Chapter 41
FORTY-ONE
Kendall
Reading his last text, it feels sincere. I have no idea how he’s going to fix this with his dad, but he seems determined. And the warmth wraps around me like a comforting blanket.
Dane:
You’re welcome. It’s hard for me to give you space.
Kendall:
I know it is. It’s what I need right now.
Dane:
I’m going to fix this. You take all the time you need.
I pondered skipping work today, but I didn’t want to overload my stylists.
Being around my people will help me cope with all of this, even if they have no idea what is going on behind the scenes.
The only ones who know are my girlfriends and Sally.
Their ears were probably falling off by the time I was done explaining everything. Today, I’m focusing on my clients.
“Sally, my client printout isn’t on my station.” Waiting for an answer, I turn my body to see her face pale.
I quickly walk over and whisper, “Are you okay?”
“Um…so, Jane is on your schedule today for 9am.” She grimaces. “I wanted to tell you first before just leaving your schedule.”
“Oh.” I look at my watch. It’s almost nine. Not sure how I’m feeling about seeing Jane today. It didn’t even cross my mind that she could be here this week. “That’s okay. Thank you, Sally.”
I take a deep breath and let it out. I’ve got this. Maybe she doesn’t even know.
Just as that thought passes through, Jane walks in the door. Barely able to smile, she puts her arms out and hugs me. Yup, she knows. Why in the world would I think he wouldn’t tell her?
Hugging me, she whispers, “It’s all going to work out…you’ll see.” She kisses my cheek and places her palm over where she kissed.
With everything I have, I hold back tears. She glances at me. “Okay, let’s get this mop looking good again.”
If she said one more word, I’d have a breakdown right there in the middle of the salon. I’m grateful she saw it written all over my face.
I drape the cape around her and secure the Velcro. She watches me as I cut her hair. What is usually a chatty appointment is now silent. If I speak, I might break down.
“Those Walsh boys are very protective.” No kidding, Jane. But I don’t say it out loud. I just nod in agreement.
“They don’t take after me, but they take after my late husband, Richard.”
That stops me mid-cut, and I focus in, intently listening to what she has to say.
“Being responsible for their actions…absolutely. My Richard loved our kids and me hard. He instilled the work ethic that they all have. He also passed along the incessant need to protect the people he loved.”
“Oh,” is all I can manage as I listen to her story.
“Richard told our son, Edward, not to marry Cecile. We saw the signs, but he did it anyway. She was running away from her past—not my story to tell. Edward wanted to protect her, and in doing so, he gave her everything she had ever wanted. Kendall, please know their relationship ended badly, very badly.”
She waves me down to her so she can whisper with no one else hearing. “I think your situation triggered Edward, and he was attempting to protect his son. Don’t get me wrong, I am not making excuses for his behavior. He crossed the line. I wanted you to know a bit of the backstory.”
“Thank you, Jane.”
I don’t know what else to say to her. Her son, Dane’s dad—I could just write him off and never look back. What sucks me in is the look on Jane’s face. One of love and sincerity. “Everything will work out the way it’s supposed to—if it’s meant to be.”
Those words weave their way through my body and into the floor, grounding me and offering a slight relief that relaxes my shoulders. I finish cutting and styling Jane’s hair. Sliding out of the chair, she brushes off some residual hair.
“You’re a beautiful soul, Kendall.”
“Jane…”
“I’ll be back for my spa appointment. In the meantime, keep your head high. You deserve everything life has in store for you.”
Tears well up and threaten to escape as she turns and leaves the salon.
My next client isn’t here yet, so I take a breather in my office.
Staring at my phone, I reread Dane’s text, and silently beg—please make this better.
The week from hell is approaching Friday morning.
All week, Dane delivered coffee and cinnamon rolls.
I’m feeling like I may need to up my workouts.
And every day he texts me, but nothing more.
Since it’s Friday, I have Sally clear my schedule for tomorrow.
Even if I have to work a little later next week, I need a long weekend to recharge, and maybe, just maybe, I should meet up with Dane.
I miss him so much. This morning, I debated texting him.
Although my mind settled somewhat throughout the day.
I’ve replayed every moment of being with Dane.
It rooted me in the fact that I hadn’t rushed into dating him.
I was careful at first, but then he won me over.
It all happened very fast, and I’m resigned to the fact that he found me, protected me, and now he’s fighting for me with his father. I know I want him in my life.
At first, I didn’t want to be the one interfering and getting in the middle of their relationship, but after talking to Jane, that’s not it at all. This is about more than him and me.
As I’m cleaning up my station to head back to my office to work on paperwork that needs my attention, someone walks in the door. It’s Dane’s dad—you’ve got to be kidding me. I would hope that if Dane knew he was coming, he would have at least texted me.
“Mr. Walsh.” Standing taller than usual, I won’t let him tear me down again. I’m stronger, rooted in my decision.
His hair and his clothes appear to be more disheveled than the last time he was here. “Can we talk?” he asks as he rubs the back of his neck, reminding me of Dane.
“Um…okay.” I eye Sally, and she nods back.
He follows me back to my office, and all I hear is his feet scuffing along the floor.
Once we’re sitting in my office, I say, “Look, I don’t know why you are here, but there’s really nothing more I have to say to you after what happened last time.
” Trying like hell to keep my composure, and wishing I still had those papers and the check so I could rip them up and throw the pieces at him.
He places his elbows on his knees and then runs his hands down his face.
What is going on?
I’m trying to decipher what he’s doing here, but nothing is adding up.
With an enormous sigh, he says with a shaky voice, “I had a conversation with my mother, Jane. She’s one of your clients.”
“Yes, she is,” I say, leaving room for him to continue.
“She told me I needed to take a hard look at myself. About my boys…about you. I came here last time in arrogance, thinking I knew best. I see now I was mistaken.”
With my arms crossed over my chest, I’m not letting him intrude into my space. “You certainly made your opinion clear.”
His head hangs low, shaking. “I know. And I hurt you—and Dane—by doing it. My mother told me about the ways you’ve helped this community, the people who lean on you.
” He clears his throat a few times. The air thickens in the room.
“She said I’ve been blind to what truly matters.
I thought protecting my sons meant controlling them, but all I did was push them away. ”
I’m not letting my guard down with him sitting in front of me. This person looks torn, sad, and something else I can’t put my finger on. “So why are you here now?”
“To admit I was wrong. To tell you that I see how much you mean to Dane—and to our family. I don’t expect forgiveness, but I hope one day you’ll believe me when I say, I only wanted what was best for him. I just didn’t see that you might be that best thing.”
My ears must be playing tricks on me. A man who came in here earlier this week, threatening me, trying to pay me off, intimidating me—just admitted he was wrong about me, about what he did?
With my head tilted to the side, eyes wide, I’m not sure what to say.
“I’m sure this is a surprise given our last conversation.”
“Ah-huh.” That’s all that comes out of my mouth, and I nod yes.
“I was completely out of line.”
“Did Dane send you?”
“No, no. He has no idea I’m even here.” He moves to the edge of the chair. “I don’t want to lose my boys. I've already lost enough.”
He must be talking about his ex-wife. I let him continue—it seems like he needs to get it off his chest.
“Okay.” I lean onto my desk, waiting for more.
“I don’t know if Dane told you, but my wife cheated on me—several times.
Well, now she’s my ex-wife. I thought she was the one…
like my parents had.” His eyes glisten. “I thought I was doing the right thing coming to you. But now, they might leave. It’s the last thing I want, so I had to fix it—starting with you. ”
“Me?” I ask without thinking.
“Yes. I thought I was protecting Dane, but in fact, I was sticking my nose where it didn’t belong because I thought I knew best. I didn’t want him to get hurt…again.”
“Mr. Walsh…to be clear, I know what I’m getting with Dane, and hurting him is the last thing I want to do.” As the words pass through my lips, I know I won’t ever hurt him like Maggie did. I will love him for however long I’m on this earth. Clearing the lump in my throat, I need to talk to Dane.
“Dane made that clear earlier this week,” his dad says.
Therapist or hairstylist, it’s all the same…It’s as if people see me and want to share their deepest, darkest secrets.
“That was a lot.” I shake my head. “You can’t insert yourself into your son’s relationship,” I say with compassion lacing my voice. It might be a bit too forward, but I’m not holding back with this guy. He came into my office, steamrolling me, and I let him get under my skin—not today.
“You’re right. And I won’t involve myself in my sons' love lives again.”
“Have you told him that yet?” I ask, sincerely curious.
“Not yet; I wanted to talk with you first. He’s my next stop. If you don’t mind, please don’t let him know I came here. At least until after I talk with him, please.”
I think about this request and am not sure if I’m doing the right thing, but the pleading in his eyes has me saying, “I won’t.”
He stands up, and so do I. Walking to the door, he holds the doorknob, turns around, and I’m following him out the door. He releases the doorknob and hugs me. “I hope we can start over.”
“You really need to talk to Dane first.” I half-smile at him, knowing this is a man who is still hurting from everything that his ex-wife did to him. And it helps that I know he’s Jane’s son; it softens my heart a little bit more for him.
“If you can find it in your heart to give my son a chance, don’t let my mistakes stand in the way. Please. Don’t let me be the reason he loses the best thing in his life.”
With that, he leaves. I’m standing there with my hand over my mouth for a few beats. Then I find my phone.