Page 46 of Chasing Home
15
JOHNNY
Sliding my belt through the last loop in my jeans, I stare at myself in the bathroom mirror and decide I hate what I’ve done with my hair. It’s too long, and I’ve never liked it tied back. Daisy, on the other hand, thinks it makes me look distinguished, and apparently, that’s what I need to convince Rory to give me more than one date.
I’m not sure she’s right about that, but once my sister gets started, there isn’t much you can do to shut her down. Even as I clamp my buckle into place and shimmy my waistband until it feels just right, she rambles on and on.
“Have you brushed your teeth yet?” she asks, picking up my sweatshirt from its place on the edge of my bed. Sniffing at the collar, she adds, “At least you washed this recently.”
“Do you think I’m a slob, Daisy? Of course I brushed my teeth. Used mouthwash too. Before I brushed.”
She beams at me, popping both of her thumbs up. “That’a boy. You do listen from time to time.”
“Some things are hard not to listen to. Especially when you say them to me every single time we see each other.”
She flashes me a different finger, and I return the gesture before reaching behind my head to tug out the elastic in my hair.
“It’s important information, J.”
I lean forward and brace my pelvis on the bathroom sink while running my fingers through my hair, trying to make it seem like the messy look was on purpose and not because it’s in need of a chop. It doesn’t fucking work. I just look like I haven’t brushed it in a week.
“You’re hopeless. Crouch down and let me help,” Daisy commands, stepping into the bathroom and patting my shoulder.
Lowering myself a couple of inches, I fold my arms along the edge of the vanity and rest my chin atop them as I stare at my reflection. My cheeks are flushed, my freckles too obvious, and my bottom lip still a bit swollen from the hit it took earlier today.
I should have been paying closer attention to my surroundings, but when Aurora stepped onto the porch this afternoon with an old brown Stetson on her head . . . it was a miracle I didn’t do something worse than smack face first into the stable wall. It was Eliza’s—I’d recognize it anywhere—but fuck me, I wished it were mine instead.
All week, I’ve been searching for her everywhere I go, but I’ve been too busy to stop by the house to make small talk or take her lunch like I’m aching to. Eliza’s probably tired of me asking if Rory’s eaten every damn day.
Daisy manipulates my hair with a cool confidence, like she knows exactly how to fix what I’ve done. There’s no point in trying to take notes on what she’s doing. Hairstyling is a skill I simply don’t possess. I’ve never had to worry about it because I wear a hat all day, every day.
“So, you have the beer in the fridge, and the food will be ready in . . .” She checks the time on her smartwatch. “Fifteen minutes. You have cologne, right? Women like men that smell good.”
I lift a brow and stare at her in the mirror. “Yeah, D. I’ve got cologne. Plenty of it, in case you forgot how often you and Jos use cologne as an easy gift for my birthday.”
She tugs on a strand of my hair. “Cologne isn’t an easy gift if you’re doing it right. We spend at least two hours searching for the perfect smell every time.”
“Well, it might be time to find a different gift idea for this year. I don’t think a guy needs seven bottles of cologne at once.”
“Seven? And you still smell like shit as often as you do? Jesus.”
I rest my forehead on my arm and laugh. “Fuck, aren’t you supposed to be helping hype me up before I go on my date instead of tearing me down?”
“Oh, I’m not tearing you down. You know I love you damn near to death. It’s my job to razz you from time to time. Besides, a bit of teasing builds character. It’s a sister’s job to make sure you don’t turn out to be a conceited asshole. There’s enough of those out there.”
I narrow my eyes on her reflection when I catch her mouth droop into a slight frown. Daisy’s never dated a man and has always been open about preferring women, but that doesn’t mean she can’t still have problems for me to take care of.
“You got somethin’ to tell me?”
The droop disappears. “No, and even if I did, we wouldn’t be talking about it today.” Slapping my back, she straightens and says, “Voilà. While you do need a haircut soon, at least now you don’t look homeless. And don’t you dare put a hat on and ruin all of my work. Leave it at home for one night.”
“Got it. Thank you for coming over and helping. I’m a bit on edge,” I say, forcing out a laugh to try and hide how true that statement actually is. My stomach tightens as nerves play a game of bowling inside of it. “I’m going to head out now. Don’t want to be late.”
And I need a moment alone to puke. Preferably in a back alley with only the raccoons to see.
“I’ll lock up before I leave.”
“You can stay if you want. I’d rather you here than driving on the highway in the dark.”