“Isn’t it beautiful?”she asked.“I saw it in the window months and months ago, and I’d been saving up for it, but Dad surprised me with it for my birthday.”
Savannah’s chest tightened when she saw the look Cara and Troy exchanged.There was so much love in that look.She didn’t know what had happened to Cara’s mom, but she’d only ever known Troy as a single dad.
“Oh my goodness, it’s gorgeous,” she exclaimed.“And happy, happy birthday.That’s an amazing birthday present.”
“Thanks so much.”
“Yeah, happy birthday,” said Jake.
Savannah tried to hide a smile at the way Cara blushed.
“Thank you.”She checked her watch before looking back at Savannah.“And get this—now that I’m seventeen, I can finally get my ears pierced.That’s why we’re going to the mall.Dad made me wait till I was seventeen.”
Troy shrugged.“I know, I know—I’m an old-fashioned old grump, but I’m still your dad.”
“Aww, and I love you,” said Cara.
“And I love you, too.But we should let Jake and Savannah get going.We don’t want to hold them up all day.”
Savannah wondered if she should say it, but she wouldn’t feel right if she didn’t.“Is there a reason you’re going all the way out to the mall to get your ears pierced?”
Cara frowned.“Yeah, because that’s the only place I can get it done.”
“It isn’t,” said Savannah.“There’s a girl who does it at the salon in town now.Her name’s Tiffany.”
“Seriously?”Cara asked, eyes wide.“Oh, Dad, can we go over there?I know you don’t want to go to the mall.”
Troy pursed his lips.“Is this new girl at the salon the one with pink hair?”he asked, not looking too impressed.
Savannah chuckled.“I don’t know how to answer that,” she said honestly.“I can tell you don’t like the idea of it, but she’s a really good person.She’s my roommate, and I only hesitated over saying yes, that’s her, because… well, because her hair’s blue this week.But if you want to go to her instead of all the way to the mall, I vouch for her personally.I know some people have had problems at the place in the mall…”
“I know, right?”said Cara.“I was kind of worried about going there.My friend at school, Greer, got her eyebrow done a couple of weeks ago”—she shot a look at her dad before continuing—“and it got infected, and she had to go to the doctor and everything.”
Troy shook his head at Jake, who chuckled and said, “Sorry, I don’t have anything to offer on this subject.”
“That’s okay.I wouldn’t expect you to.”He turned back to Cara.“This is why I didn’t want you to get them done in the first place.There’s always the chance of infection and—”
Savannah had to try not to laugh when Cara held up her hand and said, “Oh, shush, please.Sorry, I’m not trying to – and itismy birthday.You promised, and I waited, and I didn’t whine about it, and you said…”
Troy slung his arm around her shoulders.“I know, kiddo.Come on, let’s head over to town and see if this Tiffany can fit you in.She might be busy this afternoon—we might have to come back—but if you want her to do it, and if Savannah says she’s good, then let’s head over there.”
Cara grinned at them.“Thanks so much, guys.I’ll see you around.”
“You’ll see them just as soon as Jake can fit your car in,” said Troy.“I’ll give you a call on Monday, okay?”
“I’ll look forward to it,” said Jake.“You have my cell number?”
“I do, but I’ll call the office and talk to Harvey.I heard he’s helping you with the books and all.”
Jake nodded, and Savannah had to wonder if he realized that most of the business he’d gotten so far had come to him on Harvey’s recommendation.
As they walked away, Cara turned back to wave at them again, and Jake chuckled as he waved back.
“Is it always like this around here?”he asked.
“What do you mean?”
“I mean, we haven’t been here all that long, and first we bumped into Ivan and Abbie, then all kinds of people waved and said hello while we were in the café, then there was Walt with his scooter—now Cara and Troy.”
