Chapter 1: Rick
“Hi Rick! What a surprise to see you here today. Are you here for the cut or here to see the boss lady?” I ran my fingers through my hair.
“Okay handsome, take a seat and Claire will be with you shortly.” The overly flamboyant receptionist Tad gleefully said as he eyed me like his next meal. Tad had told my sister several times how what a fine specimen of man I was. The best was when he asked me, if I would ever consider switching sides. With the women trouble I have been having lately that didn’t seem like a bad idea. What the fuck am I saying, I haven’t given up on women entirely; I just need a fucking break from scandalous bitches I have been dealing with. They say men are dogs, some of these women put us men to shame.
“Thanks Tad, Is there a long wait? I am here a day early, but I have to go out of town tomorrow.” I looked toward Claire and waved. When I turned to Tad, he was smiling at me provocatively.
“My sister would murder me if I got it cut by someone else.” I wasn’t kidding, this was her baby and she was doing great. She would cut me with her shears, if I went to someone else. I wouldn’t of course, she was my sister. and besides she was a genius with the scissors.
“That’s for sure. I know my heart would be broken if I didn’t get my fill every two weeks.” I shook my head at him; the man never quit.
“Are you ever going to give it up?”
“Are you?”
“No, you are never going to get it. I don’t swing that way.”
Uh oh, I just started his ass off on his usual rant. “How do you know unless you try it?”
“It’s not going to work. No matter how much these women piss me off, they still get me off. Nice try, so will it be a long wait?” With Tad you had to reel him back in, I swear the boy had trouble concentrating on anything for more than a few minutes, unless it was some poor guy’s ass.
“It’s a little busy and she has one client before you.” Depending on how long it will take, I might have to go get my computer from the car. Maybe I can get some work done. Everyone who knew me, knew that I hated wasting time.
“Hey handsome! What are you doing here? Today is Wednesday, right?” Claire said as she walked up to me and gave me a big hug. The shock of bright red in my sister’s black hair was different than last month and truthfully it was pretty cool. I am the close-cut, clean-shaven type of guy, but I appreciated my sister’s uniqueness.
I loved my baby sister. She was the most laid back, hard worker I had ever seen. We came from a very wealthy family, but it didn’t stop her from making something of herself when all my parents wanted to do was spoil her rotten. I was a man, spoiling me was not an option for them. I would have a family one day and I needed to be able to care for them. Just like my father, I thought the wife shouldn’t work and one day in the distant future that would be my wife’s occupation; housewife and mother.
“Yes, but I am going out of town tomorrow.” I hated these business trips, when a client wanted to meet you on their turf it was meant to unsettle you, but I have been doing this since I cut teeth. Making deals is in my blood. My dad taught me how to be the best. With the stigma of our family name being the best and legal was necessary.
I ought to fire that idiot assistant of mine. She scheduled my departure on my usual day here, at the salon. Now, I am going to have to sit down and wait. I could be downright petulant; patience was not a virtue I possessed.
“Oh bro, I am so sorry. I’m really busy. My next client just walked in and they are looking at cuts and colors to choose. It’s going to be awhile.” She tilted her head to an old striking woman and from what I could see the woman’s son. It shouldn’t take that long. Wait, she said color. These teenagers and getting their hair dyed. I decided to wait. After I walked back to the car to get my laptop, I took a seat in her cozy ass chairs; they make waiting bearable. She always jokes that she got them for me and her more impatient clients, but I know it was true.
Something caused me to turn to the two ahead of me, just then the older woman said, “Samantha, you are never going to find a man dressed like a boy.” Samantha? What I had assumed was a boy was most definitely not. She lifted her head, and all thought left my brain as the blood went south, leaving no room for thinking straight. The boy sure the hell wasn’t a boy at all; even though her clothes said otherwise. She was wearing, a baseball cap, jeans, a plain white tee-shirt under a cotton grey zip up hoodie, and sneakers and I was captivated as if she was dressed for the red carpet.
Her eyes sparkled in anger, a vibrant green before she turned to the woman who had been scolding her, and angrily hissed, “Mother, I don’t need to find a boyfriend. Shouldn’t you be worrying about me getting an education instead of getting married and knocked up?”