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I don’t even own a blow-dryer to recreate the magic swirling around my scalp.
Andy unsnaps the cape from my neck, and I stand — mostly to get some blood flow back to my ass, but to also reassure Harlan that I’m fine. He snags my hand and tugs me to stand closer.
“Do you like it?” I whisper hesitantly.
Harlan shakes his head at me.
Oh god. He doesn’t like it.
Fuck.
“I love it. But that wasn’t the right question,” he says.
“What?” I ask.
“The right question is if you like it, Sunshine.”
I tug at the end of the hair behind my ear. “I do.”
“Then that’s all that matters. You’re beautiful to me no matter what you do with your hair.”
“Thank you.” He thinks I’m beautiful. Butterflies take flight in the pit of my tummy.
“You’re welcome. Come on. I’m on lunch for the next hour. Let’s take Audra and that new haircut for a stroll to get some ice cream, what do you say?” He lifts our joined hands and presses a kiss to the back of mine — the strands of his beard scratchy and tickly on my skin.
“I say yes, please.”
And just like that Harlan gives me back a piece of my heart that I didn’t know was missing.
Chapter 24
Maisie
Harlan’s SUV bumps along a particularly hard rut on the road just outside of Everette.
I pick at a loose thread in my pants, worrying the string between my thumb and forefinger as nerves dance a jig in my stomach. I spin the thread one way, before letting it twist back and then turn it the other way.
After an idyllic afternoon with Harlan before shopping for new hair care supplies and some work, the anxiety pinching my chest is irritating.
“You okay?” Harlan asks from the driver’s seat. He’s all confidence sitting next to me. One hand propped on the steering wheel, the other cocked back to lean on the arm rest, thick tree trunk thighs testing the limits of his own jeans, his eyes focused on the road in front of us.
“It’s just my brothers, Jem and my dad. You already know everyone but my dad,” Harlan says, drawing my attention back to him. Like that makes the tightness in my chest ease.
Meeting the parents, or in Harlan’s case, parent — I’ve never done that. Not even with the few boyfriends I had outside of Sean. I am so far out of my element it’s not even funny.
“Sunshine.” The strength of my nickname on his lips gets my attention away from the string in my fingers, and my eyes lock with his hazel ones before his flick back to the road. “I can’t help if you don’t tell me what’s wrong.”
“I’m just nervous. I’ve — uh — never met the parents of the person I’m dating.”
“Okay. How about I tell you about my dad, think that’ll help?”
I nod. “Sure.”
“Dad’s the senior ranger for our county’s forestry service. He’s been at the station longer than I’ve been alive. Boone works with him. I think I’ve told you that?”
I nod, remembering the conversation.
“He’s pretty chill. He’ll probably crack at least one inappropriate joke tonight, and once he gets his hands on Audra, he’s not going to let her go, and my baby albums might make an appearance.”
