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“I’ll be there,” I promised.
When they left, I shooed Macy and Dillon back inside. “You take care of the kids, and I’ll clean up.”
“Thank you,” Macy said. She went inside to complete the nightly ritual of bathing, changing, and rocking Emily to sleep while Dillon supervised teeth brushing and read a story to Nicky and Daisy.
I emptied the coals out of the grill, took all the plates back inside, and dumped the ice water out of the cooler. If Austin taught me anything, it would be good barbecue and how to clean up after one. I was almost finished with the dishes when Macy snuck back into the living room. When Dillon was done, he excused himself to go to work in his office. I handed Macy a beer, and we sat on the couch, tired but happy.
“That was a nice cookout,” Macy said, sipping on her brew.
“It was,” I agreed.
“What do you think of Lindsey?”
“Oh, I like her,” I said. “She seems really laid-back and friendly.”
“That’s what I thought,” Macy said. “I just ran into her randomly one day—I forget where—and she’s great with hairstyling. She did my blonde streaks.”
“Nice,” I said.
“Everyone could benefit from having a friend like Lindsey,” Macy theorized.
“Everyone could benefit from having a friend like you,” I added. It was really nice to have a piece of family, so far from what I used to call home.
Macy smiled, holding her beer out for a clink. I obliged, and we finished our drinks in silence before Macy excused herself to go to bed.
9
MIKE
Ipulled up outside the Wood Rose Salon. It was the only hair place in town, if you didn’t count the pastor who gave out free buzz cuts to kids before school started. Some people cut their own hair or had their wives or girlfriends do it. I had never been that kind of guy. For just a couple of bucks, I knew I could get a professional cut that wouldn’t make me look like a cheapskate. Plus, the additional feeling of looking good made me feel good, even if it was just for a little.
It was my day off, and without anything better to do, I decided I would fix the mess on top of my head. I walked through the door and stopped. Tammy sat at the reception desk, looking for all the world like she belonged there. In the moment before she saw me, I registered the soft curve of her cheeks and the way her hair fell down to her shoulders. She was wearing a soft pink sweater that was innocent and provocative at the same time. Her feminine aura was even further enhanced by the garment, but I decided it would look even better balled up on my bedroom floor.
She glanced up, and a smile lit her eyes. I didn’t know what I had expected—that I would never see her again? That she would be angry or indifferent? It had only been a couple of weeks, and she looked as pleased to see me as I was to find her.
“Hi,” I said.
“Hi,” she responded, not getting up.
“You work here?”
“I do. Today’s my third day.”
“Congratulations, that was fast.”
“The owner is a friend of my cousin’s,” she said. “Are you here for a haircut?”
“Yeah,” I responded, suddenly remembering. “How long is the wait?”
She glanced at her computer, “About twenty-five to thirty minutes. We could call you back if you want to…go for a coffee or something.”
“I’ll wait,” I answered too quickly. “How are you settling in?”
“It’s great,” she responded. “Everyone’s been so nice. How’s the lumberyard?”
“Same as always.” I dodged the topic. “Are you gonna stay with your cousin or look for your own place?”
“I’m gonna look for my own place. What about you?”
