Page 62 of Saints & Sailors

The other women went about their business.

I grabbed the broom and started sweeping up all the hair left over from haircuts to extensions. When that was done, Angela had me head for the back room and organize their products on their shelves. That took me a while, because half the stuff I’d never heard of or used in my own hair, so I found myself stopping and examining each jar or spray.

From there, I went and sat at the front desk after going out to the car to get my homework. Angela was okay with me starting it while I played receptionist.

All in all, even if I felt out of place, it wasn’t so bad.

“Saylor,” Angela spoke up. “That trash is overflowing. Can you take it to the dumpster out back?”

I stood from the desk and went and collected all the trash in the shop before carrying two large bags toward the back door.

Outside I bumped into Dreux, who also was taking out trash for his uncle.

“Hey.” He smiled at me before looking toward his mother’s shop. “How’s it going in there?”

“Oh, it’s going,” I told him.

“Need help?” he asked, gesturing toward my bags.

“Nah, I got it.”

Dreux didn’t listen; he came and took a bag from me anyway.

I walked with him over to the dumpster where we discarded the trash.

“She’ll ease up,” he told me. “She’s just protective.”

I thought of back home and my mother. I had questionable friends, but she wasn’t as protective in a sense as Angela came off. True, she didn’t like my boys, but I couldn’t recall her ever shooting them dirty looks that would still their bones.

“I don’t know what for, you’re not all that,” I responded.

I was only joking, trying to get back at him for the Avril Lavigne comment.

Dreux narrowed his eyes, and within the blink of an eye, he advanced toward me. In seconds I was airborne and then over his shoulder.

“Ahh!” I screamed. “Let me down!”

“No, what was that? I’m not all what?” he questioned, spinning around in a circle in an attempt to make me dizzy.

I should’ve been scared, but I could feel Dreux’s muscles as he kept a firm grip on me. No matter what, he would not let me go. I just knew it.

“Nothing!” I swore.

“That’s not what I heard.”

Dreux spun around in another direction and I ended up laughing as I reached out to swat his ass.

“Oh, now you’re dead!” he declared. “It would take⁠—”

“Ahem.”

Dreux froze, and by the tone of voice, I just knew it was Angela at the back door.

Dreux set me down and I turned to see his mother and her continued disapproval.

“Go ahead on lunch, Saylor.” Her eyes were glued to me as she leaned against the doorjamb. “You get on back to work, Dreux.”

“Actually, I’m about ready for a break too,” Dreux spoke up. “I’ll show Saylor around.”