Thanks to all for the encouraging reviews so far. I assume you've figured out the angst in the story is due to Meredith's fiance - she will have the issue of his abuse to deal with, but I trust you will hang in there with the story.

For now, we get to meet Mer's BFF, (and it's likely not who you were thinking), and Derek will meet with her for the first time at the salon. Read, enjoy, let me know what you think!


Chapter Three - At the Salon

A couple of weeks later, Meredith opened the salon on a sultry Monday morning, enjoying the calm and quiet before the rush of the day started. She pulled out the appointment book, going over the list of clients for the day. As usual, her schedule was full, with back-to-back appointments. Most of the names she recognized, some she didn't, but that wasn't unusual. She tapped one entry with a perfectly manicured nail...Derek Shepherd...the name was vaguely familiar. An actor? A model? Well, she would discover later today. There was always room to take on new clients, and she preferred keeping busy. She knew she didn't always have to do it, but she liked talking to people, and working. The best part was seeing their faces when they were happy with their appearance when she was done. And while the rich and famous were sometimes hard to please, some of them were so down to earth, and she enjoyed hearing the stories they had to tell. She had stories of her own, from doing makeup and hair on photo shoots, but part of her charm was her discretion. She loved her job, and there was no way she would jeopardize it.

As she put on the first pot of coffee for the day, she could hear the other stylists coming in the back door of the salon, chatting and laughing. There were five other stylists working here, four women and one man. Along with the receptionist, and the two girls apprenticing. She had hand picked all of them, training them personally to make sure they knew exactly what she wanted, and how to do everything to keep the customers happy. The ambiance of the salon was relaxing, with soft lighting, and masses of fresh flowers everywhere. Each stylist had their own private station, so the clients didn't have to endure looks from other patrons as they had their hair or nails done. It was all understated, and soothing, and business was brisk because of it.

"Hey, Mer," Alex called out, throwing his oversize Marc Jacobs bag in the corner. "Happy Monday…" He scowled as he contemplated the still gurgling coffee pot. "I need caffeine...NOW...." He ran a hand through his short, spiked hair impatiently as he looked at Meredith. "I have a hangover from hell..."

"You need to relax, Alex," Meredith giggled, stealing a cup before the pot was full and handing it to her friend.

"Ah, that's better…why I let Eric talk me into going clubbing on a Sunday night is a mystery..." He inhaled the dark aroma appreciatively, taking a sip., looking over at Meredith over the rim. "I love that dress on you, by the way. Is it new?" Alex was gay, and had a flair for fashion, and an eye for color, and Meredith frequently took him along shopping with her. He was her best friend as well, helping her set up the salon from day one, and he had a small portion of the business. Meredith had known him since their first days together learning hair and esthetics, and she enjoyed his irreverent sense of humor.

Meredith did a little pirouette, letting the soft fabric of the dress caress her body. It was lavender, her favorite color, soft knit with a low neckline, cut to land at mid-thigh. Her long hair was in loose waves today, and a selection of bangles tinkled on her wrist. "It is. New Steve Madden…I treated myself…" She didn't mention that it was after another fight with Jack, and that the little bruises on her back still ached, and she had been feeling sorry for herself.

"Nice." Alex eyed his friend carefully. He knew that Meredith was having relationship issues with her fiancé, and he had seen the evidence of those issues with his own eyes on a few occasions. Her expression told him volumes right now. "Did you have a good weekend?"

They wandered out into the shop, where the rest of the staff was getting ready for the day. Half an hour till opening, it was still fairly quiet. Meredith inspected the rows of shampoo and conditioner along the sinks, and the makeup on display in the gleaming cases at the front of the store. "Mmm, it was okay."

"Was Jack in a mood?" Alex asked, setting his cup down at his station, and picking up the scissors. "Seriously, Mer, you need to think about this whole engagement thing. I've seen his type before. You could do a lot better."

Meredith shrugged. "It's nothing. It was my fault, anyway." That she hadn't had his clothes picked up from the dry cleaner on time, and his favorite suit was missing for Saturday night was entirely her fault, obviously. Silly of her to forget…

"Riiight…" Alex muttered, rolling his eyes dramatically.

"It's going to be a busy day, Alex. I've got a couple calls to make before my first appointment," Meredith murmured, heading for her little office at the back of the salon, escaping Alex's knowing eyes. She kept her walk deliberately casual, despite the fact her back was aching.

"Meredith, can't you get anything right?" Jack demanded, looking at her as she sat on the sofa in his Malibu house. "I ask a simple thing of you – pick up my clothes from the dry cleaner, and you forgot? What are you thinking?" He stopped in front of her, his hands on his hips, his voice dripping sarcasm. "Now I have to wear my black Versace suit tonight, instead of the Armani grey I'd been planning on, damnit."

"I'm sorry, Jack…it was busy in the salon today…and I just ran out of time…" Meredith studied her shoes, unable to meet his eyes.

"Then you need to remember that my needs are important too, Meredith." He grabbed her arm and pulled her to her feet, and pushed her towards the bedroom. His hand was rough against her back, and he shoved her against the bed, falling across her without warning. "And right now…I have this other need…"

Meredith sank down at the desk, and put her head in her hands, blocking out the rest of the memory. If Jack had been an ass all the time, she mused, she would have broken up with him already. He could be affectionate and spontaneous – like driving up to Napa for a long weekend of wine and candlelight dinners, or dancing in the moonlight on the beach. But when he turned surly and jealous, flying into a rage for no reason, it made her doubt her feelings for him. It was like walking a tightrope sometimes, never sure what mood he would be in.

Derek circled the block a couple of times, searching for a parking spot. He was early anyway, anxious for his appointment with Meredith. He admitted that fact to himself with a slight grin. It had been a lucky happenstance that she had a cancellation when he'd called, or he would have had to wait for another month or two. She was obviously a busy lady, as the receptionist had been quick to point out.

Then he spotted someone pulling away, and he gunned his Corvette over to snag the spot, only half a block from the salon. It was a gorgeous spring day in Los Angeles, without the usual haze of smog. Meredith's shop was in the busy area close to Rodeo Drive, on Melrose, close enough to be trendy. He plugged the meter, and headed towards the salon, whistling a little. Dressed in his favorite red shirt, and faded jeans, he felt confident and relaxed. The audition last week had gone well, and his agent had a couple more lined up.

As he entered the busy salon, he scanned the elegant surroundings, before giving his name to the girl behind the big desk. "Yes, Mr. Shepherd. Just have a seat – Meredith is just finishing up. She won't be long. Can I get you a coffee?" She smiled at him, assessing his good looks with a flirtatious glance. Young, impossibly thin, she looked at him eagerly, her blonde hair up in a complicated style, with streaks of pink and gold woven artfully into her natural color.

Derek shook his head with a smile, and took a seat in a leather chair along the waiting area, and flipped through one of the glossy magazines idly as he waited. It wasn't too long, and he heard the sound of Meredith's infectious giggle, and heard the quick tap of high heels across the floor. He looked up, as she ushered the older woman with her to the front desk, giving her a quick hug. He was entranced again by her, watching the easy manner she had, and the soft sound of her laughter. Her own hair was loose and soft down her back, the same as it had been at the party, and he wondered suddenly what it would feel like under his hands.

"Mr. Shepherd…?" When she turned around expectantly, calling out his name, he recovered his composure enough to stand.

"Call me Derek," he answered, shaking her hand. Her slim fingers were cool in his grip, and he stared into wide eyes, almost losing track of his thoughts again for a moment. As she tugged her hand away, she smiled at him, and his heart contracted. There was something so delicate and appealing about her, a sweetness that took him off guard.

"All right, and I'm Meredith." She wrinkled her nose then, looking at him closer. "Wait, we've met before?" That hair, she knew him from somewhere, and the eyes...

"Yes, in a manner of speaking," Derek grinned. "We sort of bumped into each other at that party a couple weeks ago...the Reynaud place?"

"Oh right...my bad..." she giggled. "Well, why don't you follow me, and we can talk about what you want…" As she turned, he caught a hint her floral perfume in the air, and he followed her quickly, trying not to stare at her ass as she walked briskly ahead of him. The knit dress she was wearing seemed to be made for her, and he felt like a crazy kid, unable to think clearly.

"What I want…" he murmured, sinking into the chair, and meeting her eyes in the mirror. Oh, the things he wanted, things he had no right to be envisioning...

"Your hair?" she prompted, with a little grin.

"Right…hair," he grinned back.

"It's very thick…"

"It's hell," he confessed. "Most of the time I don't know what to do with it."

"Hmmm…" Meredith ran her fingers through the thick curls experimentally, and he almost groaned. "Well, I'm sure there's a few things I can do for you…" She walked around to face him, propping her hip against the edge of the counter holding her scissors, curling irons, and other items of her trade. Derek caught the faint whiff of her scent again, as she leaned in towards him. There was something so intimate about the way she threaded her fingers into his hair, assessing him carefully. He found himself holding his breath until she backed away. "It's nice, no breakage, and very thick. You just need to learn how to manage it better, and with the right cut I think you'll be fine. Come with me to the sink, and I'll wash it, and we can go from there. Okay?"

Derek nodded, not trusting his voice at the moment, trying to control the sudden heat that raced in his veins. This wasn't like him at all, he never had this kind of reaction to a woman – not so suddenly, and especially not when he was involved with someone else. As he lowered himself into the seat, and adjusted his head against the edge of the sink, he closed his eyes. The fact that her hip was pressing almost against his shoulder, as she adjusted the water and finally began to wet his hair, did nothing to dispel the erotic thoughts in his mind. As her fingers massaged his scalp, his cock suddenly ached, demanding attention of it's own. Down boy….

"So, what brings you to my salon, Derek?" Meredith asked, keeping her fingers rotating smoothly and easily. She sometimes had the shampoo girls, or one of the apprentices wash her client's hair, however, generally it was something she liked to do, and it was a gesture of courtesy as well. She liked to give her clients their money's worth, and that included personal attention to every detail. Some of the more influential and wealthy clients were monumentally pissed if Meredith wasn't able to devote her entire attention to their needs.

"Hmm..?" Derek was jerked out of his own reverie, fumbling for an answer. "I..um…someone on set recommended you," he finally stammered, looking up and getting swamped in her soft green eyes that caught his.

"Oh, you're an actor then?" Meredith asked. "Have I seen any of your movies? Or is it television?" She applied conditioner, working it carefully through his thick curls, marveling at the silky feel of his hair. "I thought I recognized the name...but..."

Derek snorted a little. "Hardly. I haven't been overly successful lately. I did some stuff when I was younger that did well, but things kind of fizzled when I hit mid-twenties." Giving her the abbreviated version of his life, omitting the details of his first marriage, and subsequent divorce. "Washed up already, and I'm not even forty," he finished dryly.

"I think you're selling yourself short, Derek. Things have a way of turning around, sometimes you just have to stop wanting it so much. You know...the more you chase something, the faster it runs away..."

"Thanks for the advice." He realized she was probably right, but it was hard not to want to achieve success again.

"Meredith...phone call for you..." The slim little receptionist sang out. "I didn't want to bother you but it's Jack."

"Oh, well, I'll take it then..." She dried her hands off, giving Derek a quick touch on the shoulder as she left. "Be right back...don't go anywhere..."

"I'll be here." Derek grinned at her, listening to the swift tap of her heels fade away. He slumped a bit in the chair, trying to pull his tangled feelings back into place. Being this close in proximity to her was probably not one of his better ideas. ..