Read Linden: Rocking Pleasure: New Adult College Romance (Coral Gables Series Book 3) for Free Online Page A

Thalia.”
    “ Bye.” I hang up and feel that my mood has suddenly become awfully bubbly. As I walk to my car, I’m exuberant that he didn’t raise a fuss this time. That would have meant no extensions. Then I call Theo to ask whether he has time for me today, though I know it’s supposed to be his day off.
    “ Hello, honey,” he greets me. Theo’s gay, and he’s not merely my hair stylist, he’s also sort of my best friend. There was still space left in my heart for him, next to Hailey, Cami, and Ave.
    “ Hey, Theo. I was wondering if you could do my hair today?” I come right out with it. “How are you, anyway?”
    “ I’m splendid, and of course I can do that. Come over to the salon in … half an hour?”
    “ Oh, awesome. You’re awesome!” I gush. “I’m already in the car, so I might be there a little earlier. I hope that’s not a problem?”
    “ Honey, that just means I need to get fluffed up and ready in fifteen minutes instead of thirty. Piece of cake,” he says cheerfully.
    ***
    “ There she is,” Theo calls when I come in.
    “ Hey.” I grin and sit down in the chair he indicates.
    He comes over and clicks his tongue as he looks at my outgrown bob. “You took your time, honey.”
    “ I know.”
    “ So now you want me to whip that back into shape, yeah?” He runs his fingers through my hair, feeling its texture.
    “ No. Actually, I want to wear my hair longer again. I’ve had it with this bob. I want extensions.”
    Theo looks my reflection in the eye. “Ooh. How long?”
    “ Down to the middle of my back?” I suggest with a smile.
    He shakes his head. “Too short for you.”
    I heave one of my trademark sighs. “How long do you think they should be?”
    “ Down to the hips or even below your ass.”
    Below my ass? Far too long. “Hips it’ll be,” I say.
    “ And back to black?” he asks, chuckling at his Amy Winehouse reference.
    I nod. “Yeah. I don’t want to dye them. It’s annoying to have to re-dye the roots all the time.”
    “ Right. Sit tight, and I’ll get the extensions. I hope you have enough time. This is going to take a while.”
    I smile. “No other plans for today.”
    Theo disappears into the back, and I look in the mirror. I can’t wait to have long hair again, to be able to sweep up elaborate ’dos that weren’t possible with the bob. This is going to cost me the next few hours of my life, but I’m sure it’ll be worth it.
    When he returns, Theo says, “All right. First we’ll see if I need to cut it a little bit, and then I’ll do the extensions.”
    “ Okay.”
    “ Come along to the washbasin.”
    I rise with a nod and walk over to the weird-shaped basin, sitting down again and leaning my head back into the indentation. I don’t like the sensation of cold ceramic around my neck, but that’s the price for getting to look good again. That bob was nothing but a knee-jerk reaction when I thought I was getting boring. I’ve regretted it ever since, but I guess everyone makes mistakes.
    “ So how are you doing?” Theo asks. “How’s college?”
    “ Good. Well, classes are so-so. I don’t know, I seem to have missed a lot this semester. Too lazy and tired.”
    “ Too many cute boys crossing your way and distracting you?” He smirks.
    I blush. I didn’t see that coming. “I guess you could say so,” I stall.
    “ I could say so? Or is that a fact?”
    “ Okay, there was one guy who distracted me for a while. But then he replaced me with someone else.”
    “ Oh, no! I’m sorry, honey,” Theo pouts in my stead. “And that’s the reason you feel you need a makeover, huh?”
    “ Maybe.” As he shampoos my hair, I decide he has a point. “Yeah, I guess I want to close that chapter with a new hairstyle.”
    Theo focuses on his work, and I’m glad he doesn’t probe any further. I don’t want to talk about Colton, who replaced me with Pearl. PEARL ! The same bitch who came close to driving a wedge between Ave and Dale, simply by