The Green Ticket (15 page)

“No, not at all. But sometimes if you haven’t had them you can be prone to breaking out. I would just hate for that to happen right before the big day. When did you say it was?”

“The 25
^th
. The last Friday of the month.”

“Okay, that should work then. I would suggest about two weeks before. That way you’re skin will have time to react and leave you fresh and beautiful for your call.”

“Casting call.”

“Right. I’ll get you in the books tomorrow.”

“You’re the best!” Lila gave me a squeeze as our door opened and Emma, Carmen, and Hannah all walked in.

“Girls gone wild in a dorm room! Action!” Carmen said when she saw us.

“You’re so hilarious, Ms. Morales,” Lila said, tapping Carmen playfully on the bottom. “Nothing wrong with showing the roommate love for giving me a discount on my facial. Grape?” She offered the bowl of fruit.

Carmen wrinkled her nose, looking at the healthy snack. “Yeah, no gracias, chica. Brought my own refreshments.” She pulled a bottle of wine from her bag, handing it to me. “Happy first date present.”

“Thanks, Carmen! Thanks all of you for coming. I have some major news to share, and I need your help. Badly. Let me just open this quick and we can get started.” I pulled out the wine opener from a drawer, swiftly popping the cork and pouring glasses for everyone except Hannah.

“I still have to study tonight,” she said when I offered her a glass.

“Study? Hannie, love, it’s a Saturday night,” Carmen said, eagerly taking her own glass.

“Yes, well, I would leave it for tomorrow but….I have a date.” She barely got the words out before we all started squealing.

“Shut up!”

“Another date with Peter?”

“So quickly after the first one, I love it!”

“Where are you going?”

“I will not shut up, yes with Peter, I know it’s so soon, and we are going to an early movie and then to Demetri’s for fondue.”

“Demetri’s? You’re so lucky, I’ve always wanted to go there!” Emma exclaimed. “All the guys I go out with are too cheap to take me. You’re a lucky one, Hannah. This Peter seems pretty awesome.”

“I’ll let you slide on the studying tonight then. Only because I am
muy
excited for you,” Carmen said.

“I wanted to ask you, Alex, do you think I could get in for an immediate haircut and style tomorrow? I’ve been putting it off forever, but I think it’s necessary.”

“Not a problem. I just looked at the schedule before I left and I’m pretty sure Jewel had a pretty open schedule. Can you come in right at twelve when we open?”

“I can. Thank you so much.”

“Pleasure’s mine, Hannie.” I smiled at my friend. It was odd seeing Hannah so excited over a date and actually thinking about her hair and appearance for once.

“Alex, do you know where you are going tonight?” Lila asked, changing the subject. “And let’s continue our convo in the bathroom. We need to help this one get ready.”

We shuffled our way into the tiny bathroom, which wanted to explode once the five of us were in there. “Maybe we should just do this in the bedroom. Lila, you have a bigger mirror on your vanity. Can I just sit there?” I asked. We were shoulder to shoulder and could barely move.

“Good idea.” We picked up our wine glasses and made our way into Lila’s room, where she shoved all her stray clothing and whatever else hid in her room under the bed. I took a seat, and Lila plugged in her curling iron.

“And to answer your question, no. I have no idea where we are going. Henry said he had a place in mind, but he wasn’t sure he could get reservations at such a short notice,” I said, staring at my reflection in the mirror. “To be honest, I’m a little nervous. I don’t do good with fancy food. What if I don’t like anything on the menu?”

“I’m sure you’ll be fine,” Emma said, sprawling on Lila’s bed and picking up one of the many rag mags that covered it. “Every place has to have chicken strips. Those are plain enough.”

“Not necessarily. I’ve been out to eat where you can’t find anything plain. Everything is stuffed or smothered or comes with weird stuff baked on it,” I countered.

“Everything will work out. Stop being so nervous about it,” Lila scolded me, running a comb through my hair and spritzing my strands with a heat protector spray. “I would also like to take credit for this date.”

“How do you get credit? I’m the one that told Peter that Henry could call Alex,” Hannah argued.

“Yeah, but I’m the one that set you up with Peter. Alex meeting Henry through Peter would have never happened if it weren’t for me. Voila–– I’m the winner.”

“Fine, fine. I’ll let you have this one,” Hannah conceded, nudging Emma over so she could sit on the bed as well.

“Alex, I’m thinking big, curly, sexy hair. Lots of volume. Agreed?” Lila asked, meeting my eyes in the mirror.

“Sounds perfect. Who’s working on my outfit?” I asked my friends behind me.

“I am. I brought another pair of Emma’s shoes for you to borrow,” Carmen said, reaching into her bag and pulling out a pair of black strappy sandals with a tall heel. “It’s a little difficult to dress you since you don’t know where you are going, or even what type of restaurant it is. We have to nail a casual outfit that can look formal if need be. But not too formal in case you end up at a McDonald’s.”

“I will trust whatever you pull for me,” I said truthfully. Carmen had a good eye for clothes and fashion.

“Alex, didn’t you say you had something to discuss with us? Is it about your date?” Hannah asked.

“Actually, no. It’s about work. You guys will not believe what one of my employees told me today.” I launched into the Mandy/Kevin story, repeating all the details Mandy had shared with me just hours before. The comments, the cab ride, the money envelope. By the time I finished, Lila was done curling the bottom section of my hair and the girls were looking at me with wide eyes. Emma spoke first.

“Um, let me go ahead and say it–– what the fuck?”

“I second that,” Carmen said. “What is this guy’s deal?”

“I’m a little concerned for you, Alex. What if he tries to pull that on you?” Hannah asked.

“How much money did he give her?” Lila asked.

“Lila! Why is that your response? And it was two hundred dollars. Probably pocket change to him, but a lot to someone like Mandy,” I said.

“And she doesn’t want you to turn him in?” Hannah asked.

I shook my head, causing an immediate squeal from Lila as she tried not to burn me. “Sorry! But no, she doesn’t. She’s afraid that she was leading him on and the alcohol makes all the events a little fuzzy for her. But I seriously doubt it was her.”

“And even if it was, he’s her employer and he’s married. It shouldn’t matter if she takes her top off and makes him motorboat her, he should still be the one to walk away.”

“I could do without that visual. Thanks, Carmen,” I said, resisting the urge to shake my head again. “But I do agree with you. So I’m just not sure what to do. What do you guys think? Who would I even turn him in to if I wanted to?”

“That’s a tough one, Al. You don’t want to go behind your employee’s back and make things worse for her. But you need to be responsible for keeping them safe.” Emma blew out a breath. “I don’t even know what I would recommend. Ladies?”

“As much as I want to say turn him in, I think you need to do what Mandy is suggesting,” Carmen said. “It’s her wishes. If she were raped, that’s a different story. I’m not trying to downplay what happened, because it sounds awful enough. Let’s hope it was a one-time thing. Kevin got a little out of hand and it can be moved on from. Maybe Kevin paying her was his way of saying he’s sorry. Maybe not the most traditional way–– or best way–– but maybe that really was his way of trying to make things right. Now, if it happens again, that’s a different story. Then he clearly didn’t learn his lesson, and some kind of action would need to be taken.”

“But what kind of action?” I asked. “I feel helpless. If I’m having a problem with the salon or an employee or even a customer, I would go to either Dani or Kevin. I just don’t know what to do in this situation. Obviously, the Dohlmans are both out. So who does that leave?”

“Maybe you could ask that esthetician for help. The one that you like a lot,” Lila suggested, clamping another piece of hair between the prongs and twisting it up towards my scalp.

“Allie? I guess I could. I just would feel bad after telling Mandy I wouldn’t tell anyone. I mean, you guys are fine. Obviously you’re not associated with Blissful. But I worry about the gossip and rumors, you know? I don’t think Allie would do that, but I’m just not sure. I really haven’t known her all that long.”

“I would say keep an eye on the situation. If Kevin does something like that again, tell Allie. She could probably at least point you in the right direction,” Hannah spoke up. “Or maybe you could just go to Kevin and tell him straight out that he is making Mandy uncomfortable. Maybe he just doesn’t get it.”

“Yeah, maybe he’s used to women falling all over him. He doesn’t understand being refused,” Emma said. “Didn’t you say that Allie told you about strippers in Vegas and a bunch of affairs? I bet Kevin just doesn’t realize that he can’t get away with it all the time.”

“But still, Mandy is an employee. Not a stripper or some floozy who’s looking for a good time and wants to be paid for it. She’s a good worker who was just out on a regular weekend night with friends. And said no to Kevin, repeatedly. What doesn’t he get about that?” Lila argued, giving my hair a final blast of hairspray.

“I’m just saying. Some guys, especially ones with money and a big ego, can’t handle the fact that not every woman wants them. It could be true in this case,” Emma argued back.

“I think you both are right,” I interjected. “Actually, I think you all made excellent points. I will keep an eye on the situation for now and if I see or hear anything else that isn’t kosher, I’ll go to Allie for help. Maybe we can confront Kevin together. Power in numbers and all that. But thanks for listening to me. I knew I couldn’t keep this inside.”

“You’re most welcome. Now, do you want to see the outfit I picked for you?” Carmen disappeared in the closet and came back out with clothes slung over her arm. “Ta-da!”

A few minutes later I was attired in black leggings, a long blue dress with a cowl neck, black heels and had my bouncy curls held back from my face with a sparkling headband. Due to the headband and bling effect it offered, we kept my jewelry simple–– a plain silver bracelet of mine that was a Christmas gift from Lila last year. Emma helped give my eyes more of a pop by mixing together silver and blues and applying them to my lids, giving me the classic smoky eye that I was unable to do for myself. All in all, I thought I looked pretty good for my first date with Henry Landon.

At 7:20 my cell phone started to buzz. Carmen flipped it open for me and read the text message from Henry aloud. “Just leaving my place. See you soon!” We all started screaming again and rushed out of Lila’s bedroom and into the living room. I sat on the couch and struggled into the heels, Emma started pacing around, Hannah sat next to me and patted my hand, Lila brought me a bottle of her best perfume to spritz, and Carmen headed into the kitchen, presumably for another drink.

“How far was his house?” Emma asked. “I can’t remember.”

I looked at Lila. “You were direction-bitch. You should remember.”

“I don’t think it was that far. Maybe like ten or fifteen minutes,” she replied.

The silence stretched on. “He’ll probably just text when he gets here so I can head downstairs. I should get my jacket on,” I said, standing to retrieve my light jacket in the coat closet. I had just started to shrug it on when the buzzer rang, indicating someone was at the front door and wanted to be let into the building.

I ran back into the living room, where all four girls looked at me expectedly.  “Do you think that’s him?” I shrieked, no longer able to play it any sort of cool.

“Buzz him in, buzz him in!” Emma shouted.

I pressed the ‘talk’ buzzer on the intercom. “Hello?” I asked.

“Hi, Alex? It’s Henry,” came the reply.

I hoped he didn’t hear the shouts of excitement in the background. “Hi, Henry. I’ll be right down.”

“That’s okay. I can come come up.”

I looked at my friends, confused. Why did he want to come up? “Uh, yeah, sure. Okay. Come on up. Number twelve.” I looked back at the girls, who were staring at me. “Um, are you guys supposed to hide? Act casual? What? Why does he want to come up here?” I was on the verge of freaking out.

“It’s cool. We’ll just wait here and see you off. We’ll tell him we’re getting ready for a party ourselves. It’s fine, Al. Keep it cool,” Lila advised, and I followed her deep breathing. It was just a first date. No biggie. Right.

A knock on the door had me jumping out of my skin. Hannah let out an excited yelp, then looked at me sheepishly. “My bad.”

I scolded her with a frown, then yanked open the front door. Time stood still as I locked eyes with my date. With Henry Landon. Scrumptious piece of man meat. Who happened to be holding a bouquet of red roses. I felt faint.

“Hi,” Henry said. Was that shyness I detected in his voice?

“Hi,” I responded, grinning at him and the flowers like a dope.

“These are for you.” He thrust the bouquet my way and I gathered the sweet-smelling roses in my arms.

“Henry! You didn’t have to do that. How sweet of you.” I remembered then that we had an audience. “Um, you remember my friends from the Halloween party? Hannah, Carmen, Emma, and my roommate, Lila.”

“Of course. Hello again, ladies,” Henry said, stepping fully into the living room.

“Hi, Henry,” they chorused back.

“Let me just put these in a vase for you. You kids get out there and have fun. We have lots to do here tonight,” Lila said, standing and hurrying over to me. She collected the roses from my arms, burying her face in the petals. “Mmm. Henry, you have scored some major points already. Kudos to you, man.”

The living room tittered, and Henry smiled easily. “Well, I’m glad to hear that. The points might come in handy when I break the bad news.”