this with you but I have a haircut to prepare for.” Hadley chuckled as she walked into the house and came back with a tall chair with a sturdy back.
When she returned, Ollie was watering her grandmother’s geraniums, and judging by the looks her friends were giving her, they were talking about her behind her back—again.
“I’m scared, Aunt Hadwey,” Ollie said as he eyed the dreaded high-backed chair and the makeshift cape in Hadley’s other hand, which was actually one of her grandmother’s small tablecloths that she’d commandeered.
“Time to put on the Avenger cape,” Hadley said. It was a print tablecloth with a wild floral pattern all over it, but oh well. “And no worries, Ollie. I promise it won’t hurt.”
Ollie crossed his arms and sat down on the wall. “Don’t want it!” he said.
“Ollie, please just let Aunt Hadley cut your hair!” Kit said, her frustration seeping out around the edges.
“We’re going to get the ice cream sundae stuff ready to celebrate when your haircut’s done, okay, Ollie?” Darla steered Kit toward the kitchen. “Call us if you need anything,” she said to Hadley over her shoulder.
Hadley gave Darla a grateful look, but at the same time it occurred to her that she was now on her own to deal with Ollie’s fear.
Hadley wanted this to be the least of Kit’s worries, so she walked around Ollie’s chair and faced him, leaning against the patio table.
Maybe she didn’t know that much about young children, but she did know dogs, and they could be a great emergency distraction if all else failed. She reached into her shorts pocket and pulled out two bone-shaped dog biscuits.
“Will you hold these for Jagger and Bowie?” she asked.
He nodded and held out his hand while she broke them into little pieces as the dogs immediately crowded around, much to Ollie’s delight.
“I have an idea,” she said, pulling out her phone and hitting the search bar. She showed him a photo. “How about something like that?”
His little face lit up.
Oh hurray. “If we start now, the ice cream will be ready when we’re done.”
“Do you promise it won’t hurt?” His eyes, so like Kit’s, were huge and round.
“Promise,” she said, holding out her pinkie to lock with his.
She found her hands shaking a little. Not because Ollie was scared but because she was. And his hair was gorgeous—silky and golden blond—and she felt like she was cutting something precious, like Delilah hacking Samson’s locks. Also, if Ollie or Kit wasn’t pleased with the outcome…well, she wasn’t going to go there.
She wasn’t sure who was more nervous, her or Ollie. Amid a constant stream of chatter aimed to distract and amuse, and the tossing of more dog biscuits than either dog needed, finally it was done.
“Ollie,” she said, putting her hands on his little shoulders. “You look so handsome. Want to see?”
He nodded, his expression wary. Please, God, Hadley prayed. Please let him like it.
She handed Ollie a mirror as Darla held Kit at bay in the doorway.
“What do you think?” Hadley held the mirror so he could see.
He examined himself carefully, scrutinizing from several angles. “I like it.” He gave a wide grin. “I’m handsome. Look, Mommy!”
Thank goodness. As Hadley placed the scissors out of reach of little hands, she realized she’d broken out in a total-body sweat from worry. “Very handsome,” Hadley said.
“Mommy,” Ollie called. “Come see me. I look like Daddy!”
Kit walked over, her eyes tearing up a little. “Yes, you do, my handsome boy!” she said, giving him a kiss.
“I didn’t realize that was the style I was going for, Kit,” Hadley said in a low voice. The last thing she wanted to do was give Kit a reminder of Carson, who probably wouldn’t have cared one way or another about his son’s long tresses.
Kit gave her a hug. “It’s wonderful. How can I thank you?”
“Super cute,” Darla said, taking her turn. “Hadley, you’re really talented.”
“I know,” she said a little smugly. “It was actually fun.”
“Nice fade, buddy,” came a deep voice from behind her.
Cam. The simple sight of him walking over from his back patio started her heart knocking crazily in her chest. He stopped next to her, his arm lightly grazing hers, flashing her a quick and knowing smile that made her knees threaten to buckle, before fist-bumping Ollie. “My man,” he said, to which Ollie grinned even more.
“It’s short like yours,” he said to Cam. “And long, too, on top.”
“Hidden talent?” Cam asked, giving Hadley a head-to-toe look that