Page 33 of Everything I Promise

“Hey, Mom, Colton needs some final decisions over at the salon today so we can open in a few weeks. Do you mind watching Oliver? If not, he can come with me, it would just be faster without him,” I quietly ask my mom as I sneak into the kitchen to steal a cookie from the cooling racks as she bakes.

“Put that cookie down, you little sneak. And of course I can watch him. He can help me get ready for Thanksgiving tomorrow!” Mom takes the cookie out of my hand like I’m a child trying to steal a snack before dinner. “You know I divide the cookies equally for you girls, Lacey. Don’t think you can sneak more just because you live here.”

Oliver comes bouncing into the kitchen and snatches two cookies off the counter and heads over to his milk at the kitchen table.

“What is that, Mom? You let him have cookies!”

Oliver busts up laughing. “I’m Grammy’s special boy. I always get my cookies first!” he says as he waves his cookies at me laughing.

I run over to Oliver to tickle him and steal a bite of his cookies. I tell him that I have to go run some errands, careful to leave out Colton’s name or he’ll be mad at me for leaving him behind, and that he gets to spend the day with Grammy. He is beyond excited to help Mom cook for Thanksgiving tomorrow. I swear that boy is going to be a chef one day. And I will not complain when he is cooking me dinner instead of me cooking dinner. I can cook, but I didn’t get Mom’s gene. She loves it. I tolerate it because I like food. Apparently, or luckily, Oliver is taking after Mom.

The walk to the salon is getting brisker as the days turn shorter. I pull my coat tighter around myself as I set off for the salon.

I need to give Lauren a call about Black Friday, so I pull my phone out and dial her number since I have a few quiet moments.

“Hey, Lacey! What is going on?” Lauren answers cheerfully.

“Hey. I’m just walking over to the salon. I need to make some final decisions on finishes with Colton. I’m hoping to open up soon for customers.”

“Yes, please girl. Seriously, I need some color to cover these early grays.” She has no grays on her platinum blonde head.

“Well, you will be one of the first to know our opening day date. I was calling to see if you wanted to join Scarlett, Addy and I on some Black Friday shopping? I have a long wish list from Oliver and we’re probably going to get a hotel in the city and spend Friday night there to have some girl time.”

“Of course I do! Sign me up. I would love a get-away to the city for shopping and girl time. Maybe even open up my dating pool options.” She sighs.

“You and Addy both. She has seemed a little down lately and I think some flirting would do her soul good.” I switch hands holding the phone so I can shove my other hand into my pocket to warm it up.

“Oh no, what is going on with her?”

“I’m not sure. Scarlett and I are hoping the trip will get her to open up to us.” We are a little worried about our younger sister, and with the youngest, Willow, occupying our minds lately, we need to get to the bottom of one of them and soon. I can’t handle two depressed sisters withdrawing from me.

“Well, I’m in. You tell me the time and place!”

“Sounds great, I’ll add you to the group chat, Scarlett was booking the hotel today. We are hoping there is some availability, but we might end up with one room if that is okay with you?”

“A good old fashion sleepover works for me!”

“Perfect. I’ll talk to you soon!”

“Bye, girl!”

I hang up just as I’m approaching the salon.

As soon as I walk through the door there’s Colton with a big grin on his face while he’s on the phone. I come up behind him and wrap my arms around his waist, resting my cheek on his strong back. He finishes his phone call and I gather that he was talking to his foreman in Massachusetts; at least it seemed like a good call.

“Hello, beautiful.” He turns and smiles down at me, dropping a kiss to my forehead.

“Hey there. I can’t believe how good this place looks. I can’t wait to open so I can start working again. I feel itchy just sitting around and not cutting hair.” I shiver.

He laughs at me. “Well then you come over here and make some final decisions so I can order these finishing touches and get you opened up in a couple weeks.”

“A couple weeks! Seriously? I didn't really think it would happen before Christmas!” I clap my hands together like a kid on Christmas morning.

“Yeah, I should be just about done in a week, and you should be able to get in here and start unloading all the boxes I keep having to haul in for you.” He eyes the pile of my cardboard palace in the corner. The delivery driver may have been making more stops than normal.

I smile sheepishly at him. “Sorry about that. I didn’t want to risk things not being here on time. The weeks before Christmas are the busiest and I want to be open for it.”

“Well, I should be able to make that happen.” He takes my hand and leads me over to the table that houses many samples. Colton shows me all the options I need to make a decision on. I choose a sparkly rock tile for the back wall that will house a simple black sign with my new salon name, bronzed cabinet pulls, and the same sparkly rock tile to outline the booths.

---