“Take a few more inches off the side, and add some silver to his tips.” The woman explained to the stylist. The stylist looked at the man in the chair with a sympathetic smile; however, he just smiled back with a shrug.
“Hun, take a moment, I trust Ashley knows what she is doing. You are to go live in 45 minutes, and the venue is a 35-minute drive. Head out, I’ll be fine.” He tried to persuade her knowing full well his appearance would never be up to her perfect expectation.
“Love, we are to be seen together for the first time in public today, I just want you to be perfect. Hello?” She elaborated as she picked up her ringing phone. “I’ll be there on time, don’t worry.”
“Sorry about her, she is just nervous.” He whispered with a sad smile while Ashley began dying his tips.
“No need, the amount of girlfriends who come in detailing every cut of their boyfriend’s hair is no small number.”
He looked over at her as brows pushed up and her foot rapidly tapped the tile.
“I never expected Natalie Holland to be one.” She elaborated with a laugh trying to break the tension.
“She has mastered the stoic face for the runway, but off it, she is just a normal girl.” He didn’t take his eyes off her, the salon silent.
Natalie hung up the phone, “I need to get going. Remember there is a seat reserved for you right next to the reporters, show starts in 2 hours don’t be late.”
“Go I’ll be fine. Come here.” He outstretched his arm from the covering and tightly grasped her hand. “You’ll be great, Nat. Then right after the show, the two of us will leave the venue hand in hand.”
Her shoulders fell and her face relaxed, “I love you.” She leaned down and gave him a quick peck.
Both their eyes were closed and foreheads were pressed together, “I love you too.” He released her hand and after a deep breath, she turned and left. He slouched in his chair with a heavy sigh.
“How long you been dating?”
“8 months in two weeks.”
“Congratulations,”
“Thank you,”
#
“Whatever did happen between Natalie and you?”
“What do you mean?”
“You are going to be asked about it by my parents, so what’s the answer?”
“She decided she cared more for her career following college than she did our relationship.”
“Any idea where she is now?”
He stepped forward and wrapped his arms around her petite waist, “It doesn’t matter where she is, I’m with you now.”
Her almond eyes shimmered with her smile, “Smooth, and you said you didn’t know how to do politics.”
“I don’t know politics. I only speak from my heart.” He couldn’t stop the smirk from spreading over his face.
She laughed and hit his bicep. “I think we are good to go then.” He released her from his embrace but took her hand in his.
“I love you, Destiny.”
“I love you too, now let’s make sure my family will too.”
#
The dinner went well, the table full of laughter. The night was drawing to a close but a single series of questions remaining. “So, we hear you have a good friend by the name of Serena.”
He smiled and let out a small chuckle, “Known her my entire life, per-say. Before Destiny or Natalie, she was there as my friend.”
“Did you two ever date?”
He scratched the back of his neck with a nervous laugh “No, no. We have only ever been friends. We used to joke over the idea in high school, but neither of us felt it was necessary.”
He went to further explain, “And now I’m delighted to be with your daughter, and have no thoughts of doing anything to jeopardize that.”
#
“That must have been horrible!” She laughed without reserve.
“It was so awkward after that.” He loosened his tie and undid his top button.
She stood up from the floor and walked over to where he sat on the edge of the bed. “What would they think if they knew of this situation?” Her face was inches apart from his, boozing leaking from her breath.
“They would protest,” He leaned forward, almost closing the gap.
“But nothing is going on between us, so they have nothing to fear.”
“So you going to pull away?”
“You’re the one who leaned in further.”
“I hoped you would be fazed and jolt backward.”
“Why not fall backward yourself?”
“If I fall backward you are just going to straddle me.”
“So push me away.”
“Then you will scream harassment, and we both know your mother will be up here with a broom quicker than I can jump off the porch.”
“You say that like it has happened before.” Laughing she pulled away, resulting in her collapse onto the carpet.
“It has! Multiple times! Remember freshman year of college?”
Serena began rolling around on the floor in hysteria, her drink pouring everywhere “How can I forget? It was raining and your shirt was drying on the chair.”
“And your mom came up to ask if we wanted anything to eat.”
“Right when I was feeling your abs!”
“I hate you so much.” He laughed while he walked over to her closet and tossed her a towel, which she used to cover the beer stain.
“Awwwww, I love you too!”
He sat down beside her, and the room fell into silence. Her head rested on his shoulder, and soon she succumbed to sleep. He waited for her to be completely asleep before moving her to bed. He threw a blanket over her limp figure and turned off the lights during his escape.
#
He pulled up at his apartment and while unlocking his door felt his phone buzzing in his pocket. It wasn’t a saved number but the area code was local.
“Hello you’ve reached Aster Rosi,” He answered his voice deeper than normal.
“Aster, hi. I was wondering if you had time to talk.” The caller was feminine strongly familiar to him, but he couldn't place the name
“Who is it?” He fumbled with the key with the phone pinned to his ear with his shoulder.
“Oh is my contact no longer saved?” She sounded sad, almost scared.
“Sorry about that, I tend to not save contact names. Not too sure when the last I spoke to you was, but I’ve gone through four phones in two years, so lots of numbers are gone.” He apologized with a nervous chuckle locking the door behind him.
“It’s been a long time, much longer than two years, guess I can’t fault you.”
The line went silent as neither spoke, until Aster asked, “So who are you?”
“It’s Natalie.”
