Page 18 of My Heart To Heal

‘I thought he was a vet.’

‘He is.’

‘But you just said he was a barber.’

‘Yeah, he is.’

‘I’m so confused.’

‘His dad was the barber.’

‘Right,’

‘And he’s also a Barber.’

‘Breanne, I swear to god.’

She laughed loudly, and I knew she was doing this on purpose.

‘Nicholas Barber, the son of James Barber, comes from a long line of Barbers, both in name and occupation.’

I wonder what he’s doing right now.

My interactions with Nick have been weird. At first, I thought he was looking at me with a little interest, and then there was that whole mess with my car. Since then, he’s just been frosty. I say hello, and I try to be nice. I even brought him breakfast, for fucks sake, and he just always either stomps away mid-conversation or says something rude or obnoxious to make me do the stomping.

I wish I could just write him off, but I can’t. Something in me is determined to find a way through to him. We’re neighbors, we have the same friends, and we are going to be working next door to each other. Not to mention, he’s so sexy it’s unfair.

No, ignoring him is not an option. Nick Barber and I are going to be besties before you know it. Just wait and see.

I Never Saw A Pug Dressed That Fancy

Nick

‘What the fuck isthat?’ I say out loud as I walk out of my bathroom to hear the loud music and banging coming from somewhere underneath my apartment. From the shop.Fuckin’ Missy.

Pulling on some sweatpants and a hoody, I slip my bare feet into my sneakers and rush downstairs in time to see her up a ladder, in coveralls, hanging a canvas on a wall. For just a moment, she takes my breath away — she’s so cute, but then the loud music pulls my annoyance back into the room.

‘What the hell are you doing?’ I yell, and she wobbles on the ladder. I take a step toward her.

‘Jesus Christ, you scared the shit out of me.’

‘I asked you a question. What the fuck are you doing?’ I snap loudly to be heard over the music as she climbs down the ladder.

‘I’m working.’

‘It’s eleven at night.’

‘Okay.’

‘Your noise is keeping me awake.’ I mean, it wasn’tthatloud, and I wasn’t in bed yet, but still.

‘Okay, Grandma. I’ll keep it down.’

‘That’s it, you’ll keep it down?’ My hands come to my hips as I try to find another reason to be annoyed.

‘What else do you want, Nick?’

‘An apology would be nice.’

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