Page 44 of The Hot New Single Dad Next Door

Two Months Later

With Liam’s hand in mine and Sonya’s in the other, the three of us walk toward the newly opened barbershop down the street. The sign comes into view and I smile as Sonya tugs on my arm to move faster.

Small Town Barbershop.

“Come on!” Sonya says. “Come on!”

“We’re going!” I laugh. “We’re going!”

We shuffle a little faster, passing by groups of tourists as they sneak kisses and take photos in the town square.

Summer has officially arrived in Kiss County.

We reach the entrance. The exterior is charming and inviting with a large, beaming window framed by a crisp white trim. A striped barber pole stands next to the door, the red, white, and blue spirals gently spinning in the breeze.

A bell chimes over our heads as we walk inside. I haven’t seen this space since before Mark destroyed it. Scott insisted I should wait, wanting to surprise me once it was finished.

Finally, I get my first look at it.

The inside is just as inviting, with polished hardwood floors that gleam under the soft lights. Photos of Small Town line the walls, many of them taken by myself and Scott over the last few weeks together. The main cutting area has a row of three classic burgundy leather barber chairs set against stations with large mirrors that make the space look larger than it is.

It was larger, right?

“Hello!” Kyle, Scott’s new and only employee, steps out of the back and smiles. “Oh. Hey, Lottie!”

“Hi, Kyle!” I greet.

“I’ll tell the boss you’re here.”

“Thank you!”

I walk the kids to the cozy chairs by the door and sit them down. Not a minute goes by before Scott steps out of the back, already grinning as he makes his way toward us.

“Daddy!” Sonya says, pushing off her chair to race into his arms.

“Hey, sweetie,” he says. He picks her up and covers her cheeks with kisses.

I greet him with a kiss of my own. “How’s it going so far?” I ask.

“Well, we’ve been open five minutes and my first customer has already arrived,” he says. “So, it’s going great!”

“Liam’s very excited about his haircut,” I say. “Aren’t you, Liam?”

Liam doesn’t answer. He just eyes us nervously through his overgrown bangs.

“Oh, it’s gonna be great, buddy!” Scott says as he sets Sonya down. He takes a knee and smiles playfully as he rubs Liam’s head. “Trust me. It won’t hurt and you won’t even miss it once it’s gone.”

Liam grins.

Scott stands up. “So, what do you think?” he asks me.

“It looks incredible, Scott!” I say, admiring it again. “Though...”

“What?”

I squint in thought. “It’s smaller than I remember.”

“Not too big for a barbershop, after all?” he teases.

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