“He didn’t exactly figure it out. He was out with Jax having a drink, and found Chris making out with a guy.”
“Oh no,” I whisper, and she smiles.
“Oh yeah. Then he punched Chris in the face and gave him a black eye.”
“Shut up?” I breathe, looking back out the front window just in time to see Sage grab Kim’s waist and tug her hips into his.
“Swear,” Ellie whispers while we watch Kim try to push him away, only to have him take her by the back of her neck with his free hand and hold her in place. I knew Kim’s plan was stupid when she told me what she did. I told her that claiming her gay best friend was her boyfriend was the wrong way to go about keeping Sage at bay, but she refused to listen to reason. Not that I can blame her. What my cousin did hurt her, and a woman who has been hurt will do whatever’s necessary to protect herself from it ever happening again.
“Jax said Sage hasn’t been with anyone since her,” Ellie says quietly, and I pull my eyes from the window, feeling like a voyeur all of a sudden, and look at her.
“Really?” My cousin was a bit of a manwhore, like my brother was before Ellie, so I find it hard to believe he hasn’t been with anyone since what happened between him and Kim went down a long time ago.
“Really,” she mutters, and then shrugs. “I hope they figure their stuff out. They would be good together, if they could just get past all the crap between them.”
“They would make some beautiful babies,” Cara adds, and I look at her, raising a brow. “What? They would.”
“They really would,” Ellie agrees, then studies me. “But then again, you and Dillon would also have some beautiful babies.”
“Yes, they would,” Cara puts in, smiling, and I shake my head at both of them then move my eyes to the door when it chimes and Kim stomps back in, looking flustered.
“Are you ready?” she asks, moving toward the back of the shop without stopping to look at us.
“Are you okay?”
Her shoulders slump and she spins to face me, plastering what I know is a fake smile on her face. “Absolutely fabulous.”
“You’re as bad of a liar as Ellie.” I smile, and she presses her lips together.
“He’s annoying.” She waves me off then narrows her eyes past my shoulder, and I turn to look out the window to find Sage standing in front of his truck, pointing at his watch while looking at her.
“Oh my, what does that mean?” Cara asks, sounding breathless while she stares at my cousin.
“My guess is Kim’s time is just about up.” Ellie giggles, and Kim growls something under her breath before turning and stomping to the back of the salon.
“That man is seriously hot,” Cara mutters behind me as I follow Kim to her station and take a seat in the chair she’s turned around for me.
“You’re not so pissed that you’ll accidentally chop all of my hair off, right?” I joke, and her eyes meet mine in the mirror.
“I’m good.” She smiles, pulling in a breath. “I may end up killing your cousin, but I swear I won’t mess up your hair.”
“Good.”
“And you didn’t hear me say I may kill Sage out loud, since then it would be premeditated, and I can only get off if it looks like it was a spontaneous decision.”
“I didn’t hear anything.” I smile back then pull my eyes from hers in the mirror to look up at her. “Do you want me to tell him to back off?” I ask quietly, and her face softens.
“I don’t know what I want anymore.” She shrugs. “Everyday, he asks me out. And everyday, I say no, but…” She shakes her head, tucking a chunk of hair behind her ear. “I just… He’s making it really hard to keep saying no.”
“You liked him and he hurt you. I get that, but maybe you should give him a chance to apologize, and then go from there.”
“He has apologized.” She shrugs. “I just haven’t forgiven him.”
“Maybe you can find a way to do that so you can move on,” I say, giving her hand a squeeze. “I’m not saying you need to move on with him, but I think you need to let whatever happened go so you can figure out what you want for yourself.”
“You’re right,” she agrees and I lean up, giving her a hug, and then sit back to look at her in the mirror.
“Now, please tell me that you know something about tomorrow’s supposed family dinner.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replies, and just like Ellie, I can tell she’s lying.
Dammit.
“Hey, do you want to get a drink after we’re done here?” Ellie asks, and I pull my eyes from the mirror, where I have been watching Kim curl my hair, and look at Cara, who is sitting in front of the nail dryer.