One True Thing Read Free

she said after a
    beat. “I love basil. I make these at home all the
    time.”
    I grinned at her. “Basil is great. I cook with it
    constantly. Sometimes I even add it to my ice
    water.”
    “Really?” She seemed to consider that for a
    moment. “I’ll have to try it.” She smiled and
    extended a hand. “I’m Michelle, by the way. I’ve
    seen you around, I think. Do you work nearby?”
    “Dusty,” I said, reaching out to shake her
    hand. Her grip was firm, the skin of her palm a bit
    rough against mine. “I work over at Embellish.
    You?”
    “I teach classes at Cobra Fitness.” Ah, so that
    explains the body then.
    “Ma’am? Here’s your change.”
    Michelle turned back to the cashier, who was
    holding out a couple of singles. “Thanks.” She took
    her money and stepped aside so I could order.
    “I’ll have the same thing, but make mine a
    medium, please.”
    The cashier nodded and accepted my cash.
    I’d ordered it enough times that I had the exact
    amount. I dug an extra single out of my apron and
    tossed it in the tip jar before joining Michelle at
    the other end of the counter.
    “I love this place,” I said, just to keep the
    conversation going. Aside from my clients and
    coworkers, it was rare for me to see anyone but
    Erik and Rue. And Alice, of course. They were my
    family, and I loved them more than anything, but I
    was sort of starved for new people to talk to. I
    really needed to start putting myself out there.
    Even though I knew they didn’t think of me that
    way, sometimes it was hard not to feel like a third
    wheel, especially with us all living in the same
    house. “There weren’t very many like this back in
    Wilmington.”
    Michelle gave me a questioning look.
    “Wilmington?”
    “Delaware.”
    “Ah. How long have you been in California?”
    “About a month.”
    “Liking it so far?”
    “Loving it,” I answered with a smile. What
    wasn’t to love? Being in Cali was the realization
    of a dream. Sure, Rue’s more than mine, but I was
    happy to be out of Delaware and somewhere I felt
    like I actually fit in. And as much as I’d joked
    about it with Rue in the past, I’d never particularly
    wanted to work in some posh, exclusive salon,
    never cared about styling the rich and famous. I
    was happy working somewhere like Embellish—
    nice, but not ridiculously expensive or over-the-
    top.
    I didn’t have a single complaint about my job.
    I got to do exactly what I’d always wanted: make
    people feel confident and look pretty. Rue and I
    had experimented, doing each other’s hair and
    makeup throughout all of high school. It hadn’t
    taken either of us long to figure out what we
    wanted to do after graduation, although coming up
    with the money for the program had been another
    matter entirely. That had taken years of saving. But
    I’d never doubted it was what I should be doing.
    There was only one thing lacking in my life, one
    dream that remained unfulfilled. And maybe soon
    that wish would come true too.
    “Good,” Michelle said. “I’m glad you’re
    enjoying it. I grew up in LA. Can’t imagine living
    anywhere else.”
    “Ma’am? Your drink.”
    Michelle glanced over to where the cashier
    had just placed her smoothie. “Well, I’d better take
    off. I have a class at three. It was nice meeting
    you.” She grabbed her cup and started for the door.
    When she reached it, she turned back to look at me.
    “Hey, if you have any interest in joining a gym,
    stop by Cobra. I’ll give you a tour.”
    “Thanks. I definitely will.”
    She nodded once and left. A few seconds
    later I had my own smoothie, and with a minute or
    two to spare. I made it back to Embellish just as
    my client was taking her seat.
    Asher
    “COME this way. I shoot back here.”
    I led the newest girl—Britney, I thought—
    down the hall to the third bedroom in the apartment
    I shared with my twin, Archer. A three bedroom in
    West Hollywood had been ridiculously expensive,
    but the room had