Wishes At First Light. Joanne Rock
down Heartacheâs main thoroughfare with her hood up to protect her from the wind, Gabriella double-checked the text from her soon-to-be sister-in-law, Heather Finley. Normally, Gabriella wasnât the girly-girl type who spent time at spas or invested her small earnings on expensive salon highlights. But the invitation had been sent to all the local women who would either be testifying against Jeremy Covington or who had given statements to support the district attorneyâs case against him.
The intent of the Salon Night was plain. An evening of rah-rah sisterhood to boost each other up before they had to sit across a courtroom from the man whoâd hurt them. As much as she wasnât the spa type, Gabriella knew she couldnât refuse. Because even though a manicure and pedicure wouldnât make her feel any better about facing Covington tomorrow, her presence might help someone else rest easier tonight. If it made Heather feel betterâor any of the other girls that sick ass had hurtâthen Gabriella wanted to be there. She carried a bottle of red wine under her arm as she passed Last Chance Vintage and found The Strand. Warm light from inside the salon poured out through the windows onto Main Street since it was the only business open at this hour except for the Hasting familyâs pizza parlor farther down on the corner.
Hesitating outside the door, Gabriella could hear the eighties pop music playing inside, two of the women dancing around a dryer chair as they sang into hair brushes. The image tugged a reluctant smile from her. Maybe it wouldnât be such a hardship to have her nails painted. She couldnât deny a small thrill at the idea of looking her best tomorrow when she hopped on the back of Claytonâs motorcycle. And yes, that made her feel like a giddy teenager again.
She hauled open the door before she could change her mind, the electric guitar music spilling out along with laughter and the scent of hair chemicals and nail polish remover.
âGabby!â The slender woman standing closest to the door greeted her with a warm smile.
âAmy.â Gabriella opened her arms to the youngest of the Finley family, a woman whoâd been absent from Heartache for as long as Gabriella herself.
Amy had been dating Sam Reyes, Zachâs best friend, the summer that Gabriella had been assaulted. Sam felt forced to leave townâand Amyâwithout explanation, and Gabriella had always felt guilty about that, especially during the years when sheâd convinced herself she had a crush on Sam.
Sam had been safe to crush on at a time when sheâd been so mixed-up about men and sex. Gabriella had known she was safe with him and heâd never returned her affections. But Amy and Sam were back together now, and Amy didnât seem to hold it against her that sheâd dragged her boyfriend to the West Coast with her.
âIâm so glad youâre here,â Amy whispered fervently in her ear as she returned the hug. âEveryone else is talking about sulfate-free hair conditioners and nail art, and itâs like Greek to me. Nail art?â Leaning back, Amy shrugged her narrow shoulders, her all-black jeans and sweater broken up by a light green scarf that set off her auburn hair and green eyes. âIt took me two whole minutes to realize they werenât talking about something you make with an air nail compressor.â
Gabriella laughed, welcoming the levity. The Finley family owned a building supply store in town, and Amy was embroiled in a renovation project that involved turning a hunting cabin into a beautiful, two-story home. The woman had studied to be an accountant, but her do-it-yourself knowledge was off the charts. She could hang her own Sheetrock and install a toilet, for crying out loud.
âMy makeup routine revolves around petroleum jelly for my lips and pinching my cheeks to put color in them.â Setting down the bottle of wine sheâd brought on the reception desk, Gabriella watched as the hairbrush-singing duo ended their tune and sank into chairs across from one another, a blue light aimed at their toes. The pair was clearly youngerâhigh school or college age. âWho are the teenagers?â
âMegan Bryer and Bailey McCord.â Amy lowered her voice, pointing first to the brunette dressed in a flannel shirt and skin-tight jeggings, then at her blonde friend with a purple butterfly T-shirt. âI only know that because Heather was held against her will the same time as Megan. And Baileyâs mom had the affair with Covington and thenâwhen he cheated on her, tooâconvinced Covingtonâs wife to turn over the family computers that are going to be the manâs total undoing.â Shaking her head, Amy gave a wry grin. âBut I donât normally keep up with the soap operas, so thatâs the extent of my information.â
âIâm impressed.â Gabriella knew of both girls in a peripheral way, having kept up with the case as Sam tracked the man who assaulted her. But she hadnât spent much time in Heartache, so the faces werenât familiar. âYou may not know your sulfates, but Iâm coming to you for all my gossip. Can you tell me anything about the town break-ins Iâve been hearing about?â She was only half kidding. It unsettled her to think of more crime in her small hometown. Especially while she was staying here.
But before Amy could answer, someone turned down the music.
âLadies!â A tall beauty with caramel-colored hair hurried over, carrying a basket of bakery treats. âNo lurking in corners! Iâm having a mixer over at the nail polish bar and Iâm luring you there with cupcakes.â She waved the basket under their noses, showing off gorgeous confections with frosting in every imaginable shade. âGabriella, Iâm Nina Spencer, Mack Finleyâs significant other.â
Again, Gabriella knew that and remembered her vaguely from high school, but she appreciated the reminder of where she fit into the Finley family. The townâs former Mayor Finley had two sonsâMack and Scottâand three daughters, Erin, Heather and Amy, making a big crew to keep track of. Plus, they all had spouses or significant others, and Scott and his wife, Bethany, had a daughter who would be in college by now.
âNina, you were on the varsity soccer team when I played as a freshman and I thought you were the coolest girl in school.â Gabriella grinned as she chose a yellow cupcake with pink frosting. âAnd since you went on to own a restaurant and bake things like this, I obviously knew the right kind of woman to idolize.â
âHa!â Nina gave her a one-armed hug. âArenât you sweet? You need to move back to Heartache. But for now, will you convince Amy to choose a nail polish color for toes that have never been touched by paint?â
âIâll have you know I bought a bottle of ice-blue polish and put it on my toes once. It made me look like a corpse.â Amy grabbed a chocolate-on-chocolate cupcake. âBut I will choose something because I am a team player and Iâm here to be beautiful.â
âThatâs the spirit.â Nina moved on to introduce a few newcomers, letting her basket lead the way, its pink gingham ribbons flapping in her wake.
Together, Amy and Gabriella headed toward the wall of nail polish colors where an older woman held court from a black leather chair, a little Pekingese dog at her feet in a leopard-print carrier.
âYou look like youâre in need of a primer for this,â Amy observed, nudging Gabriella after theyâd taken just a few steps. âDo you remember this group?â
âThatâs Mrs. Spencer, right? Ninaâs grandmother?â She nodded in the direction of the Pekingese owner. The woman was famous for her jellies and pies. No doubt that was where her granddaughter got her skill with cupcakes, which were the best thing Gabriella had ever tasted.
âDaisy Spencer.â Amy nodded, confirming her guess. âAnd you know Erin and Heather, my sisters? Well, duh. Of course you know Heather since sheâs been engaged to your brother for a week.â
âThatâs Erin?â Gabriella would have never guessed, but then she recalled both Erin and Heather having long red curls like a pre-Raphaelite painting. Heather had kept hers, but Erin had a sleek copper-colored style