Page 12 of Dependable Cowboy

A burst of laughter escaped him, revealing his straight white teeth, before settling into a smile. Joy knew that smile. It was the same always ready one he’d worn ever since she’d first met him, and it was so familiar that her heart ached. Still, to keep the mood light, she joined in with the rest of the ladies.

“Or if you want to stick with your original color, you could go with some golden highlights and tips. It’ll bring out the color of those dark eyes of yours and be flattering with the unusual shape of your nose.”

When he actually reached up a hand to test the shape of that nose, Joy lost it.

“I have an unusual nose shape?”

All four of them exploded into cackling howls of laughter, and what Joy feared might be an awkward encounter became something that brightened her mood considerably. Once they calmed back down, she took out her scissors and eyeballed his reflection in the mirror.

“My guess is that you want a short half-inch trim with a little more off the top, am I right?”

“Bingo. It’s my mom’s birthday party this weekend, and I can’t go in there looking like a shaggy dog.”

There was nothing whatsoever shaggy about him, nor anything that resembled any sort of canine. In fact, he smelled fresh and woodsy. But she played along.

“Then, let’s get you cleaned up, shall we?” And after that, the silver of her scissors flashed.

CHAPTER SIX

Aaron hadn’t honestly realizedthat Joy worked here, he only knew she’d been in the building that one time. And it was too late to back out of this now without coming off like a jerk. So, he dutifully crossed the room over to her salon chair. At least he could chuckle along as these ladies—Joy included—made fun of him.

He didn’t honestly mind since not one of them had shown any real malice. And the truth was the teasing reduced the stiffness between him and his childhood friend.

As her scissors went to work, which was impressive because he could already see his hair taking a new, updated shape, he gave into his temptation to ask about her.

“So, you adjusting to life back in Montana all right?” He figured he couldn’t get much more innocuous than that.

“We are. We just moved out of my parents’ place into our own apartment. Things have both changed and remained the same.”

“How different and the same?”

“Well, everything’s new and old at the same time. If that makes sense. It’s been so many years since I’ve been back here that it’s strange to see a restaurant or store where the Gulp and Fill used to be. But then, some stuff’s still in the same place. Like the square, of course. And the elementary school. Kara starts her first day there on Monday.”

“What grade?”

“Third. Remember when we were in Mrs. Allen’s third grade class throwing rocks at each other?”

But that wasn’t quite accurate.

“As I recall, it was actuallyyouthrowing them atme,” he corrected her, grinning. “Thought for sure we’d both get spankings.” Corporeal punishment had still been a thing back then, with kids living in perpetual fear of the principal’s paddle. “Good thing you turned on the waterworks.”

“I didn’t want to get hit with that thing.”

“Me neither, especially since you were the one at fault,” Aaron said, and Joy’s scissors stopped.

“Hey, just because I was the one throwing them doesn’t mean…” She trailed off. “Okay, fine. I was the guilty one. It was all the more reason for me to throw a pity party and get us out of trouble.”

He snorted at her. “Then there was that time we got caught passing notes in seventh grade science class.”

The funny thing was that they’d just been making plans for after school, not passing anything incriminating. They hadn’t been cheating on tests or even saying anything sappy. And that was despite him being in love with her even back then.

“Discussing the proper flavor of ice cream to get is exceptionally important,” she remarked.

“Still into fudge ripple?”

“Fudge ripple is a good one. But have you tried some of the Ben and Jerry’s? Their strawberry cheesecake is to die for.”

Aaron peered up at the mirror he was facing, catching her gaze in the reflection. That last sentence she spoke was precisely the tone and inflection she’d used back then. Back in high school. Back when they’d been a couple.

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