Sheer Bliss by Leigh Ellwood Page A

changing websites with practiced ease.
    “ Forgive the smell,”
Lorraine muttered, her voice low. “I heard what she said and cut
one.”
    Calla sighed again. Grown
women, alleged pillars of the small community of Bliss Township,
acting like spoiled kids! “I don’t know what is wrong with you
people when you get together. Beasts,” she corrected when Lorraine
eyed her with a frown. “Why can’t you all get along?”
    “ You’re a human, you
wouldn’t understand. Werewolves and were-panthers simply don’t mix.
It’s the natural order of things.”
    “ I see.” Actually, she
didn’t. “It’s just that I have a dog and a cat at home, and they
are very civil to each other. Sometimes it seems Duke would rather
play with Daisy instead of other dogs at the park.”
    Lorraine scoffed. “Apples
and oranges. You can’t compare domesticated animals to a noble
breed like the werewolf—”
    “ Or the panther shifter?”
One of these days, Calla would hit that special archive at the
library and research exactly how and when her adopted Jersey Shore
hometown became a haven to such an eclectic bunch. Perhaps the
fourth ship following the Santa Maria took a wrong turn,
stranding Noah’s dysfunctional ark.
    Lorraine sank in the
chair. “I said noble.”
    “ I can hear every word
you’re saying,” called Sheila from across the room.
    “ And I can smell
every—”
    Calla cut off Lorraine’s
murmur. “Aaaand, it looks like we’re done.” Calla undid Lorraine’s
bib and depressed the pedal on the barber chair that lowered the
seat with a gushing hiss. She hastily swept away any shards of cut
hair clinging to Lorraine’s suit jacket, eager to settle her bill
and get her out before the two weres resumed their
bickering.
    To her relief, Sheila kept
her gaze focused on some Hollywood premiere pictorial while
Lorraine handed over a twenty and a five. “No change, hon. Great
job as usual.” The she-wolf cupped the underside of her newly
bobbed style. “Just think about what I asked you earlier,
okay?”
    “ My answer isn’t going to
change, Lorraine.”
    Lorraine cast a sly grin.
“We’ll see. You just need a little, ah, convincing.” Tucking her
clutch purse under her arm, she spun on her designer heel and
sashayed out the door without so much a parting snarl at her
adversary.
    Calla let out a quiet,
relieved huff and prayed the next six hours of work passed with
less frustration. No such luck, for the present moment.
    Sheila set down the
magazine but didn’t budge. She crossed her legs tight and delivered
an arched glare that could cut through steel.
    “ Fine.” Whatever paid the
bills. Calla took the spray bottle of lukewarm water and a dry
cloth from her station and cleaned where Lorraine had
sat.
    Sheila smiled, pacified
and eager to gossip. “What did Lorraine say to you earlier to which
the answer remains no?” she asked sweetly.
    “ Don’t worry, it has
nothing to do with you or any other Houlihans. It’s no big deal.”
Yet, for all of Calla’s attempts to slag off the subject, she
realized the cat wouldn’t let up until Calla volunteered some
information.
    No, Calla decided. She
wouldn’t indirectly contribute more fuel to this ongoing feud. If
it meant losing a faithful head of hair, fur…so be it.
    Sheila set her purse in
the chair and started toward the sinks. “I could use a wash first,
with the pomegranate shampoo, if you have it,” she said.
    “ I can do that.” Finally,
normalcy. Calla grabbed a towel and lined the lip of a sink with it
as Sheila settled back in the low chair.
    “ And remind me to set up
an appointment for Trisha,” Sheila added, referring to her eldest
daughter. “She wants a nice updo for the Indian Summer
Ball.”
    The promise of future
business, too. The day improved. “Certainly.” Calla gathered her
customer’s thick dark hair, smoothing shampoo into it under a rush
of warm water. “Does she have her dress picked out yet?”
    “ It’s gorgeous.