Misconception (Coming Home)

“My last appointment just canceled,” Raven tells me. It’s Saturday afternoon at the shop.

“Want mine?” I give her a cheesy smile.

“Nope. That’s all you,” she says, knowing my last client is Old Man Jones. He’s a huge flirt, but he’s eighty-nine and needs a hip replacement, so he needs help in and out of the chair. He’s a harmless old man. He comes in every two weeks for a trim he doesn’t need. I think he’s just lonely. Hudson, Clayton, and the rest of the guys always say he comes in for the eye candy. Maybe he does, but either way, he’s a sweet, secluded man, and he just so happens to be on my schedule this week.

“You coming out with us tonight?” Raven asks.

There it is. The question I knew was coming but was hoping I could avoid anyway.

“We’re going to The Pour House, having a drink for the guys,” she explains.

“I can’t.” If she only knew the true reason I can’t go. I’m just not ready yet, and if I break down in a ball of tears in my drink, they’re going to know something is up and demand that I tell them. I know myself, and at this stage in the “missing him and regrets” game, I’m too deep not to blurt it all out. I won’t do that to him. He has a choice in whether he wants our friends to know what happened between us. Hell, for all I know, he’s going to act as if nothing happened when he comes back.

“What? Why can’t you? Do you have plans I don’t know about?”

I don’t have to turn to look at her to know that her stare is burning holes into the back of my head. “I have a date.” I blurt the first thing that comes to mind.

“What? With who? I didn’t know you were seeing someone?” Her tone showcases a touch of hurt from me not telling her sooner.

“It’s just a guy I met when I went over to Jessup earlier this week. He was at the food court, and there were no other tables, so I offered for him to sit with me.”

“Tell me more.” My sister is now sitting in her chair, twirling with a smile on her face. “Is he hot? Of course he is if you agreed to go out with him.”

“He’s handsome.”

“Aw, listen to you. He’s handsome,” she says with a grin the size of the entire state of Kentucky on her lips. You really like this guy.”

“I barely know him.”

“Yeah, but that’s the point of dating, right? To get to know one another?”

“That’s the rumor.” I smile at her.

“That’s why you bought that new dress. Nice move, little sister,” she praises.

“Yep.” I fake another smile. The dress was an impulse buy. It’s a deep purple that brings out the green in my eyes. When I tried it on, I couldn’t help but think about Hudson seeing me in it. I bought it thinking maybe I could wear it for him when he comes home. Stupid, I know, but there it is.

“When do I get to meet him?” she asks.

“It’s one date, Raven. Let’s see what happens, and we’ll go from there.”

“Fine, but I’m not drinking tonight. If you need me to come and get you, call me.”

“I’m meeting him there.”

“Well, regardless. Call me if you need me. I’ll be there.”

I swallow back the emotion swelling in my throat. I hate lying to her, and here she is, offering to cancel her nightly plans for me. I’m a terrible person. “I know. Thank you,” I say, finally finding my voice. Thankfully, Old Man Jones walks in for his appointment, and all talks about my pretend date are extinguished. I need to get my shit together. I hate lying to my sister. Not only that but now I have to get dressed up and go to Jessup tonight. I can’t risk her stopping by or someone seeing me not date ready. All I want to do is curl up on my couch with a book. Instead, my stupid choices both last weekend and my lie today have led me to a night of roaming around Jessup, waiting until an appropriate date time to come home. How did I end up here?

By the time I get home, my lie is weighing on me. I should call Raven and confess. The idea of telling her about Hudson and me causes my stomach to knot. So I take a quick shower and take my time to curl my hair and apply a small amount of makeup. I have no timeline, although I need to be out of here at a semi-decent time just in case someone sees me driving through town. I love small-town life. I always have. However, right now, I’m cursing it.