"Edward Paul."
It was EJ's real first and middle name, so it was a not-so-fake pseudonym he used a lot.
Dominic breathed a sigh. "Okay, well, I'm curious to see how it goes, so call me on your way home tomorrow and let me know."
"I will."
Chapter 3
EJ
The following day
EJ was used to the spotlight. He rarely got nervous in public or social situations. Getting a haircut was not something that would normally rattle his nerves. But this haircut was different. He was shaken.
He saw Savannah's photograph on the wall in the lobby of the salon, and he knew she was the same girl from all those years ago. He had studied her face when they were younger, and even though she had changed, she was also the same. He knew those eyes. She was a woman now, but it was the same face. If this woman wasn't his Savannah, then she had a twin. But that was impossible because they had the same name. EJ stepped back, trying to look at the other things on the wall even though he wanted to stare at the photograph.
The salon was in a large, multi-story house. He had checked in with a woman when he came into the entryway, and now he was waiting for Savannah.
"Edward?" he heard his name, and he turned to find her standing there in one of the doorways.
"Yes," he said, with a little wave.
"I'm Savannah," she said, moving forward and extending her hand to shake his. She had on black denim overall shorts with long socks and a burgundy tank top. Her dark, wavy hair was clipped half-up away from her face. "Are you here for a haircut today?"
"I am," he said, looking straight into her eyes.
She wasn't looking at him, though. She had glanced at him, and she was wearing a cordial smile, but she didn't stop moving her gaze long enough to stare at EJ. He had already confirmed that he was there for a haircut, and the second he did, she had turned, motioning for him to follow her.
"Welcome to Van Rodgers Salon," she said, with a quick turn and smile. "I saw that it was your first time here."
"It is."
"Well, I'm Van Rodgers. Van or Vannah. Or you can take it all the way out to three syllables and call me Savannah. I answer to any of them." She made the introduction as they walked into the nearest room. It looked like it was once the house's living room, but it now had two hair stations, one on each side. There were also shampoo bowls and dryers that were situated on other walls. It was warm and eclectic in there. Everything was tidy, with the floors swept, but it was decorated warmly, like no othersalon he had ever been to. It was upscale but artsy and not at all intimidating. She motioned to her station. It was the one on the wall with the windows. It was the best station, and she was the owner. He was impressed.
"I thought you could sit down and we'll talk about what you'd like to see with your hair before we go to the shampoo bowl."
EJ sat, and for the next fifteen minutes, they went through the motions. They discussed his haircut, and then they went to the shampoo bowl where Savannah washed and conditioned his hair and then towel-dried it before gesturing for him to follow her back to the other chair. They talked about hair and made other general small talk the whole time, and it was all so fast and business-like that she had no time to study him and realize who he was. She took him in as if the whole thing was clinical. She would gaze at his face with a vague stare that never gave a chance for any recognition.
A woman was cleaning the other station, but she paid no attention to them. Savannah neatly combed and parted his hair before getting out her clippers. She held them in one hand and the comb in the other as she went to work around his ear. Sometime before the shampoo, she had put on a black apron. She had on knee-high athletic socks with black high-top Chuck Taylors, and she was adorable. EJ was disappointed when she swiveled his chair and he could no longer glance her way in the reflection.
She was amazing, and she had no idea who he was. EJ wanted to say something to her about knowing her, and he got caught up imagining the outcome of that. He was tongue-tied. He had been there for twenty minutes, and he had no idea how to say it. He could barely think straight. Savannah was sweeter and more beautiful than he anticipated.
"Any big plans for the weekend?" The clippers were running, and she spoke over them.
"I'm hanging out with some friends tomorrow night, and then Sunday, I'm going to my parents' house to eat lunch with them."
"Aw, that's so nice," she said. "Do they live here in Pittsburgh?"
"No, uh, they don't," he said.
EJ stared at her as she came in front of him to see how the bit of work above his ear was shaping up. She was only there for a second before going back to work. She was precise, and her movements were confident and fluid.
"So, you'll travel to see them?" she asked vaguely as she continued working.
"They live thirty minutes from my house," he replied. He wasn't going to lie if she asked for any more details. But she didn't.
"Does your mom cook?" She asked instead.
