Chapter Fourteen
Colton
The salon is closed on Sundays, so we decided that’s the day James and the kids would come in—that way Tasha can dedicate all her attention to Sadie, without anyone else being around, and James wouldn’t be so stressed about someone seeing us together.
After his initial agreement, I thought he was going to change his mind, as if someone would go into Tasha’s salon and automatically know the two of us were in some kind of relationship.
At this point, I don’t even know what to call it.
Neither of us is sleeping with anyone else, but we’re not sleeping with each other either.
Clearly some type of sex is on the table because of the way I make him come, but the blue balls I’m getting might just do me in.
“Stop staring out the window.” Hannah sneaks up beside me, while I am, in fact, watching for their arrival. Tasha’s shop isn’t in Peyton. It’s about twenty minutes outside the city in a neighboring town, which is another reason I felt safe with him here.
“I can’t help it. I’m afraid he won’t show up, or that he will show up and this will be a mistake. James wants what’s best for Sadie, which is the only reason he agreed to this, but what if somehow we do get caught?”
Hannah puts her hand on my shoulder and squeezes. “First, the two of you are allowed to socialize outside of class. As long as they don’t know anything is going on between the two of you, you’ll be fine. And damn, you really like this guy, don’t you?”
The word no sits on my tongue, but I can’t push it off.
The truth is, I do really like James—much more than I expected.
More than I’ve ever liked anyone I’ve done this with.
He’s been through a lot, but though he doesn’t see it, James hasn’t let it hold him back.
Not only has he accomplished more than most people, he has a kind heart, one that shows itself in quiet, small ways, hiding even from him.
I scratch my head. “Yeah, I do, but I can’t.”
“I think you can,” she replies.
“Now’s the worst time for either of us to be thinking about a relationship, especially one that could ruin his career. James has kids to think about now.”
“It’s only one class. It’ll be over before you know it. You keep quiet for a little while, then come out with your relationship.”
I cock a brow at her. “The relationship we don’t have? The one he doesn’t want? You’re getting a little ahead of yourself, Han, but I love you for it.” I wrap my arm around her and kiss her temple.
“I’m ready when they are,” Tash says from behind us.
I look over my shoulder at her. “Thank you for this. You’re the best.”
“This is what aunties are for.” She gives me a smile, and not for the first time, I’m reminded how thankful I am for having them in my life.
I grin the second I see James’s SUV pull up in front of the shop.
One look at him through the windshield, and I can see how tense he is.
The poor guys walks through life carrying too much worry on his shoulders.
I want to be the person who helps him relieve it.
I get more out of that than I would ever have expected.
Hannah twists open the lock, and I slip out the door just as James gets out of the driver’s seat.
He gives me a nod before the back door opens and a tall, lanky teenager steps out.
Nash bends over and says something to his sister, and a moment later the other back door opens, and Sadie appears.
She looks little for her age, unlike Nash, who seems big for his.
Nash walks with her as they approach the building, James on the other side of her.
“Hey, I’m glad you guys made it. I’m Colton.
Nice to meet you.” I hold my hand out for Nash, the kid staring at it for a few moments before reluctantly shaking it.
“And you must be Sadie. Tash and Hannah are both super excited to meet you. Tash was so happy when your brother called to make an appointment.” James hadn’t been the one to set it up, but they don’t need to know that.
“Thank you,” she replies, the nerves clear in the tremble of her voice.
“Come on. Let’s go in.”
Hannah and Tasha are waiting right beside the door for us. The second we’re inside, they’re introducing themselves to James, Nash, and Sadie.
“Can I?” Tasha asks, motioning to the hair tie, and Sadie nods, giving her permission to take it out.
James wasn’t lying when he said she had a lot of hair. Tasha begins running her fingers through it, looking at the ends and things like that. “Your hair is gorgeous. I’m so excited I get to play with it.”
“Really?” Sadie asks.
“Yes. Absolutely. Have you ever had a haircut?”
“Nash tried to do it a couple of times.”
Tasha smiles. “That’s okay. We’ll get you all fixed up. Auntie Tasha is here now.” She holds out her hand for Sadie, who immediately takes it, the two of them walking over to Tasha’s chair. Sadie looks over her shoulder, beaming at her brothers before climbing into it.
“You can trust Tasha with her,” Hannah tells them. “She’ll get her fixed up right.”
“Thank you. I can’t tell you how much I appreciate this—you being willing to help and coming down to the shop on Tasha’s day off and everything. We’re incredibly grateful.”
“No problem. Any friend of this idiot is a friend of mine.” Hannah nudges me.
“See how nice she is to me? Calling me names already,” I tease back, then look at Nash. “You thirsty or anything? They have some soda in the fridge.” I look at James. “And water for you, of course.” I’m not sure I’ve ever seen him drink anything except water.
“I’ll take a Coke,” Nash says.
“Great.” I don’t wait for a response from James before getting Nash’s soda and James’s water. Nash is sitting in the chair beside Sadie, asking questions while Tasha gets her cape on.
“I’ll, um…be right back,” Hannah says, not looking suspicious at all. I roll my eyes, then signal to the chairs in the waiting area, and James and I sit down.
“Does she know about us?” he asks quietly, looking at Sadie and Nash instead of me.
“Not everything. She knows what I like, and before I found out who you are, I told her about a sub I really liked playing with but who didn’t seem that interested in doing it again.
” He looks my way, and I shrug. “It’s true.
I wanted you, but you were done with me.
” I wink. “But on a more serious note, I’m sorry if that’s something you’d have liked to keep to yourself.
I never expected the two of you to meet.
When I went to class that first day and realized you’re my professor, I needed someone to talk to, and I told her my hookup was now my professor.
Now she knows we talk, but I haven’t told her what we do.
I promise we can trust her. There’s no one in the world I trust more. We’re safe with Hannah and Tasha both.”
He shifts uncomfortably and nods but doesn’t look convinced.
Only time will prove it to him, and I sigh, fingers twitching on my thighs to reach out and touch him, to massage the tension from his shoulders and ease his worries.
“Drink some water,” I say, his bottle still closed.
That earns me another look from James, his pupils wide and hungry before he nods and does as told.
“You’re such a slut for being bossed around. You really fucking love it, don’t you?”
“I shouldn’t, but I do.”
“Why shouldn’t you?”
“Why should I?” he counters.
“We don’t have to have a reason to like the things we do. It’s just who we are. I like who you are, James.”
Damned if that doesn’t make him flush, which is a huge fucking turn-on, before he clears his throat.
Hannah comes back, and once Tasha has Sadie’s head in the bowl, washing her hair, I’m surprised when Nash comes over too.
He takes a seat farther away from us, keeping his distance and not saying a word.
He’s got earbuds in, gaze shooting from Sadie to James, and sometimes to me and Hannah, like he’s trying to figure out why we would do this.
He doesn’t trust us, doesn’t trust anyone who does nice things for them, I imagine, which is why he’s struggling with James.
He’s used to doing everything alone, which breaks my fucking heart.
A few minutes later, Tasha makes her way over.
“It’s going to be a bit. You guys did a good job keeping it detangled, but I’ll put a good moisturizing treatment on and let her sit for a while.
I’ll show her some styles, but I figured we could start with something simple and protective.
And then if you don’t mind continuing to bring her in, I can start showing her more styles, teaching her how to care for her specific curl pattern.
A girl should always have options.” Tasha grins.
“Yes. Absolutely. I’ll do whatever I need to do.
I can’t thank you enough for this. It really means the world to me,” James tells Tasha, Nash watching him, and I could be wrong, but I’m fairly certain he doesn’t have music playing.
The earbuds are still in, but is he pretending to listen to music while listening to us instead?
“You’re doing a good job,” Tasha says, and I swear I could kiss her.
“I don’t know about that, but I’m trying.”
“I do. You’re here, and that says a lot. I’ve seen a lot of parents of biracial children not take the time to learn about their hair. It’s important that you learn and teach her to love her hair.”
“Yes. I definitely want to do that,” James says.
She offers another smile before returning to Sadie. My gaze catches with Nash’s, and he immediately looks away.
“I heard you like basketball,” I say, and feel James stiffen beside me.
“Yeah. So?” Nash replies. Okay, so he’s definitely angry. James had that right, but I figure he has a reason to be.
“I brought my ball. There’s a court right up the road. Want to go play?”
His excitement slips through, Nash sitting up and his eyes going wide before he tries to cover it.
“Colton played in high school,” Hannah says. “He was good, though not as good as me.”
“Oh, fuck off. I mean, that’s not true. Sorry.” I’m not used to being around kids.
“You can say fuck around us,” Nash says.
Okay, then, so Nash curses too. I’ll remember that.
“I think you can take him,” Hannah tells Nash.
“And I think my best friend is an asshole,” I counter, and…is he biting back a smile? He’s curious. I turn to James. “You wanna come play with us?”
“I didn’t say I was going.” Nash crosses his arms. “But one of us has to stay with Sadie.”
“She’s in good hands. It’ll be fun,” I add, hoping to get James and Nash spending time together.
“It’s fine,” Nash says, already back on his phone. “I’ll stay.”
But then James tells us, “You two go play. I’ll stay with Sadie.”
I wish like hell it was the two of them, or all three of us at least, but though this is the first time I’ve met Nash, I know he’s not leaving this salon unless James is here for Sadie. And they might not see it, but that means he trusts James.
I cock a brow, asking if he’s sure, and James nods, the appreciation clear on his face. I don’t doubt James wants to connect with Nash, but I think he’s nervous about trying.
“Okay.” I nod to Nash. “Let’s go.”
He gets up, putting his earbuds into his pocket.
I grab the ball, throwing a glance back over my shoulder at James, again trying to make sure he’s okay. James waves me off, and Nash and I head out the door.
On the short walk to the court, Nash asks, “You really like basketball, or is this just you trying to fucking bond with me or some shit?”
I laugh. “You’ve got quite the mouth on you.”
“So do you,” he counters, and I can’t say he’s wrong.
“Yeah, but I’m an adult.”
Nash huffs. “I’ve been an adult all my life.”
A sharp pang hits my chest. From what I’ve witnessed and what James has told me, what he says is true. “You shouldn’t have had to.”
He shrugs. “What should have happened doesn’t matter, just what did.”
I sigh. “Yeah, I hear ya. Life is fucked up sometimes.”
He looks at me, surprised, like he hadn’t expected me to agree. “It is.”
“But it can be pretty incredible too. Look at today—everyone coming together for Sadie, me and you playing ball, my friendship with James. Hannah’s been my best friend my whole life. That’s the good stuff, ya know?”
“I’ll have to take your word for it,” Nash replies, voice a little sadder now.
Fuck, I hate the lives these kids have lived, and I’m so fucking thankful they have James.
“How’d you and James meet? You don’t seem like you’d have anything in common.”
We have more in common than one would think, but now I have to figure out how in the hell to answer his question. “Through a mutual friend,” I settle on. “We lost contact, and then I ran into him again a while back, and we just started talking. He’s a good person.”
Nash doesn’t say anything, but I choose to believe he knows I’m right.
“There’s the court. Race you there,” he says, surprising me, and starts running. I do the same, pushing hard to catch up with him, which I just about do, before we both skid to a stop beside the court.
“You’re a cheater,” I say, breathing heavily.
“I play to win.” Nash smiles before trying to cover it again.
I toss him the ball, and he starts dribbling. “First one to twenty wins,” I say.
He wins the first game, then talks me into a second. We up the score to thirty, and when I win, he says we have to play a third for a tiebreaker. There’s a small chance I’m going to collapse and die in the middle of this game, but still, I agree. Nash deserves this, and I’m having fun too.
I do collapse when he scores his last basket, winning the game. Nash laughs, then falls to the ground beside me, both of us looking up at the blue sky, big, fluffy clouds moving by.
When I catch my breath, I say, “He’s trying. He loves you both.”
Nash doesn’t answer, but eventually, he pushes to his feet and says, “No one has ever loved me except Sadie, and I don’t think that’ll change anytime soon.”