“Just nice?”
“I mean, what else should she be?”
“Was she cute?”
“Samantha …” I say with a sigh, sitting back in my seat after starting the truck. “What are you up to?”
“I just figured since you know you’re staying in Nashville now, maybe you can meet someone.”
“And you want that person to be my hairdresser?”
“Hairstylist,” she corrects me as she always felt that sounded better. “And yes. How else are you supposed to meet someone? Every two weeks, you’re set up to be with her, so don’t be shy; see if you like her.”
“Samantha, I just met her.”
“Yeah, but I did extensive research, and I think she’s awesome.”
I laugh out loud at my sister’s antics as I pull away from the curb and head toward the stadium. “Is that why you had her on the phone for an hour?”
“See! We totally hit it off. She was into our conversation just as much as I was. I really like her.”
“You don’t know her!” I laugh some more.
“Hey, I did my job. Now it’s your turn to get to know her better.”
“Did you know she has a son?”
“Yep, named Nolan. How perfect is that?”
“You didn’t tell her who I was, did you?”
“No. I know how you feel about that. She’ll find out—you do know that, right?”
“I know. I just don’t want that to be the first thing anyone knows about me.”
“Oh, my little humble lamb. You’ll never change …” she says with a sigh, making me shake my head. “Just tell me this …”
I inhale a big breath, not sure if I want to know what’s coming next, then know there’s no way around it. “What?”
“She’s cute, right?”
“Yes, she’s cute. I’m hanging up now.”
“Bye. Love you!” she singsongs, making me laugh again.
“Love you too.” I hang up, not able to stop the smile on my face even though that woman drives me nuts sometimes.
CHAPTER TWO
Christy
I finish my last client and head to my sister, Sasha’s, house. I don’t know what I’d do if I didn’t have her to watch over Nolan while I was at work. She runs a day care out of her house, and even though she refuses to let me pay her, I at least got her to allow me to cut her family’s hair at no charge in exchange.
I enter the code she has on her gate that leads to the cottage she has in the back, where her day care is run. Kids greet me as they chase each other around the massive backyard she’s made into their kid heaven.
I see Nolan shooting hoops with his cousin, Jackson, and a few of his friends, and he waves his hello, then goes right back to his game.
I remember, just a few years ago, when I arrived, he’d drop everything he was doing and scream, “Mommy!”
