“Why did you take him first? Is he more important than me because he’s got something dangling between his legs?” the female railed.
Ginger worked at a New York City hair and beauty salon, and her boss was on lunch break. As luck would have it, as soon as her boss left, two customers walked in, both in a hurry.
“He had an appointment,” Ginger said. “You’re a walk in.”
“Just because I’m wearing a pantsuit and over forty doesn’t mean I’m not as important. You were about to start on me. You should have made him wait.”
“I was not about to start on you. I only asked you to sit here and glance at the style book.” Ginger seethed under her breath.
Her client, a well dressed businessman, had his eyes closed, but his shoulders were tense.
“Hey, listen to me, young man,” the woman said. “You need to check your privilege at the door. Your time’s not more important than mine. You shouldn’t get paid a dollar when I only earn seventy-nine cents for the same work.”
“Ma’am,” Ginger cut in. “You’re out of line. Kindly go back to the waiting area and pick up a magazine.”
“Why don’t you tell him he’s out of line?” The frumpy former hippie put her hands over her hips. “He’s the one who barged in and took my place. This is unacceptable. I call this micro-aggression.”
Ginger took her hands off her client’s hair lest she make a mistake. She stared at the pantsuit maven with the crooked bangs. “It’s not a good idea to piss off your hairstylist.”
“Is that a threat? Did I just hear you threaten me?” The grouchy broad got into Ginger’s face, slathering her with fumes of bad, fishy breath. At the same time, the orifice at the other end let out an even more noxious odor.
“You need to leave now.” Ginger pointed toward the door, but the flatulent activist had more to say.
“You might be young and pretty now, but mark my words. Someday you’re going to sag, and your bouncy red hair will turn greasy and gray, and men like him will pass right over you like you don’t exist.”
“Out. Out.” Ginger waved her hand in front of her nose to dissipate the foul body odor. “The reason no one gives you a second look is because you’re rude and you stink. I wouldn’t just pay seventy-nine cents on the dollar for you. I’d make you pay for polluting our airspace.”
“Your type triggers me big time.” The unkempt woman said, tugging at her bright blue pantsuit. “You think you can get your way with men. But I have news for you, missy. That kind of man will never respect you. Look at you, dressed like a hooker, running your fingers through his hair. You’re a sellout of the sisterhood. I feel sorry for you.”
That did it. Ginger’s fiery temper exploded, and she grabbed the fetid feminist and dragged her toward the door.
“No one feels sorry for me.” Ginger shoved the worn-out social justice warrior out onto the sidewalk.
“This is assault! Help. Help. This young woman assaulted me. I’m making a citizen’s arrest.”
“I’m throwing this hag out for disrupting other customers. We have the right to refuse service to anyone.”
“This is age discrimination. Sexism. Racism. Homophobia,” the woman shouted.
“How can this be racism when we’re the same race?” Ginger snapped at the aging radical.
“I’m Native American.” Specks of spittle frothed from the blue-eyed, pink-cheeked monster’s thin lips.
“What seems to be the problem here?” A police officer sauntered up from the crowd who had gathered around with their camera phones outstretched.
“This criminal assaulted me,” the well-filled pantsuit said, pointing her finger at Ginger.
“Actually, officer. She was abusing my client and I threw her out of the salon.”
“I’m making a citizen’s arrest.”
“You’re disturbing the peace.”
“One at a time.” The officer stepped in between them and faced Ginger. “Did you touch her?”
“I did, as disgusting as it was, given her lack of hygiene. She refused to leave the salon.”
“And you,” the officer said to the unruly woman. “Did you abuse her client?”
“I absolutely did not.” The woman crossed her arms and tipped her chin up. “Arrest her. She assaulted me.”
“Actually, we have a witness.” Ginger opened the door and stuck her head back into the salon. “Um, sir, could you tell the policeman what happened?”
The man stood and unwrapped the hairstyling cape from his shoulders. He nonchalantly brushed stray hairs from his clothes and squinted at the mirror at his half-finished haircut.
Picking up his briefcase, he strode toward the door without saying a word.
The sea of onlookers parted for him.
“Wait.” Ginger started to chase him. “You have to tell him what happened or they’ll haul me to jail.”
The young man kept walking without a backward glance.
At that moment, Ginger’s boss, Katy, made her way to the front of the crowd. “What’s going on here?”
The policeman tried to explain, but his voice was overpowered by the booming voice of the professional protestor.
“Your stylist discriminated against me. I’m filing a lawsuit against your business.”
“She drove away our best customer.” Ginger stabbed her finger at the furious flaccid female. “She’s upset because he had an appointment and I took him first. I asked her nicely to wait, but she went off on us. Stuff like micro aggression and getting triggered. She even called me a racist.”
“I want her arrested for assault. She physically touched me and threw me out.”
“I had to hold my nose to touch you. I bet you go to airports and ask to be patted down, because no one would feel you up otherwise.”
“Everyone, shut up!” Katy flapped her hands and glared at Ginger and the putrid blast from the past. “Ginger, go into the store and stay there. Let me work this out.”
The ferret-eyed Franken-female gave Ginger a superior smirk as Ginger was forced to scurry back into the store like a puppy who’d peed on the rug.
Several minutes later, Katy entered the store, locked the door and turned off the “Open” sign.
“What happened?” Ginger asked.
“I’m sorry,” Katy wrung her hands. “In exchange for her not suing us and having you arrested, I had to promise her I’d fire you. I’ll give you great recommendations and two weeks pay.”
“But Katy, I’ve been working for you since I got out of hairstyling school.” Ginger’s heart shrank behind her ribcage. “I thought we were friends.”
“The woman’s a professional plaintiff. She goes around causing trouble and shaking down businesses. I’m lucky she agreed to you getting fired and free haircuts for a year.”
“You sold me out!” Ginger blurted before she had the sense to take her foot out of her mouth. “I can’t believe you’d take her word over mine.”
“It isn’t a matter of taking her word.” Katy puffed up to her full height, leaving her still a head shorter than Ginger. “I’m a small business person. I’m at the mercy of customers. My reputation as an inclusive place where people of all walks of life are accepted was at stake. The videos are sure to go viral, and I can’t have anyone accusing my employees of being sexist, racist, and all the rest.”
“But, what am I supposed to do?” Ginger took off her salon apron and folded it across the chair.
“Be glad I’m giving you two weeks pay.” Katy looked her up and down. “You’re young. You can bounce back. Me? This salon is all I’m ever going to have. Now, clean up your workstation.”
Her boss walked to the cash register and filled up an envelope with bills.
Blinking back tears, Ginger collected her few personal belongings: a picture of her and her three sisters at a wedding, a plaque for an award from her styling school, and a pink envelope that was left on the chair where the man had been seated.
She opened the envelope and withdrew two
tickets to a Valentine’s Day Extravaganza put on by New York City’s most famous billionaire brothers.
Her first impulse was to toss it in the bin. That man didn’t even come to her rescue. He hadn’t wanted to get involved. Washed his hands. Slunk away like a weasel.
She wasn’t going to hunt him down and give him back these tickets. He had walked out and stiffed her. She should consider it a tip. Even if she didn’t use them, she could scalp them for a pretty penny.
The billionaire brothers’ parties were so exclusive, they made the Queen’s birthday parties seem like a squat-party at a riverfront warehouse.
“Here you go.” Katy handed Ginger an envelope full of money. “Enough to tide you over until you find another situation.”
“Not your fault, of course. It’s just business.” Ginger tugged her coat over her shoulders. “Just life in the big, cold-hearted city.”
“You’ve been complaining about the cold-hearted city ever since you came back from that farm trip you took.” Katy gave her the gimlet eye. “If you hate it so much, why don’t you go visit your sisters and hook up with one of those hunky farm boys you keep talking about?”
Ginger’s face flushed hot at the thought of the two groomsmen she and Amber had hung out with. One was quiet and taciturn, a real Marlboro man type while the other was talkative and loquacious, a charmer.
“You know what? I think I will. They still open doors for women. They take off their hats and they say ‘ma’am’ and ‘miss’ and gosh, they blush all cute when they see a pretty girl. Not at all like that beta male who left me dangling in the wind. He saw the whole thing. I was sticking up for him.”
“You should have kept your mouth shut and texted me. I would have been back and all this could have been avoided.” Katy opened the door, dismissing her. “Send me a postcard sometime.”
Buy SAPPHIRE FALLS: GOING HEARTS OVER HEELS to continue reading.
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Reading List (Amazon)
Bad Boys for Hire Series
Bad Boys for Hire - Ryker Terri Martin gets caught in the middle of a motorcycle club vendetta when she tries to hire a biker for her birthday date.
Bad Boys for Hire – Ken After Jolie Becker is left at the altar, her friends secretly hire a handsome beach bum to cheer her up.
Bad Boys for Hire – Nick This Christmas, paraplegic Carol Cassidy is caught between the naughty and the nice: a hired Santa and a disabled firefighter.
Sports Romances
Played by Love, A soccer star dons nerd glasses to score a anime fangirl who won't date jocks.
Roaring Hot! A playboy motorcycle racer hires an aspiring actress when he is challenged by his grandmother to bring a real girlfriend to her birthday party.
Intercepted by Love, A quarterback hiding from his Super Bowl losing interception meets a small town librarian with an active fantasy life.
Men of Spring Baseball Series
Playing the Rookie, A rookie pitcher and a sports intern on the rebound connect to get over their exes.
Playing Without Rules, A ballplayer's girlfriend hides his daughter from him because she fears he's like his abusive father.
Playing Catch, Catcher Kirk Kennedy has never met a puzzle he can't solve. Until he meets bartender Jeanine Jewell. What he finds knocks his balls out of the park and could very well end his days behind the plate.
Playing for the Save, Veteran relief pitcher Ryan Hudson is attracted to a single mother with an autistic son while hiding a secret of his own.
Sweet Romances
Christmas Stray A couple grieving for their son is snowed in with a stray puppy and a little boy. Is there room in their hearts for a Christmas miracle? [Gold Award Winner, 2016 Readers’ Favorite]
Black Tied: Love Charmed Romance When ordinary you and the Son of the Kitchen God stand up to a playboy apocalypse.
A Veteran’s Christmas Series
A Father for Christmas Sweet romance between a homeless veteran and a single mother whose daughter asks Santa for an unusual gift. [Gold Award Winner, 2015 Readers’ Favorite]
A Pet for Christmas A veteran suffering from PTSD fights to return from Afghanistan and give his family their Christmas wishes.
A Wedding for Christmas A Christmas wedding seemed perfect for Kelly and Tyler, until a female soldier from Tyler’s past and a donor from Kelly’s past make requests that cannot be ignored.
Have A Hart Romance Series
Christmas Lovebirds Can two little lovebirds and Christmas cheer open Melisa’s heart to giving Rob another chance?
Valentine Hound Dog A fashion designer and her basset hound puppy convince a burned ex-firefighter that beauty is never skin deep and neither is love.
Spring Fling Kitty A stray cat shows a fire chief and his fiancée’s sister that doing the wrong thing is sometimes right when it comes to love.
Blue Chow Christmas Brian and Cait have been married for twelve years, but their secrets could blow them apart. Can two lost chow dogs and a special boy open their feelings up for true love and commitment?
Valentine Wedding Hound Jenna Hart loses sight of the true meaning of her wedding when she signs up for a reality show full of tricks and dares.
Christmas Creek Series
Deck the Hearts: A Christmas Creek Romance, #1 Can Holly’s jolly Christmas spirit help Grinchy Gordon Gills save the town of Christmas Creek?
Her Christmas Chance: A Christmas Creek Romance, #2 A woman with cerebral palsy and her tomcat disagree about the attractive ex-con next door. Will a dose of Christmas magic reach through his dark secrets?
Sapphire Falls World (My Country Heart Series)
Going Haywire, Vampires, zombies, and wolves, oh my! Honey's vacation with her ex-husband goes haywire when he tries too hard to get her back.
Going Toe to Mistletoe, An unemployed dance instructor finds herself on a scavenger hunt with a hometown hero who's always stepping on her toes.
Going Hearts over Heels, A city girl trades places with a country boy on Valentine’s Day.
Going Gets Hot, A shy bookworm and a geeky scientist get makeovers and a new start in Sapphire Falls.
Jingle Belles Christmas Series
Christmas Flirt, Bad girl Lacy Reed gets more than she bargained for when her naked selfies turn up on her boss’s phone.
Santa’s Pet A brilliant girl genius plays elf to a substitute Santa and turns both their lives upside down when he is charged with a sex crime and she loses her company to hackers.
Sánchez Sisters Series
Taming Romeo, Medical student Evie Sánchez is recovering from heartbreak when she runs into the boy she left behind.
Claiming Carlos, Restaurant manager Choco Sanchez finds herself caught between two hot men, an epic food fight, and a war to save the restaurant.
Jewells in Love Series
Whole Latte Love, What’s a business-minded woman to do when she finds herself rooming with a hot, delectable barista with a heart for the homeless?
The Remingtons World
Leap, Laugh, Love, A pro surfer on holiday after being attacked by a shark gets tangled up with an Army Ranger on leave with a mission.
Blush of Love A hot New Year's Eve date with bad boy Gunner Gibson leaves Safire wondering if it's love at first blush or something more sinister.
Laguna Beach World
Lucky in Laguna, Scriptwriter Lucky Lenigan regrets writing dog walker Tally Tallahan into a reality show as another man’s love interest.
Chance for Love Series
Broken Build, Build engineer Jen Jones falls in love with the man whose life she ruined.
Hidden Under Her Heart, A young nurse, Maryanne Torres, struggles with a difficult decision over an unwanted pregnancy.
Knowing Vera, Playgirl Vera Custodio belatedly discovers that her father might have killed her boyfriend's mother many years ago. [2015 Angie Ovation Award Winner]
Histo
rical Romance
Michal’s Window, The young Princess Michal loves her father's enemy, the upstart David who becomes king.
Many Thanks
Jolie’s story came to life when I considered what kind of person would be opposite to laid back Ken Cassidy. Fortunately, Joëlle Beebe in my reader’s club, Club Rachelle Ayala on Facebook, had some ideas dealing with lists and food allergies. She also provided me with the No Bake Allergy Free cookie recipe which Jolie gave to Ken in his dressing room. Of course, Jolie Becker is an imaginary character and does not represent any real life person, but Joëlle and I had a great time chatting about her and her reactions to hunky and sweet Ken Cassidy.
Another person I’d like to remember is my buddy Alfredo Lomibao. He was always a sweet friend from elementary school through high school. We had recently reconnected on Facebook and I avidly followed him on his Honolulu vacation the year he passed away from cancer. Some of the vacation scenes were from Alfredo’s journey whereas others were embellished. Rest in peace, bro, until I see you again in that bright and shining land.
In case you’re wondering, Keoni was my high school prom date. He was from Oahu and drove a low-rider Cadillac. I don’t know where you are now, dude, but thanks for showing a gal a good time, taking pictures, and being an awesome date.
I’m grateful to my team of beta readers and members of my reader’s club who helped me through the writing and revising of this story. They gave me good feedback and some shared their experiences with me.
Many thanks to: Amber Douglas McCallister, Angelica Berglund, Deborah O’Connor, Kris Woltzen, Jessica Avancena Cassidy, Linda Chilson, Patricia Shepard, Pauline Frost, Sherelle Ellis, Terri Merkel, and Yomari Suarez-Rivera.
Much appreciation goes to my awesome proofreader, Kimberly Dawn, who always manages to find the tiniest error. And so glad you enjoyed that pumpkin pillow talk.
Bad Boys for Hire_Ken_Hawaiian Holiday Page 14
