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“I’m sorry for giving you that impression. You should know I’m here to play. Seriously.”
“Okay, that’s what I want to hear. And if the doc says you’re good to go, then we’ll be putting you in tonight.”
Relief coursed through him. Excitement, too. Someone was coming to see him play.
After practice, he shot off a message to Tara.
You busy?
Always have time for you!
He headed over to the salon and found Tara with a life-sized doll’s head, adding streaks of purple to it.
“Okay, what’s happening here?”
“Just testing a color combo.” She hugged him. “So what’s going on? How’s the hand?”
“Better. And I have a cool scar to show for it.” He showed her the still red-raw evidence of his injury. “Best of all, I’m playing tonight.”
“Awesome! How are things at the shelter?”
He took a seat and swiveled a few times, feeling almost giddy.
“Good. There’s this dog that’s taken a shine to me. Well, he bit me first but now I think he likes me.”
“Not a great start, but I’ve heard worse. Real enemies to lovers stuff there.” She took a strand of his hair in her fingers. “How about a little trim?”
“Not too short.” He knew she loved to cut while she dispensed wisdom, so if it opened things up for her, then he’d allow it.
After a moment of weighing a hair-related decision between her fingers, she asked, “How was the Merlot?”
“The Mer—wait a second. How do you know about the Merlot?”
“Oh, Hudson was in here earlier and I guess it was quite the topic of conversation amongst the boys. Bringing wine to dinner and inviting women and their kids to games. It’s a big deal.”
“No, it’s not. It’s just … politeness.”
She smiled at him in the mirror, all pity. “Start at the beginning. You went to Ashley’s for dinner?”
“Went to … how is it that everyone knows my business? You don’t know her, do you?” It seemed everyone had some experience with the shelter and with Ashley.
“No, we haven’t met, but I had a chat with Kennedy while I was doing her balayage and I heard all about Ashley. Besides, I don’t need to have met her to figure out what’s happening here. A single encounter with the woman and I will know all!”
“Like you did with Fitz? You sure had him figured out after one encounter. Or was it two? No, wait, you didn’t figure out your shit until I asked you to marry me.”
Scissors raised, she stopped and stared at him in the mirror. “Are you still annoyed with me over that? I thought we’d sorted it out.”
“We have,” he mumbled. “I just wish people didn’t think I was such a joke.” He held up a hand of apology for his outburst. Giddy fervor had been quickly replaced with irritability. “And before you say it, I know it’s my own fault. I’ve been acting like I don’t give a fuck about anyone or anything, so why the hell should anyone give a fuck about me?”
“I wasn’t going to say that at all.” She looked thoughtful. “You really like this Ashley, don’t you?”
“I don’t know,” he lied. Because it was easier than putting his heart out there where Tara could eviscerate it with her scissors and homespun wisdom.
She smiled sympathetically. “So what’s happened between you two? Give me the details.”
“We kissed.” Twice, but he preferred to keep that to himself.
“Okay. Nice. And then what?”
