Chapter 16
CHAPTER
SIXTEEN
Maren
“I love that color,” Jenn says to my client, Erika, as she’s walking past.
“Isn’t it gorgeous?” Erika states, offering a wide smile in the mirror as I finish styling her long, ash blond hair. “Maren is the bomb.”
I feel myself blush and keep my focus on the task at hand.
“You have great hair,” I finally tell her, adding the final touches of beach wave curls to her golden locks.
“All right, all finished.” I step back and carefully remove the cape before passing her a hand mirror and turning the chair so she can see the layers I added to the back.
“Oh my gosh, it’s perfect. Exactly what I wanted,” Erika gushes, taking in the view of the back before returning the mirror.
We make our way to the front counter, where I give her the total for today’s visit. She hands me cash. “Keep the change,” she insists.
“Thank you.”
“Let’s go ahead and make my next appointment. I usually do every eight weeks,” Erika says, pulling out her phone and tapping on the calendar app.
We schedule her next appointment, and I’ll never be able to describe the rush I feel every time a client walks out of the salon, happy and smiling and with another appointment booked.
“Great job, girl,” Jenn tells me as I return to my station to clean up.
I’m sweeping up the hair when the door opens. It’s just before noon, and my next appointment isn’t until one, so I know it’s not my client.
“Oh my goodness,” Jenn bellows, clearly happy to see whoever is here.
I spin around and come face-to-face with Charli Miller, Camden’s only sister. She’s not looking at me—yet. She’s talking to Jenn, who is peeking at the baby in the car seat Quinn is holding.
I take a quick second to observe the newcomers.
Charli is glowing, her smile as big as it can get.
She looks positively happy, despite the fact there’s exhaustion lacing her eyes.
As a single mom, I understand that level of tiredness instantly, recalling it fondly, especially in those early days of motherhood.
Then there’s Quinn. My old friend has aged well, and it’s obvious how ecstatic he is about being a father.
And not just that. He’s looking at Charli as if she’s the center of his universe, and a wave of happiness sweeps over me.
I’m so pleased he finally has his chance with the woman he’s always loved.
Suddenly, he turns and our eyes meet. His smile falters, but only for a moment.
It’s like he sees a ghost and then realizes I’m actually standing here.
He turns to Charli and says something to her.
I watch as her eyes widen and she looks my way.
A flash of anger washes over her features, and I straighten my spine, ready for the showdown.
Charli moves to take their daughter out of the car seat after Quinn gently places it on the floor.
He bends down and presses a kiss to the baby’s forehead and then turns his attention my way.
There’s a smile on his lips as he walks toward me, and the moment he’s standing directly in front of me, he pulls me into a hug.
“Maren.”
I don’t wrap my arms around him in return, mostly because I’m so damn shocked.
When he pulls back, he asks, “How are you?”
My throat feels dry, but I’m able to reply, “Good. You?” I crack a smile and glance to where Charli stands, holding their daughter. “You’re a dad.”
He grins so wide, it almost cracks his face in half. “I am,” he murmurs, taking yet another look over to his baby girl. “I’d like you to meet her.”
“Are you sure?” I ask, astonished by his statement.
He reaches out and squeezes my arm. “I was sad when you left, Maren. I lost a friend that day too. I’m not here to judge you for the decisions you made, but I am happy to see you again.
I missed you and would love to get to know you again.
That includes meeting my June Bug. Now, Charli is probably going to turn all angry big sister on you, but remember, it comes from a good place. She loves her brother.”
He gives me another smile. “Damn, girl. It’s so good to see you,” he says, pulling me in for another hug. This time, I squeeze back as tears fill my eyes.
“Good to see you too. I missed you all so much,” I whisper through a sniffle, and when I meet his gaze, I add, “I’m sorry.”
“And I forgive you.”
Just like that.
I don’t deserve it, but I’ll take it and use it to be a better friend moving forward.
“Come on,” he says, politely walking beside me as we move to where Charli is standing, holding their daughter.
“She’s so tiny and perfect,” I murmur softly as I stand close enough to see, but far enough back that Charli won’t feel like I’m imposing.
“How have you been feeling?” Jenn asks Charli, and I’m not sure if she’s oblivious to the added level of animosity suddenly buzzing in the room or if she is aware of it and trying to keep things light and focused on Charli.
“Really good now,” Charli replies with a smile. “She still gets her days and nights mixed up sometimes, but she’s eating better and sleeping longer.”
“She’s the perfect mixture of you both,” Lila adds.
“She is,” Quinn confirms, watching Charli hold their baby.
The way he looks at her, with so much love and adoration, makes my heart ache.
Not because I’m jealous. In fact, I’m really happy for both of them.
I hurt because I know I had that, and despite what I thought were good intentions, I let it slip through my fingers.
Now, perhaps, I can right the wrongs I made all those years ago.
Baby June is passed around to Jenn and Lila, and since my client will be here soon, I excuse myself to finish cleaning my station.
I overhear their cooing and joyous laughter.
You can tell the three women get along well, having worked in the same place for a while now.
I just pray that I’ll fit in with that closeness at some point.
Not that I feel like an outsider, or they haven’t made me feel welcome, but these three ladies are definitely close, and I have a slight tinge of jealousy.
“Do you want to hold her?”
I pause and look up in the mirror, surprised to see Charli standing behind me, her daughter in her arms. Turning around, I reply, “Oh…uh…”
Without waiting for my actual response, Charli steps forward and carefully transfers June from her arms to mine.
It’s weird holding a baby so small again, hard to believe Theo was ever this small, but he was.
“You are adorable,” I murmur softly as Camden’s niece makes a sucking motion with her lips.
“She is,” Charli agrees. After a few seconds, she sighs. “Listen, Maren, you’re not my favorite person.”
Well, I was expecting that, but had hoped it wouldn’t cause a problem at work…
“I don’t like what you did to my brother.
I had to watch him try to pick up the pieces after you left, and it was painful to witness.
You crushed him, broke his heart into a million pieces.
” She takes a deep breath, and I suddenly wished I weren’t holding her infant.
I can feel my body start to tremble as sadness ripples through me.
“But…it’s Camden’s life. If he wants to forgive you, then that’s his prerogative.”
I feel the tension ebb from my entire body.
Her eyes narrow just a bit as she adds, “I will say this, however. If you hurt him again, there’ll be hell to pay.”
Part of me wants to smile at her brash statement. Not because I don’t believe her or understand, but simply because I’m happy he has people in his corner, even if it’s his spirited sister who obviously has his back.
“I won’t hurt him, Charli. That’s the very last thing I want to do,” I state, knowing the only person I have to convince of this isn’t the woman standing in front of me. It’s the man she’s vowing to protect from me if she needs to.
She stares at me, most likely trying to assess whether or not she believes me. Before she can reply, Quinn joins us. “Everything all right over here?”
“Of course,” Charli replies, giving her boyfriend a smile as she leans in and kisses his cheek. “Just chattin’.”
He narrows his eyes, obviously not believing her. “If you say so.”
“How’s my June Bug?” he asks, gazing down at the infant in my arms.
“She’s simply perfect,” I assert, unable to take my eyes off the sweet sleeping angel.
“We should probably get home. She’s going to be ready to eat soon,” Quinn tells Charli, who nods in return.
“Yep. I’m glad we could stop by and finally introduce June to you all,” Charli says to the room. Now, we have a few clients joining the party, including my next one.
“Hi, Danielle. Give me one moment, and I’ll be with you,” I say, not wanting to give up the baby but knowing it’s time. “It was wonderful meeting you, Miss June.” I press a kiss to her forehead. “You are the sweetest.”
Just then, a loud fart erupts from her diaper, followed quickly by a smell that could bring a tear to your eye. Suddenly, both Quinn and Charli both proclaim, “Not it!”
“Hahahaha, it’s you, chump,” Charli states, smiling victoriously.
Quinn sighs. “I always get the poopy ones.” Carefully, he takes his daughter from my arms and glances at Charli. “I’m gonna change her in your room.”
After he walks away, grabbing the diaper bag and entering Charli’s massage studio, Charli grins and says, “I’m pretty sure he won that one, but for some reason, that man never complains when it comes to poopy diapers.”
“How do you know who wins?” I ask curiously.
She shrugs her shoulders and says, “We never really established the rules. I just always declare myself the winner.”
I bark out a laugh and shake my head. “Smart.”
She quickly agrees. “Right? Anyway, I know you have to get to work.”
I open my mouth to reply but hesitate.
“Just say it.”
Clearing my throat, I hold her gaze as I say, “It was nice seeing you. I’d love to catch up with you sometime.”
Charli watches me intently for a few seconds. “I’d like that. As long as you don’t hurt my brother again, we’re cool, Maren.”
I hold her blue gaze with mine as I reply, “I have no plans to ever hurt him again.”