Small town strikes again.
I hadn’t expected to see Noah so soon after last night. I couldn’t identify what it was about the night that bothered me more. Seeing him out with Carmen, or having not made the move to ask Carmen out myself when clearly she gave off mixed signals which she was within her rights to do.
“Morning Lou.” Noah sat down in my chair and we both stared at each other in the mirror.
“Didn’t think you got your hair cut here.” I said reaching for my clippers turning them on. As a cop he kept his hair cut short, but he didn’t need me for that when there was a perfectly good barber on the other side of town.
“We going to talk about last night or are you going to take out your angst on what’s left of my hair.” Noah joked. He could think he was funny all he wanted. I wouldn’t screw up his hair because I wasn’t that kind of person, but he didn’t need to know that.
I shrugged my shoulders getting closer with the clippers. “I could always give you lightning bolts on the side.”
“I don’t think the Chief would find the humor in it so why don’t you tell me what’s wrong.”
“Nothing is wrong.” I said brushing him off.
“Sure about that, sunshine.”
“Fine.”
“Oooh, the deadly words from every woman I know. Come on Lou, we’ve known each forever and bumping into each other last night I could tell something was up. You didn’t even come over to meet the girl I was with.”
I rolled my eyes.
“Can you not make things awkward, just once.” I winced.
“I should have introduced you two.” He winked in that Noah way of his, suggestive, a little pervy, but still acceptable.
“I already knew her from the shop. I did her hair.” I mumbled.
Noah shrugged but continued, “It’s not every day I learn that the girl I’m attracted to is attracted to another woman.”
“Stop it.” I playfully punched his rock solid shoulder. He’s been my best friend for years. We’ve known each other biblically as well as intimately in the way only best friends do even setting each other up on dates, but I’m not sure I want his help on this one.
“Oh wait, this is the second time, Louisa Cox, former prom date.” Noah mimics my voice purposefully taunting me.
“Shut up.” I clowned with him, but his face in the mirror said differently. “Wait, are you saying your date last night shot you down?” Could he be telling me something I had only hoped to confirm?
Noah scoffed.
“Now you shut up and cut my hair.”
“Oh come on, at least I put out after prom.” I joked with him getting a smile and finding myself wanting to know more about his night out with my client.
“Yeah, I just wish I’d been worthy of a repeat.”
“Noah Pettigrew, you were every virgin girl’s dream. I just expanded my horizons.”
Noah snorted. “Okay, Lou. Don’t act like it wasn’t my first time either.”
“Shut the front door. Is this like virgin confessions.” Gemma dropped her purse. She sat down in the chair next to us eating a handful of grapes one by one acting completely engrossed in our story.
Tommy followed in joining our conversation. Both Noah and I exchanged an embarrassed look in the mirror. I hadn’t told them, he hadn’t told them, so how the hell did they find out about prom?
“Dude, I’m going to have to beat a cops ass. I’m totally going to jail. You are officially the worst sister ever, and worst best friend.” Tommy helped himself to the other empty chair and stole Gemma’s grapes eying Noah with a brotherly glaze that said he’d take care of this later.
“Tommy.” I warned him.
“Louisa.” He said back i