Me:Hey, rumor has it, your ex-girlfriend was in town last night.
Adrian:That would be interesting, considering I haven’t had an ex in years.If she was here, it wasn’t for me.Gotta love town gossip.
I relax, but it isn’t lost on me that I cared way more about his answer than I should’ve.
I show Violet the message, and she snorts.“Told you it wasn’t her.”Then her eyes narrow.“Wait.You texted him?”
I shake off the uneasy feeling as I lie to my best friend.“Why not?I already have his number from the festival, and if it was her, I’d want to write about it.”
The lie tastes bitter, but that answer seems to satisfy her, as I’m biting my tongue, holding back the real reason I texted him.Because the truth is, if I tell Violet, I’ll tell my family, and if I tell my family, it’s no longer just a secret.And once it’s out there, it becomes real in a way that feels too big, too fast.Right now, it’s just ours.
But there’s one thing I do want to share.
“But I did find out,” I say casually.“He helped Hazel out yesterday.”
Violet raises an eyebrow.“Oh?”
I nod.“Leila’s been raving about how handsome he was, how polite, how he spent a ridiculous amount of money on a bouquet for our family.”
Violet grins.“What a lucky family.”
“Right?Hazel came home with these flowers that looked like something out of a wedding catalogue.Huge, every color imaginable.Definitely expensive.”
Violet adjusts a foil on her head.“So, what’s Hazel’s project again?”
I glance up at the giant wall mirror in front of us, catching the reflection of other clients getting their hair done.“Her new semester project is all about volunteering, so she organized a program to help residents at the retirement village with yard work or groceries.”
“And Adrian just happened to help out?”
“He ran into her after visiting the florist and decided to give her a hand.”I smile.“She said he was really good—actually worked hard.But she also said old Mr.Gideon gave him a hell of a time.”
Violet’s eyes spark with interest.“Oh?What happened?”
I chuckle.“Apparently, Mr.Gideon was being his usual self, giving Adrian grief at first, then cracking jokes and somehow roping him into giving him dating advice.”
Violet gasps, her face lighting up.“No way!How old is this guy?Eighty?And he’s out here looking for love?”
“Yup.”I shake my head, laughing.“And he thinks he’s got a shot with the cashier, Dores.”
Violet practically howls.“I love that.What a king.”
“Right?Super cute.”
She nods.“Hey, love is love, no matter the age.”
I nod, but before I can say anything else, our stylist, Mia, walks over and checks one of my foils.I can only afford the front pieces framing my face, but it’s enough to brighten it up again.It’s been at least eight months since I was last here.
Mia sighs dramatically.“Ugh, I hope I find love soon.Bit of a drought over here.Last interesting guy to come into town was Adrian, and, well…” She waves a hand.“Not exactly my type.”
“No?”
She shakes her head.“Too nice.Too quiet.I think I have a thing for bad boys.”
I smile.“Don’t we all?”
Violet eyes me playfully.“I wouldn’t call your taste a bad boy.”
I shrug.Thankfully, she’s thinking about my past boyfriends and not Adrian.“No, I guess not.”
