“Jackson,” I scolded, jerking my head in the direction of his client who sat in the chair, eyes covered by bangs.
“Oh, don’t stop gossiping on my account,” she said. “I’ve been seeing Jackson for years. I’m used to it.”
Jackson pursed his lips and tilted his head giving me a “see” look.
I sighed and shook my head. “I like Ruby and Reid,” I insisted, snatching my salad back and forcing a bite into my mouth. I glanced at the time, realizing I only had fifteen minutes until my next appointment. “But I don’t want to be any more of a burden then I already am. I know when people are being nice to me because they feel sorry for me. I appreciate the gesture, but I’m not going to take advantage.”
Jackson raised his eyebrows and pulled away from his client to fold his arms across his chest. “Taking someone up on an earnestly offered dinner invitation is not taking advantage, Hazel.”
I just shrugged in response.
He could think what he wanted, but I had years of evidence to back me up. Sleepovers where Zoe was the main invite and I was the obligatory plus-one. Coworkers who included me in plans just because the whole salon was going. People didn’t reallylikeme. That was just my reality. I’d gottenused to the look people got when a conversation with me stretched on too long, like a light slowly dimming behind their eyes.
When I’d started dating Paul, it had been easy to pull back even more. I stopped even making an effort with other people. Aside from Gran, I’d let him be the center of my life. I realized later there was a name for that. Codependency. I had liked not being alone more than I liked him.
“So, how is it living with the guy?” Jackson asked when he realized I had stopped talking and was instead inhaling my salad.
When I glanced at him through the mirror that ran across the entire side of the salon, he and his client were both staring back at me.
“It’s fine, but I’m just ready for this nightmare to be over.”
Jackson dipped his chin and narrowed his eyes. “That’s the dullest answer you could have given me. Fine? You’re living with Ruby’s hot brother, and you haven’t made a single move?”
My cheeks burned. “You think Reid is hot?”
“Oh yeah,” he looked down at his client. “He’s got this whole tall, adorable, nerdy thing going on. And that jawline? Hard to ignore. Right, Hazel?”
“I guess.”
I more than guessed. Reid’s attractiveness had smacked me right in the face the moment I met him, and now it constantly prodded at me—torturedme. And after spending the past week with him, his personality had sent me into full-blown crush mode. He was just so freakingnice. And genuine. And seemingly looking out for my best interests.
Jackson snorted. “Whatever. Maybe he’s not your type. You seem like someone who would go for a bad boy, or someone a bit more reckless.”
“I think I’ve had more than my fair share of those,” I muttered. “Can we stop talking about this twenty feet away from the guy in question’ssister?”
I jerked my head in Ruby’s direction.
Jackson twisted his face into one of annoyance. “She can’t even hear us.”
“I’d prefer not to take that chance.”
He sighed dramatically before going back to sectioning off his client’s hair. Finally they fell back into conversation about her ex-husband, and I was able to effectively tune them out, grateful the attention was off me.
I didn’t care that Jackson had called it on the nose. I wasn’t about to go through the embarrassment of admitting out loud that I liked Reid. Especially since there was no realm in any universe where he would ever go for someone like me. After seeing his house, and how he lived, I was more certain than ever that he thought I was a complete and total hot mess. He was all organization and routine. I was all spontaneity and chaos.
And yet…
Why did I feel so accepted around him? Was he just that patient? Or was I reading too much into basic human kindness? Maybeeveryonefelt like this after talking to Reid. Ruby did say their family used to call him “Saint Reid,” after all. For all I knew, I was just one more lost soul mistaking calm energy for connection.
My next appointment walked in before I could spiral further. Her red-box-dye hair was twisted into a lopsided bun, and tear tracks were still fresh on her cheeks.
“Oh, honey.” I sighed and guided her into my chair, already switching gears.
Reid’s house smelled amazing.I slipped off my shoes and tucked them neatly into the cabinet by the door, resisting the urge to leave them kicked off in the middle of the floor like I usually did. No way was I messing up his perfectly tidy vibe. I would be a good house guest if it killed me.
“How was your day?” Reid asked when I strolled into the main living area. The scent of onions and butter wafted through the air. I breathed it in as I collapsed on one of the stools surrounding the island.
“Long. My last client came in with a hair emergency and it took me two hours to fix.”
