Page 72 of An Overdue Match
“You forget what I do for a living, sweetheart. The muscles in my hand won’t start to protest for another few hours, and even then, they’ll still be thankful it’s only a pen I’m holding instead of the tattoo gun. No vibrations.” Tai finished writing the last number of a zip code and added the envelope to the pile.
Evangeline plucked the finished product from atop the others. Her face scrunched as she inspected his work. “Yours look so much better than mine.”
Tai chuckled. “Should I apologize?”
She tossed the envelope at him. “Yes, you should. You’re making me look bad.”
“Not possible. You could never look bad.”
She blushed as she slid a blank envelope out of the box between them.
Tai never let an opportunity pass to tell Evangeline how attractive she was. With someone else, he may worry aboutfeeding an ego that would lead to vanity, but Evangeline had listened to voices that had distorted her view of herself for so long that Tai wanted to be intentional about helping her repair her self-image.
The doorbell rang, and Evangeline lifted her head, setting down her pen. “I wonder who that could be.” She stood, readjusting her backup wig by tugging at the cap behind her ears. “I’ll be right back.”
Tai waved her away as she walked toward the front door. He was seated in a position with a direct view of the front of her little cabin and looked up from the invitation in front of him when Evangeline opened the door.
“Hayley, what are you doing here? And what happened to your hair?”
“Evangeline, I’m so sorry. I feel just awful. You shared something private and obviously difficult for you, and I’m afraid I didn’t react the best way. I was shocked was all, but then you made up that excuse so I had to leave and I never got to say anything.”
“It’s okay, Hayley.”
“It most certainly is not. Bald is beautiful. If you don’t believe me, just look at ZaraLena Jackson and Ayanna Pressley. Those women can rock the no locks, and so can you.”
“Thank you.”
“I’m serious. Wig or no wig, you turn heads. My cousin is an excellent example. He can’t keep his eyes off you.”
“I always have admired a nice view,” Tai chimed in from his chair.
Hayley froze, her face going white. “Evangeline, I’m so sorry. I didn’t know anyone was here. You told me something in confidence, and I just went and blabbed. Tai, you didn’t hear anything!”
“It’s okay. He knows.”
“You told him?”
Evangeline nodded.
Hayley peeked over Evangeline’s shoulder, visibly relieved. “Hi, cuz.”
Tai waved. Evangeline opened the door wider so Hayley could come inside.
“It’s sweet of you to say those things, but you don’t—”
Hayley held up a hand, cutting Evangeline off. “I do. But I also came to bring you something.” She let the strap of her bag slide down her upper arm and stop at the crook of her elbow. Reaching inside, she scrounged around, then pulled out a Ziploc bag with three sectioned strawberry-blond ponytails nestled inside.
“We’re friends. I don’t ever want you to think you have to hide part of yourself from me because you’re afraid I’ll see you any differently. Friends support each other, and that’s what I want to do. What I should have done without any hesitation from shock the moment you confided in me.”
“Hayley.” Emotion clogged Evangeline’s voice.
“I had Connie down at the salon cut off twelve inches. I’m going to donate the hair in your honor.” Hayley moved the plastic bag to her other hand and reached back in the bag. “I brought you a few more things as well.” When she pulled her hand back out, she held packages for three new inexpensive cosplay wigs—one black, one red, and one blond. “Meet Roxanne, Natasha, and Astrid.”
Tai grinned and pushed back his chair. He walked toward the foyer, then leaned against the wall with his hands in his pockets as he watched the emotions march across Evangeline’s face.
Hayley set down her purse so she could separate the black wig from the others. “This is Roxanne. She’s a no-nonsense woman who likes to be in charge and doesn’t take any grief from anyone.”
“Oh dear,” Evangeline murmured.
