Chapter Six

John

By Wednesday, I’m exhausted and ready for a day off. I spent Monday and Tuesday learning about my new job at the Edgemere Hospital and will spend Thursday and Friday orienting with the ambulance service. That leaves me today to run a few errands, stock my fridge and freezer with food, and add the finishing touches to my Christmas displays. I’m also in desperate need of a haircut, and there’s only one woman I want to do it.

After making sure Biggie’s food is full, I head for the back door. Usually, I’d walk uptown since it’s only three short blocks, but knowing I need to hit the grocery store, it would be best to drive. Biggie cries out right before I close the door, causing me to pause. He’s sitting on the back of the couch, staring at the house next door.

“I know the feeling,” I mutter as I make sure the cat door is locked before exiting my house.

I make my way to my truck, which is still parked in the driveway. I need to finish organizing the few boxes of miscellaneous crap I accumulated over the years, as well as get rid of some of the extra furniture pieces. When I had to return the moving truck, those items just got thrown into the garage to be gone through later.

Later is now.

Just as I fire up my truck and start to back from the driveway, my phone rings. I spy my friend Linus’s name on the screen and tap the button on my steering wheel to connect the call. “Hey, man. What’s up?”

“Not much. How’d the first two days go?” he asks.

“Not bad. Lots to learn, but for the most part, it’s not too different than the base hospital I worked at,” I reply, heading toward the town square.

“Good. I know you’re probably busy today, since it’s your first day off, but I wondered if you wanted to grab lunch.”

A quick glance at the clock confirms it’s not quite eleven, leaving me plenty of time for a haircut and maybe a trip to the bakery for some Danish for breakfast tomorrow. “Sure, sounds good. I’m heading uptown now to see if I can get a haircut.”

I’m met with silence.

“Linus?”

“You’re going to get a haircut? Where?”

A smile teases the corner of my lips. “I thought I’d check and see if someone at The Beauty Studio has time for a walk-in.” I pull into the square, quickly finding an available parking spot just down the road.

Linus sighs. “You know who works there, right?”

“Of course I do.”

Again, silence. “Do you think that’s a wise decision?”

Shutting off my truck, I grab my phone and disconnect the Bluetooth. “It’ll be fine. It’s just a haircut. Besides, she’s probably not even available. It’ll be with one of the other ladies in the salon.”

I can practically hear him shaking his head. “Whatever, man. Just don’t go falling in love with her again. It was hell on you the last time you had to walk away.”

Swallowing over the lump in my throat, I push through. “It’ll be fine. We’re past that. Long time ago. Water under the bridge,” I find myself saying, even though I’m not sure it’s accurate. Being back here, seeing her, has brought back…feelings.

“If you say so,” he mumbles, clearly not believing me. “Wanna meet at Lunch Box Café when you’re done?”

“Sounds good,” I reply, opening my door and stepping out onto the freshly shoveled street. “I’ll text you when I’m done.”

“See you soon,” he says before hanging up.

I walk toward the salon, greeting a young couple exiting the bank. Just as I reach the bakery, I make a quick decision to go inside first and grab my breakfast for tomorrow. The bell over the door signals my arrival, and I can’t help but smile when I see Joy behind the counter. “Hey, John.”

“Joy, how’s it going?”

“Busy,” she replies, blowing hair that’s hanging in front of her eyes from her face. “What can I get you?”

“I was gonna grab some Danish for tomorrow,” I reply, glancing in the display case.

“If you put it in an airtight container in the fridge, they’ll keep for a few days. You can use a baggie too, but I always find those tend to stick to the glaze on the top,” she replies.

“And there’s nothing worse than losing half your glaze in the bag,” I reply with a chuckle.

“Exactly!” she states with a laugh.

“I’ll take two cherry and one cream cheese, please.”

“You got it,” she says, starting to box up my selection. “Anything else?”

I glance at the list of coffee drinks. “Uhh, what do you think your sister would like to drink?”

Joy tries not to smile but fails. “Buttering her up for something?”

“I need a cut, and I’m hoping she can squeeze me in,” I tell her.

“Well, she’s already had her morning latte, so I suggest the chai tea she likes. Pumpkin pie swirl is her favorite flavor.”

I nod. “I’ll take that too, please.”

Joy makes the tea and sets the cup in front of me. Ringing up my order, she says, “Eleven fourteen.”

I pull a five and a ten from my wallet. “Keep the change.”

She drops the cash and coins into the tip jar. “Thank you. Let me know how you like the Danish.”

“I will,” I reply. “Thanks, Joy.”

Turning, with the cup and box of pastries in my hand, I head for the door.

“Don’t hurt her again, John.”

Her words make me stop in my tracks. Glancing back, I give her my full attention. “I never wanted to hurt her the first time, Joy.”

She gives me a small nod. “I know, but sometimes, things just…happen.”

“They do,” I deduce solemnly. “If I can avoid causing her any more pain, I will.”

She watches me intently, as if gauging my sincerity. “Be good to her.”

This time, my smile is easy, natural. “Always.”

Stepping outside, I feel the weight of her words. I also realize my feelings for Eve might not be completely gone. Everything bubbling to the surface is more than just first love. It’s engulfing and encompassing, just as it felt back when we were eighteen. It also reminds me of the fact I owe her an apology. She might not think she needs one, but she does, and she’s getting it.

Walking to the building next door, I carefully open the door and step inside. I’m hit by the sound of a blow-dryer, talking, and light laughter. It’s the last one I’m drawn to. I’d pick Eve’s laugh out anywhere. That sound has always been one of my biggest weaknesses. It goes straight to my balls, just as it did back when we were dating.

“John!”

I glance over and offer a grin to Eve’s mom, Cindy. “Good morning, Mrs. Campbell.”

She gives me a look. “What have I told you about that?”

“Sorry, Cindy.”

“What can we do for you today?” she asks, glancing quickly toward her daughter.

Eve is watching me in the mirror, and the moment our eyes connect, she quickly averts her gaze. “Well, I was hoping I could trouble Eve for a cut.”

“I have a full schedule,” Eve replies, just as I expected her to.

“I figured. I brought tea to sweeten the deal. Pumpkin pie swirl, and it’s your favorite, according to Joy.” I hold up the cup in offering.

She stares at me intently as the blow-dryer stops. The third stylist turns her attention to me and gives me a wide grin. “I have time.”

“What’s in the box?” Eve asks, ignoring the other stylist and looking down at the white pastry box in my hand.

“Uhh, Danish. Cherry and cream cheese.”

“Throw in a cherry Danish, and you have a deal,” Eve states, the faintest smile playing on her lips.

“Deal.”

“I’ll be ten or fifteen minutes,” Eve informs me before returning her attention back to the head of hair she’s cutting.

After hanging my coat up on one of the many hooks by the front door, I walk over to the small group of comfortable seating and find a spot. I watch as Eve finishes her cut and applies product to the hair. She’s discussing something with her client I can’t quite hear, but what I do catch is the sweet sound of her laughter. It floats through the air like a soft breeze, caressing my warm skin and leaving tingles of anticipation in its wake.

The young woman at the third station finishes her client and walks to the counter. While I don’t recognize her, I do remember the woman walking beside her. She glances my way but doesn’t acknowledge me. Instead, she returns her attention to the young woman who cut her hair. Her smile is wide, but there’s something in her eyes as she says, “Thank you so much, Roxie. As always, you are the best stylist in town,” she boasts. There’s no missing the look of disdain she shoots to Eve before returning her gaze to the young woman.

“Thank you so much, Emelia. I appreciate you coming in today,” she says proudly.

“Will you be joining us for dinner Saturday night?” Emelia asks loudly, as if trying to grab the attention of everyone in the room.

“I wouldn’t miss it,” Roxie says, beaming up at the polished woman across the front counter.

“I’m just so happy for my Andrew. He’s found the perfect woman,” Emelia brags, her voice carrying throughout the salon.

I catch the look Eve shares with her mom, and I know there’s a story here. I’m just not sure I’m privileged to hearing it.

“Keep the change, dear,” Emelia announces, handing over a large bill. “And we’ll see you Saturday.”

“Thank you,” Roxie coos.

“Treat my Andrew well,” Emelia replies, giving the young woman a hug and air kiss on each cheek. She slips on her expensive coat, gloves, and hat, and before exiting the building, adds, “Better than the last one.” She’s gone, exiting in a wake of expensive perfume and arrogance.

Eve is tense, her back ramrod-straight, as the door closes. Roxie heads in her direction, a bounce in her step as she approaches. “Are you sure you don’t want me to do the walk-in? I have a few minutes before Andrew picks me up for lunch.”

Eve replies without looking my way. “No, I’ll do it.”

Roxie shrugs before walking to her station and sweeping up the hair on the floor.

A few minutes later, Eve removes and shakes out the cape around her client’s neck and hangs it on a hook beside her mirror. “What do you think?” she asks the woman I don’t recognize.

“It’s perfect, as always. Thanks,” the woman declares, grinning from ear to ear as she gets up from the chair.

I follow her every move as she goes to the counter and accepts payment for her work. When the client dons her coat and hat, Eve turns my way and says, “Give me a minute.”

I nod, waiting patiently for my turn.

After she sweeps and straightens the station in front of her, she walks over to where the washing stations are positioned. “Ready.”

I get up, setting the tea and container of Danish on the small table in the middle of the salon and take a seat. She leans the chair back, my head positioned comfortably in the cut-out of the bowl. The water is turned on, and as she adjusts the temperature, all I can do is stare up at the woman she’s become.

She’s breathtaking.

Thirty looks good on her, that’s for sure. Her face has aged a bit, but not in a bad way. Gone is the baby face she once had. There are laugh lines around her eyes and her lips seem fuller for some reason. Speaking of fuller, her body is…yowzers. Her tits are rounder and her hips more of an hourglass shape. Eve was always beautiful in her youth, but this woman is exactly what fantasies are made of.

My fantasies.

She wets down my hair, and even though I’d prefer to watch her, I can’t help but close my eyes. She adds a dollop of shampoo and begins to scrub. Good thing my eyes are already closed, because I can feel them rolling around in pleasure. The bite of her nails, the scent of her lotion, and the brush of her body against mine ignites a long-dormant fire within. One only Eve Campbell seems to awaken.

My hair is rinsed, and the water shut off. She wraps a towel around my head and pushes the chair to a sitting position once more. “I’ll meet you over there,” she informs me, her tone somewhat formal.

I stand up and walk to her station, smiling when she stops by the table and grabs one of the cherry Danish from within. She takes the chai tea in her other hand, and while taking a bite of the sweet treat, walks over to where I sit.

I don’t say a word as she enjoys her pastry, taking small sips of tea between bites. When she’s polished it off, she goes over to wash her hands in the sink and returns to her station. “Thanks for that. It was my lunch for today.”

That catches my attention. “You’re not eating lunch?”

She shrugs after wrapping the cape around my neck. “Occupational hazard. Sometimes you accidentally overbook yourself and have to work through lunch.”

A plan is already forming…

“I told you I’d bring you something,” Cindy states.

“Yes, but I didn’t leave myself time to eat it, so there’s no reason to waste food. I’ll be fine until dinner,” Eve says, rubbing the towel over my head to absorb any excess water before tossing it into a hamper. When she glances over at her mom, she smiles. “I had a cherry Danish.”

Cindy sighs. “Yes, I know.” She looks my way. “Thank you for feeding her.”

I nod, knowing that pastry isn’t going to be the end of it.

“What do you normally do?” Eve pumps the chair, raising me up.

“I need a healthy trim. It’s been too long. Shorter in the back and sides. Whatever you want to do with the top is fine.”

She grabs a comb and runs it through my hair. I’m completely engrossed in watching her work. Her eyes are critical as she checks the length of my hair and reaches for her clippers.

My cut doesn’t take long at all. In fact, it’s too short. As she runs her fingers through my hair, I almost moan in pleasure. It feels too fucking good having her hands in my hair. Like Santa’s arrival on Christmas morning. The best feeling in the world.

“How’s that?” she asks, her green eyes connecting with mine in the mirror.

Without even looking at my hair, I reply, “Perfect.”

She meets my gaze through the mirror, and there’s no missing the way her breath catches. A world of emotion passes between us in just a matter of seconds. Hurt, familiarity, lust, and even resolve flit through those green orbs.

I’m about to open my mouth, ready to ask her out on a date, when the door opens. The chiming of the bell breaks whatever trance we’re lost in. Eve blinks before looking away quickly. She pastes a smile on her lips and gives her attention to the woman who entered. “Daph, so good to see you. Give me two minutes, and I’ll be ready.”

“Take your time,” Daphne Stewart replies, doing a double take when she seems me in the chair. “John Mitchell, is that you?”

“In the flesh,” I reply to one of my former classmates. “How have you been, Daphne?”

“I’m good,” she says, walking over to where I sit. “Home for a visit or…” She glances at Eve, as if recalling the relationship she and I once shared.

“For good. I bought a house, got a job at the hospital.”

“I’m so happy to hear you’re back. My husband will be thrilled too,” she says with a smile.

“Yeah? What lucky man did you marry?” I ask as Eve runs her fingers through my hair once more.

“Beck Vogel.”

I flash her a grin, remembering Beck. He was a year older than us in school and was on the football, baseball, and basketball teams with me. Beck was a good dude, and even though I didn’t know Daphne well, I can totally see them together. “Nice. Tell him I said hello.”

“I will,” she replies as the door opens once more.

We all turn and watch Andrew Detweiler enter. “Hello, everyone,” he announces, grinning like the cat that ate the canary as he moves toward Roxie.

“Hi, baby!” she bellows, jumping into his arms and wrapping herself around him like a jungle cat. After a big kiss, she adds, “Your mom was here. She asked me about Saturday dinner.”

Before he can reply, he turns our way. At first he looks at Eve, giving her a cocky, self-righteous smirk. Then, his eyes land on me, widening with realization. “John Mitchell?”

I give Andrew a nod in greeting. “How are you, Andrew?”

“Excellent. Living the dream,” he proclaims, squeezing Roxie’s ass as if making a statement.

Eve turns away and gags a little, causing the corner of my lips to curl up.

“Eve, how are you?” Andrew says, keeping his arm around Roxie as he walks toward us.

“Exactly the same as I was earlier,” she replies, unable to hide the bite in her words, even though she gives him a smile.

He just laughs, turning his attention to the woman in his arms. “Ready for lunch, babe?”

“Yep!” Roxie chirps, stepping away and retrieving her coat.

Andrew leans against the half-wall separating each station. His eyes bounce between me and Eve. “I heard you were back.”

I nod. “Moved back last week.”

“We’ll have to catch up, grab a beer or something.”

My throat is thick, and it takes every ounce of control I have not to react with the despise I feel for this asshole. “Sure,” I end up saying, knowing full well it won’t happen.

He turns his gaze back to Eve, and in that moment, I watch his eyes soften. “See ya soon, Eve.” There’s something very intimate about his words that make the hairs on the back of my neck stand up.

Eve, through gritted teeth, replies with a curt, “Bye.”

Andrew grins before spinning around and wrapping his arm around Roxie. “Let’s go, sweetums.”

The sound of her giggles is the last thing I hear as the door opens and closes. “What a wanker,” I mutter, unable to control myself.

“No shit,” Eve grumbles, almost too quiet to hear.

“I can’t believe you almost married him,” Daphne adds.

And just like that, everything around me starts to spin.