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Just saying it makes me want to dance my way through town shouting it from the rooftops. I spent all night in his arms — getting the best sleep of my adult life and nothing changed.
Nothing changed.
I gave Harlan the worst of the secrets sitting in my soul, and he still wants me. He wants me and Audra in his life and I don’t know what to do with the feelings that are brimming in me ready to explode outward and shower everyone in the happiness I feel right now.
There’s a part of me that wants to live in the moment — to enjoy this — enjoy Harlan. But like the girls pointed out, I have decisions to make.
Do I want to take the steps needed to kick Sean to the curb permanently? To get some justice for the horrific way he forced me to live? I’m not sure yet. But I am sure that I don’t want to leave.
But Harlan offering to help me get back on the road, toward the only type of safety I’ve known, means the world to me. Because even as he was offering it, I saw on his face how badly he wanted me to choose him and choose to stay.
Easiest choice I’ve made in a long time.
I don’t want to leave. I’m not going to leave. For better or worse, I made my choice after sharing the last of my horrific past with him in his kitchen last night.
Now I just have to decide how I want to move forward. And that’s going to take a little more time to process in my brain.
Right now? I’m going to get my haircut. Something I haven’t had done to me in too long. No more cutting it over whatever rental sink I’m staying in.
The long black tresses need the love — and honestly I’m almost as excited about getting my hair done as I am about spending the night in Harlan’s arms.
I pull open the door to the local salon, Chop Shop, when Jedd’s impatient voice reaches me. “No. You cannot cut my damned hair, Mischief.”
“Jedidiah Calhoun, you look like a damned chia pet. Just let me clean it up.”
“And have you scalp me? Hell no.”
They both turn in my direction as the door swishes closed. The two of them are standing toe to toe. Andy’s explosion of red curls dances down her back, and the height difference between the two of them is almost comical.
“Am I interrupting?” I ask.
Jedd steps around the reception desk and holds his arms out. “Hand her over.”
“What?” I ask.
Andy rolls her eyes. “I’m going to fold a few towels while you two get situated. Maisie, when you’re ready, come on back.”
She disappears around the front desk, and I look at Jedd.
“Jem sent me down here so I could help with Audra while you’re getting your haircut.”
Originally, Jem was going to watch Audra for me while I got my haircut, but something came up at the café when she texted this morning. I was just planning to hold Audra on my lap and hope that Andy could work quickly.
I should have asked more questions when Jem said that she had it covered, but I didn’t, and here I am, presented with Harlan’s brother, who’s standing hipshot after arguing with Andy.
“You don’t have to do that. I can hold her,” I say.
“Don’t deny me my fix of baby snuggles. Hand her over.”
Three weeks ago, if there was a man I just met demanding access to my daughter I would have pepper sprayed the shit out of him. But like Everette, Harlan’s brothers have started to grow on me.
Getting a haircut while not wrangling my daughter into sitting quietly?
Yes, please and thank you.
“Okay. Thank you.” I unlatch Audra from the baby carrier and pass her to Jedd asking, “You want the carrier or just her?”
“Just her for now. Lord knows I’m not going to get her from my dad tonight at dinner. If I need my hands for anything, I’ll figure out how to put it on.”
