Chapter 19
Hog
“What time is your appointment?”
I glance over at Anika, who is finishing her yogurt and berries, sitting beside me at the kitchen island. She passed on the cheesy scrambled eggs on toast I was cooking.
“Eleven fifteen. It’s at Mercy.”
“Will you shoot me a message? Let me know how it went?”
“Sure. How is your day looking?”
It’s a pretty domestic scene for two people who weren’t even a couple not that long ago. But the mundane chatter forces some normalcy in an otherwise unpredictable few weeks.
“Depends,” she responds. “If Monique’s find works out, I may be able to unload some clients. If not, it’ll be a crazy day like yesterday.”
She slides off her stool, grabs her bowl and my plate, and loads them in the dishwasher.
“Bring a travel mug,” she suggests. “I’ll make you a proper coffee at the salon.”
I’m not particularly picky about my coffee, I tend to grab whatever is available, but I have to admit, she makes a damn good cup with that machine of hers. So, when I slip behind the wheel of my Suburban a few minutes later, I have an empty to-go mug with me.
What I may do, after I drop Anika off, is drive down to hit up Franco for some of those vegetable seeds before I head to my appointment. I should be able to get those planted tomorrow morning while she is at work.
Then maybe tomorrow, since Anika closes the salon earlier on a Saturday, I can see if she wants to check out the new pups at the shelter. Sumo’s wife, Annie, works there. When I was at the firehouse on Wednesday, he mentioned someone had dropped off a box with two pups outside of the shelter that morning. I’d mentioned to the guys once or twice I wouldn’t mind having a dog one day. I guess he figures since I was moving, this would be a good time to get one.
I don’t disagree with him, but I feel it might be a good idea to make sure Anika likes dogs. A dog may make for a good distraction from the bad news I know is going to hit sooner rather than later.
“Oh, Monique’s already here,” Anika points out as I pull around the back of the building. “Maybe go around front.”
The white CRV is parked in the single spot behind the salon. I back up and drive around the block, finding room along the curb in the same block.
“Oh, no. I’m so sorry,” Monique exclaims when we walk in. “I meant to move my car before you got here and forgot.”
She waves at a couple of boxes in the back hallway.
“UPS notified they had our Olaplex shipment so I went, picked it up, and parked out back to unload. I’ll move it now.”
“Don’t bother,” I tell her. “I’ll be out of here in a few minutes anyway.”
“Okay,” she acknowledges before turning to Anika. “I stopped by the post office too. Left the mail on your desk.”
“Thanks.”
Anika plucks the mug from my hands and walks to the back.
“She looks a bit better today,” Monique comments in a soft voice as she grabs on to my arm.
“Yeah, but the day is young.”
“Good thing she has you to look after her, driving her back and forth. Hope she knows how lucky she is.”
Lucky? I wouldn’t exactly call her lucky, considering everything that has happened. So, when I respond, it’s possible I’m a little short.
“It’s me who’s lucky.”
She immediately drops her hand, leaving me free to head to the back in search of Anika.
Ten minutes later, after a sweet kiss and with a mug full of great coffee, I walk out the door. I barely get behind the wheel when my phone rings. It’s Evans again. I didn’t expect his call this soon.
“Hey.”
“Have you mentioned anything to her yet?” he asks right off the bat.
“Not yet. Why?”
“The ME confirmed it’s her, but the feds want to keep it under wraps.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sakes. Why would they want to drag this out for people who care about her?”
“Same reason they don’t want the recovery of Kim Cooper’s car, or what they found in the trunk, to become public knowledge.”
“Chris Cooper already knows,” I point out. “Anika told him when he was holding a damn knife to her throat. And since he’s the one you guys say stuck those chips in the trunk, he’ll be well aware that money is in your hands.”
“Or…” Evans drawls. “He knows about the car, but maybe thinks his wife found his loot and took off with it. If he finds out she’s dead and we have those chips, he’s gonna take off. His only leverage with the organization is the fact he can still recover the money for them. Once that leverage is gone, he’s a dead man.”
I see his point, but the whole situation still doesn’t sit right with me.
“Sounds like a dangerous game to me. Especially since you already have one dead woman. Someone killed her. Who’s to say whoever that is won’t decide to come around and have a go at Anika as well?”
“Unlikely, but I hear you. Don’t know what to tell you though. There’s a lot of time and manpower invested in this investigation, they don’t wanna see go to waste.”
Fuck.
“You realize you’re making me lie to my girl?”
“First of all, I’m not, the feds are. Besides, it isn’t lying if you don’t say anything,” he suggests.
I bark out a laugh. “Something tells me that’s not going to fly with Anika. Maybe I should check with Vic, I wonder what she thinks of your theory.”
I guess he’s considering my point, because there’s a pregnant pause on the other end. He and I both know Vic wouldn’t stand for it, she’d have his balls on a platter if she caught him lying by omission.
“That’s cold, man. Don’t even go there.”
That’s what I thought.
Anika
“This is Fergie.”
A very tall, lithe individual appears behind Monique in the doorway of my office. My guess is early to mid-thirties, beautiful red, wavy hair down to the shoulders, modest makeup—but enough to make those clear blue eyes stand out—and pouty, plum lips. Such beautiful, classic features, it makes the discovery of a prominent Adam’s apple and the wide shoulders rather startling.
“Nice to meet you, Fergie. I’m Anika.”
The handshake is firm and the voice is a solid baritone.
“The pleasure is mine. I hope you don’t mind if I try to make this a little easier on everyone; I’m non-binary. I don’t identify as any one specific gender, but unlike some, I’m not really hung up on using particular pronouns. They, he, she…it all works for me. I know who I am.”
I can’t help but grin at them. I like this straight-up, no-nonsense attitude.
“Good to know. I can’t promise I’m not going to mess up at some point but I think I’ll use they, them, and their.”
“Fair enough.”
“Have a seat,” I invite them before I ask Monique, “Do you have time to make Fergie a coffee?”
“Sure. What do you take in your coffee?” she asks them.
“Black, please.”
When she leaves, I turn to Fergie.
“Have either Landon or Monique explained our situation?”
“Only that you’re looking for someone immediately.”
“Right. One of our hairdressers left abruptly.”
I almost feel guilty talking about Kim like that, but I don’t have the wherewithal to try and explain everything now. I ask them to give me a rundown of their work history.
Half an hour later, Fergie is working on their first client. A walk-in looking for a trim. Landon looks smitten—which is interesting—Molly has a hard time not gawking, and Monique seems indifferent, but then nothing much fazes her.
The morning passed quickly. I only had two clients scheduled, but both were lengthy appointments. One for full highlights and the other wanted new extensions. It gave me a chance to observe Fergie at work. They definitely have a disarming personality, which helps break through any initial awkwardness, and they seem to know what to do with a pair of scissors. Added bonus is, they seem to work at a decent clip.
After showing out Brianna, happy with her new extensions, I head for my office to take a little break before my next appointment shows. I bump into Molly, who is coming from the supply room where she’s been stocking the shelves with the Olaplex delivery.
“Were you able to get it all organized? Was there room?”
“A little tight, but I was gonna ask you if you wanted me to put out some of the new line of products on the shelving by the cash register?”
“By all means, if you can make it fit, but why don’t you do that after you take your lunch break?”
“Okay.”
I duck into the fridge, grab a bottle of water, and the containers of yogurt and mixed berries, carrying it into my office.
I almost drop it all on the floor when I find Hog relaxing in my office, his boots propped up on the open bottom desk-drawer. There’s a brown bag I recognize as from the Thai fusion food truck up the street.
“What are you doing here?”
He immediately gets up and cups the back of my head with one of his hands, pulling me in for a kiss.
“I thought I’d report in person instead of text, and hoped you might be free for lunch.”
I dump the stuff in my hands on the desk and loop my arms around his neck.
“Your timing is impeccable; I was just taking a break.” I glance over at the brown bag on my desk. “What did you bring me?”
“Chicken satay buddha bowl with peanut sauce.”
My stomach instantly rumbles, and I show my gratitude by lifting up on my toes and pressing my mouth to his. His arms band around me, lifting me up higher as his tongue slides between my lips.
I can feel his deep groan reverberating in his chest, as I tighten my hold on his neck and wrap my legs around his waist.
“Holy hotness. Yikes…I’m sorry…”
Hog and I simultaneously snap our eyes to the door to see Fergie backing out. I immediately lower my feet to the ground and turn around, partially shielding Hog, whose growing erection did not go unnoticed.
“I’ll just go…” Fergie jerks their thumb toward the salon.
“That’s okay,” I stop them. “I may as well introduce you two, since you’ll probably see him around more often. Fergie, this is Hog, my…”
I hesitate only because to call someone like Hog a boyfriend is simply not doing him justice, and calling him my man sounds so…predatory.
“Boyfriend,” he solves it for me, reaching over my shoulder to offer Fergie his hand.
It doesn’t sound half as diminutive from his mouth.
“Nice to meet you. You must be the new hairdresser,” my boyfriend continues.
If I didn’t already think he was pretty much perfect, the way he handles meeting Fergie—without skipping a beat—makes me fall even harder.
“That I am,” Fergie confirms. “And the boyfriend part was pretty obvious when I walked in.
“For which, again, I’m sorry,” they direct at me. “I didn’t realize someone else was here.”
“No worries,” I try to move things along. “Did you need me for something?”
“No, I was just coming to see if you wanted something for lunch. I offered to do a run, seeing it’s my first day and all.”
“I’m good, thanks. Hog already got me lunch.”
“In that case, I’ll leave you to enjoy…your food.”
They send me a cheeky wink before disappearing. As I swing around to Hog, I can hear Fergie inside the salon, “Whoa, someone hose me down!”
“Colorful individual,” Hog remarks.
“Yeah, I don’t think we’ll be lacking for entertainment here. I’m afraid Landon has a serious crush on Fergie. I just hope that doesn’t blow up in my face.”
“They’re grown men…individuals,” he corrects himself.
“Ah, yes, supposed to be, but when it comes to matters of the heart, all bets are off.”
I take a seat behind the desk and reach into the brown bag. As I pull out the carry-out containers and bamboo cutlery, Hog sits down across from me.
“So, tell me about your appointment?” I prompt him as I lift the lid off my bowl.
Damn, that smells good. I take a bite and stifle a moan when the flavors hit my tongue. It tastes even better.
“Burns are healing well. He was pleased overall.”
I swallow my bite, before probing more.
“Pleased overall. Does that mean he cleared you? You’re going back?”
“Not exactly,” is his casual response as he stuffs a forkful in his mouth.
“I don’t understand.”
His eyes meet mine and there is something in their depths I can’t quite place.
“I told him I still get dizzy from time to time.”
That’s a surprise to me. I’m pretty sure he told me that dizziness had passed.
“I didn’t know that.”
“He told me to sit out one more rotation, just to be safe.”
Suspicious now, I narrow my eyes at him.
“Hog, what are you doing?”
“You know, I’d probably be more of a liability than an asset to the crew. My mind wouldn’t be in it.”
“Noah…tell me you’re not doing this because of me.”
He reaches across the desk and grabs one of my hands.
“Everyone has priorities, Sweetheart. You happen to be mine.”