“On one condition.”
“That is?”
“Cut my hair?” He didn’t know why, but getting a cut and beard trim seemed like the right call. It wasn’t the end all be all, but if he cleaned up, he might feel more grown up, and perhaps some professional decorum could follow.
Todd pulled out his phone, tapped a few key strokes, and held the device up to his ear.
“What are you—” Zac halted as Todd held up his hand.
“Yes, hi, Sebastian, was it? How late are you open? Uh-huh. And do you have a chair available in, say, twenty minutes? Perfect. Zac. Thanks.” Todd tucked the phone in his pocket. “Let’s go.”
“To . . .?”
“A barber. I don’t cut hair.”
“I just assumed since you’re always so put together that you knew how.”
Todd scoffed. “Definitely not. Makeup, wigs, dresses? That’s all me, but I wouldn’t dare clip a single hair on my head. Leave it up to the professionals. Oh, and Zac?”
“Yep?”
“I’m only taking you in for a cleanup. If you chop all of that Viking length off, I’m going to blab your secret to the world.”
Chapter thirty-four
Friday morning, Leavenworth: Tabitha
“Still?”Tabitha’scarefullyerectedoptimism for the coming excursion crumbled as Lark opened the RV door looking nearly as ill as the day before. While she wanted her friend to feel better, she also needed a buffer between her and Zac. She’d barely escaped a horrible mistake—she’d forgotten her panties in his van, for chrissake—and she wasn’t so sure her resolve would hold up to another outing with just the two of them.
Lark waved her in. “Sorry, babe. I can’t keep anything down besides water and peeled cucumber slices. I tried a saltine earlier and yarffed it all up."
Tabitha stepped inside and wrinkled her nose.
Her sickly friend caught the involuntary flinch and appeared sheepish for the first time since Tabitha had known her. “Sorry. I must be nose-blind. Didn’t realize how smelly my decomposing body was making Gertie.”
Tabitha held her breath until they opened some windows to allow airflow. She gulped in a lungful and then turned back to her friend.
“Is it safe to assume you aren’t up to going on the multi-pitch?”
“Not unless you plan on carting me on your back like a baby koala.”
“Shit.” Claudia had already sounded miffed that Tabitha missed out on getting pictures of the Millers during the interview and that was only sitting in a coffee shop. There’s no way she’d be cool with not having a photographer for the main event.
“I really am sorry.”
“It’s not your fault.” Tabitha couldn’t be mad at her friend. She couldn’t help getting food poisoning. Though perhaps she’d start to rethink her dubious food choices in the future. “But can you lay off the specials from here on out? At least when we’re on assignment?”
“I say yes now, but who knows what future Lark will do. That bitch is unpredictable,” she said, crawling onto her bed and wrapping the tangled sheets around herself to form a nest.
“You should spend the day in my room. Air conditioning, shower. You’d probably be more comfortable.”
“Think I’d rather keep this contained to my RV.”
“Is there anything you want before I meet up with Zac?”
“Only a rundown of how things went yesterday.” A glimpse of her cheeky friend peeked through the dark circles and pallid skin.
“There’s not enough time for that.” Tabitha refilled Lark’s water bottle and dropped in a hydration tab. “Drink this plus one more today.”
