Another pause.
“Stars too.”
He held one hand up and examined it with exaggerated seriousness.
“All ten.
I know what the deal was.”
Whatever she said next made him close his eyes for half a second.
Then he answered quietly.
“I promised, didn’t I?”
The salon went completely still.
Walker listened for several more seconds.
“I’ll be there soon.”
He ended the call and stared at the phone for a moment before setting it facedown.
Tina pretended to be extremely interested in a bottle of polish.
I pretended to check my nails.
Neither of us wanted him to feel watched.
A few minutes later, Tina tested one thumbnail.
“Dry enough if you’re careful.”
Walker immediately reached for his wallet.
“Careful,” Tina warned.
He froze with both hands in the air.
“Right.”
She laughed and helped him pull a card from the wallet without scraping the polish.
When the payment went through, Walker tried to leave extra money on the table.
Tina pushed some of it back.
“That’s too much.”
“Keep it.”
“I’m serious.”
“So am I.”
Tina shook her head.
Walker glanced at the wall of tiny bottles.
“Then use it next time some scared kid comes in here wanting something ridiculous.”
Tina looked at him.
“Princess purple isn’t ridiculous.”
Walker considered that.
“Apparently not.”
He stood carefully, keeping both hands away from his leather jacket.
The little pink chair rolled backward with a squeak.
When he had walked through the door less than an hour earlier, half the room had tensed.
Now people were making space so he wouldn’t bump his wet nails.
The woman with the purse spoke before he reached the door.
“Mr.
Walker?”
He turned.
She looked uncomfortable.
“I hope your granddaughter feels better.”
Walker studied her for a moment.
Maybe he remembered her clutching that purse.
Maybe he remembered the whisper.
If he did, he didn’t punish her with it.
“Thank you,” he said.
Then he ducked through the doorway and disappeared into the Arizona afternoon with ten shining purple nails covered in tiny gold stars.
For several seconds after the door closed, nobody spoke.
Then Tina sat back down.
“Well,” she said.
That was all she needed to say.
I thought that was the end of it.
