“Mr. Klien.”
“Oh, he’s cute,” she says, nodding approvingly, and Nat lets out a loud laugh at that, clearly entertained by this. I would be, too, if I weren’t the one in the spotlight.
“Emma! He’s an adult!”
“That doesn’t mean he isn’t cute, though, for an adult,” she says with a shrug, and I just blink at her, jaw dropped.
“You’re a traitor,” I say, and she lifts one shoulder, completely unfazed.
“Or maybe she also wants you to be happy,” Wren says.
“I am happy!”
That’s when Wren gives me a look, one missing the playful humor from moments before. It moves through me uncomfortably, and the breath stops in my chest, that single look saying so many things while saying absolutely nothing at all. Her mouth opens, and I brace for her words, which, from years of experience, I know will be both heartfelt and cut me to the bone, but then her phone dings with a new message, distracting her. When she looks at the screen, her face goes soft.Adam.The source of her own lovestruck state and the reason she wants the same for me.
She sighs and stands. “We’ll have to continue this battle another time,” she says, and relief moves through me. I know she won’t completely let go of the idea, but at least it will give me time to come up with better excuses. “I need to get home before Adam comes by and drags me out of here. I promised him I’d be home by one so I can rest before school starts on Monday.”
I can’t help but smile, knowing now that he will, in fact, do that. Adam Porter has quite the affinity for throwing Wren over his shoulder and marching off. He values her well-being above all else, which is the number one reason I love him for her.
When she gives us a dreamy look, thinking about her man, I almost contemplate giving the number in my phone a shot. Because, despite my not dating, I want that. I want to fall in love and stay in love. I want to find someone whom I know to my soul will stay with me forever. Who will love me for the rest of my life and won’t run off when things get tough. I want someone who will look at me with stars in his eyes, the way Adam looks at Wren, who will stand up for me when I’m being too hard on myself.
I stand with Wren, hugging her, and when she pulls back, that determined look is on her face.
“Give Kevin some thought. He’s really nice, and I just want you happy,” she says, and I sigh, knowing if she uses this tactic—the soft, sweet one—I’ll end up on a shitty blind date sooner rather than later.
“I know. I’ll think about it,” I say. The grin she gives me tells me she probably knows that is my fate as well, though she’s kind enough not to rub it in my face. Instead, she gives Nat and then Emma a hug goodbye before she heads out the door.
Twenty minutes later, Nat finishes up Emma’s hair. We both ooh and ahh over it, taking a few pictures to send to Mrs. King and Wren before sending her over to one of Nat’s co-workers for a manicure and pedicure. I sit in a chair toward the entrance, flipping through a magazine, but when Nat comes my way with a meddling look on her face, my back straightens. Unlike Wren, who takes things at face value and would rather die than make someone confess their deepest, darkest thoughts, Nat is a viper when she senses something.
And right now, the way she’s looking at me is like she’s about to strike.
“All good?”
“Yup, Emma just picked out her color,” she says, then sits beside me. Silence fills the space for a moment, and I think I might be home free until… “So you’re getting close with Jesse King, huh?”
My head shifts to glare at her.
“Don’t,” I say. She grins as if she already knows she won. Just then, as if the universe were working against me, my phone beeps with a new message. Quickly, I grab it and see it’s him confirming that he got a reservation at the steakhouse in town at five thirty tonight.
“He’s been texting you all day,” she says.
“I’m watching his kid,” I explain simply.
“Having his kid in your care requires a series of mirror selfies in tight-fitting button-downs?” she asks, tipping her chin to my phone, the message screen still open. When I look down, I see Jesse’s sent me a few different outfit options for his dinner with Emma, and my heart pangs. He’s so sweet, wanting to make sure he looks good for her. He also looks unbearably hot in dress-up clothes, and despite my desire to look closer and possibly drool a bit, I play it off with a roll of my eyes.
“He’s taking Emma out on a fancy date and wants my opinion on what would look best.”
Nat gives me a disbelieving look. “He has a sister and a mom he could ask.”
I shrug. “I’m basically a sister to him, too.”
With that, Nat lets out a loud laugh, one that has a few eyes in the salon turning toward us.
“Nat, what the hell?” I ask in a hushed, chiding tone. Her laughter dies down, and she wipes a tear from her eyes, catching her breath.
“Sorry, the idea of Jesse King thinking of you as a sister was just too much.” She tips her head to the side a bit, assessing me. “Hallie, that man has been in love with you for years.”
“Bullshit,” I say, shaking my head. In an effort to distract myself, I scroll to a photo of Jesse in a blue button-down and heart it before texting him that that’s the right option.
