Restored

“There’ll be a next time,” I try and reassure her.

“Liar.” She pulls back from me and gets up the best she can without falling over. “I heard Bronx talking about having another baby.”

I laugh because she’s right. We’ve been talking about a second baby since we have the space at our new house. There are so many spare rooms we’ll never fill them all. That isn’t going to stop Bronx from trying though.

“You don’t even drink.” Roxy has a beer here or there, but she doesn’t need a drink to get going.

“That’s not the point.” Her eyes catch her own reflection in the mirror. “God, you’re so good at this. You make me like being all done up.”

I’ve worn her down over time, but it wasn’t hard with the shop being connected to the salon. It made it too easy for me to pull her in here.

“I hope you have a girl.”

She shrugs because she’ll be happy either way. I didn’t have a desire for one over the other, but our first was a boy and we named him after my dad. I knew there would be more babies to come and a girl was bound to come along sooner or later. I haven’t admitted to her that in my mind Roxy is having a little girl that my baby boy is going to be in love with. Then we all really will be a family. My son loves laying his head on her baby bump and giving it kisses.

I should stop reading so many romance books but I can’t help myself. I love the idea of having my own little girl and it being best friends with Roxy’s. Her friendship was there for me during one of the hardest times in my life. She also never gave up on the idea of Bronx and me. She might put on a hard exterior to others, but my girl is all sweetness inside.

“It will be a surprise for all of us.” She’s waiting to find out what she’s having. It’s been killing Mitch, but she said the pregnancy was a surprise to her so the sex of the baby could be a surprise to him. He doesn’t find it as funny as the rest of us.

“I’m just surprised I fit into this dress.” I shimmy a little, happy that I fit back into all my old clothes. It took a while to get the baby weight off but I haven’t fought it too hard knowing it will be coming right back soon enough. Still, I love this dress and wanted to get dressed up tonight for my man. I don’t care that it’s the normal Friday barbecue; there isn’t going to be a little baby boy to interrupt us. At least for the evening. Mitch’s mom is staying at our house for the night, which is within walking distance from the shop.

Bronx is meeting with her right now to hand off our little one. He made a small area in the salon so I could keep our boy with me during the day. Bronx even made one for his office too. Mitch’s mom was excited to watch him and said she could use the practice because she was going to be a grandma. It’s moments like these that make me miss my dad the most. He would’ve been a wonderful grandpa. He still lives on inside of Bronx and me and we make sure to tell our son about him often, even if he has no idea what we’re talking about. He will one day.

“Don’t bank on keeping it on long,” Roxy says as she gives her hair one last fluff.

I’m counting on that. I’m hoping for a little pregame action with my man, and as if I conjured him up Bronx comes strolling into the salon with Mitch right behind him. He gives Roxy a chin nod but clears the distance between us.

I let out a small squeal when he picks me up and my heels fall off my feet. “See you out there,” I hear Roxy say before the door closes behind them.

“I’m getting a taste before we go anywhere,” Bronx says and his eyes eat up every inch of me. I can already tell this is going to be rough and hard and I’m going to enjoy every second of it.

“I’m not going to fight you on it,” I tell him as he sets me down on the counter.

I’ve lost count of how many times we’ve used this counter for this exact thing. I pull at his shirt, wanting it off because when he takes me in here I can see his back in the salon mirrors.

“No smart mouth comments about messing up your hair or makeup.” As if they’d stop him.

“Do your worst.” I can fix it. There’s nothing my man and I can’t fix together. Together we can do anything.