Page 96 of Hollywood

So why did it feel so wrong?

CHAPTER 21

Hollywood

Clint pushedout of his barber chair with a groan. He’d spent more time sitting in it than customers today. “I’ve got an appointment with my chiropractor. Hold down the fort for me?”

I glanced around the empty shop. “I don’t know, boss. What if some of these invisible customers give me a hard time?”

He gave a rusty chuckle. “Didn’t know I hired a funny guy.”

“I have many talents.”

The barbershop was a thriving business, but Wednesday was our slowest day of the week. Most of the time, I didn’t mind going to work, because I really loved meeting new people and getting to know the community better. The hair part was fun, too. But it had been extra-hard to leave today, because I knew it’d be slow and I’d just think about all the time I was missing with my family.

Because that’s what Tex and Ruby were. My little, private family.

The door jingled before I could get too deep into a mope, and Joyride strolled in.

“Hey.” He looked around. “So this is…cool.”

“It’s dead today. Usually it’s busier.”

I wasn’t sure why I needed to defend Clint’s barbershop. I loved the place, but it didn’t matter what Joyride thought of it. Maybe I’d begun to think of it as my place as much as Clint’s.

Joyride nodded. “Yeah, nice.”

“Did you come by for a trim?”

His hair was looking shaggy around the ears. He hesitated. “Um…yeah. Sure.”

I waved him into my chair, then draped a cape around his shoulders and fastened it at the nape of his neck. “How much do you want off?”

“Oh, uh, I don’t know. Whatever you think.”

“I’ll buzz it all off then.”

“What?” That got his attention. “Don’t you dare!”

“So youdocare what I do.” I chuckled and combed through his hair with my fingers, easing the tension from him. “I’d never buzz it all off. You’ve got great hair.”

“I bet you say that to all the boys.”

“Only the ones who sit in my chair.” His hair was thick with a hint of wave and long enough to brush his collar, but the longer style suited him. “I’ll just clean you up a little.”

I grabbed the water bottle, spritzing. “So, what brings you here? Because I know it wasn’t really about your hair.”

He shrugged. “I just bombed another job interview. I figured I could use a distraction. If I go home, I’ll think too much.”

“We need to find you a job you actually want,” Isaid. “You sure you don’t want to cut hair? It’s a pretty awesome gig.”

He eyed the empty shop. “Seems perfect for you, but no. I can’t see myself doing that. For one thing, I don’t want to talk to people all day long.”

I chuckled. “Fair. It’s a big part of the job.”

“Can you imagine if Ghost ever had to work someplace like this?”

I snorted. “He’d refuse on pain of death, probably.”