17. Nova
17
nova
“Word on the street is you had a date.” I stilled, hoping that no one had heard what had happened during or after the date. To be honest, I had completely forgotten about Clark the last few days. He had a tech conference to go to this weekend, so we hadn’t spoken, but I think that maybe we needed to stop.
“I did,” I answered Blanche.
“Oh, come on, give me something,” she pleaded, turning around to look at me as her hair fell from my fingers.
Thankfully, I hadn’t cut it.
“Do I need to get you an iPad, so you stop moving like a child?” I glared at her.
“If the iPad had an overview of your date, sure.” She grinned.” I love a good YouTube video or PowerPoint.”
“Blanche, you’re incorrigible.” I rolled my eyes, setting her head straight before I went back to the section I was cutting.
“Oh, come on, give this little old lady a reason to live,” she said, batting her eyelashes.
I snorted. “Woman, go get your reason to live somewhere else. I know you have heard so many secrets that you could probably sell them.”
She shrugged innocently. “I have a lot of time on my hand. What can I say? This makes living with aches and pains so much more tolerable. So, be nice and at least give me something.”
“Fine,” I huffed. “He was good looking and sweet.”
“Aaaaand?”
“And that's all you are getting, Blanche,” I said, trying to hide my smile.
“So, by the sound of that, no second date?” she asked, and I swear this woman would have made a good reporter.
I shrugged.
“Why are you so afraid, sweetheart?” Blanche had taken a serious tone.
I pursed my lips. “It’s not just me, Blanche. I have a little girl to think about, and she would attach herself too quickly to whomever I brought home. She doesn’t say it, but I see how she looks at the dads. It doesn’t help that there are activities with dads like the hike they do in the spring. I don’t want to dangle the possibility of someone in front of her, then for it not to work.”
“Then don’t bring them home,” she said. “Worry about you first, vet them out, make sure they are worthy of you both and then bring him home. If they don’t pan out, sic those ranch boys on him. I’m sure they would defend both of your honors in a heartbeat.”
I chuckled because she wasn’t wrong, but she also hit the nail on the head. They would protect us even if I didn’t pursue anything with them.
“Are you thinking about the date or those boys?” She scrutinized me.
I laughed, this woman was a bloodhound for gossip. “Blanche, you are a woman on a mission.”
“I told you, what else am I going to do?” she grinned.
“Maybe find out how we can have world peace,” I joked.
“Nah, that sounds too boring. I love chaos,” she laughed, and it was maniacal.
We moved on to safer topics like gossip from the strawberry festival. Apparently, a lot had happened, and I was grateful we had moved on, except Blanche. The sneaky little gremlin wasn’t done with me as I sat her at the hair dryer.
“I never realized how much was on your shoulders,” she said, cupping my cheek. “You suffer in silence, asking no one for help, and as admirable as that is, this isn’t good for you and your mental health. Let someone in, even if it's just for having fun and living a little. Not every man is husband material and if I’m going to be honest, most of them are like children themselves. Now that Sol is older, it’s time to start working to relieve that weight on your shoulders. Go on a second date or have fun with the men at the ranch. Either way, do something for you. Be selfish for once, because if you don’t take care of yourself then you're going to work yourself into the ground.”
I blinked away tears.
“A little advice from this old lady is to pick the boys at the ranch, let them help you and give you orgasms galore,” she smiled, patting my cheek. “It doesn’t have to be happily ever after, but happily now.”
I laughed, trying to hide the blush that was making my face hot.
“Thanks for the advice, Blanche,” I said, putting the dryer head down and turning it on.
“Anytime, sweetheart, and if you do choose the ranch boys, I expect to hear all about those sexcapades,” she cackled.
That woman was a little demon wrapped up in a sweet old lady's body. I shook my head and cleaned up my station as I saw my next guest here.
“Hey Iris!” I waved her over, willing a blush not to bloom on my face since I was talking to someone about her brother.
“Hey!” She hugged me, sat down and pulled her phone out of her purse. “I’m meeting someone this weekend and I need to look different, but good.”
She showed me several pictures, and each one was blonder than the next.
“Oh, Iris.” I raised my brows. “Are we going for a blonde bombshell look?”
“Yes, I need to leave this sweet small-town girl behind,” she sighed. “I’m not that girl anymore.”
“Oh, Iris, you came to the right girl,” I said, getting excited. “Back in Denver, blondes were my specialty.”
“Ok, let’s do this,” she grinned, and we got to talking about what she wanted exactly.
It took four hours, but we had Iris looking so good I think she was going to have her date eating right out of the palm of her hand.
After doing Iris’ hair, I had a few girls from the bar coming to me, looking for a change and it felt so fucking good to be doing something different. Highlights and balayage were my specialties and I had really missed doing hair like this. It had only taken almost six years, but let's hope it stuck. The money was also great and if this continued, I might be able to stop working at the bar.
Of course, the surge of blonding clients also came at the start of the school year. Sol and I drove to Monroe for school supplies and some new clothes. She was extremely excited about starting kinder even though it was very similar to Pre-K. I was a little emotional dropping her off for her first day of school. She was growing up and while I was so happy for her, a little part of me was going to miss my little baby.
I had just finished highlighting a woman who came from Monroe, and it took me a lot longer than I had expected. I didn't think I was going to finish before I needed to pick up Sol. I paced the breakroom with my finger hovering over Theo’s name on my phone; It was not in my realm to ask for help. With the start of school, working at the bar, and these new clients I was getting, it felt like I barely had any time for myself.
Me: Hey, I’m sorry but I need a big favor. Can you pick up Sol from school? I have a client and I’m running behind.
I chickened out and texted Stellar.
Stellar: I have Volleyball practice. I’m sorry.
Me: No worries! Thank you!
“Dammit, Nova, just ask for fucking help,” I said under my breath.
“Hey, Nova!” Michelle yelled. “Colt is here to see you.”
She waggled her eyebrows at me. I rolled my eyes as I followed her out.
Colt had a bottle of shampoo in his hand as he read the label. He looked edible in a tight, black t-shirt, jeans, boots and a backwards cap. Michelle walked in front of me as I admired him uninterrupted, perused his tattoos on his arms and one going up his neck. He must have sensed my gaze when he looked up at me, giving me butterflies with his intense look.
“Hey,” I said, a little breathless.
“Hello, Nova.” He looked me up and down appreciatively.
God, I wanted to let go of what had happened between us now that he was acting nice, but I couldn't let it go. I had too many men walk all over me and I wasn’t going to let it happen again. He was the reason I was so nervous about moving forward with them. Atlas and Theo had been nothing but nice to me. I always knew there was something that tethered us together, but I thought it was just friendship.
I also saw how they looked at me with appreciation in their eyes, but I didn't think anything of it. Hell, I constantly gave an appreciative glance at them, but now their glances meant so much more.
“Is everything ok?” I asked.
“Since you've been dodging us, I figured I would cash in on my promise,” he said, cocking his eyebrow.
“I’m working late today,” I said immediately.
“What about Sol?” he asked. “Do you need someone to pick her up?”
I loved that he immediately thought of her.
“I was going to pick her up and bring her back here,” I lied.
“Nonsense, I’ll pick her up,” he scowled. “You can meet us at our house.”
He left without another word. I was shocked, grateful and wanted to cry. What made him change his demeanor so drastically? Why now? My phone's timer went off and I went to my client to see how she was processing.
After washing, toning and blow-drying her hair, I was dead on my feet. She pre- booked to come back in seven weeks, gave me a great tip and I rushed to grab my things to leave. A part of me wanted to hurry to the guys house so they didn’t have to watch her for too long, but another part of me wanted to sit in silence.
It felt like it had been so long since I had just sat and did nothing without worrying about rushing to Sol. My lip trembled as tears gathered in my eyes, and I couldn’t stop the rising emotions. I cried in my car for who knows how long, letting out all the stress of the last few months. Let's be real, the last six years.
After my good cry, I turned my car on, and drove to the guy's house in silence, a stray tear still fell down my cheek as I let myself enjoy the calm. When I got to the fork in the road, I wondered how mad they would be if I went home for another hour. It was five-thirty in the afternoon, a lot later than I usually got out, but mom guilt had me drive to their cabin.
I parked next to Colt’s muscle car hearing Sol laugh. It was one of the best sounds in the world and on my darkest days. It kept my head above water. I took a deep breath, wiped my face of any lingering tears, and left my car to follow the sounds of my daughter.
Rounding the corner of the house I stopped at the sight before me. Sol was running with Sadie and her pig, Hula Hoop, who had a sparkly tutu on. Ducks followed them and two chickens while Colt chased all of them. My heart threatened to burst as I saw Colt entertaining Sol with enthusiasm. Damn him for melting my heart and fuck him for actually being a good man.
Sol didn’t see one of the chickens as she turned around, falling down with her hands stretched out. I lurched forward to run to rescue her, but I caught myself wanting to see what Colt would do.
“Oh shit, Sundae,” he called out, rushing to her.
Her lip trembled as he helped her up by inspecting her hand. A tear slid down her cheek while he pulled a few rocks from her hand, saying something softly to her. Sol threw her arms around his neck as he picked her up, consoling her.
It was like he sensed me again, he looked around at me and I felt myself losing the last bit of anger I had held towards him. He was my excuse for holding back, but now, what excuse could I give them?
Colt’s lips moved and Sol turned around to see me.
“Momma!” she yelled, as Colt put her down and she ran towards me forgetting she was hurt in the first place.
“Hey, Munchkin,” I said, kneeling to hug her.
Picking her up was still off the table since my shoulder was still a little tender.
“How was school?” I kissed her cheek.
“Good! We colored an apple and a bear, then we talked about numbers,” she said excitedly. “Then played T-ball for PE.”
“That sounds exciting!” I grinned at her enthusiasm.
“Momma, come on, we have a surprise for you!” Sol took my hand leading me to the house.
“Wait, Sol,” Colt called out. “Keep Mommy busy for five minutes!”
Colt ran past us, going inside the house, leaving Sol to lead me back to her little pig, that I had to admit was adorable as hell. Hula Hoop was the size of a puppy and Sol told me she would get to the size of a dog, giving me facts about pigs becoming pets just like dogs recently. I listened in fascination, wondering where she had learned all this from.
“Ready!” Colt yelled.
Sol dragged me back to the house, down the hall where all the rooms were, into a bedroom that I had assumed was the guys’ room. The bed was enormous and as I passed it, images of all the debauchery I could conjure up ran through my mind.
“Here, Momma! Surprise!” Sol yelled, as we walked through a bathroom door and I was shocked.
The room was lit with candles, a romantic glow painting the room and Colt stood next to a big tub that was filled with bubbles, a table on the side with snacks and a glass of wine.
“You guys did this for me?” I asked in shock, trying to keep my cool and not cry.
“Sol said you liked baths, but your tub isn’t deep enough,” Colt said sheepishly. “So, we thought since you had been working a lot, we would let you relax while we cooked dinner.”
“Yeah, we went to the store and picked out bubbles and wine and I told Colt you like to read, so we got you this!” Sol picked up a book off the table and it was the book I had picked up to read the blurb on, when we went to the pharmacy.
“T-thank you,” I sighed, keeping my tears back. “I love it.”
I knelt down, hugging Sol, as I looked up at Colt. He gave me a small smile, and butterflies flew around in my stomach.
“Come on, Sundae, let’s let your momma relax and we can come get her when she is done,” he said, holding his hand out to her.
“Ok, Momma, relax and we will be back!” Sol pulled Colt to the door.
“Oh, there is a robe, and I will leave some clothes on the bed for you,” he said, before Sol shooed him away and they closed the door.
What was happening? How did we end up here? I glanced around the room as I let myself cry again. Dammit, I must be close to getting my period because I was crying way too much, but how could I not cry? A man I thought hated me a month ago was planning surprises for me with my daughter.
I think it was time I stopped running and have that talk with them. This felt serious, like we were inevitable. We had been living life for the perfect opportunity to be together, and I was done wasting time.