Inconsolable (12 page)

I smile when she looks over at me and I chuckle a little before asking.  “Would you do me the honor and be my girlfriend?” I can’t help, but laugh again as she lets out a high pitched squeal of excitement. 

“YES!” She screams then throws her hand over her mouth, blushing a shade of crimson.  I like seeing her blush.  “Oops, sorry I mean: yes.”  She responds a bit softer and I just smile. 

I reach down and grab her chin and watch as she licks those lips I have been dying to taste all night long.  “You just made me the happiest man on the planet.”  I lean down and kiss her lips softly and then turn to walk to the car.  I can’t help but laugh when I look back at her door and she’s throwing her arms up and shaking her ass in a victory dance of sorts. “GO INSIDE, ANNA!” 

“Damn it! You weren’t supposed to see that!” She shrieks,
unlocks the door and goes inside. 

I smile and light up another cigarette as I climb into the vehicle. It took all my energy in that bowling alley to act like the bowling balls hitting the pins weren’t causing me agony. My hands are shaking as I make the hour and a half drive back to Adams. I really should talk to Carter about staying with him, but then I’d have to tell him I am
dating Anna.  I don’t know how he will feel about that. 

I grab the bottle of vodka from under the seat as I drive and look up as I hear Kyle screaming in my head.  “LOOK OUT!”  I see the deer in the road before I hit it.  My head slams against the steering wheel and my car flips into the ditch.  I don’t know what happens next because my mind goes black.

I walk into the shop the next day glowing. I send a text to Blake when I woke up this morning, but I haven’t gotten a response yet. I know he probably didn’t get in until late last night and I am sure he’s probably still sleeping. I just have this feeling that maybe something bad happened. Something like maybe his mother really didn’t call and he may have a woman on the side, but then I think about that kiss and the electricity that came with it.

“Fork over the fifty bucks woman!”

“What fifty? It was thirty!” Barb calls back to Diane. 

Lord have mercy, we are back to betting.  I bet thirty myself that it’s about me this time.  I walk into the room and look at the two of them.  Both of them look at me with grins.  They are sporting grins like the kind you catch a toddler giving you when they have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.  

“You two are going to go broke with all this betting. How do you ever have any money?” I ask as I lean my shoulder against the frame of the door.

“You’re glowing,
Sunshine.” 

“Barb! Don’t you start calling me that!”

“Well fine. You’re glowing Pippi.”

“BAHA!” Diane says from behind her and starts hacking from the laugh.

“That’s what you get. So,
why don’t you tell me what you two are betting money on these days?”

“If that boy claimed you yet.”

“WHAT?!”

“Mmm hmm, I bet Barb fifty bucks that he’d stake a claim last night
and by that look on your face,
its official.  Pippi, here has her own boyfriend these days.  It’s about damn time too,” Diane says as she files her fingernails.  

“You two are both horrible! You need to read a book or something and quit reading so much into my personal life!”

“Oh come on now,
honey!  We live vicariously through you these days!”  Barb cackles as she takes a sip of her coffee. 

“Ugh!”  I turn and walk into the room where all my things are.  I smile when I look up and see Luke standing there. 

“Mornin’ Pip.” 

“I swear I will kill Jameson Carter for that!”

“Sure, sure.  You don’t have an evil bone in that body of yours, Anna.” 

“So, we doing the usual?”

“Yep, I am trying to impress this girl that just moved into town.  So make sure you make me look extra hot this time,” he responds and gives me a wink. 

“Oh? Do tell!” 

“Well, first I wanna hear about this boyfriend of yours.”

We talk about Blake while I cut his hair and then I bring him over to the shampoo bowl to rinse his hair out.

“So, you aren’t getting off the hook,
Luke.  Tell me about this girl.”  

“Well, I met her at school,
you know I am going back for my business management degree so I can take over Dad’s hardware store.”

“Mmm hmm.”

“Her name is Skylar. She has jet black hair and these crystal blue eyes. She is beautiful. She doesn’t even act like I exist.”

“Oh, Luke. She knows you exist. You are good looking. I’m sure every woman knows you exist.”

“Yeah we do,
babe!” Diane responds as she walks into the room with a client full of foils in their hair.

“Oh lord. Okay. On that note, it’s time for me to go. Thanks for the ego boost, Diane!” Luke says as he slips me some cash and hurries to leave.

“Damn, he has a nice ass.” 

“Diane, if you keep hitting on my friends, they are going to stop coming in here!”

“Well, that will be the day hell freezes over! They ain’t going anywhere but to you
and just so know I’ll chain your bum to that chair before I let you leave this shop.”

“Oh goodness.  I have no intentions of leaving. Just quit running off my clients,” I respond, smiling as I walk by her and into my room to clean up the mess I call Hurricane Luke.  Just as I am finishing up with my sweeping, my phone dings.  I walk over to the counter my stuff rests on and pick it up. 
Good morning, Sunshine.  I hope you have a great day. 
I feel the smile form on my face.  I
look up when I hear the ding over the door.  

“Anna?”

“In here momma!” I look up at my momma as she walks into the room.

“Hey baby girl. Think you can squeeze your momma in for a haircut?”

“You know it, Momma.” I wrap my arms around her and give her a big hug. I need to make more time for her. We don’t see each other nearly as much as we used to.

“So, I hear you have a boyfriend? When you gonna bring him to meet me?”

“We just made it official last night. He’s a friend of Jameson’s. He’s um,” I look down and then back up at her eyes in the mirror. “He’s actually the one Jameson
saved in that bombing.”

“Oh, so he’s a Marine too?”

“Yes ma’am.”

“Well, I’m sure I’m gonna love him.  You’ve always been a good judge of character, baby girl.  You just make sure you keep your guard up.  Don’t trust too easily,” she gives me a sad smile as I go about cutting her hair. 

We decide on cutting off her hair.  It’s been past her shoulder blades for as long as I can remember, but my momma has that kind of face that can pull of those short asymmetrical bobs.  I cut it, style it and admire it.  I really enjoy spending some time with my momma.  It’s been nice being able to catch up. 

“Why don’t you come to dinner this weekend? Maci and Freddie are coming.”

“Oh, I haven’t seen Maci in a year.  Text me the stuff and I’ll do my best to make it.” 

“Okay,
baby girl. I love my new hair. You sure I don’t owe some money?”

“Momma, get out of here before you insult me!”

She laughs and makes her way out the door.  Well it looks like today has been another amazing day in the life of Anna.  I grab my phone and send a quick text to Blake.
Everyone is curious about my new boyfriend.
  I smile when I instantly get a text back. 

Well, tell them he’s a handsome guy and he treats you right. 
I laugh at his message and send a quick response before looking at the next client that walks into the door. 
We’ve only been dating for twelve hours so I’m not sure if he treats me right yet, but he is pretty handsome.
 

~~~~~~~~~~

It’s been two weeks since I have seen Blake, but he makes sure we talk all the time on the phone. He texts me and we even did the FaceTime thing a couple times. I’m walking down the road to Penny’s when I hear my phone ding. I look down and smile probably the goofiest smile ever known to mankind. I can’t help but do that when I get photo
messages of Blake with his cap on backwards sticking his tongue out like I’ve insulted him.  These messages are what get me through not being able to see him. 

I walk through the door of Penny’s then over to the counter.
I don’t even have to tell Penny what I want.  She just nods and I walk over to the pick-up side.  That has to be a sign that you need to stop drinking so much coffee.  I can hear talking behind me.  I start to turn as I hear a very familiar voice. 

“Damn, that’s hot as hell!” Luke groans out and I hear someone laughing. 

“Shouldn’t be stealing someone’s drink.  Didn’t I tell you Mary-Beth gave me herpes?” Jameson says and I stop.  Mary-Beth gave Jameson herpes?  Oh my God!

“Gross! Carter that’s sick dude!  Don’t joke like that.” Luke responds and I grab my coffee from Penny.  I give her a five dollar bill and start to turn to walk out the door.   

“Well Jay, I sure am glad to hear that sound. It sure has been a long time and dude, I gotta say it’s been missed,” Luke responds and I have to say I agree with him.  It’s amazing hearing Jameson be more like himself.  I know I haven’t seen him since that night, but I could tell from everyone else that he isn’t himself anymore.  It’s nice to be able to see him acting more like the guy I knew and loved; more like the guy that was my protector all those years before Mary-Beth came around.

“Come on now, Luke, don’t turn into a pussy on me man,” Jameson replies as he stands. I don’t think he notices me as he turns back to tell Luke, “but for real, Mary-Beth did give me herpes.”  I stand there with a look of shock on my face and just stare at him as he notices me standing there.  He, at least,
has the decency to look appalled at what he just said. 

“Well, hey there Pippi!”  Luke smiles as he walks over and gives me a nice hug.  “Looks like I may have caught the herpes.  Wanna join the herpes club?” 

“Eww, you two are both horrible!” I spit out as I start to walk back to the hair salon. 

“Come on, you know he’s joking,” Luke says.  I just raise my hand and keep walking.  I don’t have time for this today and I sure as hell don’t want to join in on the “bash Mary-Beth” party.  I may not always like her at times, but I will always love her.  She’s my best friend, my sister from another mister. 

I grab my phone and send her a text. 
Just thought you’d like to know, Jameson told Luke you gave him herpes.
  I know, I know
.
  Shame on me for starting shit, but she’s still my best friend and I still need to let her know.  My phone dings and I look down waiting to hear a response from Mary-Beth but it’s from Blake. 
Can I come see you tonight?
I smile and type out a response before I cross the street to head back into the shop. 
I’ll be off in three hours.
  I walk into the shop as my phone dings again. 
See you then.

I can’t help but laugh when I walk in. Poor Garrett is being salivated over and Mary-Beth is sitting in my chair, fuming.  I’m not sure if it’s over Jameson or Garrett.  Note to self, ask Mary-Beth or Garrett about what is going on between the two of them.

“No, no that’s not right.  It needs to go up a little bit more, Garrett.”  Diane orders out as she stares at his stomach under the white t-shirt he has covering his abs.  I can’t help but bust out laughing. 

“Garrett, right there is perfect.  Just make sure you get that nail in there good this time.  I don’t want it falling on poor Ms. Josephine’s head again.”  Barb says as she lets out a sigh.  These two women really are trouble. 

“Yes Ms. Barbara.  I wouldn’t want any of you ladies getting hurt around here.  Who would give me such a hard time if you were sitting in the hospital?”  He responds as he hangs the picture back on the wall. 

I have to stifle a giggle and turn to walk into the other room.  I sit beside Mary-Beth and she lets out a huff. 

“I deserve him telling people that.  But, he had no right to,” she sighs and I just take her hand. 

“If it helps, he was joking.
 
I think.  Luke took his coffee.
I think he was just trying to make him not want to touch his stuff again. I wanted to laugh because it’s Luke we are talking about. He’s a walking garbage disposal.” I let out a chuckle and she laughs softly.

“You ready to go, Mary-Beth?” Garrett asks as he walks to the doorframe and puts his hand on it. 

“Huh?” I ask shocked and she jumps up before I can get any more out of my mouth.

“Yep, I’m famished.  I’ll talk to you later Anna!” She grabs his hand and rushes out the door.  Oh God, here we go again.  I’m going to be left picking up the pieces.