was surrounded by crew members.
“Interesting evening, isn’t it?” a man asked from behind her.
Tonya spun around and saw Kate’s stepfather standing a smidge too close. She took a step back. “It is.”
He stuck out his hand. “I’m George Riley. I’ve been away for a few years, but I don’t remember you living here. I’d certainly recall someone like you.”
She forced a smile. “I just moved here a while back. I’m a friend of your stepdaughter, Kate. Very good friend. And your granddaughter, Lizzy, is lovely.”
“So are you.”
Tonya felt sick to her stomach. “The ladies at the Residential Center have their eye on you. Marge over there is a hoot. If you’re looking for a good time, I know she’s offering. She said so for the cameras.”
He crossed his arms. “Do I look like the kind of guy who dates old women?”
He did look dashing, but he was clearly in his early seventies. “You should date an old woman, you’re an old man.”
“I’m young at heart. In other places, too.” He winked at her.
Thank goodness she hadn’t eaten anything, she might have thrown it up. “I’ve got to mingle,” she said, backing away. Tonya set her plate on a table and slipped out of the ballroom and into the hallway. She grabbed a handout that contained short bios on all the contestants: Josh Daniels, a hot young actor who’d had a bit part in a blockbuster last summer, GiGi Nicholson, an aging blond bombshell whose biggest starring role to date was a sex tape made back when sex tapes were actually recorded on VHS, Rick Mathers, a comedian turned actor who’d been in a string of cancelled TV shows, Elsa Vaughn, a restaurant heiress who’d already been on several reality shows, Sophie So So Singular, a rap singer trying her hand at acting, and Buzz Carelton, a former baseball player driven out of the game by an injury, hoping to make it big in Hollywood.
And that leaves the little folks, Tonya thought, looking over the cast from Willowdale: George, Tonya, Marge and her new rainbow of wigs, Marisa from the Jelly Jar, both the McClacken twins—Mack and Matt, and Tara O’Hara, whose mother had demanded a spot for her daughter if they wanted to use her mansion as a boarding house for the Hollywood contestants.
Tonya surveyed the group. One of us is going to find love in just six weeks? Tonya hoped Vinny had a backup plan if the show went bust.
Marge spotted Tonya hiding in the hall and bustled over in her shimmery gold gown. “Why aren’t you mingling? You look fabulous and there are some hotties in there.” Marge waved at George, and his eyes widened before he scooted out of view.
“I’m hoping love will find me,” Tonya said.
“Girl, I’ve been around the block and back and then looped around again, and let me tell you, if it was going to find you, it would’ve found you by now. You need to be proactive. Follow my lead.” Marge sauntered out of the room, and Tonya traipsed behind her. Marge tapped Matt McClacken’s shoulder from behind his back.
Better than tweaking his bum, Tonya thought.
He turned around and smiled. “Hey, Marge, almost didn’t recognize you with that pink hair.”
She patted her wig. “Takes years off, I know.”
“Weren’t you a redhead the other day?” he asked, tilting his head for a better look.
She winked at him. “I like to spice things up. Listen, I was wondering if you and your brother are a two-for-one deal? Could I go out with both of you at once?”
As Matt’s jaw dropped, Tonya looked for a curtain to hide behind.
“If not, we can make it a double date. You two with me and Tonya.”
He scratched his head. “I make it a rule never to date my hairdresser or any of her clients. So…”
“She’s not my hairstylist any more. Not until the hair under this wig grows back. I’ve got wigs in seven different colors. It’ll keep things real interesting in the bedroom.”
Tonya coughed. “Still, we couldn’t do a double date because I don’t go out with clients.”
“Yes, you do.” Marge chuckled. “What do you call those early salon visits with the police chief?”
Matt cocked his head. “I didn’t see any service like that offered in your brochure.”
“I need some shrimp.” Tonya scooted away without looking back. What fools she and Tommy had been, thinking they could keep their morning delights a secret in this town.
“We could fake it and split that prize money,” she heard Marge telling Matt. “I’d be fine with that, too.”
Tonya hid in the bathroom for a while, until she heard a line growing outside it. When she came out, she headed to the ballroom and chatted with Marisa, who really believed she could find love. “Especially with a hundred thousand dollar incentive. I could probably fall in love with anyone,” Marisa declared before heading off to flirt with Buzz Carelton.
Tonya threw out her shrimp and had another glass of champagne. She had half a mind to stop by Tommy’s after all this nonsense was finished so she could tell him she wanted him and not just for sex.
Only Tommy wouldn’t be there. He was at Ellen’s. A wave of foul words flooded her brain.
As the party wrapped up, Vinny handed out call sheets. “You’ll be getting one of these each night, detailing your shooting schedule for the next day.”
Tonya shot her arm in the air.
“Yes, Miss Garcia?” he asked.
“I thought you were just going to be following us around our everyday lives.”
“We will be, at times. Other times, we have events and activities planned,” Vinny explained.
Tonya read over her sheet. Crews were going to be shooting at her salon at five a.m. Her hand went up again, interrupting Vinny who was discussing wardrobe requirements. “I don’t have any appointments at five a.m.”
Vinny smiled. “Yes you do.”
She raised her hand again.
“Yes?”
“I don’t wake up at five a.m.”
“You do now.” He clapped his hands together. “I want you all to enjoy yourselves and have fun over the next six weeks.”
Tonya stared at the sheet. After her early morning shoot, she had to show up for a picnic at the park and then a mixer at The Hideaway that night. And this was just day one. What had she signed up for?
Chapter 6
Tonya was up and ready for the crews the next morning, pacing the salon and double-checking her ‘do. It reminded her of waiting for Tommy to show up for one of their rendezvous. Too bad that wasn’t on the schedule. Instead, she was left wondering if their hookup a week ago had been their last one. A lump formed in her throat just thinking about it. To distract herself, she swept the floor once more and then straightened the magazines on the coffee table. Finally, the bells above the door jangled.
Her heart leapt as if it might be Tommy at the door, but it was just the crew guys lugging camera equipment. Tonya walked over and forced a smile. “Good morning.” Nerves welled up inside her. This is really happening.
“I’m Michael, the producer in charge of the shoot,” said a short blond guy. “We need to do a little staging first.”
“Sure,” Tonya said, not entirely sure what she was agreeing to.
A few more people piled into the salon with props, bags, and boxes.<
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Tonya forced a smile. “I’m not sure I’ll have room to work when you’re all here.”
While crews took down some of her pictures and hung up others, two more women sauntered in carrying clothes and makeup kits.
“No need,” Tonya said. “I’m dressed and ready.”
The women laughed. “Not for the show, you’re not. I’m Amy, and this is Chloe. We’re going to touch up your makeup so it’s camera-ready and do a little something with your hair.”
“No one touches my ‘do,” Tonya said, stepping back.
The woman named Chloe laughed. “People are always thrilled when I’m done with them. Now just sit down and relax.”
Which was not easy to do, seeing as how Chloe had spiky purple hair. Tonya sat down and closed her eyes, imagining the hell she was going to give Vinny. She’d have to add something to her contract about not touching her locks.
The women scrubbed off her makeup, then she felt them fiddling with her curls. “I thought you were just going to be following me around my everyday routine.”
“No one’s life is that interesting,” Amy said.
“We have to set up some things to create drama,” Chloe said. “Like the clients we’ve arranged for you.”
“I have real clients scheduled for later. Shouldn’t we just use them?”
The two women laughed and kept working. Tonya squirmed in her seat. “The last time anyone did my hair was when I was seventeen and sprained my wrist. I opted to wear a hat for two weeks afterwards.”
“Better get used to being pampered. We’ll be doing this for you every day,” Chloe said.
The women stepped back and Tonya opened her eyes. She looked in the mirror that hung in her front window. She blinked a few times at the thick makeup she was wearing. And her hair! It was pinned up on top of her head, little daisies tucked in amongst the curls. “Am I going to be a flower girl in a wedding today?” She turned her head for a better look.
“It’s a nice, simple, small town look,” Amy said.
Chloe handed her a garment bag. “And here’s your outfit for this morning.”
“For the morning?” Tonya asked.
“You’ll have a few wardrobe changes throughout the day.”