Page 92 of Captivating Anika

“You miss it, don’t you?”

“No more than you miss the firehouse,” she lobs back.

She’s not wrong. As much as I enjoy spending time with Anika, I miss my crew. Miss the job. When the doc signs off on me going back, I can catch the last shift of this rotation from tomorrow morning until Saturday morning. I’d have two days off after that, and be back full time on the next schedule. A nice slow start to get back in the swing of things.

“Touché,” I mumble, kissing her offered mouth.

So damn sweet.

Anika

“What do you think?”

The purple and turquoise ombré is flawless and looks great on Landon. He’s preening a little, and I notice Fergie keeps darting glances this way.

“You look fabulous. Seriously, you make me want to dye my hair.”

“Don’t you ever,” Fergie pipes up. “Your hair is gorgeous as it is.”

I toss him a grateful smile. Compliments are good for the soul.

“Where is everyone else?” I ask, looking around the salon.

“Molly had a doctor’s appointment and Mo is in the back having lunch.”

“I’m just gonna go say hi.”

I start walking to the back when Landon calls after me.

“Any news on arrangements for Kim?”

“Hopefully, I’ll know more later this afternoon.”

I talked to Hood Funeral home earlier and they’re supposed to pick Kim up sometime this afternoon. Hopefully I get the go-ahead from the judge and maybe later I can stop by the funeral home to take the next steps. Maybe either Mom or Hog can come with me.

To be honest, for all the determination I felt initially, I’m not quite as sure about what I’m doing. It suddenly feels like a lot of responsibility to take on. But…I’m already committed, and if I don’t do it, who will?

I find Monique in my office, eating lunch at my desk. She looks up, surprised.

“Hey. I didn’t know you were coming in.”

“I’m only dropping in for a quick visit. I’m actually on my way to meet Lindsey’s mom at the courthouse to get a judge’s permission to make arrangements for Kim.”

“It’s about time.”

“I know, but the medical examiner only released the body this morning, so I couldn’t have done much anyway. I picked Hood Funeral Home.”

I sit down in the visitor’s chair. It feels a little odd sitting on this side of my desk.

“Any idea what day? So I can start making some calls?”

I shake my head. “No, I have to talk to Hood first, see what’s available. I don’t even know if they do funerals on Sunday, which would be easiest, and Saturday is probably too soon, but Monday might work. It’ll only be a half-day’s worth of appointments we’d have to shuffle.”

“We?”

I’m a little taken aback by her sharp tone, but she immediately comes back with an apology.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it like that. It’s just been stressful, you know? Kim, keeping the salon going, worrying about her idiot of a husband out there waiting to jump on any one of us. It’s affected all of us.”

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