When the ordeal ended, Faith went to change back into her old clothes.
“Mr. McKay informed us that you get to choose which of these to wear,” Margo said.
Spread before her were her old clothes, plus a short, black, body-hugging skirt and a white silk blouse with matching lingerie. And of course, complementary shoes.
Now what? Clearly, Ryan had taken her on this expedition to buy her a new outfit. She’d hurt his feelings if she reappeared in her old, loose clothing. After all, he’d gone to all this trouble and had patiently waited while she tried on all the clothes.
With a last, longing glance at her comfortable clothes, she chose the new outfit, receiving a gush of praise from Margo.
She emerged from the dressing room and found Ryan at the sales register with Margo.
“Have them delivered by tonight,” he instructed as he signed the sales slip.
“Absolutely,” Margo replied, barely able to keep her smile from taking over her annoyingly perfect face.
When they walked away, Faith tugged Ryan’s arm. “How many of those outfits did you buy?”
“Just a few.”
Admittedly, the clothes felt wonderful. They weren’t baggy like her clothes normally were, and she felt somewhat scandalous wearing the super short skirt. But she also felt good. Very good. Like maybe she was even dressed in style.
Still, she was thankful the ordeal was over.
They had lunch at the store’s trendy bistro, and Faith hadn’t realized how hungry she was until the waiter placed her shrimp salad in front of her. All that shopping had worked up an appetite. And extreme exhaustion. She’d be glad to go home.
But Ryan had another surprise for her. After lunch they headed downstairs. Instead of leaving the store, he led her to the hair salon.
This couldn’t be happening.
They were greeted by the owner of the salon, a tall, thin, very enthusiastic man named John, who apparently had been expecting them.
“You must be Faith,” John said, taking her arm and leading her into the salon. He squinted as he examined her bound-up hair, then turned to Ryan. “This may take several hours.”
“Fine,” Ryan said as he handed John his card. “Call my cell phone when you’re done.”
Before she could utter a word, Ryan had left and John led her to his chair, chattering on about how they must do something with her nest of hair.
They discussed hairstyles, and she resisted. They talked about highlights, and she balked. But John was relentless and Faith was tired.
Truthfully, his suggestions had some merit. She’d needed a haircut for quite awhile, but had put it off as frivolous. Who was going to see her hair, anyway? And who would care? But now that John held her prisoner in his salon, maybe something new wouldn’t be a bad idea.
For the next two hours she endured coloring, cutting, shampooing, blow drying and waxing. She’d been subjected to almost every form of cruel torture John and his crew could think of. This was how women got glamorous?
But when he’d finished and turned her towards the mirror, her mouth opened in shock.
Who was that woman staring back in the mirror? Surely, not her.
John had cut her long, thick hair to shoulder length. He’d given her wispy bangs that brushed her eyebrows, which were two now instead of one. So that’s what the wax was for.
And instead of her dull brown color, he had added subtle highlights that made her sable hair shine against the light. He told her it would only take a few minutes to fix her hair each day. He also warned her if she continued to twist it up in an unsightly bun she’d most likely be bald by the time she was thirty-five.
Faith threw John a dubious look but he stared her down effectively.
Okay, then. No more buns. She no longer had long enough hair to pull into a bun anyway.
It was amazing what a little makeup could do for her. Vanessa, the girl who did her makeup, said her face had a natural beauty, which Faith surmised was her way of getting a big tip. Vanessa showed her how to apply a small amount of eye shadow, mascara and a hint of blush to bring out the creamy color in her complexion.
Faith had to admit the girl worked wonders. She didn’t look made up or glamorous, just natural. And, almost attractive. Sort of. But then again she was at a beauty salon, where they could make even the homeliest woman seem passable.
Faith waited for Ryan at the reception area. When he returned, he walked right past her to the counter. Maybe she had been hidden in the corner too much and he hadn’t noticed her. She watched as he paid John and then looked around.
“Where’s my wife?” he asked John.
As if he’d just created life from dead body parts, John swept his hand to Ryan’s left. “Right in front of you.”
Ryan turned and his eyes opened wide. Faith stood as he approached her, feeling suddenly nervous.
He didn’t say anything, just cocked his head to the side and looked at her. Faith felt her face warm under his scrutiny.
Ryan didn’t like the way she looked, it was obvious. His eyebrows knit together as if he were trying to figure out a complicated puzzle.
“You’re stunning,” he said, his eyes alight with pleasure.
Try as she might she couldn’t hold back the smile, nor the tears that threatened.
“Thank you.”
He reached toward her face and plucked her glasses off before she could utter a protest.
“Do you really need these to see?”
She tried not to meet his eyes as she pondered the walls of the salon.
“Sort of.”
“What does that mean?”
“I do need them, but only for reading.”
“Then why do you wear them all the time?”
“I don’t know. So I don’t lose them?”
Ryan shook his head and folded her glasses, tucking them into her purse. “You don’t need them to walk with me. Come on.”
He grabbed her hand and they walked silently out of the store. Faith stole glances at Ryan’s profile. His brows knit together in that familiar way. Was he annoyed?
Now what? He didn’t like the way she looked, that was it.
This whole makeover thing hadn’t been her idea anyway. She’d been happy with the way she was before. Her clothes, her hair, everything.
She hadn’t wanted to change anything—he had.
She worried her bottom lip as she thought about why he’d be unhappy. Maybe it was disappointment. Maybe he thought she’d turn into this raving beauty, only to find she wasn’t any different than before.