Feeling my throat get tight, I swallow through the pain and press my lips together for a moment. “One day, you’re going to find happy, Kim,” I tell her softly when I catch her eyes in the mirror in front of us.
“One day,” she agrees, putting the compact away before heading to the front of the salon, out of sight. Pulling in a breath, I finish setting up my station then head to the front of the salon so I can take a look at the appointment book. When I walk around the corner into the waiting area, I see Mellissa talking to Frankie.
Ignoring her, I walk behind the reception desk and take out the calendar. Seeing I have a client coming in in twenty minutes who is getting a full head of highlights, I head to the back of the salon and go to the small color kitchen that is set up. I begin getting products out so that when my client comes in, the process will go by much faster. Once I have everything together, I start toward my station, but as I go to pass by Frankie, who is standing at one the shampoo bowls in the back washing Mellissa’s hair, I feel her foot hit me just above the ankle, which causes me to go tumbling forward. Dropping the items in my hands, I hit the ground hard, landing on my hands and knees.
“Ellie, are you okay?” Frankie cries, wrapping an arm around my waist and helping me stand.
“I’m fine,” I mutter, dusting my knees and hands off as I feel my cheeks grow red with embarrassment.
“Are you sure?” he asks softly, pushing my hair back over my shoulder and searching my face.
“I’m sure. I just hope my knees aren’t bruised. Jax and I have a date tonight, and I brought a dress to change into,” I tell him loud enough for Mellissa to hear. If she thinks tripping me like we’re in middle school is going to scare me into giving Jax up, she has another think coming.
“Oh,” Frankie’s eyes sparkle, “a date with Jax. Please tell me I get to do your hair.”
“Uhh…” I haven’t let anyone touch my hair since I was around twelve. I even do my own cuts when I need one.
“You’re not scared, are you?” He smiles wickedly, nudging my shoulder.
“You should really let Frankie do your hair, or a least have him cut off your split ends,” Mellissa chimes in from her position at the sink, making my teeth grit.
Looking over at her, I give her a fake smile and lie, “That’s a great idea. Thanks, Mellissa.”
“You’re welcome,” she says, rolling her eyes and leaning her head back into the bowl.
Picking up the stuff I dropped on the floor, I look from Mellissa to Frankie, seeing he has his eyes narrowed on her. When his eyes come back to me, he asks softly, “Are you sure you’re okay?”
“I’m fine.” I nod, and he nods as well then gives my hand a squeeze.
“We’ll talk about your date later.” He winks.
“Okay,” I say, but this time I really smile and he grins back while shaking his head then moves toward Mellissa.
Going to my station, I set the items in my hands down on the counter then giggle when I hear Mellissa shriek, “Oh, my God! That’s too cold!”
“Karma is a bitch,” Kim says, smiling at me in the mirror between us.
“Yes, she is,” I agree then laugh harder when I hear Mellissa scream, “You’re getting me wet!”
*
“Mommy,” Hope yells as she runs toward me from the front of the salon.
“Hey, Angel baby.” I smile, but then frown when I see she has chocolate covering her face from her nose down to her chin.
Picking her up, I look at Jax, who doesn’t give me a chance to ask him why he gave her chocolate before he closes the distance between us and kisses me breathless. When his mouth leaves mine, he whispers, “Don’t be mad.”
“I’m not,” I tell him then smile when I hear Hope giggling. “But I thought we were having lunch.
“We are habing lunch,” Hope says, happily wiggling out of my arms and climbing into my stylist chair.
“We have to wash your face first, chocolate girl,” I tell her, grabbing my purse and pulling out a wet wipe. “Did you trick Jax into buying you chocolate again?” I ask her when I get her face cleaned.
“No, he just gabe it to me,” she says, making Jax chuckle and me shake my head.
Standing back up, I look at Jax and whisper, “Pushover.”
“I can’t say no to her.” He shrugs, not denying it, and I roll my eyes.
“Are you ready for lunch, or are you too full from eating chocolate?” I ask Hope, taking her hand and helping her off the chair.
“I’m hungry. I only had four pieces of my candy bar,” she tells me, holding up her fingers.
“Oh, you poor thing. You must be starving,” I tease, picking her up and tickling her. “Frankie, we’re going to go feed this poor, starving child. Do you want us to get you anything?” I ask my boss, who is smiling at us, while Mellissa—foils sticking out all over her head like Medusa waiting for an alien attack—is trying to kill me with her eyes.
“No, thanks. Have a good lunch,” he says, laughing.
“Thanks.” I give him a wave. “So where are we eating?” I ask Jax.
“I figured we could go to the sandwich place around the corner,” he replies, holding open the door for the salon.
“Sounds good,” I agree, moving past him through the door with Hope in my arms.
“I want Ax to carry me,” Hope says when we reach the sidewalk, causing me to feel something I didn’t expect. I never thought I would be jealous, but that’s exactly what I feel as Hope holds out her tiny arms toward Jax. Squeezing her a little tighter to me for a second, I almost feel panicked as he takes her from me.
“Hey, are you okay?” he asks, dipping his face toward mine and searching my eyes.
Swallowing hard, I look at him and Hope and know it’s completely irrational to feel like I do right now, but that doesn’t mean the feelings aren’t there as I nod, muttering, “Just hungry.”
“Let’s get you girls some food,” he says, but I can tell he doesn’t believe me. I have no idea where this feeling is coming from, but now that it’s there, I feel it gnawing at my stomach as we walk down the street, around the corner, and into the small deli at the end of the block.
Once we’re inside, we order our sandwiches then take a seat at one of the tables near the front.
“Mom and Dad said they’re happy to keep Hope for the night,” Jax announces, and Hope smiles at me, saying, “Gwamma said we’re going to be vegables and watch the snowman movie.” She smiles.
“Oh,” I mutter, biting my lip. Maybe this is all a really bad idea. Maybe I’m not ready for any of this.
“Ellie,” Jax calls, gaining my attention. “What’s going on?”
Oh, God, why do I feel like crying all of a sudden?
“Just hungry,” I repeat my earlier lie, and his eyes narrow on me from across the table, but I ignore it.
“Mommy, what’s ‘being a vegable’?” Hope asks, making me smile.
“It just means to be lazy, Angel baby,” I explain.
“Oh.” She scrunches up her face and Jax chuckles.
“Mayson, order’s up,” one of the guys calls from the front of the deli.