Page 8 of My Kinda Mess (Summer Sisters 4)

“Wow, poor Clayton. He was always a nice guy in school.”

“He was,” Christine says, averting her eyes to her lap. Even though she’s wearing a cape, I can still tell she’s wringing her hands together. That was always one of the tells she had back in school when she got nervous or upset.

“You guys were close in school, right?” I ask, finishing up the highlights in her chestnut hair.

“Yeah.” Her response is a whisper, the way she bites her lip nervously, even though not directed at me, is her tell.

“You liked him,” I state, starting to connect the pieces.

Her blue eyes cloud with tears as she stares at me in the mirror. “We were always friends, but then he started dating Lisa right out of school. They’ve been together since right after graduation, and he didn’t really have time for me anymore.”

“Christine, I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize you had a thing for him.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

Turning her chair so that she’s facing me, I add, “You know, Abby and Levi were always friends, but they finally realized they loved each other. Give him time to get over the cheating hussy, and ask him for coffee.”

Together, we walk over to the dryer. “What? I can’t ask him out!” she exclaims dramatically.

“Why not?”

“Because he’s…well, there’s just…I don’t know.”

“You can, and you will. Not right away, obviously, because they just broke up, but maybe in a few weeks or months.”

“Yeah, maybe.” She has that look in her eyes that tell me she’s just humoring me and that she has no intentions of asking Clayton out for coffee. Christine is sweet, good looking, and funny. Any man would be lucky to have her. Especially Clayton.

An idea starts to take shape and I can’t help but smile.

“What’s with the smile?” she asks, suspiciously.

“What smile?” I ask, grinning like a loon.

“That smile. I know that smile. You’re planning something.”

“Time to dry your hair, Christine,” I say in a singsong voice. Before she has time to open her mouth and argue, I turn on the dryer, drowning her out.

Again, I smile mischievously before turning and heading back to my station. With my phone in my hand, I fire off a quick text message. He responds almost instantly, bringing a Cheshire cat smile to my red lips.

Oh, Christine is going to be so mad at me.

After thirty minutes, I retrieve my friend from the dryer and set out to wash her hair. I’ve always loved playing with hair; you know, digging your fingers into someone’s scalp and using your nails to scratch and massage the shampoo into their head. Once she’s conditioned and ready for her cut, I lead her back to my station.

Right on time at eleven, the door opens. I try to fight my smile, really I do, but I fail miserably. “Hey, Clayton!” I holler at my friend as he enters the salon.

“Hey, Lex,” he replies, walking towards the front counter.

“Ella will be with you shortly,” I tell him, ignoring the tension radiating off my other friend sitting in my chair.

“Thanks for squeezing me in. I’m way overdue,” he says, running his hand through his sandy blond hair. Then his eyes lock on Christine. “Hey,” he adds with a slight smile.

“Hi,” she squeaks, fidgeting in her seat.

Bending down so that I’m close to her ear, I say, “You’re gonna have to sit still or I’ll whack off a big chunk of your hair.”

She glares at me in the mirror. “You did this.” It’s an accusation, and it’s right on target.

“Did what? How was I supposed to know he was coming in for a cut?”

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