by Linda Turner
So it was settled. Reilly should have been pleased, but for some perverse reason, it irritated him that she had complied so easily with his request. Didn’t she want to go with him? He’d thought she was as attracted to him as he was to her. He couldn’t have imagined—
Suddenly realizing what he was doing, he swore silently. The woman was tying him in knots, and all she’d done was smile at him. He was working too hard—that had to be it. “Yeah,” he growled. “See you then.”
He turned and strode off, and never knew that Janey had been as shaken as he at the prospect of going with him to the festival. That would have been too much like a date, and she wasn’t sure her heart could have taken that. She’d tried to put him out of her mind over the course of the past few days, to treat him as she would have any other doctor, but every time he walked into a room, she got this crazy feeling in her chest and the whole day just seemed to get brighter. And she didn’t even want to think about the dreams she had at night.
Afraid she was going to give herself away if she spent too much time alone with him, she’d seriously considered calling in sick today so she would have an excuse to miss the festival tonight. In the end, though, she hadn’t been able to bring herself to do that, and now she was glad she hadn’t. The problem had taken care of itself. They would arrive in their own cars, work the festival together surrounded by other people, then go their separate ways afterward. What could be simpler?
Relieved, she put the coming evening out of her head. Mornings were the busiest time of the day, and she couldn’t afford to be distracted. There were breakfast trays to deliver, morning medications to administer, vitals to be taken and baths to be given. Thankfully that gave her no time to think of Reilly.
She couldn’t, however, put him out of her head the entire day. The Busybodies made sure of that. Convening in the sunroom that afternoon for a lively game of gin rummy, they were thrilled when Janey joined them for a break. She hadn’t even sat down before they started questioning her about Reilly.
“So how is that good-looking Dr. Jones?” Abby teased. “Has he asked you out yet?”
“Didn’t you hear?” Caroline retorted. “They’re working the water-pistol booth together tonight.”
“He’s picking her up,” Henry confided. His green eyes dancing, he arched a brow at Janey. “So what are you wearing? Something pretty?”
“Something red,” Abby decided, cocking her white head to the side to consider her. “With your coloring, you’d look great in red.”
Surprised, Janey said, “Actually, I do have a new Christmas sweater I was thinking about wearing. It’s red.”
“But what about your hair?” Rebecca Flowers asked with a frown, studying the knot that Janey invariably twisted her hair up into every day. “You really shouldn’t wear it scraped back that way, dear. I know it’s convenient, but with your bone structure, you need something softer around your face. Why don’t you let me trim it for you?”
“Oh, no,” she said quickly. “I appreciate the offer, but I don’t think I have time—”
“Of course you do,” Abby scoffed with a wave of her hand. “You’re on break. And it won’t take you a second, will it, Rebecca? Henry, go get her scissors for her. She keeps them in her bedside table.”
“She’s really very good,” Caroline confided to Janey when she tried to object. “Before she retired, people used to drive fifty miles to have Rebecca cut their hair. You can trust her, sweetie. She’s a wonder with a pair of scissors.”
Janey hesitated, not sure she wanted to go through with this. But Rebecca had been despondent since Hannah died, and this was the first time she’d shown any real interest in anything in days. What could it hurt to let her fix her hair? After all, she was only going to trim it.
Henry was back then, not only with Rebecca’s scissors and comb but with a sheet that could be used as a protective drape, and they all turned to Janey expectantly. It was time for a decision.
“All right,” she sighed, smiling weakly. “I guess I could use a trim. Where are we going to do this?”
Pleased, Rebecca pulled out a chair and patted the seat. “Sit right here, dear.”
Already pulling the pins from her hair, Janey said, “I hope this isn’t going to take long. My break’s almost up.”
“I’ll just be a minute,” Rebecca assured her as her friends settled in a half circle around them to watch the procedure. “Just sit still.”
Janey didn’t move so much as a muscle. Her eyes focused straight ahead on the picture window that looked out over the nursing home’s small outdoor patio, she closed her eyes as Rebecca combed her long hair down the middle of her back. Waiting for her to trim the ends, she nearly jumped out of her skin when she suddenly felt the scissors at her neck, just inches below her left ear.
“What—”
Clip.
Horrified, she grabbed at the hand that held the scissors. “Rebecca! Oh, my God, I thought you were just going to trim it!”
Totally unconcerned, the older woman only patted the hand that held hers and said gently, “It’s all right, Janey. Trust me. When I’m finished, you’re going to love it.”
Trust her? How could she trust her when she’d practically scalped her? But what other choice did she have? She’d already whacked off a huge hunk of her hair! She couldn’t just leave it that way.
Groaning at the thought, she closed her eyes and fought the sudden sting of tears. “Just finish it, please,” she said thickly.
The others, aware how close she was to crying, fell silent, and for long moments the only sound was the clip of Rebecca’s scissors. And with each cut, Janey could feel the once-long strands of her hair fall whisper-soft to the floor, until finally, her neck was bare and there was nothing left to cut. Her heart pounding with dread and her eyes squeezed shut, she just sat there, afraid to even think what she must look like with short hair.
“Oh, Janey!”
At Abby’s excited exclamation, her eyes flew open and her hand flew self-consciously to the nape of her neck. “Is it bad?”
“Are you kidding? It’s wonderful!”
“Turn around and look.”
“No, wait!” A broad smile lighting her face, Caroline held up a hand to stop her before she could turn around and see herself in the mirrored wall at her back. “Stay right where you are until I get back. I’ll just be a moment.”
She was, in fact, back in what seemed like a matter of seconds, carrying a small purple makeup bag. “Since you’ve gone this far, you might as well have a complete makeover to go with the new hairdo. It’s probably been years since you’ve had one, and it’ll make you feel wonderful.”
She had, in fact, never had one, but Janey wasn’t at all sure she wanted one now, especially when she hadn’t even seen her hair yet. If it was awful, no amount of makeup in the world was going to be able to hide that. “I don’t know, Caroline. This has already gotten out of hand, and I’m really not much into makeup. I think I should pass.”
“You don’t have to worry about me going overboard and making you look like that Mimi character on TV,” Caroline promised. “You won’t even notice it’s there.”
There was no doubting her sincerity, but Janey still hesitated. Everything was happening too fast. Without the weight of her hair twisted on her head, she didn’t even feel like herself. That change alone was going to take some getting used to, and now they wanted her to wear makeup? When all she normally wore was mascara and lip gloss? She wouldn’t even recognize herself when she looked in the mirror.
But she was in for a penny, she thought ruefully. She might as well be in for a pound since she’d already gone this far. If she didn’t like it, she could always wash it off.
“All right,” she agreed with a sigh, wondering if she’d lost her mind. “But nothing heavy.”
When the others started to grin, she couldn’t help wondering if she’d made a mistake, but it was too late to change her mind. Lightning quick, Caroline had already smooth
ed on foundation. The deed halfway done, she had little choice but to suffer through the rest of it.
“Now, just a touch of color on your lips, and you’re done,” Caroline said a few minutes later. Stepping back, she surveyed her work like a painter examining a finished canvas for flaws, and it was all Janey could do to sit still during her perusal—especially when Abby, Rebecca and Henry were standing behind Caroline and grinning at Janey as if they were as pleased as punch with themselves.
Unable to withstand their scrutiny another second, she jumped to her feet. “I have to see,” she said, and whirled to face the mirrors that lined the entire wall at her back.
Not sure what to expect, she went perfectly still at the sight of herself, her eyes wide with shock. Who was this stranger in the mirror? This woman who resembled Merry and her mother much more than she did the old, familiar Janey? Her eyes were still the same old brown they’d always been, only they seemed bigger, darker and full of life. And where had those sculptured cheeks come from? Her face had always been rounder than her mother’s and sister’s, but now she had cheekbones she hadn’t even known she had. All because of a little makeup and a new haircut.
And what a haircut! Lifting her hand in wonder to the fresh-cut strands, she could only marvel at the change the new style made in her appearance. The Busybodies hadn’t been kidding when they’d claimed Rebecca was a whiz with a pair of scissors. She’d cut her hair into a jaunty pageboy that just brushed the angle of her jaw, giving her a smart, sassy look she’d never had before. A smile curling the edges of her mouth, she felt like she was seeing herself, the true Janey, for the first time in her life. And she loved it. All this time, for all of her adult life, she’d worn it scraped back in a knot because she’d thought another style would only make her face look rounder. She couldn’t have been more wrong.
“Well?” Abby demanded expectantly. “What do you think? Do you like it?”
“Like it? Are you kidding? I look almost…pretty.”
That was an admission she hadn’t intended to make, but the words just slipped out. She’d come to terms with the fact that she was never going to be as beautiful as her mother and sister years ago, and she’d have sworn she was okay with that. But now, seeing herself this way, looking so soft and pretty and feminine, she knew how the ugly duckling must have felt when it turned into a swan. It was as if her soul had suddenly burst free. She couldn’t seem to stop smiling. Was this really her? Still not quite sure she could trust the image reflected in the mirror, she reached up to tentatively touch her hair again, the curve of her cheek, half-afraid she would return to the old Janey if she so much as breathed wrong. But the woman in the mirror smiled shyly back at her, never wavering.
Emotions bubbled up in her then like water in a fountain. Not sure if she was going to laugh or cry, she did both. Whirling, tears blurring her eyes, she enveloped first Caroline and Rebecca, then the others, in a fierce hug. “Thank you so much! This is just so incredible. I don’t know what to say.”
“You don’t have to say anything,” Rebecca said with a smile. “Just enjoy the festival tonight.”
“Oh, I will! It’s going to be wonderful!” A glance at the clock then had her gasping in horror. “Oh, Lord, where did the time go? I’ve got to get back to work.”
Taking time to give them each one more hug, she promised to check in on them before her shift ended, then rushed back to the nurses’ station. Her co-workers took one look at her and nearly dropped their teeth. Delighted, she only laughed and told them how a little trim had turned into a complete makeover. Before her shift ended, three other nurses tracked down Rebecca to see if she could do the same for them.
After that, the rest of the day passed in a blur. Patients and staff alike raved over the change in her, and everyone wanted to talk about it. By the time she was finally able to head home, it was going on six, and she was running late.
Rushing inside the house, her thoughts on everything she had to do before she could leave for the festival, she ran into her mother in the hall and completely forgot her new look as she said hurriedly, “Oh, there you are, Mom. Reilly’s not going to be able to look in on Dan this evening, so I’ll check his vitals before I leave for the festival. I’ve got to get dressed first, though. I thought I’d wear my new sweater and a pair of jeans. What do you think? Or should I wear my black slacks?”
Staring at her blankly, Sara hardly heard her. “Janey…my God! Your hair…what…”
Suddenly remembering her makeover, Janey stopped in her tracks, a slow, self-conscious smile spreading across her face as she lifted a hand to her shorn locks. “Two of my patients gave me a makeover. Do you like it?”
“Like it? Oh, honey, it’s wonderful!”
Tears welling in her eyes, Sara hugged her, then drew back to look at her again. “You’re beautiful. But you’ve always been pretty—you just didn’t know it. Wait till Merry sees you. And the boys. They’re going to be so proud of you. I’ve got to call them—”
“Mom! Did you forget the festival? I have to get ready.”
“Oh, my. Of course.” Laughing, she hugged her again. “Let’s go show Dan, then I’ll help you get ready. The jeans will be perfect with your sweater.”
Chattering like two schoolgirls, they hurried to the guest room looking more like sisters than mother and daughter and had no idea what a pretty sight they made. Sitting up straighter in bed, Dan grinned broadly. “There’s nothing a man enjoys more than the company of a beautiful woman. And I’ve got two! Janey, what have you done to yourself? You look great!”
“I feel great,” she laughed, her brown eyes sparkling. “If I’d known a new haircut could do this for me, I would have done it years ago.” Crossing to the bed, she sat down on the side of the mattress next to him and arched a teasing brow at the stethoscope on the nightstand. “So what’s this, Dr. Michaels? Treating yourself again?”
Caught red-handed, he had the grace to blush. “Just checking the old ticker.”
“And how is it?”
“Great. In fact, it’s my medical opinion that I’m well on the road to recovery and should be able to resume normal activity anyday now.”
Not surprised that he’d come to that conclusion, Janey grinned. “Nice try, but you’re not the doctor on this case, Doctor. You’ll have to consult with Dr. Jones on that. In the meantime, he’s tied up with some consultations this evening before the festival, so I volunteered to check your vitals.”
Reaching for his wrist, she took his pulse, then blood pressure and wasn’t surprised to find both perfect. When he just grinned at her, he didn’t need to say, I told you so. She could read the words right there in his twinkling blue eyes.
Pulling the stethoscope from her ears, she said, “Okay, so you appear to be healthy as a horse. I’ll tell Reilly.”
“Good girl,” he chuckled, and kissed her on the cheek. “Now go on and get ready for your date. You’re going to knock Reilly out of his socks.”
She almost told him it wasn’t a date—they were just working a booth together. But as she went upstairs and changed out of her nurse’s uniform and into her new red sweater, it certainly felt like she was dressing for a date. Her pulse was pounding, her heart was in her throat, and there was a sense of excitement surrounding her that set the air humming. Nervous, she fiddled with her hair, making sure every carefully cut strand fell into place, and took an inordinate amount of time with the brick-red lipstick her mother had loaned her.
Unlike other women, she seldom spent much time before the mirror primping—it just wasn’t her style. But as she checked one last time to make sure hair and makeup and clothes were just right, she realized she was acting like a sixteen-year-old getting ready for the prom. So this was what she’d been missing out on all her life. It felt wonderful. And scary.
She didn’t realize just how apprehensive she was until her mother and Dan hugged her and wished her good luck and she climbed in her Jeep and headed for town and the festival. She looked the best
she’d ever looked in her life—and it was all she could do not to turn around and race back home like a scared rabbit. She didn’t know herself anymore, didn’t know this new Janey in the red sweater who was so much prettier than she’d ever thought she could be. How would people react to her new look? How would Reilly react?
The butterflies in her stomach took flight at that, and once again she gave serious consideration to turning around and going home. But she reached the town limits of Liberty Hill then, and she couldn’t, in good conscience, back out now. The booths had been assembled around the square earlier in the day, then strung with twinkle lights that now set the night aglow. The festival wasn’t scheduled to officially start until seven, but that was really just a technicality. People were already milling about, waiting for the food and entertainment booths to open and the party to begin. Left with no choice, she found a parking spot.
Where the devil was she? Reilly wondered, scowling as he searched through the growing crowd for Janey. They were supposed to be in their booths and ready to go by 6:55, and there was no sign of her, dammit! Now what was he supposed to do? Run the whole booth by himself? He didn’t think so!
Reaching for his cell phone, he was trying to remember her number when he heard a murmur spread through the gathering crowd like wildfire racing across an open prairie. Curious, he glanced up just in time to see a woman part the crowd without saying a word. Expecting her to be some kind of knockout dressed inappropriately for a small-town festival, he was surprised to note that the red sweater she wore was neither tight nor low cut. But there was something about the way it softly molded her breasts that caught his eye and every other man’s within a two-block area. Curious, his gaze moved up to her face.
He couldn’t have said how long he stared at her before recognition suddenly hit him in the face like a blast of ice water. Dear God, it was Janey!
Stunned, sure his eyes were playing tricks on him, he could do nothing but stare. This couldn’t be Janey! What had she done to herself? She looked so…different. Pretty! Why had he never noticed before how pretty she was? There was a sparkle in her brown eyes, and her smile—it was just so sweet. Did she know what that did to a man? he wondered as she walked straight toward him. He just wanted to gather her close and cover her mouth with his—