Page 20 of Craved By You
I felt my chest get heavy and I couldn’t help but think the worst. “Is everything okay?”
“He has been acting weird since I got home from that first concert we went to,” she started to explain, pausing to gather her composure. “Then, when I brought it up the other day he started acting even more strangely.” Haileigh began wailing again.
I pulled her in closer to me, holding her tightly. “Everything’s going to be okay.”
“It’s not,” Haileigh choked out between sobs. “He’s leaving.”
Stunned, I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Haileigh and Braden had the perfect relationship, or so I thought. “But why?”
“I’m the only person he’s ever been with, and suddenly he feels like he never had a chance to do the things I’ve done.” She wiped her face, smudging what little of her makeup was still in place.
I was more confused than I had ever been. “You have never told him he couldn’t go to a concert, or out with friends.”
“He feels trapped.” She shrugged. “Wants to see what’s out there. See if there’ssomeoneout there that is better than me.”
Now, I was pissed. “That can’t be true.” I started questioning if he even had ever loved her in all these years. “So, do you want me to kick his ass? Bury his body? Tell me and I’m there.”
For the first time today, Haileigh cracked a small smile, followed by a hushed laugh. “It’s fine. I’m fine, or at least I’m going to be. Someday.” She paused. “He said it’s not forever.”
I was pissed and attempting to conceal it, but I couldn’t help myself. “So, you’re just supposed to wait around for him to be done doing whoever, wherever?” Epic fail. I knew my face was not hiding any of my feelings now. “You’re not going to bum around and wait for him to come home. He choseyou, he marriedyou, he needs to keep choosingyou.”
“I’m sure it has a lot to do with his online friends that he games with.” She shrugged. “I think one of them has made the life of being a fuck boy seem appealing.”
I couldn’t roll my eyes further into the back of my head, none of this sounded right. I just didn’t want to tell my best friend that I felt like her husband might be cheating on her. Maybe he wasn’t - I didn’t have proof either way - but I was going to find out. Somehow.
“Okay,sunshine.” Haileigh poked fun using Colt’s nickname. “Friend time off, employee time on. Get your little booty back to work.”
I laughed as she tried to shoo me off. “There ain’t nothing little about this booty.” I winked at her, over exaggerating the swing in my hips as I walked back to the floor of the salon. But not before making a quick stop at the restroom so I could sneak a quick text to Colt.
Me: ??Can you help me with something?
Colt:?? Hey beautiful. Mouth. Fingers. Cock. You choose.
Me: ??Not like that.
I followed my message with the eyeroll emoji and another with its tongue sticking out.
Colt: ??I was kidding. What’s up?????
Me: No you weren’t. Haileigh is upset, her husband is leaving her.
Colt: ??Chris will be happy to hear that.
Me: ??Colt.
Colt: ??Sorry, how can I help?
Me: ??Is there any way you can find out why?????
Colt: ??You want me to stalk him? That sounds a bit crazy, I wouldn’t know the first thing about any of this.
Me: ?You don’t know a guy who might… I don’t know, know a guy?
There was a long pause before Colt responded and I felt myself getting shaky. What was I doing? Why did I assume he would be able to help?
Just then the bathroom door swung open and Haileigh stood there staring at me. “You’re not slick, your next appointment is here.” She shook her head and smiled as she walked out of the bathroom.
“Sorry about that. She’ll be right out.” I could hear her telling the person who was waiting on me. I put my phone in my back pocket and returned to the floor, questioning my sanity, but knowing I was about to nail this haircut.
