When she returned, Ollie was watering her grandmother’s geraniums, and judging by the looks her friends were giving her, they were talking about her behind her back—again.
“I’m scared, Aunt Hadwey,” Ollie said as he eyed the dreaded high-backed chair and the makeshift cape in Hadley’s other hand, which was actually one of her grandmother’s small tablecloths that she’d commandeered.
“Time to put on the Avenger cape,” Hadley said. It was a print tablecloth with a wild floral pattern all over it, but oh well. “And no worries, Ollie. I promise it won’t hurt.”
Ollie crossed his arms and sat down on the wall. “Don’t want it!” he said.
“Ollie, please just let Aunt Hadley cut your hair!” Kit said, her frustration seeping out around the edges.
“We’re going to get the ice cream sundae stuff ready to celebrate when your haircut’s done, okay, Ollie?” Darla steered Kit toward the kitchen. “Call us if you need anything,” she said to Hadley over her shoulder.
Hadley gave Darla a grateful look, but at the same time it occurred to her that she was now on her own to deal with Ollie’s fear.
Hadley wanted this to be the least of Kit’s worries, so she walked around Ollie’s chair and faced him, leaning against the patio table.
Maybe she didn’t know that much about young children, but she did know dogs, and they could be a great emergency distraction if all else failed. She reached into her shorts pocket and pulled out two bone-shaped dog biscuits.
“Will you hold these for Jagger and Bowie?” she asked.
He nodded and held out his hand while she broke them into little pieces as the dogs immediately crowded around, much to Ollie’s delight.
“I have an idea,” she said, pulling out her phone and hitting the search bar. She showed him a photo. “How about something like that?”
His little face lit up.
Oh hurray. “If we start now, the ice cream will be ready when we’re done.”
“Do you promise it won’t hurt?” His eyes, so like Kit’s, were huge and round.
“Promise,” she said, holding out her pinkie to lock with his.
She found her hands shaking a little. Not because Ollie was scared but because she was. And his hair was gorgeous—silky and golden blond—and she felt like she was cutting something precious, like Delilah hacking Samson’s locks. Also, if Ollie or Kit wasn’t pleased with the outcome…well, she wasn’t going to go there.
She wasn’t sure who was more nervous, her or Ollie. Amid a constant stream of chatter aimed to distract and amuse, and the tossing of more dog biscuits than either dog needed, finally it was done.
“Ollie,” she said, putting her hands on his little shoulders. “You look so handsome. Want to see?”
He nodded, his expression wary. Please, God, Hadley prayed. Please let him like it.
She handed Ollie a mirror as Darla held Kit at bay in the doorway.
“What do you think?” Hadley held the mirror so he could see.
He examined himself carefully, scrutinizing from several angles. “I like it.” He gave a wide grin. “I’m handsome. Look, Mommy!”
Thank goodness. As Hadley placed the scissors out of reach of little hands, she realized she’d broken out in a total-body sweat from worry. “Very handsome,” Hadley said.
“Mommy,” Ollie called. “Come see me. I look like Daddy!”
Kit walked over, her eyes tearing up a little. “Yes, you do, my handsome boy!” she said, giving him a kiss.
“I didn’t realize that was the style I was going for, Kit,” Hadley said in a low voice. The last thing she wanted to do was give Kit a reminder of Carson, who probably wouldn’t have cared one way or another about his son’s long tresses.
Kit gave her a hug. “It’s wonderful. How can I thank you?”
“Super cute,” Darla said, taking her turn. “Hadley, you’re really talented.”
“I know,” she said a little smugly. “It was actually fun.”
“Nice fade, buddy,” came a deep voice from behind her.
Cam. The simple sight of him walking over from his back patio started her heart knocking crazily in her chest. He stopped next to her, his arm lightly grazing hers, flashing her a quick and knowing smile that made her knees threaten to buckle, before fist-bumping Ollie. “My man,” he said, to which Ollie grinned even more.
“It’s short like yours,” he said to Cam. “And long, too, on top.”
“Hidden talent?” Cam asked, giving Hadley a head-to-toe look that made her toes curl.
She shrugged and flashed him a smile. “One of many.”
Had she just blatantly flirted with him? One look at her friends showed they were both staring. Well, she couldn’t help the giddy way he made her feel.
Cam, nonplussed, grinned and gave her a long, appreciative look before turning to Ollie. Hadley could barely hear him talking to Ollie and her friends over the sudden swooshing of blood in her ears. She felt dizzy and breathless. Putting a hand to her chest to try to calm her heart did nothing to stop this whole-body meltdown. She was doomed.
“Is it time for ice cream now?” Ollie asked, trying to pull the knotted tablecloth from his neck.
She freed him from the makeshift cape. “Yes, my sweet. Time for ice cream.”
Then just like that, he scooted down from the chair. Kit picked him up and twirled him around. From across the patio, she mouthed, “Thank you.”
Darla turned to Hadley. “I’ll go start dishing out the ice cream. Can I make you a sundae?”
“After all that, I’d rather have wine,” she said. “I’ll be there in a sec. I just want to sweep up.”
When she returned with a broom and dustpan, she found Cam lingering outside. “You’re amazing,” he said quietly as he leaned against the outdoor table, watching her. She pretended to shrug off the compliment, but the heat that rose to her cheeks revealed that she was pleased.
“It turned out all right,” she said as she leaned the broom against the house and they headed inside to join the others. It didn’t seem like he’d been talking solely about her haircutting skills. His look was too intense. Too hungry.
“I’m glad you came over,” she said. “Can you…stay awhile?”
“Sure,” he said. “We can…talk.” He was staring at her in a way that made her forget to breathe.
“Hey, you two, ice cream’s melting!” Darla called.
“You heard her.” Hadley struggled for sense. “Ice cream’s melting.”
So were her insides. Her brain was having a meltdown too.
Ice cream was Hadley’s favorite food, but it could’ve well been a bowl of sand she was eating because her appetite was shot. After the sundaes, Kit went on a hunt to round up all of Ollie’s various little cars and dinosaurs, one of which mysteriously ended up in Jagger’s bed, and she discovered a few more sticking up in the dirt around the potted plants. Cam surprised Ollie by hoisting him up on his shoulders and walking him around the patio, prowling around and growling and pretending they were T. rexes.
“It’s getting late,” Kit said to Hadley. “See you tomorrow, okay?” Ollie was clawing leaves on a tree and he and Cam were making chomping noises. She lifted a poignant brow at Hadley that might’ve meant What a great guy but didn’t say anything. As Cam headed over, Ollie handed Kit a bloom from a bright pink Mandevilla vine that was climbing a trellis on the side of the patio. “Here, Mommy. Put it in your hair.”