Logan

“Your uncle’s on his way.” I swing toward Reece. “Why would you leave home like that? Sara said Ben was running all over the neighborhood looking for you. Do you know how worried he must have been?”

“I’m sorry.” Reece slumps in the purple styling chair, her head bowed.

“I’m not the one you should be apologizing to.” I fold my arms over my chest.

“It’s just…” Reece looks up. Tears glitter in her pretty grey eyes. “I miss my dad.”

“I understand.” I soften my tone and my glare. “But you could have spoken to Ben about it. He’s family.”

“He’s a stranger,” Reece snaps.

“Honey…”

“I know he’s my uncle.” Reece clutches her chest. “But I didn’t ask for an uncle. I just want my dad to come home.”

I clamp my lips shut. How can I continue to scold her when she’s hurting more than I could even imagine?

“Here you go, sweetie.” Tanya offers Reece one of the chocolate candies we keep on the shelf for our young customers. “Cry all you want. Run all you want. As long as you come back home again.”

“Tanya,” I hiss, “let’s not encourage her to run.”

“What? She’s gonna do it anyway.”

I push Tanya aside with my hip. “The important thing is that you’re safe. Just don’t do anything like that again.”

Reece nods.

I exchange a look with Tanya. She smiles at me and then ducks her head to get on Reece’s level. “If you’re not too busy, would you mind helping us out around here? For the usual price of course.”

Reece’s face lights up. “Do you need me to sweep?”

“And organize the magazines. I mean… if you’re up to it.”

“I am.” Reece slides out of the styling chair and runs to the bathroom where we keep the broom. A moment later, she reemerges and gets to work.

The few customers in the salon smile at her. She smiles back. It feels good to watch her mood improve. Tanya might be crazy, but she’s got a knack for connecting with children.

I turn to my best friend and huff out an angry breath. “What was Ben doing that he didn’t realize she’d slipped out?”

“Calm down, Logan. He probably didn’t mean to lose her.”

“But he did.” I rub my temple. “I think you’re right, Tan.”

“I usually am. But… what exactly am I right about?”

“I’ll move in with Reece. Just until I’m sure Ben can handle the responsibility of caring for a child.”

“Good idea. I wonder who came up with it?” She looks up and strokes her chin.

“You know what I love about you?”

She glances at me, brown eyes sparkling. “What?”

“Your humility.”

Tanya snorts.

I glance at my watch and realize it’s time for my client to wash out her dye. I leave Tanya chuckling behind me and walk to the sink.

After I wash her hair out with our special, organic shampoos and conditioners, I draw Mrs. Wilma to the styling chair and blow-dry her hair. I’m in the middle of flat ironing when the bell above the door chimes.

I glance up and recognize Sara entering the store. The bell jangles again and Ben storms through. My mind skips to his negligence and a scolding bursts to the edge of my tongue. I open my mouth but stop when I get a good look at him.

Sweat glistens on Ben’s forehead and darkens his grey T-shirt. His hair is wild around his head like the wind did it’s thing and he didn’t bother putting it back in order. His bright blue eyes zip from one end of the shop to the other.

His expression reminds me of the one Harry had when we first met. All my irritation disappears at the memory.

Ben sees Reece and sprints into the salon. He stops just a couple feet from her. When Reece realizes who he is, her mouth drops and her broom slams against the floor. Her face pales. “I-I can explain.”

Everyone in the salon stops and watches the two of them.

Ben swallows. The bob of his Adam’s apple is clear as day. His fingers curl into fists. I set my flat iron down and take a step forward, ready to pounce on him if he does anything stupid.

To my surprise, Ben crumples to his knees. His chin hits his chest. A thick lock of hair tumbles to his forehead. His mouth moves. I can’t hear so I inch closer, drawn by curiosity and something else. Something… different.

“You’re alright,” I hear him say. “Thank God, you’re alright.”

Reece looks stunned. She reaches out a hand and touches his shoulder. “Are you… okay?”

He shakes his head, blows out a breath. Slowly, Ben gets to his feet. He wipes the sweat from his face with his sleeve and then glances around. Our eyes lock. My breath hitches at the mixture of fear and relief swimming in his gaze.

I can’t look away.

He approaches me and every step sends my heartbeat skittering. When he’s right in front of me, Ben stops. “Thanks.”

“For what?”

“For finding her.”

I shuffle my feet. “She kind of found me.”

“At least she had somewhere safe to run to.” He glances over his shoulder at Reece. “I’ll be outside. When you’re done, I’ll take you home.”

Ben starts to walk away. I open my mouth to invite him to stay and enjoy our air conditioning when Tanya blocks his path. “Where are you going?”

I run to Tanya before she does something embarrassing. “Ben, this is my best friend and co-owner of the salon, Tanya.”

“Hey.” Ben lifts his chin in acknowledgement.

Tanya reaches out. Her hands point toward his hair. “May I?”

He shrugs.

She runs her hands along the top of his brown locks while my jaw drops.

What is she thinking?

“I know the perfect style for you, Ben.” She leans in until their foreheads touch. “Do you trust me?”

“I…”

“Perfect.” Tanya whirls him around. “Since you’re Harry’s brother, we’ll give you a cut. On the house.”

“Uh…”

Tanya takes advantage of Ben’s indecision and tugs him into a chair. She sashays to my side and whispers, “Go ahead.”

I stare at her. “What do you mean?”

Tanya winks and then saunters over to my client. “Mrs. Wilma, you look fabulous. Shall I finish you off while Logan deals with someone else?”

My client chuckles heartily. “I have no problem with that. In fact, I find everything going on quite entertaining.”

“You wouldn’t believe it,” Tanya teases. When she notices that I haven’t moved, she shoves me. “Hurry up.”

I walk woodenly over to Ben and select a pair of scissors. Our eyes meet in the reflection of the glass. He looks slightly pale. “Wait, I thought the other one was going to do it.”

“Sorry. The other one chose me. So here I am.”

“Are you going to cut all my hair off just to get me back?”

“For what?” I smirk. “Climbing into bed with me this morning?”

“That wasn’t my fault.”

I swing the cape we use to keep hair off our customer’s clothing around his shoulders. Ben must have showered sometime after I left. He smells woodsy. The scent lingers in his skin so it must be a body wash.

And… what am I thinking right now?

I shake my head to clear it and dig my fingers into his hair. He moans softly and then his eyes fly open. He winces. “Sorry. Involuntary reaction.”

“Sounded voluntary to me,” Tanya calls from all the way across the room. I swear that woman has alien antennas embedded inside her head, but they only come out when she wants them to.

Ben ducks and rubs the back of his neck. He glances at me and asks softly, “Is she always that…?”

“Lovely? Enchanting? Beautiful?” Tanya yells.

He lowers his voice. “Annoying.”

“Hurtful!” Tanya cries.

I bite down on my bottom lip to keep from laughing.

Ben smirks at me.

The next time I slide my fingers through his hair, he keeps quiet. I lean down. “In case you didn’t know, Tanya’s trying to push us together. But if we fight her, she’ll get even more adamant. So all I’m going to do is trim off the edges and leave your hair as is. That okay with you?”

He nods.

The bell over the door jingles again. Sara enters with Hilton right behind her. I didn’t even notice when she left the store.

“Hey.” The couple migrates to our side of the salon. Sara offers me a smile. “We had to tie Tango up somewhere far away from humanity.”

“So… Mars?” Ben arches an eyebrow.

“Very funny.” Sara slaps his shoulder.

Hilton lifts his hand. “You have any other openings, Logan?”

“We don’t serve married men here,” Tanya yells with a mischievous grin. “But single men like Ben are always welcome.” Tanya pauses with the flat iron and sends Ben a pointed stare. “You are single, right?”

“Yes.”

“Come on, Tanya.” Sara laughs. “How do you expect him to say anything else when Logan has a pair of scissors in her hand?”

“She’s right.” Mrs. Wilma chuckles.

Reece bounces up to us. “Hello, Miss Sara. Mr. Hilton.” She pins me with her grey eyes. “I’m finished with the floor, Logan. What else did you need me to do?”

“The magazines. When you’re finished with that, Ben will take you home.”

She nods. “Are you coming over tonight?”

I cut another lock of Ben’s dark brown hair and say casually, “Yeah. I was actually thinking of living with you two for a while. If that’s alright with Ben.”

He sputters and turns around so he can stare at my face. “What?”

“I think that’s a great idea!” a voice shrieks from across the room.

I frown. “No one’s talking to you, Tan!”

“To be honest, I think it’s great too.” Sara pats Ben’s shoulder. “Logan’s awesome at organizing, cooking and looking after Reece.”

Geez, she doesn’t have to make me sound like a mail order bride.

“It’ll only be for a few weeks.”

“I like it.” Reece wraps her arms around my waist.

Ben rises and tears his cape off his neck. His blue eyes burn with anger, but his voice is eerily still when he says, “Logan, can I talk to you? In private?”

The silence in the salon is thick. Every eye follows us as I lead Ben to the office. His jaw clenches and his eyes are hard. I’m wracking my brain trying to figure out what I did or said to offend him.

He can’t be that against my moving in? Can he?

“I’m against you moving in,” he says.

I blink. Wow… just like that.

“It’s unnecessary.”

“Says who? You clearly know nothing about raising a child so—”

“Clearly? So you’ve deemed me unfit after meeting me yesterday?”

“I’m being cautious.”

He raises his chin. “You don’t trust me.”

“We just met! Of course I don’t trust you.” I throw my hands skyward. “Why is this such a big deal?”

“Why does everyone think I won’t be able to do this? Is the word ‘screw-up’ tattooed on my forehead? Is there a law that says I can’t be a good stand-in father?”

“Do you even want to be?” I challenge him, storming closer.

He falls silent.

“What were you doing when Reece ran away? How long did it take you to even remember she was supposed to be in the house?”

His cheeks turn pink. “I didn’t think she would just leave.”

“I’m moving in.” I stand my ground, hands on my hips. “Try and stop me.”

I hear Ben breathing hard and then he whirls around and walks out, slamming the door behind him.