CHAPTER FOUR
“I’m dying.” Nick groaned.
“No. You’re not,” Tess said.
“Of boredom, yes, I am.”
“Is that why you called me over here? ’Cause you’re bored?”
“Mom is smothering me,” he complained.
“Yes, it must be real tough being waited on hand and foot by the best cook in the world.” She grabbed the half sandwich he’d left on a plate and took a bite.
“You don’t have to be so sarcastic. And don’t touch my food. You know I hate that.”
“I do know. But what are ya gonna do about it?” she teased, waggling her eyebrows. “With only one good arm and one good leg, it’s not like you can chase me down and take it back.”
He harrumphed. “I will get better. And I have a long memory.”
“It’s been over a week,” Tess said, polishing off the sandwich. “Didn’t the doctor say you should be walking soon?”
“I go a little farther every day. Even got to the end of the driveway once. And I can go a few hours at a time without the arm sling now,” Nick said, running a hand through his hair. The gesture reminded him he needed a haircut.
“How’s the pain?”
“I’ll live.” He shrugged. “I’m trying to go easy on the pills.” He’d heard one too many horror stories of people getting hooked on meds after an injury and was determined to make sure that didn’t happen to him.
“Well, don’t be dumb about it,” Tess said.
“Can you drive me to the barber sometime soon?” He could feel his hair sticking every which way and tried to tamp it down.
“You really gonna trust Cletus to cut your precious do?” Tess raised an eyebrow.
“He’s still cutting hair? He must be a hundred years old!”
“And his haircutting skills are what you’d expect. I’ll take you to Faith. She’ll cut it.”
“Whaddya mean?”
“My friend Faith. That’s what she does.”
“Oh.” Every time Tess mentioned Faith, Nick’s brain immediately brought up the incident at the lake. Would he be able to look her in the eyes after seeing her naked? Of course he could. It had been ten years, and he was a grown man, for heaven’s sake. “Fine. Whatever. Can we go now? I gotta get out of this place.”
Tess pulled out her phone, made a quick call, and hung up. “She can squeeze you in if we hurry. Come on.”
Climbing into Tess’s SUV hurt like the dickens and forced him to take a pill, but by the time they arrived at Shear Genius, the pain had settled to tolerable.
He hated having to rely on his cane, but it was that or potentially end up on his face. They entered, and Nick recognized Faith immediately. Tall, long blonde hair tied up in some fancy ponytail, body like a…Stop!
She was laughing at something the woman in her chair said, and the tinkly sound floated over to where they stood in the entryway.
“All finished,” Faith said to the client. “You look fantastic. You’ll have to beat Carl off with a stick.” As she whipped off the hair cape, she caught Tess’s eye and held up a finger.
“Thank you, Faith,” the woman said, smoothing a hand over her hair. “You were right about the color. I shouldn’t have doubted you.”
Faith escorted the lady to the front, where she stopped to pay the receptionist. She said goodbye and turned to him and Tess.
“Well, if it isn’t Nicky Walker,” Faith said, eyeing him up and down. “Long time no see, sailor.”
“Easy, girl,” Tess said. “He’s still my brother.”
“And it’s Nick,” Nick grumbled, cringing at the childhood nickname he hadn’t heard in years.
Faith held up both hands. “Okay, Nick. Come on back.” He averted his eyes from her butt as she sashayed—no other way to describe it—to her station. “Have a seat.”
He tamped down a grimace as he gingerly slid into the chair, but she noticed and frowned at his discomfort.
“Sorry about your injury,” she said. “I’ll do this quick. You just want a trim?”
“Any chance you could wash it?” he asked. “I can only raise one arm and haven’t done a proper job of it in days.”
“Sure,” she said. “Let’s get you to the sink.”
When she grabbed his bicep to help steady him, a flash of electricity shot through his body. The Vicodin must be doing something weird to his system.
The wash basin was only a few steps away, so he left the cane propped next to Faith’s workstation and hobbled behind her. Which nearly killed him. Pain radiated up his leg, and he gritted his teeth.
She chatted frivolously about something or other, but he tuned her out. Between the medicine really kicking in and her soft hands massaging his scalp, his mind flitted off to Neverland.
After the final rinse, she went to retrieve his cane. And thank goodness. His pride wouldn’t let him ask for it, but he wouldn’t have made it back to the chair without it.
“Thanks,” he grumbled. She’d decorated her workstation with all sorts of what he would consider hippie stuff. A dream catcher. A sticker that read, “We are all stars and deserve to twinkle,” a red crystal, and a zodiac sign labeled, “Libra.” She might be as pretty as he remembered, but she was also just as nutty.
“Could I get a quarter inch off everything?” he asked.
“Got it. So, you adjusting to small-town life?”
“I haven’t been anywhere but my parents’ spare bedroom,” he said glumly.
“I’d go stir crazy,” she said, snipping away with confidence.
“Trust me, I’m halfway there.”
“Oh my gosh.” She stopped cutting abruptly, causing him to panic. Did he have a bald spot?
“I just had a great idea,” she continued. “Why don’t you stay with Tess for a while? She lives close enough to town that you could walk to the coffee shop or the diner. It would give you a little freedom.”
“I thought you and Tess were roommates.” No way he was shacking up with Faith.
“We are.” She resumed cutting. “But I’ve been staying with my dad since my mom passed. It’s gonna take some time before I can leave him on his own. You’re welcome to stay in my room.”
Tess must have overheard because she got up and walked over to where they were. “I feel like I should be a part of this convo,” she said.
“Oh, yeah,” Faith said. “I guess I should’ve run it by you first. Don’t you think it’s a good idea though?”
“But I’m never home,” Tess said. “Who will take care of him?”
“I’m right here,” Nick said. “And I don’t need twenty-four seven care. That’s what’s driving me crazy at Mom’s. She hovers and treats me like an invalid.”
“You sort of are an invalid,” Tess said.
“I get better each day. And the doctor did say I should walk as much as possible. Your place is way closer to town.”
“So you want to do it?” Tess asked. Her surprise mirrored his own. Moving in with his sister wasn’t on his bingo card, but it beat the alternative.
He shrugged. “It’s fine if you work all day. I wouldn’t mind some alone time.”
“And you’re okay with it, Faith?”
“It was my idea, wasn’t it?”
“Yes. But sometimes you do stuff without thinking through the consequences.” Tess said it gently, but Nick sensed an underlying tension. Knowing Tess, and what a planner she was, that trait would drive her nuts.
“Ha,” Faith exclaimed. “Amara said there would be a man in my bed soon. She just failed to mention I wouldn’t be with him.” She laughed.
“Amara?” Nick asked. That didn’t ring a bell as any of Tess’s friends.
“My psychic,” she said matter-of-factly.
“Of course,” Nick muttered. “Who else?”
Faith rolled her eyes. “ And my horoscope said I would be in a position to help someone today. Voilà!”
He glanced at her through the mirror, curious if she was serious. She was. Whatever. It didn’t matter how they got here. The thought of freedom was too enticing, and he’d humor her ridiculousness if it would buy him a few hours alone every day.
“I’m game,” he said.
“Well, all right,” Tess said, shrugging.
“Oooh,” Faith exclaimed, looking toward the door. “What pretty flowers.”
The receptionist said something to the flower deliveryman and pointed their direction. The man used both hands to lug over a massive bouquet of summer flowers. “Faith Sullivan?”
“Yes,” she said. “They’re for me?” A huge smile spread across her face at his nod.
The man set the vase on the small shelf at Faith’s workstation, blocking Nick’s reflection of himself, and left.
“Want me to read you the card?” Tess pulled a tiny white envelope from the bunch.
“Probably a belated thing for my mom’s death,” Faith said, still snipping away at Nick’s hair. The fact that he couldn’t see what she was doing anymore made him nervous. He had control issues—a flaw he acknowledged and periodically tried to work on—and didn’t like being unable to see what was happening to him.
“I watch from afar, your smile so bright. Wishing for permission to step into your light. Call me. Denver.” Tess’s face scrunched up. “Denver, as in the guy who graduated a year before us and works at the gas station?”
Faith sighed. “He’s been asking me out for a while now. I don’t know how he hasn’t gotten the message that I’m not interested. The flowers are a new touch.”
“You’re too nice, Faith,” Tess said. “Men misinterpret it to mean you like them, and then you’re not blunt enough saying no.”
“I don’t want to hurt his feelings.”
Nick sat still as they bantered back and forth. His eyes fluttered shut. This little outing was tuckering him out embarrassingly fast. Finally, Faith put down the scissors, picked up a comb, took a few swipes, and declared him done.
“Ta-da,” she said, pulling away the cloak and brushing his shoulders. “Handsome as ever.”
He leaned to the side, looking around the flowers to see in the mirror. Normally, he was very picky about who cut his hair. In Boston, he would drive thirty minutes out of his way to a barber he’d found in town, but who’d moved to the suburbs. Faith had surprisingly done a great job.
“Thanks. What do I owe you?” He pulled out his wallet.
“It’s on the house,” Faith said. “You can buy me a beer sometime.”
“You look like you’re about to fall over,” Tess said, brows knitting in concern. “Let’s get you home.”
She wasn’t wrong. He felt weak. A feeling he didn’t like one bit. He nodded and let her help him out of the chair. Tess grabbed the cane and put an arm around his waist. He leaned on her heavily and let her guide him to the car. As soon as he was seated, he closed his eyes and laid his head back.
“You gonna make it?” she asked, sliding into the driver’s seat.
“Hope so. Think I overestimated how much energy getting a haircut takes.”
“Maybe you should stay with Mom and Dad for a few more days. What if you need something or someone to help you, and you’re all alone?”
He wanted to argue with her. Tell her he was fine and that he didn’t need anyone. But a man had to know his limitations. “Let me see how I feel later. Sitting around the house isn’t as taxing.”
“You’re the one that always says safety first. I know you’re dying to be roomies, but a couple more days won’t kill you.”
He hated to admit she was right but grunted in agreement.
“So, that’s your best friend?” Nick asked, changing the subject. “You seem very different.”
Tess laughed. “Oh, we are. For sure. Faith’s got a few nutty quirks, but she’s loyal and fun and sweet.”
“She’s a flirt.”
“That too. And just so you don’t go getting a big head, she’s that way with everyone.”
He didn’t care but didn’t have the energy to protest either. She drove him home and helped him back into bed, where he stayed until the next day.