Authors: K.L. Middleton,Cassie Alexandra,Kristen Middleton
He stepped closer and lowered his voice. “Listen, I’ve changed. In fact, that’s kind of why I wanted to talk to you. I’m not using anymore.”
I stared at him in surprise. “Not
using
? Using what?”
“I never told you,” he said, his face reddening. “But, I um, I had a little problem with cocaine.”
It was definitely news to me but somehow, it made a lot of sense. Even before the night he’d freaked out, he’d seemed a little too hyper and edgy.
“Cocaine? Really? I had no idea.”
He smiled, sheepishly. “Yeah. I guess it made me a little paranoid and kind of crazy at times.”
I crossed my arms under my chest. “Congratulations on kicking it. You should be proud of yourself. I mean it.”
He nodded. “Yeah, I am pretty proud. I haven’t used in six weeks, and I’m getting my shit together.”
“I’m very happy for you,” I said. “And I mean that… but,” I lowered my voice, “even so, it’s over between us, Justin. We can be friends, but seriously, that’s it.”
His faced darkened. “Just friends? You’re really not going to give me a second chance?”
“I’m sorry, really I am. I’ve moved on, though, and so should you.”
“Everything okay over here?” interrupted Ransom, approaching from behind me.
“This isn’t any of your business, pal,” said Justin, staring up at Ransom. “So just walk away.”
He smiled coldly. “At the moment, it
is
my business. You’re bothering my stylist, and she was just about to trim my hair. The idea of her cutting it while she’s upset doesn’t sound like it’s going to be in my best interest.”
Justin’s eyes narrowed. “You look familiar. Do I know you?”
He crossed his arms under his chest. “Yeah, I’m the guy you don’t want to piss off. Now, do us all a favor and get lost before things escalate into something that I promise,
pal
, won’t go the way you’re planning.”
“You’re actually threatening me?”
“I’m just giving you some friendly advice. I think you’ve overstayed your welcome, by a long shot.”
“Fuck you,” snapped Justin, his fists clenched. Obviously he’d kicked the drugs but not his temper tantrums.
Ransom took a step forward. “I’ll take that as you need a little more persuading.”
“I’d like to see you try, asshole.”
“Enough,” I said, stepping between them. I turned to Justin, whose face was still red. “Please, Justin, just leave.”
He pointed towards Ransom. “Tell this fucker to get out of my face first.”
Sighing, I turned to Ransom. “Please, just let it go. I’m fine. Really.”
Ransom remained silent but I could tell he was still waiting for Justin to make a move.
“Please,” I murmured, grasping his upper arm, which was hard and tense.
Just then, two young customers entered the store, staring at the three of us curiously.
“Hello,” I said, removing my hand from Ransom’s bicep. “Can I help you guys?”
“Supposed to get a trim,” said the dark-haired teen, pushing his bangs out of his eyes.
“Hey,” said the other boy with blonde hair, to Ransom.
He smiled at the two young men who looked like they’d rather be hitting the waves than getting their hair trimmed. “Hey, what’s up?”
Recognition lit up the blonde surfer guy’s eyes. “Are you…?”
“No. But I get that all the time,” he interrupted quickly. He then turned to me, his eyes twinkling. “Listen, babe, I’ll go sit down. Don’t be too long, you know we have a lot of things to do before our dinner reservation, later.” Then he bent down and planted a quick kiss on my lips, stunning the hell out of me.
“Uh, okay,” I answered breathlessly. How many times had I lay in bed as a teenager, dreaming of the day that Ransom would do something like that? On his own accord? Obviously he was putting on a show, but it still gave me goose bumps.
“Don’t be long,” he said, slapping my rear.
I touched my backside, and stared at him in shock.
He winked, and then walked back towards my station.
Still stunned, I glanced at Justin, who was visibly seething. When our eyes met, his were filled with accusation and betrayal.
I smiled weakly, and then turned towards the two boys. “Give me a second, and I’ll check the schedule, see if we can fit you in. We’re a little short-staffed today.”
“No problem,” said the dark-haired teen, pulling out his cellphone, and sitting down in the chair next to his buddy, who was already busy texting someone.
“Seriously? You’re with that dickhead?” whispered Justin.
“I’m sorry, but you knew it was over between us.”
Shaking his head, he turned on his heel, and stormed out of the salon.
“What in the hell was that all about?” asked Felicia, coming up behind me as I pulled out the schedule.
I cleared my throat. “Ransom got rid of Justin for me.”
“I saw that,” she answered with a small smile. “
And
heard about it. Girl, old Mrs. Conway had my ears burning when she caught a glimpse of you two locking lips. That old woman knows more cuss words than my nephew, Wylie, and he’s from Detroit.”
“Oh, God,” I giggled.
“Mm… hmm…”
“So, can you take one of these guys?” I asked, motioning towards them.
She glanced down at the schedule, and nodded. “Sure, I’ve got room for one more. Then I have to head out, Devon is taking me bowling tonight.”
Devon was her newest boyfriend, and a real sweetheart. He owned his a bar and had twin daughters who helped him run it. I’d never seen Felicia so happy.
“Bowling?” I laughed, looking at her long nails. “How are you going to manage that?”
She put a hand on her waist. “Honey, I’m not bowling. Devon’s on a team, and I’m just going to root for him while I kick back, and enjoy some much needed margaritas.”
I smiled. “Now that sounds nice.”
“Why don’t you join us?”
I nodded towards the clock. “I wish I could, but I have an early appointment tomorrow with Mrs. Hauglish. I need all the sleep I can get to deal with that woman.”
“That old battle-ax who bitches and moans the entire time you’re doing her hair?”
“The one and only.”
“Girl, you’ve got the patience of a saint. The first time I heard her snapping at you, I had to hold my tongue, and you know how hard that is.”
I laughed. “Yeah, she’s difficult but her tips are outrageous. I just take everything she says with a grain of salt.”
“If you win ‘Icon’, you won’t have to deal with women like that anymore.”
“Very true, although I’d miss all of my coworkers,” I said, hip-checking her.
She smiled. “We’d miss you, too.”
Just then, Ransom’s two security guards stepped back into the salon.
“Oh, I’d better finish him up,” I said as the two guys eyed me curiously.
She grabbed a pen. “You do that, and I’ll schedule these two boys in.”
“Thanks.”
Ransom
“I was wondering if I had to come back out there and throw his ass out the front door,” I told Tiffany when she returned, and re-clipped the brown plastic cape around my neck. She picked up her comb and scissors, and the fruity scent of her perfume, along with the proximity of her tits near my face, made it difficult to sit comfortably.
“Sorry,” she said, looking slightly distracted. She stepped behind me, and our eyes met in the mirror. “So, you wanted it short, right? How short are you thinking on the top?”
“Surprise me.”
She looked at my chin. “Okay. I’ll clean up your goatee, if you’d like, too.”
I rubbed my hand over it, and nodded. “Sounds good.”
“So,” I said, after a few minutes of silent trimming, “you going to comment about that kiss?”
She chuckled. “Actually, I don’t know who was more surprised, me or Justin.”
“Hopefully that asshole will leave you alone now.”
Her lip twitched. “Now, how do you know he’s an asshole?”
“Because anyone who lets a girl like you go must have screwed up, big time.”
Her cheeks turned pink. “Thanks, Ransom. Turns out he was an asshole, but it was because he was using cocaine during that time. He just told me.”
“Cocaine alone won’t make someone an asshole, but you’re obviously too good for that dirt-bag.”
Our eyes met in the mirror. “What about you?”
I raised my eyebrows. “What do you mean?”
She moved in front of me, and started trimming my bangs. “Is it true what they say, that you’re into some hard stuff?”
I stole another glance at her chest, which was right in my face and thought that the only thing hard at the moment was my dick
.
“This isn’t about me,” I said, pulling my eyes away from her cleavage. “It’s about your ex, and why you should stay away from guys like him.”
“You’re preaching to the choir,” she said. “I’m not interested in going back with that guy. Not after…”
“Not after what?”
She shrugged. “Just… I’m not going back with him, no matter what. I’m not interested in going down that road again.”
“Good because his road appears to be a dead end. So,” I grinned. “Where do you want to eat tonight?”
She stopped cutting. “Are you asking me out?”
“Just to make it look legit, you know? In case he’s waiting for you when you get off of work.”
“You seriously don’t care about getting kicked off the show? I mean, it’s not like we can go anywhere together in public. It would be bad for both of us. Speaking of which,” her eyes narrowed. “Thanks for voting ‘No’, by the way.”
I was wondering when she was going to bring that up. “Look, I had a very good reason to vote that way. If you go out to dinner with me tonight, I’ll even tell you why.”
“Why can’t you just do it now, and save yourself some money?”
“Money obviously isn’t a concern. Just have dinner with me.”
She sighed. “Are you sure you’re not trying to get me kicked off of the show?”
“No,” I said, although there was always that route to consider. It was lowdown and devious, but an interesting thought.
“Good answer, especially since I’m holding the scissors. I don’t know about dinner, though. If you ask me, it’s too risky.”
I smiled innocently. “Oh, come on. Nobody will recognize me with my hair buzzed.”
“I really don’t know if I want to take that chance,” she replied. “You’re practically a name brand, Ransom. Everyone knows your face.”
“Come on. I know of this little hole in the wall that’s discreet, and serves
the
best burgers in the world. Swear to God. Let me buy you one, and we’ll catch up on old times.”
“A hole in the wall, huh? Where’s this place?”
“It’s called Jimbo’s, in Santa Ana. It’s a real dive, but their burgers are killer and if you like southwestern food, the guacamole is excellent.”
She grabbed an electric clipper, and began trimming the sides of my hair. “Okay. What about your security guys? Are they going to be joining us?”
“Fuck no. We’ll ditch them. You’ve got a back door in this place, right?”
Her eyes widened. “Can’t you just tell them to go home?”
“No. I’m not the one who signs their paychecks. They belong to American Icon and they pretty much demand round-the-clock security on me. It’s a real pain in the ass.”
“Maybe we should just forget it. I don’t want you to get into trouble.”
I grinned. “You realize who you’re talking to, right?”
She laughed. “I suppose it would be odd if you stayed out of trouble, wouldn’t it?”
“Damn right, so don’t try and change me, woman.”
“Well,” she said stepping back. She folded her arms under her chest. “Looks like it’s too late.”
I turned towards the mirror, and nodded my approval. She’d trimmed the sides short and left it a little longer on top. If I got rid of the five-o’clock shadow, I’d probably looked more like a stockbroker than the rocker who’d walked in earlier. I ran my fingers through the top of my hair, and smirked. “Damn and I didn’t think I could get any better looking.”
She snorted. “You’re such a goon.”
She sprayed something into the top of my hair, and raked her hands through it. “This is a texturizing spray. It gives your hair a little more dimension.”
“Are you saying that I should buy this?” I asked, as she handed me the bottle.
“Only if you want to keep your hair looking this way.”
I cocked my head to the side. “What if I hired you as my personal stylist? Then you could make sure my hair looks this way every day.”
“I’m surprised you don’t have a personal stylist already.”
I grinned wickedly. “I do but I much prefer your hands touching me instead of his.”
“Well, thanks for the offer but obviously that’s not even remotely feasible.”
“Why not?” I asked, the idea sounding better by the moment. “Seriously, I’d pay you triple of what you’re making here. Hell, I’ll even double that offer if you’d be willing to come to Europe with me when I tour.”
“Obviously that’s very tempting. But Ransom, obviously you know that I’m involved with the show right now.”
“Yeah, and so am I. But Taffy, there is life after American Icon. Don’t forget that.”
“I know,” she sighed. “My chances are probably pretty slim of winning the competition anyway.”
“I’m not going to lie; the competition you’re performing against is stiff. There are some really talented artists you’re competing against.”
She studied my face for a minute, and then raised her chin. “Ransom, tell me the truth – you don’t think I have what it takes to win, do you? That’s why you voted ‘No’, isn’t it?”
It was obvious that she thought I didn’t think so, and the wounded look on her heart-shaped face was wrecking me. Fuck, I hated being an asshole, but, it was for her own good. “It’s not that you’re a
bad
singer,” I replied, choosing my words carefully. The fact was that her voice had taken me by surprise. It was strong and very sexy. There was no way I’d tell her that, however. At least not until the competition was over. If she was still interested in being a singer, I’d have her back, and help her make the right decisions. Until then, I’d have to lie through my teeth. “You’re better than most. But this is American Icon. The best of the best. Not only do you have to sing like an angel, but you need the confidence and the stage presence to pull it all off.”
“So, what are you trying to say?” she asked, her eyes filling with tears.
I groaned inwardly.
Fuck.
“Just… think about my offer. Hell, more money and the chance to travel Europe? Come on, Taffy.”
She turned away, and I could tell that she was brushing at tears. Her sensitivity confirmed that I was right – she didn’t have a hard enough shell for this business.
“Taff?”
“I’ll definitely think about it,” she answered softly. “I mean, I’d be stupid to refuse the money, and,” she turned back around, and managed a smile, “who wouldn’t want to travel around the world with a legendary rock star?”
“Legendary? I don’t know about that.” I stood up, and moved closer. “Listen, I’m sorry,” I said, hugging her. “You’re a sweet kid,” I murmured into her hair, which smelled like honey and vanilla. “Just don’t get your hopes up too high for winning this thing. It’s just a show, and doesn’t have to be the defining factor in your life. Hell, if I were you, I’d just drop out now, and save yourself a lot of heartache later.”
She suddenly went rigid, and then pulled away. “Well, you’re not me, and I’m not one to give up that easily. Besides, you won the competition, and now you’re living larger than life. Is it so wrong that I want to see where this thing takes
me
?”
“It’s only wrong if you can’t face the end results without feeling like you failed the contest. This is going to be a stressful ride. You’re going to get criticized by everyone, the other contestants are going to start getting nasty, and the world is going to be judging you. I’m just trying to save you a lot of mental anguish.”
“I’m a big girl now, Ransom. I appreciate your advice, but I’ve got to try, and if I don’t win, so be it. But I’m not going to just quit that easily.”
“But why even put yourself through –”
“I’m not finished,” she interrupted, her jaw set. “I know that you don’t want me in this contest, I’m not stupid, so don’t bother trying to talk me out of it. In fact,” she said, grabbing a broom, “my mom didn’t raise a quitter. If she was here right now, she’d tell me to keep my chin up, and not let anyone stand in my way. Including you.”
I had to admire her stubbornness. “Your mom was a strong and thoughtful woman. I didn’t know her very well, but she obviously raised her daughter the same way.”
She smiled proudly. “Damn right. You know, she once told me that it’s not always about winning, but facing the challenges head-on with a smile, no matter how terrified you are.”
“Sounds like she may have had to follow her own advice,” I said softly.
“She did and that’s why I have to do this. For her as well as myself.”
“I get that.”
“Good. So, you’re seriously not going to try and hoodwink me into dropping out of the contest?”
“Hey, if you want to go for it, who am I to stand in your way?”
“Just one of the judges.”
And the only person on the show who has your best interests at heart,
I thought as her cellphone began to ring.