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he felt at what Lizzie had said. “She’s a cool girl and al .”
    “Heavy emphasis on the and all .” Liz snickered as they drove.
    “Why don’t you keep your mouth shut, anyway?”
    “Ashamed of your new employment?”
    “No.”
    “Then why the big secret?”
    “How many guys do you know that do nails, Lizzie?”
    “None. Wel , one, now. But it’s pretty cool, actual y.
    Think of al the girls you’l meet. I should think that alone would be enough for you to shout about it.”
    She was right. It wil be a haven of females if Chachi’s is anything like the other nail salons he’d happened by. Always packed with women. In the two weeks he’d worked there the only business the place had seen was the three girls he knew.
    He was shocked enough to stop in the doorway when he saw half a dozen girls from school in the salon, waiting, once he got there.
    Miss Chachi and the girls were talking to them, and Miss Chachi lit up like a flashlight when he came in. Bustling over, she was al smiles.
    “Cort here, Cort here. Yes. Here he is, girls. Cort.”
    She grabbed his sleeve, pul ed him down for a whisper that burned his ear. “You late. These girls been here since three-forty-five. They al ask for you. I can’t have this again. You be here right after school, understand?”
    He nodded, took off his jacket and smiled at the grinning girls. “Hey.” They al greeted him and he said, “You know, Tiaki does a great manicure.
    And Misu and Jasmine are pros at pedicures. Check it out.”
     
    Two of the girls agreed and Miss Chachi was delighted.
    “Who’s first?” he asked. They al raised their hands. He kept himself from breaking into a flattered laugh.
    As he worked, he got to know the girls who had been nothing more than smiling, flirty faces at school. He learned that Maria de Silva played a wicked violin. He’d seen her in the orchestra, had never forgotten the way her shiny hair swung when she passionately played her instrument. But he’d never met her.
    Kristen Jones was on dril team. He saw her at the games, and knew her brother Paul. But he always thought she was kind of stuck up. He was surprised to find her total y nice.
    Bree’s other friend, Morgan was just as superficial and into the gossip scene as Bree, Shaylee and Megan. These girls al looked the same; like teenage Barbie’s with their striped blonde hair worn French fry straight, light glossy lips and skin that looked like it spent too many hours in the tanning booth.
    Time flew. He didn’t have a chance to check his watch.
    Final y his last client left, a girl by the name of Sharon who promised to tel her mom and al of her friends about him.
    He was exhausted, his fingers ached and his nose was fil ed with enough powder residual that he final y let loose a violent sneeze.
    He ran his hands through his hair and let out a sigh just as Rachel walked through the door. It was twenty minutes to nine and the other girls had been dismissed by Miss Chachi earlier.
    “Welcome, welcome.” Miss Chachi went directly to Rachel with her nod and smile.
    “Is it too late?” Rachel asked, looking around for a clock.
    “No, no. You are here for Cort, yes? For nails? Manicure?
    Pedicure? Massage?”
    Rachel looked at Cort, coming to the front of the store.
    “He does al of that?”
    “He do anything, yes. Cort do anything at al . You want, he do.” Miss Chachi’s smiling eyes slid to his with a glint of something.
    “Hey,” Cort said, sticking his aching hands into his back pockets. As much as he wanted to spend time with Rachel, he hoped Miss Chachi wasn’t going to make him do another set of nails.
    “She want you,” Miss Chachi said. The statement brought an awkward laugh from both Rachel and Cort.
    “Sorry I’m late,” Rachel began. “I had other obligations.”
    The mystery of her ate at him. She was conveniently vague, just enough to lure. “No problem, but I’m done for the night.”
    “You not done.” Miss Chachi’s smile flipped to