Chapter 1
Colby
The moment the door to the store flies open, it takes all of two seconds to see that ginger walk back in here like she’s done a minimum of two times a week since she arrived into town three months ago. Dixie is a spitfire with hair to match, emerald eyes, and is fucking independent as hell.
“Mornin’, Colby. I got a leak at the shop. Can you tell me if you’ve got one of these?” she says as she tosses the spray hose on the counter. Looking at it, it’s an easy fix, and I know I’ve got the Belvedere hose that should easily fix it.
“Yeah, come on. It’s on aisle three.”
“Thank goodness! How the hell am I going to shampoo hair without a freaking sprayer?”
“You could use a cup,” I say as I try to refrain from laughing.
Rolling her eyes, she places her hands on her hips. Shit. Here it comes. “Drake, you listen. I will not have folks getting shampooed with a freaking cup. This ain’t some five-dollar mall beauty parlor. I’ve got a good thing going, but damn, every time I turn around something’s falling apart.”
“Ever thought of burning the place down and starting fresh?” She shakes her head, snatches the hose and walks that cute little ass back to the front of the shop. “Anything else I can get ya?”
“You got any beer in here?” she questions.
“Not for sale, but I got some in the cooler on the back of my truck. How ‘bout I come by at lunch, help you with that, and you can even watch with a beer. It will be like free entertainment.”
“Beer, yes. Help, fuck no. I’ve got this,” she says as she tosses some cash on the counter, grabs the hose, and walks out the door with those thick hips swaying side to side.
Dixie
Taking the hose, I walk right out of the hardware store and straight to Colby’s truck. Dropping the tailgate, I grab a few beers, slam it back up and walk to my car. The moment I made the decision to move to this little shit hole of a town named Ridge, I’ve had nothing but shit luck. I left the coast as I promised my best friend, Stella. It might be a shit hole, but it’s a quaint little town and the perfect place to start fresh. After a showdown with a fellow stylist at my previous shop, I had to bounce. Stella had moved here and taken over the local bar, and when I told her what was up she said forget visiting, she had plenty of room at her place.
Popping a top on one of the beers, I make the quick five-minute walk to my salon at the edge of Main Street. Walking in the door, Aunt Tootie, as everyone calls her, looks my direction.
“Bless it! It’s just a hose, honey,” she says with a smile and I can’t wait to either buy this place and remodel, or open my open shop. Either way, it’s happening very soon.
“No disrespect, Aunt Tootie, but we’ve got to get some new shit in here. These shampoo bowls are older than the Deceleration of Independence.”
She starts to laugh, and I mosey on by. Going to the shampoo bowl, I go to work and that’s when I hear his fucking laugh. Why did he follow me down here?
“Awe, aren’t you sweet, Aunt Tootie. I really don't need a haircut,” Colby says as he escapes her and comes back to me. Refusing to look over my shoulder, I feel him standing behind me. “Want some help?”
Glancing over, I see Colby with his arms crossed, beer in one hand, staring while I work.
“Nah, I’m good,” I say as I continue working and try to refrain from looking back at that cute as hell dimple. What is wrong with me? It’s freaking Colby Drake. The pretty boy of the Drake brothers, but still a Drake. I refuse to be like Stella and fall for one of them. It will not happen.
“Suit yourself,” he says as he takes a long pull of his beer. “I overheard some talk you might be interested in this morning at the diner.” What the hell does he know? And then it hits me. The shop. Swinging my head around, I look at him as he pushes himself off the wall and steps forward.
Within seconds he’s so close to me, I can’t breathe. What the hell? “But if you want to know, you’ve got to agree to one thing.”
“Never mind. I don’t have time for childish games.”
“Suit yourself, but I’d love to see what you’d do with the place.”
There, he’s got my attention, “Fine. What do I have to do?”
“Let me help you fix the shop.”
“No, thank you!” I say, turning around.
He takes another step closer and I glance over his shoulder because let’s face it, we’re in a small-town beauty shop and people talk. “The two of us could have you up and running in a weekend.” Heat fills my cheeks as something inside me awakens at his words and it pisses me off, then it hits me. He’s not talking about here.
“What the hell are you talking about, Colby?”
“When do you finish here?” Glancing at my watch, I know my next client is due to arrive any moment.
“I’ve got a client in a few minutes, but I finish up early this afternoon.”
“Great, I’ll pick you up at five.”
“Like fuck you will,” I say to him. He grins, and damn that dimple.
“We can do that, too,” he winks and takes a step back. “I’ll pick you up here as soon as I close the store at five, or would you rather me pick you up at your house?”
Pausing, I think about it when my client walks in the door. “Hey, Dallas, I’ll be right with you and Lettie.”
Colby turns to walk toward the front when he gives Lettie a high five on the way out the door. Shaking my head, I grab the rectangle for Lettie to be able to reach the shampoo bowl.
“How’s it going?” I ask her.
“Good, Mama is promising to take me to the beach in a few weeks.”
“Oh, that will be fun,” I say as I wash the cutest little five-year-old's hair and talk about Barbies, makeup, and nails. I love my job.
Once I finish with Lettie, Dallas takes a seat and I wax her eyebrows then I shampoo her for a quick trim. “Are you sure you don’t want me to add a few layers or something? What if we cut it short?” She has amazing long blonde hair that falls just below her shoulders.
“Not today. I’m trying to save up for our trip. Plus, I’ve never even thought of cutting my hair short.”
“Girl! It would look amazing! Your hair is the perfect texture and your color is naturally amazing!” She looks to Lettie who’s smiling ear to ear. “I tell you what. If you want to try it, I won’t charge you my full fee. You’d be awesome advertisement for me.”
“Please, Mama! You’d have a new do for the beach!” She smiles at Lettie, and then looks my way.
“I can’t let you cut me a deal.”
“It’s not a deal. It’s a business investment. Now, sit down and let me work my magic.”
Within the half hour, I’ve got Dallas in the cutest inverted bob and it looks amazing. When I hand her the hand mirror to check out the back, she gasps and Lettie starts to jump up and down.
“Ms. Dixie you made Mama look like a princess!”
We both laugh and she thanks me again before I grab Lettie a sucker, “Y’all have a great trip.”
As they walk out, I clean up my area and glance at the clock. I’ve got a few hours to kill. Taking one of the beers, I pop a top, pour it in my Yeti, and turn it up.
Once the clock hits three thirty, I tell Aunt Tootie bye and head toward my house to wait for a fucking Drake. What the hell am I doing?