Chapter 2
Two
RIVER
Christmas music plays through the speakers that are placed around Flawless, my salon.
My girls and I sing along, and some of my clients even join in. We are in the full Christmas spirit today— hell, for all this month— since Christmas is just weeks away.
I freaking love Christmas.
Everything about it makes my heart happy and full.
I made this life for myself when I moved to Silverpine with a friend over ten years ago. He made me see that the folks of Silverpine did not care what my sexual orientation was, as long as I was kind and respectful to people.
“River, darling, you have outdone yourself. This is why my friends and I will only come to you to get our hair done,” Miss Gladys says, touching her newly cut and colored hair.
I fan my face, smiling at her in the mirror.
“Aww, you say the sweetest things, Miss G.” I remove the black cape from around her body, then help her to her feet.
Bless her heart, she is nearing ninety and looking fabulous. She still walks the street of our quaint town on her own, but I know that everyone looks out for her whenever she is around.
“I only trust you, River.” Her smile is warming and it hits me in the chest seeing how much she enjoys coming into Flawless.
“I thank you for that, honey.” I help her over to the counter so she can pay my sweet receptionist, my godchild, who helps out when she is not in school.
“You are getting prettier and prettier whenever I see you, Lanie.”
“Thank you, Miss Gladys.” Lanie helps her pay up, and I say my goodbyes before I clean my station, getting ready for my next client.
Once that is done, I go to my office to sit and look through some online shopping sites for some last-minute Christmas gifts for my family.
By family, I mean Lanie and her mom, Neve. Years ago, I was kicked out of my family home because I informed my parents that I was gay. They were the type of people who believed that being gay was disgusting and gay people carried AIDS. They were uneducated and lived in a rundown trailer.
I was happy to leave, and I was placed in foster care. I was a minor at the time, but that only lasted three years until I turned eighteen. I was unlucky enough to have a foster family who did not care about me, only the money they were collecting in my name.
On my eighteenth birthday, I packed my shit into a small suitcase and left with five hundred dollars in my pocket. It got me a ticket to Vegas, where I believed I was destined to be a gay showgirl; well, that did not happen.
Found in a diner, sulking into my soup, a woman took pity on me. That woman and her daughter shaped me into the man I am today. Along with some personal trauma, which led me to Silverpine.
The city, the lights, and the crowds got to me; they overwhelmed me after an incident that we do not talk about.
So my bestie, and sister from another mister, decided she would move to Silverpine with me, bringing her daughter with her. We settled, and thanks to Neve’s mom training me to be a hairstylist, I got all of my certifications to say that I was legit and opened up a salon here.
Over the years we added some more beauty treatments, which the kind folk here love.
The only thing missing in my perfect life is a man. There are not many gay men in Silverpine, but if I am being honest, there is only one who holds my attention.
Colt Woods.
He is a very sexy man, who will live in my dreams for years to come.
All rough around the edges, tattoos all over his skin, and it makes me wonder how much of his body is covered in them. Damn, I would love to find out.
He rides around town on his motorcycle, looking like a badass biker in his leather jacket, jeans that fit snug to his thighs, and biker boots. Along with his brother Ridley, Colt owns the local garage in town, Woods Auto Care.
Colt is one of six Woods men, and by all accounts, each and every one of them is hot, but it is Colt who does it for me. He gets my body heated up from the inside with just a look, but he has never made a move on me.
You see, Colt is older than me. It has never bothered me, but it does him, or so I am told by the youngest Woods brother, Cormac.
I flirt with him and he smirks, giving me those sexy amber eyes of his. The way his teeth sink into his bottom lip gets my cock thinking about all kinds of hopes and prayers that we will get lucky one day.
Clicking on my appointment book, I see Miss Patty’s name and my mind wanders to her grandson, who is staying with her through Christmas and possibly longer.
Theo is his name, and it suits him.
He came to the salon to collect her after her appointment yesterday, but stayed outside so we did not get a proper introduction. Although, I saw enough to have a new star in my sexy dream fantasies.
Standing at a similar height to me, a little under six-foot, Theo was giving off sexy nerd vibes. Vans on his feet, slightly baggy jeans, and a gaming T-shirt under a plaid flannel shirt.
His hair is dark, long enough for me to run my fingers through it as he sucks my dick, and do not get me started on his glasses. Fuck me, that man is hot.
An image flashes through my mind of both Theo and me on our knees for Colt, his hands in our hair, while we play.
Fuck, now my dick is hard, which is not good as I am wearing maroon pleather pants.
They complete my Christmas outfit; I am obsessed with Christmas sweatshirts. I have so many that I have lost count. Christmas is a time of joy and family for me. To see people laugh and smile helps bury all the bad shit in the world.
Silverpine is the perfect place to live if you love Christmas. Snowcapped mountains are the backdrop of our little town in the state of Oregon.
The whole town is decorated with Christmas decorations: lights, trees, garlands, and figurines.
When you live this close to mountains, pine is an everyday scent that you love to breathe in first thing in the morning. It settles in your soul, making sure that you know that the day will be a good one.
Or that could simply be me manifesting a good day.
I am always focusing on the positive side of things. If you believe that the day will be shit, then you have already set your day up to be a disaster. Yet, if you believe that you will have a marvelous day, then, baby, you will have a fabulous day.
If only I could manifest both Colt and Theo in my bed.
I sigh, leaning back in my chair, smiling at the little glass snowflake that Lanie bought me one year, when she saved money from walking dogs.
I may be gay, and kids were never a thought for me, but I see her as my own, and she will always have a piece of my heart. Family does not have to be blood to mean something to you.
A knock on my door breaks my thoughts as Lanie pokes her head around the door.
“Mrs. Bartlett is here.”
“Thank you, pumpkin. I will be right there. Can you see if she would like a hot drink, please?”
“Will do.”
I stand up and step to the mirror that I have on the wall to check my hair and face. My hair is a mousy brown, longer on top with a wavy volume to it, and shaved sides that fade into my light facial hair.
Makeup has always fascinated me, but I learned a long time ago that adding too much makes me look terrible, and I cannot have my handsome face turning people off, so I always wear a light brush of mascara, with eyeliner and some lip gloss.
Making sure that I still look good, I step out of my office. Adjusting my chubby dick in my pants, I walk down the hallway onto the floor, praying that none of the ladies here can see the bulge in my crotch.
“Diana Bartlett, looking gorgeous as ever.”