Page 47 of Unlikely to Stay
“Then let’s get this show on the road.”
Brant and CC walked down the stairs and headed to the shop just a couple stores down from her apartment above Sadie’s Café, Brant keeping a tight grip on CC’s hand the entire way.When they arrived at the shop, CC grabbed the key out of her pocket and opened the door.She turned on the lights and hooked up her phone to the surround sound, setting her music to shuffle.
Grabbing a cape out of a drawer, CC motioned him into the chair.“Let’s go, mister.”
CC tried to stop her hands from shaking.She never got nervous when she cut someone’s hair.Of course, her crush of two years she always thought was way out of her league had never been sitting in her chair, either.
“What do you want me to do?”she asked, running her fingers through his hair.He hadn’t put any sort of product in it after showering, knowing she was going to cut it.His hair was just like she thought it was going to feel.Soft.Silken.Amazing.
“Just trim it along my neck,” he replied.“I’m getting pretty wooly.And then maybe some on the top?Just know I have a couple of cowlicks that give me lots of trouble.”
“I could see them when I ran my fingers through your hair,” she said with a smile, grabbing a pair of scissors out of a drawer.“I’ll fix you right up.”
CC began cutting his hair, the smooth sounds of Ed Sheeran filtering through the speakers.
“Who is this?”Brad asked.“I like it.”
“You don’t know who this is?”
Brant shrugged his shoulders.“Should I?”
“It’s Ed Sheeran.One of the biggest singers of today.”
Brant shrugged his shoulders.“I don’t listen to much modern music.I grew up listening to Betty’s favorites.Sam Cook.The Temptations.Marvin Gay.”
“Obviouslyyou don’t or you’d definitely know who he is.You should listen to him.He’s amazing.Not to say Betty’s musicians aren’t.”
“What’s the name of this song?”
“Perfect.”
“Does it make me a pansy to say I like it?”
“Considering I caught Griff singing along to it when I was buzzing his hair the other day, I’d say no.”
CC kept snipping, the relaxing voice of Ed filling the shop.
“So, what brought you to Parker?”she asked.
“I accumulated a lot of debt from school.My advisor told me about this program that forgave student loans if you worked in a rural area for three years.I wound up in Parker.”
“Three years, huh?Haven’t you been here that time already?”
“You’ve been paying attention to how long I’ve been in town?”
“Something like that,” she said.
“I’ve been here around two and a half.”
“What do you plan on doing after your three years are up?”
“I’m not sure.I could probably stay here if the hospital in Lakeview, which owns the clinic, offers me the position.I could try to find a job in the city at a hospital.I really haven’t decided.”
CC couldn’t help the disappointed feeling that ran through her chest when she realized Brant might be leaving their tiny town in six months.Maybe it was for the best, though.She didn’t want to get too attached and then be depressed when nothing worked out with him.
“How’d you wind up getting this shop?”Brant asked suddenly.
CC jumped at the sound of his voice.She had been so caught up in what she was doing, the scissors slipped from her grasp.She drew a deep breath when a sharp pang shot up her hand and blood immediately began flowing from the gash in her middle finger.