Chapter 23 #3
“Uh, sure.” I gesture him over to my midsize chair and secure a cape around him.
“Would you like a beverage while you’re being worked on?” Akram asks from his nook.
Ryder waves him off. “I’m good, but thanks.”
Flo finishes her drink before hurrying off to the diner.
Now it’s just me, Ryder, and Akram in the salon.
“What are you thinking about with your hair?” I ask, running my fingers through the auburn waves. No lie, he has real great hair, and my brain is already buzzing with ideas.
He’s studying me in the mirror in a way that makes me feel even more like a bug under a microscope.
Then he blinks. “Just a trim, I think.”
“Sure,” I say, then lead him over to a sink, promising myself to make a note of my ideas after he leaves. Hal’s best friend is gonna get the full Skylar Wright experience if I have anything to say about it. He’ll look great with a faux-hawk.
“What did you want to talk about?” I ask once he’s lying back and I’m rinsing his hair.
Ryder blinks a couple of times. “Ah, yes. I forgot to mention that didn’t I? Well, I’m sure Hal has told you how I’m his BFF, so I wanted to make sure you understand and appreciate how epic he is.”
I can’t hold back a laugh. “Gotcha.”
He rolls his eyes. “Hal spilled the beans a little while ago. Told me you two are dating now. Naturally, I’m thrilled for him. There’s no one who deserves happiness more than Hal, and he’s been interested in you ever since you first met.”
I smile to myself, already excited to meet up with Hal in a few hours and tell him about this surprise visit.
“Since we first met, huh?” I’ll definitely have to tease him about that a little bit.
Ryder nods decisively. “Yep. I was forced to listen to him tell me about the swoon-worthy meet-cute you two had over a bottle of shampoo in the grocery store.” He shakes his head.
“Not the stuff of grandiose romance, but very much a down-to-earth Hal kind of meet-cute.” He studies me again.
“You probably realize this already, but Hal is not a complicated guy. What you see is what you get. If he has one fatal flaw, it’s that he is far too generous and never expects anything in return. ”
My stomach clenches at his blunt but accurate assessment.
“Yeah, I know,” I manage to murmur.
“Excellent. Just don’t take advantage of my sweet sasquatch bestie and his almost foolish levels of generosity and we’re good.”
I bark out a laugh. “You’re just as blunt as I remember from when I first met you.”
Ryder nods. “Ah, yes. I was moving out and you were moving into the B&B. I can’t believe it’s been over a month since then.”
I massage his scalp and he wrinkles his nose. He doesn’t seem to enjoy it like Hal does, so I finish up quickly and bring him back to my chair.
Comb and scissors in hand, I get down to business.
Ryder squints at me through the mirror. “So how serious is this whole thing for you?”
“As serious as it can get. We’ve basically committed to being life partners.”
Penguin mates for the win.
Ryder’s face brightens and he beams expressively for the first time since he came into the salon. “That’s fucking awesome. Dammit. I should have talked to Hal first. It sounds like a lot has happened in the short time since he and I last chatted.”
Ain’t that the truth.
But it’s all good stuff in my book.
“As they say, when you know, you know.”
Ryder nods slowly. “Well, you won’t find anyone more well suited to being a committed life partner than Hal. He’s a pure-hearted, true romantic to his core, and he’s got a heart of gold.”
“Hey man, I don’t need you to sing his praises to me. I fully understand just how fucking amazing he is and how goddamn lucky I am that he loves me back. I promise, my feelings for him are real and I’m the kind of partner he needs. I’ll keep his big, beautiful heart safe.”
Ryder grins.
“We’re even raising a hellhound puppy together now. If that’s not commitment, I don’t know what is,” I joke.
Ryder lets out a bark of laughter. “Touché.”
I give him a quick blow-dry, then I use my trimmer to tidy up his sideburns and the back of his neck. It doesn’t take long before he’s done.
When I remove the cape, Ryder stands and shakes my hand.
“Thanks for the haircut and for indulging my curiosity. I just want Hal to be happy and I know you mean a lot to him. Going forward, I hope we can be friends too.” He gives me a lopsided grin.
“Maybe we can even do a double date night. Just be forewarned—I’ll be taking notes if we do. It’s a writer thing.”
I suspect it’s more a Ryder thing.
I laugh. “I’m cool with that. Thanks for stopping by, Ryder. And maybe next time you come in, you’ll let me give you a new hairstyle too.”
“Ha! If I get in here regularly for a trim, my partner, Vash, will think I’ve been taken over by a pod person.” He pays, and just as suddenly as he appeared, he leaves with a purposeful stride.
I’m relieved that Hal has others in his life who care about him and recognize his worth. But I’m just a smidge smug in knowing I’ve got them beat in that department. This penguin’s dedication to his mate is impossible to beat!