While she worked, putting foil after foil after foil on my head, I imagined surprising Noah later with my siren hair, my bright red toes, and my smooth-as-silk skin. Then I remembered I probably wouldn’t see him tonight.
Disappointment balled up in my stomach, and I found myself thinking up excuses to potentially cut out early. But I didn’t want to do that to my sisters. I wanted time with them—and I wanted time with Noah too.
Unfortunately, time was the one thing in short supply.
Seventeen
Noah
Wednesday afternoon, I got a text from Meg.
Meg: Your sister is awesome.
Me: Don’t tell her that. Her ego will be as big as her belly.
Meg: I already told her.
Me: Are you at the salon?
Meg: Yes. She is transforming me into a hot sexy bombshell.
Me: You do not need her help in that department.
Meg replied with a kissy-face emoji, and I checked the time. It was just after one, and I was starving, but instead of thinking about lunch, I was considering dropping by the salon.
I wouldn’t stay long or anything—I just wanted to say hi. We probably wouldn’t see each other at all today if I didn’t. Maybe not tomorrow either. She was probably going to be all tied up with lots of wedding stuff now that everyone was here.
Plus, there was a deli on that block I loved. I could pretend that I’d been heading there for lunch. I’d go in, say a quick hello, and get out. Then I’d grab a sandwich and get back to work.
I’d been thinking about her nonstop since I’d dropped her off, replaying all the little details that had made the last two nights so fucking amazing. Everything she said, everything she did, everything she let me do to her . . . it was better than a dream.
And the coolest thing was that nothing had changed. Nothing was awkward or weird or uncomfortable between us. I could still be myself around her. If anything, we were even closer friends than we’d been before. We were still us, but new and improved us, with one hundred percent more sex included.
I found a parking spot on the street near the deli, told Renzo I’d be right back, and walked up the block to the salon. As soon as I opened the door, I spotted her reading a magazine in my sister’s chair, her head under a dryer and full of tin foil. There had to be a hundred pieces of it sticking out in every direction.
Waving to the receptionist, who was on the phone but gave me a smile, I snuck up behind Meg and studied her in the mirror. Even with a head full of foil, she made my heart beat faster.
“If that’s my sister’s idea of sexy bombshell, you might want to ask for a refund.”
She looked in the mirror and gasped, hiding her face with the magazine. “Noah! You’re not supposed to see me like this! Get out!”
Laughing, I moved in front of her and leaned back on Nina’s station, crossing my arms over my chest. “Having fun?”
“I was.” She lowered the magazine to her lap. “What are you doing here?”
“I’m about to grab a sandwich for lunch at the deli up the street. Since I was in the neighborhood, I figured I’d stop in and say hi.”
Her cheeks went pink. “Well, I wish I looked better. Can you come back in three hours?”
“Three hours? It takes that long to get your hair done?”
“It’s a process. But it will be worth it.”
“Jeez. Where’s my sister?”
“In the back, I think. She had to get off her feet for a bit.”
I nodded. “What are your plans tonight?”
“Painting the town with my sisters, who are probably all looking over here right now, wondering what is going on.”
I glanced around the salon. Sure enough, every eye in the entire place was on us. “Should I arrest you? Give them a little excitement?”
She swatted me with her magazine and lowered her voice. “Don’t you dare put those cuffs on me in public.”
Our eyes shared the memory of last night, making the crotch of my uniform pants threaten to get tight. Not a good look. “I better go,” I told her. “Have fun tonight.”
“Thanks. What will you do?”
“Nothing much. Hang out with Renzo. Watch baseball.” Miss you, I thought, but didn’t say it.
“Okay. I’ll call you tomorrow.”
“Sounds good.” I wanted to kiss her, even if it was just on the cheek, but I couldn’t. Tongues were already going to