“Do you want to wait in the car, or do you want to come with me?”
Taryn frowned. She’d already said she was happy to accompany Cassie to see Louise before they went shopping for Cassie’s launch party outfit. “I’ll come with you unless you don’t want me to.”
Cassie stepped forward and took Taryn’s hand. “I want you to. I was just checking.”
Taryn gently tightened her grip, enjoying the feel of Cassie’s soft and strong hand in hers and liking how it seemed to fit so perfectly. She walked alongside Cassie to a single room where she was introduced to Sara and Louise, who wore a thin cotton beanie to cover her head, bald from the chemo’s side effects. When Cassie had mentioned this situation and told her how Louise was only fifteen, Taryn hadn’t known quite how to react. Seeing the kid now, along with her obvious distress at her appearance, Taryn knew exactly what she had to do. She excused herself to make a phone call and registered Cassie’s wounded and quizzical expression but knew that would change if she could arrange what she had in mind.
She waited until she was in the corridor before she called. “Hey, Melanie.”
“My favorite client,” Melanie said. “You haven’t set another wig on fire, have you?”
Taryn laughed at the unpleasant memory that had reinforced a valuable lesson about the inflammability of hairspray around cigarettes. That particular lover had cost Taryn five thousand dollars. “Thankfully not. I need a wig, but it’s not for me.” She quickly explained the situation with Louise. “Could you fly over with your magic box and help me out?”
“For you—and for this—I’ll clear my schedule. I can be there tomorrow afternoon.”
“You are a wonderful human being,” Taryn said.
“Right back at you. Send me the details of the clinic and your hotel?”
“Sure thing. Thanks again, Melanie.” Taryn hung up and re-entered Louise’s room. She grinned at Cassie’s raised eyebrow and slightly annoyed expression. “I don’t know if Cassie’s told you, but I wear a wig for my—”
“For your amazing stunts.” Louise’s face lit up. “Cassie’s told us all about you, and we’ve been watching your videos on ZimTak. You’re so brave.”
Taryn choked back the ball of emotion that blocked her throat. “I thinkyou’rethe one that’s brave.” She approached the empty side of Louise’s bed. “How are you feeling?” she asked, putting off her news for a moment.
Louise put both hands on her head and pulled her beanie down a little farther over her ears. “Like an ugly duckling that’ll never get to be the white swan.”
Sara tapped her daughter’s upper arm. “Don’t say that, Lou. You’re so beautiful, you can pull off any look.”
Louise rolled her eyes and shook her head while still looking at Taryn. “I think she’s talking to you,” she said.
“Nope, kiddo. She was definitely talking to you, and she’s absolutely right. You are beautiful.”
Louise wrinkled her nose. “Shehas to say that.Youdon’t. But thanks, even if it is total bullshit.”
“Louise! I’m sorry, Taryn.” Sara looked mortified.
Taryn laughed. “You’re a straight talker, huh?”
Louise nodded. “May as well be. If this shit,” she ignored Sara’s mortified gasp, “is teaching me anything other than how to throw up and still be hungry, it’s that there’s too little time to not tell it like I see it.”
Taryn flicked some breadcrumbs from Louise’s bedsheets. “That’s something I totally get. Most people don’t realize how precious time is until they don’t have any left.”
Cassie groaned. “You’re slightly obsessed with it, babe.”
Taryn looked across at Cassie and didn’t stop her grin from widening.Babe. She liked the sound of that. She focused back on Louise. “Anyway, I was saying. I wear wigs, and I’ve got a great wig woman. I just stepped out to see if she might have some time to pop in with her giant stock of wigs to see if she’s got something you might want to wear while you’re getting your chemo and kicking cancer’s ass.” God, she hoped Louise was going to beat this. “She’ll be here tomorrow afternoon, if that’s okay with you?”
When Taryn had begun to speak, Louise was frowning. That had turned into surprise, and now her mouth and eyes were wide open.
“No way!” Louise’s gaze switched from Taryn to Louise and Cassie and then back to Taryn. “Are you actually serious?”
“I never joke about hair.” Taryn ran her hand over her own sharply cut style.
“She doesn’t.” Cassie walked around to the same side as Taryn and reached up to touch Taryn’s hair, but she ducked out of the way.
“Don’t touch my mane.” Taryn batted Cassie’s hand away playfully. Of course, Cassie could put her hand anywhere she damn well pleased, but the kid was laughing at their banter, and Cassie seemed to be happy playing along.
“This is definitely happening?” Louise’s eyes had gone glassy with unshed tears. “You’re getting me a wig?”
