Page 55 of Falling for my Best Friend

S E V E N T E E N

- Lucy -

“You’re like my guardian angel,” I said. “What even made you stop by so randomly?”

“Actually, I thought you might give me a much needed haircut.”

I looked at his mess of thick hair. “I suppose you could use one, but I thought you had a barber you liked?”

“He messed up my sideburns last time. He’s dead to me.”

“Yikes,” I said. “Not exactly a low stakes proposition then.”

“I have faith in you,” he said. “But I don’t expect you to do it now. Not after all that and when you’re upset. We can do it another time.”

“Don’t be silly,” I said. “I’m honored that you finally asked me to do it. I wouldn’t dare pass up this opportunity.”

“Are you sure?” he asked.

“Yeah, the distraction will be good for me. It’ll help me calm down.”

“Working will help you calm down?”

I nodded and lowered my voice. “Plus, I’d rather spend a few minutes with just you right now. When I go home Fiona’s going to get all wound up when I tell her what happened. You’d actually be helping me out.”

“Enough said.” He stood up and looked around the empty salon. “Where do you want me?”

I swallowed and stood up. “Do you want a dry cut or a shampoo first?”

“I want the full experience.”

I smiled. “Okay, right this way.” I stood next to the chair in front of the basin. “Have a seat here.”

Aiden looked funny in the chair. He was much bigger than my average client.

I walked over to the shelves at the back of the room and grabbed a black, silk smock. Then I stood behind him again and reached around his head, draping it over him. His neck was too big for the clasps so while I held it shut with one hand, I pulled some bobby pins out of my hair. Two large wisps fell around my face as I put them between my lips. Then I made an x with the pins so the smock wouldn’t slip.

Next, I grabbed a hand towel from under the basin and laid it over his shoulders.

“Remember the last time I let you cut my hair?” he asked, pulling the ends of the towel and turning towards me.

I grabbed a wash cloth and laid it in the basin’s neck rest. “I can’t believe you’re bringing that up right now.”

“I hope the practice you’ve gotten since then will show in the final product.”

“Lay back,” I said, holding the washcloth still while he lowered his head down into the sink.

“You told me all the kids on the playground were going to be asking for that cut when they saw it.”

I pulled the nozzle out and turned the water on, keeping it away from his head. “To be honest, I still don’t understand why the ear to ear Mohawk hasn’t caught on.”

“You have to be pretty confident to pull that off.”

“And your face has to be just the right shape or it doesn’t work.”

He laughed. “Agreed.”

I held the stream of water against my wrist and waited for it to heat up. I wanted it to be warm, but not too hot. The salon was warm enough already.

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