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Zander told me Clair always wanted more kids and that's why she has always been so happy to have him and Spencer around. He also told me that he thinks she’s excited to have another girl in the house, someone who can be like the daughter she never had.
I just hope I don't let her down.
I push the thought away as I head down the hall and into the dining room, where I hear a voice.
I hear Clair before I see her as she excitedly tells someone about her plans for the day. “I’m sure she’s never had a girls' day, so I have to make sure I do it right. A girl needs standards after all, and with a girl as beautiful and gentle as her, she needs to set them high.”
I come around the corner and stop short as I realize she’s talking to all three of the guys. I’m not sure why, but I didn’t picture them sitting around listening to her talk about her plans for the day. Okay, well, maybe Zander because he’s such a flirt, but I didn’t expect it from the other two. As I take in each of them, I see I’m way off the mark. None of them looks anything but interested in what she's saying.
Spencer and Roderick’s eyes land on me the moment I’m around the corner, but it’s Zander who pulls attention to my entrance. His gaze flicks to mine, and his smile goes from his typical easy smile to one that reaches all the way to his eyes. Clair must see the change in his face as well. She turns to look at me, and a small smile lights her face as well.
“Oh Jade dear, you look so adorable.” She says as she comes over to hug me. Every time she sees me, she hugs me. Each time it feels less weird, but it still takes me a moment to make my body respond. Affection, for affection's sake, is taking some getting used to, but I can’t say I hate it. My cheeks heat with her compliment, yet another thing that I have yet to get used to. I’m hoping to get used to them soon because she and Zander love to throw them at me all day long, and I feel like I’m blushing all the time around them.
“Um, thank you.” I manage to squeak out as I’m pressed against her chest. She steps back from me but puts her hands on my shoulders as she looks down to meet my eyes.
“Are you ready to go?”
I nod, and she smiles back at me before turning back to the guys, and I take a moment to get a fucking grip.
“Okay, we’re headed to the salon first, then lunch and shopping, so we will probably see you, boys, sometime after dinner.” She claps her hands together excitedly as she moves to the table and grabs her purse.
“Elizabeth is scheduled to come for dinner around four today, so if you have any requests, let her know before she comes so she can get anything she needs.” The guys all nod along with everything she says. Zander told me they often let Elizabeth stay home and just eat what they want, but Clair doesn’t know that, and they want to keep it that way, so she still gets paid, but I don’t say anything.
Clair kisses each boy on the cheek as she heads to the back door, “Let's go, dear.” she calls back to me as she reaches the door, and I realize I’m still stuck in the same spot as when I came in.
I head to her but don’t make it past Zander before he grabs hold of my arm, stopping me as I look at him in question. His grip on my arm is firm but not painful, and while I know I could break it, something about him touching me never makes me feel like I need to.
“What are you doing at the salon?” His question brings me up short, and I turn to look at Clair for the answer. When she doesn’t give me one, I realize I’m supposed to decide.
“I’m not sure yet. Maybe cut it, or dye it.” I say as I run my hand through a few of my still-damp strands that have fallen over my shoulder. “I hadn’t really thought about it yet.”
I drop my hair and look up at him to find him staring down at me with a serious look on his face. Zander is the most playful of the three of these guys and since being here, I have rarely seen him serious and have yet to see him in a bad mood. His hand comes up to play with the few strands I just had in my hand.
“It’s your hair, so you can do whatever you want, obviously, but I think you should keep it longer. Your hair is beautiful, just like you are.” He leans forward to press his lips to my forehead, and any response I had thought about saying leaves my brain.
He pulls back and releases me. I know I need to move, Clair is still waiting for me by the door, and I can feel Spencer and Roderick watching us, but I feel like my brain just shut down.
His soft chuckle pulls me from my thoughts, and I shake my head to clear it before I glare at him. I just know he did that on purpose. His smile grows as I glare at him, letting me know I am right.
I walk away without another word. Clair heads out as I make my way toward her, and we go out into the garage. She walks up to a beautiful red car, I don’t know much about cars, but just looking at it, I feel like it’s expensive, and probably fast too, if I had to guess.
“The boys bought me this a few years ago.” She tells me as if reading my mind, “I hardly drive it, honestly. Oftentimes, I go in with James, or I drive my BMW, which is still a nicer car but not as showy as this one.” She tells me as we climb in. The inside is all leather and a mix of black and red that matches the rest of the car. She pushes a button, and the car roars to life; screens light up, gauges move, and I understand none of it.
“But I thought it would be fun to take it out with you for the day.” She smiles over at me as she pulls her seatbelt on, and I do the same. I’m not sure if it will be fun or not, but if it makes her happy, I’m okay with it. It feels like the least I can do.
She hits a button and I hear the garage door open behind us before she backs out and we head down the driveway. I’m pretty sure we’re headed the same way we did when the guys took me to the mall, but I can’t be sure. The drive isn’t terribly long, and Clair has soft music playing in the background, which helps. We don’t say much on the drive, but it’s not uncomfortable.
We pull up to a strip of buildings. It looks like there is a cafe a few doors down. There are chairs and tables full of people all over the sidewalk. Clair shuts the car off, unbuckles, and gets out, and I once again follow after her. The sign on the front of the building readsColor your Creation,it doesn’t sound much like a salon to me, but what do I know?
We walk in the front door, and a bell rings overhead, signaling our entrance.
“I’ll be right there.” Someone calls out and while I can’t see them, I assume they are farther back in the shop based on how far away their voice sounded.
The room is full of mirrors set up in what appears to be stations with a chair in front of each of them and all kinds of things on the desks under the mirrors. I know some of them, like the curling irons and blow dryers, but not everything. Even what I do know, I only know from seeing them when I had a high-end client pay for me to be done up. I’ve never used them. The space is open with minimal decor, but it still somehow feels like it has character.
Not even a minute later, a woman comes out through the door in the back, pulling my attention away from the space and to her instead.
A gasp escapes my lips before I can stop it as my eyes land on her.
