9. Keep The Flow

9

KEEP THE FLOW

I t was aspur of the momentdecision to pull in when he drove by the salon and saw Andi's car in the parking lot.

He normally had Amanda cut his hair and scheduled it even if it was a pain, but he found most times it was the only way he could remember to do it.

The fact that his cousin's wife was grinning at him told him she might have read the situation better than he was trying to hide.

He moved to Andi's chair and took a seat. She put a black smock over him. "What do you want done? It's pretty short, so I'm guessing a trim?"

"Jarrett can't stand to have the hair touching his neck and ears," Amanda said. "He's not bothered about the top. He's in here every four weeks almost like clockwork."

"But I didn't schedule with you yet," he said to Amanda, "and it's growing around my ears."

"Not much," Andi said. "How tight do you like it?"

"Military tight," Amanda said. "Though he never served like his brother Mac. And the only reason I'm answering for him is he's normally quiet. Got to keep the flow between you two."

Andi was grinning. "I haven't found him too quiet."

"Hmmm," Amanda said. "Time for Mom over here to mind her own business."

"How are you feeling?" he asked. He kept his voice lower than normal but knew there were going to be a lot of eyes on them anyway.

"Better," she said. "I've got another client coming in soon."

"Oh," he said. "You didn't need to do this."

"It's fine," she said, getting her clippers out and changing the settings. "Plenty of time for what you're having done. Put your head down please."

He did and then felt the clippers gently along his neck. He barely felt it. Not even Amanda was this light. He wouldn't say that though.

"Your bruise isn't as visible as it was Monday."

He looked out of the corner of his eye but didn't see Amanda turn to look at them. There was a chair between them and no one in it right yet.

"It's fading. I heal fast, which is a good thing. No headache in two days either. Or not much of one."

"Which means you're still getting them?" he asked. "Is this your first day back?"

"It is. Just a light day. Tomorrow I'll do more and then have Sunday off. Got to start somewhere and daytime TV isactuallycausing more stress than relaxing me."

He laughed. "I'm not into TV much unless it's a movie or sports. When I even have time."

"I like TV, but it's hard to find shows that entertain me. For years I liked crime shows but don't watch them much anymore."

"Why's that?" he asked. "I don't watch them myself because half the time I spend it grumbling about how inaccurate it is."

"My father was like that too," she said. She seemed to hesitate. "He was in law enforcement also before he died."

It didn't seem to be the place to ask more, but he was starting to wonder if her father had been a US Marshal and knew Jack. That would make a lot more sense. No reason to look into Andrea Benson because he was positive that wasn't her real name.

"I'm sorry about that," he said. "My mother says she's lived her whole life stressed, as my father was an officer and then chief of police. Mac went into the Army, then returned here and got on the force working his way up. When my father retired, it was like everyone knew Mac would be next. My family has been the chief for generations."

"I can see where it's a tradition on an island that was founded by your ancestors."

"The funny part is we are from the side that was more in trouble with the law than the rest of them. But somewhere around my grandfather's generation or before, they decided to become upstanding citizens."

She laughed when he said that. "I'm sure not everyone was in trouble with the law."

"No," he said. "But it's the historical irony. We've all served the public in one way or another for generations. My uncle,heowned Bond Automotive and now his son Carter has it. My father does some work when Carter has an overflow. Alex works there on his days off too."

"No law enforcement on that side, huh?" she asked.

"No. Carter's brother, Grayson, is a financial adviser. The only office worker of the men in this generation. They've got a sister, Natalie, and she works at The Resort."

"It seems hard to work on this island and not be touched somehow by the Bonds. I've got to say from my short time here, your family does things the right way. The legal way. Hope that didn't come off wrong."

He snorted. "I know what you're saying. They could be dicks about it all and own things and throw their weight around. No one is. It's all about making it better each year for the next generation. You can't do that if you piss people off or intimidate them."

"No," she said quietly. "Things go south quickly when people act like that."

A clue to her past or just a conversation? It was hard to tell, as when he was in here in the past he noticed all sorts of conversations and people just blending in.

"They can," he said.

When she was done with his neck, she moved over to his side and nudged his head a little so she could get a better angle around his ear. This was going by quicker than he wanted. Bummer. He wasn't ready for a haircut just yet and it was a lame excuse, he knew.

"I know you're probably working right now," she said. "And I'll be here until close to five. Would it be awkward if I offered to make you dinner as a thank you?"

"No," he said. "Not awkward. But you don't need to do that. I was only doing my job."

She moved to the other side and he lifted his head, their eyes meeting in the mirror. Even with the extra makeup around her shiner and the white tape covering her stitches, she was stunning to him.

There wasn't a lot of makeup on her eyes and he was betting she didn't wear much normally. That caught his attention when a woman did and when he found her unconscious he didn't remember it.

What he remembered was a taller thin woman that had some curves on her but not a ton. She looked healthy to him. Someone who had muscle but wasn't afraid to eat either.

He remembered it was the first thing she said when she woke up. She was hungry. He saw the food she'd bought too. More healthy than not.

"I know," she said. "But you and I both know you're going above and beyond."

She said it quietly. Guess he wasn't being so discreet driving by her house and then coming here.

"I hope I'm not making you uncomfortable," he said. "It's just..."

"You're not," she said. "You've got questions and doubts. I know. I appreciate it, but I'm fine."

She finished up with the second ear. "Then why ask me to dinner? Just the thank you or more than that?"

She took a deep breath. "I'm not sure why. It's a thank you and maybe more. Maybe I'm making you uncomfortable and you can say no if you want. How much off the top?"

"Just a little," he said. "And you're not making me feel uncomfortable. I guess I don't want to make things difficult for you but then also need to know you're feeling safe."

"As I said, I am. You're not making things difficult if you're thinking of Jack. He's back home and it's all good. But I'd still like to cook dinner for you if you want. If not, no big deal."

"I'd like that. Though why don't I take you out," he said. "No reason you need to cook for me. I'd offer to cook, but I only grill or make sandwiches. Not sure what you can eat with the broken tooth."

"Food isn't that bad. Coy told me to chew on the other side though I'm keeping it somewhat softer. I don't have a problem going out, but would prefer not to have too many people staring at me until the bruising is gone."

He hadn't thought of that when she pointed to her head.

"I can get takeout. Not fast food but good stuff. One of my cousins owns Duke's. They've got great food. Italian is soft, right?"

"Italian sounds great," she said.

"I'll make sure there are no peanuts or tree nuts," he said.

She looked confused. "Who told you that? I can eat peanuts, but not tree nuts."

"Jack," he said. "I was in the room when you were unconscious and Hudson was talking to him to find out allergies. He couldn't remember which one."

"Oh," she said. "I hadn't realized that. Yes, tree nuts. I love peanut butter but have to be careful as people put hazelnuts in things and that is ano-no."

"I'll remember that," he said. "For the future."

She smiled when he said that.

"I think we are done here," she said. "Unless you want more off?"

"No," he said. "Looks great."

She grabbed a brush and started to run it over his neck, then took the smock off.

He followed her to the frontandpulled his wallet out, added a nice tip, and handed over the cash.

"What time do you get out of work?" she asked.

"I'll be done around five," he said."HopefullyI won't get held up. I don't have a way to let you know if I do."

Andi grinned. "Not very smooth when it comes to asking for my number." She held her hand out. "Give me your phone."

He pulled it out and unlocked it, then handed it over. "No one has ever said I was smooth," he said. "I might need to work on that."

"Or not," she said. "You're more human this way. Smooth men are normally hiding things."

Just more clues he'd have to put away too.

"How does six sound?" he asked. "I know where you live."

"Six sounds good. See you then. Bye, Jarrett."

"By, Andi," he said.

He walked to his SUV and got in, then pulled his phone out to see her contact. It wasn't under A or B so he scrolled through and found it under T. The Klutz.

At least she had a good sense of humor and he hoped she relaxed enough to give more hints to her past.