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“I may be old, but I’m not stupid. Come on and get in. Cameron’s freezing out there.”
Another surprise met me inside the limo once I slid in. The backseat wasn’t empty.
A pretty blonde I hadn’t seen since we’d gone to Montana together waved from her spot. A red beanie sat on her hair, and she clutched her gloved hands in front of her as if completely elated at the sight of me.
“Addie! You’re in on this too?”
I pulled her into a hug from where I hunched. I then shuffled to sit on the long bench in this spacious backseat. There was a counter beneath a mounted flatscreen. Beneath the counter sat several buckets brimming with ice and filled with several drink options.
I’d never been in a limo before. It was high end, to say the least.
“Of course,” Addie said. “Did you think I’d miss out on this?”
She lifted her hands as if she were in the lap of luxury and enjoying every second.
“Suzie decided to stay home with Gertrude and Winnie and keep the other GGs company,” Grammy added.
Suzie was Adelie’s older sister, though she acted so immature sometimes, it often felt like Addie was the older one. I’d wondered which of the Godmother Gals would be hanging out. Winnie had a thing for the paranormal. She’d probably keep Suzie and the others entertained with all kinds of stories.
Cameron closed the door and called to us from his driver’s seat.
“The Cut Above is our first stop,” he said, angling the vehicle around the tight parking lot.
Warmth streamed into my chest, along with comfort so strong I’d almost forgotten what it felt like. I floated as though a heavy load had just been removed.
Grammy and Addie chatted about the first time Grandpa had picked Grammy up for a dance and how they didn’t need all this space to enjoy the backseat.Addie and I laughed so hard I would have dropped something if I’d been holding it.
Her warm hands held mine as she spoke. I was so ready to submerge myself in this feeling, this safety, this sense of wholeness that had been fleeting for so long.
This was what it meant to be loved.
I’d forgotten.
A reassuring pace rendered my joints suppler than melted chocolate. Everything was all right. It would be okay because I had these people in my life.
I had Hawk, and holy cow, was I going to thank that man when I saw him again.
Cameron pulled up in front of the familiar salon. I’d gone here for my haircuts since I could remember.
The other establishments—a bagel sandwich shop, an antique store, a dance studio—were all dark, but the lights were on in The Cut Above.
Missy waved through the glass once she saw us. Her black hair was piled on her head, and she wore a purple sweater and jeans.
“Someone’s got a hot date tonight,” Missy said with a wink, opening the door.
Several empty stations were in their usual spots, along with sinks and their adjustable chairs, cabinets that I knew held shampoos and towels, and other things the stylists used. The usual sounds of blow dryers and chatter were absent.
In fact, the place was far too quiet without even the usual background music it typically had playing.
Missy gestured for me to take my usual seat.
“You should be closed,” I said, sinking into the indicated chair. The mirror displayed her name in vinyl letters across the top. She flung a cape around me and secured it behind my neck.
“It’s Christmas Eve.”
“Miracles happen on Christmas Eve, don’t you know?” Grammy said.
“I made an exception for you,” Missy shrugged. “Now. You’re going to a ball?”
