My shoulders relax at the familiar timbre, and I want to shake Drew for her purposeful misdirection.
Hottie my ass.
Two of my regulars, Randy and Blythe, stare up at me with goofy grins. If I had to guess, they have about five years on my dad, but they seem years younger. Randy’s loud and goofy and always getting himself into trouble, and Blythe colors her hair brighter than anyone I know—me included. She’s currently rocking bleach blonde locks with robin’s-egg blue tips, and I’m sure she’ll be back in my chair soon, trying something new.
They might be old, but they don’t let that hold them back from anything, especially living.
Unlike my father who is…well, he’s hanging on.
My lips pull down at the thought of my dad. I know a lot of the aging he’s seen in the last few years is the heartache from losing my mother, which in turn makesmyheart ache…and is another reason I can’t seem to walk away from this place.
No matter how thin I’m stretching myself running my salonandworking here five days a week, it doesn’t matter because he needs me.
“How ya doing, kid?” Randy asks. “Hope you don’t mind we requested you as our waitress.”
I paste on a dopey smile of my own. “You kidding me? My two favorite customers making a special request for my grumpy ass? I love it.”
Randy chuckles at me, and Blythe shakes her head, smirking.
“How’s it going with Ed?”
I try not to grimace at Randy’s question, but he catches my reaction anyway.
Ed Carlton is technically the owner of my salon. I’ve been renting his house for nearly two years now with the intention of buying the place, but when we started drawing up the contract for me to buy it, his kids stuck their noses in our business and now he’s waffling on our deal. Which means I’ve been living month-to-month not knowing whether I’m going to be able to keep my doors open.
It’s soul-crushing knowing you could lose everything you’ve worked so hard for and there’s nothing you can do about it.
Sure, I could just cut ties and move, but I’ve put so much work and effort into what I have that I can’t fathom leaving it behind.
That and the fact that the house is literally my dream home. I’ve had my eye on it since I was a kid and felt like the stars had aligned when he put thatFor Rentsign up.
“Ah, that good, huh?” Randy shakes his head. “I’m sorry, kid.”
“It is what it is. Things will happen how they should.” I give him a smile. “But enough about me. You crazy cats want your usual or are you feeling wild today?”
“You know what?” He tosses his menu down dramatically. “Screw it! Let’s get wild!” he yells, pushing his tongue out and pumping devil horns in the air like he’s front row at a Metallica concert. “Hit us withyourfavorite slice.”
“Just no onions,” Blythe adds, not batting an eye at Randy’s antics.
They do this from time to time, getwild. And bywildI mean make a scene that the other patrons are immune to by now.
Another reason they’re my favorite.
“Deal. I’ll grab your drinks and put your order in. Be back soon.” I spin on my heel and start making my way back to place their order.
“Don’t forget—”
“Suicide soda, but extra cherry cola. I got you, Randy,” I call over my shoulder.
“God, I love that girl,” I hear him say to Blythe.
I can imagine her giving him a look because he quickly adds, “But no more than I love you, darlin’.”
I laugh, shaking my head as I step back up to the waitress station.
“Told ya he was a looker.”
“I can’t tell if you’re being serious right now or not.”