Page 53 of Actually Yours

“He turned up, he was on time, he wasn’t drunk and he didn’t bring his mum. I’d say the night was a success.”

Her mouth twists in disgust. “You need higher standards.”

“When you’ve been on as many bad dates as I have, just common decency is a win.”

She pats my leg. “You’ve had some pretty bad luck. Your friends are terrible matchmakers.”

“Try telling them that,” I grumble into my much-needed cup of tea. “They won’t let up; they’re convinced they havethe perfect guy for me.” Big quotation marks around the word ‘perfect’.

“So, was there chemistry? Any steamy kisses that can make up for his…niceness?” She begins sweeping the salon floor to prepare for her next customer, and I follow suit. My last appointment had cancelled, which means I’m technically done for the day and once my station is sorted, I’m hoping to leave early. A night in on the couch with my friends from Stars Hollow is calling my name.

“There were no kisses, steamy or otherwise.” I fan my face, which is heating at the thought of the almost kiss that has been floating in my mind for the last twenty-four hours. “He may have been decent, handsome even, but there wasn’t a single part of me that wanted his lips on mine.”

Andrea purses her lips. “You can’t force chemistry. It’s there or it isn’t.” The salon door opens. “Speaking of chemistry…”

My head jolts towards our latest customer, and I’m floored by who is standing there. It’s the man who’s been consuming all my thoughts, appearing like I’d conjured him up out of my sheer will alone.

“Jake!” Andrea rushes to greet him like he’s a long-lost friend.

“Oh, hi.” Jake looks startled. “You’re Andrea, right?”

My friend beams at him while my heart bangs about in my chest.Why is such a simple thing, like remembering the name of someone important to me, so impactful?

“Are you here for Amelia?” Andrea asks this with a bucket-load of innuendo in her voice.

I groan. “Drea!”

He looks between us, bemused. “Um, I came for a haircut?” His voice rises at the end, like it’s a question. Like he’s not exactly sure why he’s here at all.

“Wonderful. Millie’s appointment has cancelled, and she has time now.” They both turn to look at me. I remain frozen in place. “Don’t you?”

My mind whirls with the implications of this. A haircut will mean touching him. Touching his beautiful, lush head of hair. Standing close to him. Breathing him in. I’m not strong enough, not with the almost kiss of yesterday lingering between us.

“Ummm.”Brilliant response, Amelia.

“I should’ve made an appointment.” Jake’s voice sounds apologetic and disappointed, and this makes up my mind.

“No, it’s fine,” I say, earning a flash of his dimple. “I have time.”

“Wonderful.” Andrea claps and I shoot her what I hope is a warning glance.Calm down, I tell her telepathically.It’s just a haircut.

I motion Jake into my chair and then turn away to wash my hands. And re-group. I can do this. It’s what I do all day, every day. It’s just hair.

Thick, dark, luscious hair, the devil in my ear whispers. Sounding an awful lot like Andrea.

“So, what are you wanting done today?” I stand behind Jake, focusing on the back of his head to avoid looking at his green eyes in the mirror.

“A trim?” Again, it seems like he hadn’t given any thought to this haircut, like he’d just ended up here as an afterthought.

Tilting his head from side to side to get a better idea of how much I can take off, I secretly love the unfettered access I now have to just look at him.

“I can cut a bit off from the top and then neaten up the sides?” I offer this because really, he doesn’t need a haircut. His hair is as perfect as the rest of him.

“Sounds good.” He catches my gaze in the mirror and I’m captivated. Unable to breathe while he’s looking at me like that.

“You usually start with washing the hair,” Andrea sing-songs from the other side of the salon, her face alive with mischief.

I clear my throat, my cheeks flaming red in my reflection. “Right, yes. Come with me.”

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