Chapter 28: Haircut.
Liam pulled into the parking lot of Luminous Strands, a small beauty salon tucked between a bakery and a laundromat on the south side of town.
The sign was pink and cursive. The windows were frosted. Inside, he could see chairs, mirrors, and the silhouettes of women laughing and chatting.
He needed a haircut badly.
His blonde hair had grown shaggy over the past week. It fell across his forehead, curled over his ears, and made him look like he had given up on life. Which, to be fair, he sort of had. But that was changing. And looking the part was the first step to showing that.
"Clean up," Liam told himself. "Look human again and feel more like myself,"
He stepped out of the car and walked toward the entrance. A small bell chimed as he pushed the door open.
The smell hit him first—shampoo, coconut oil, and something floral he couldn’t name. The sound came second. Blow dryers humming, scissors snipping with women chatting in a mix of English and what sounded like Tagalog.
And then he saw her.
Sophia.
She was sitting in one of the stylist chairs, scrolling through her phone, waiting for something or someone to walk in so she could get to work. Her long brunette hair was pulled back in a loose ponytail. She wore leggings and a fitted tank top that showed off her toned arms.
Liam froze in place because what were the chances of this happening? It had to be one in a million literally.
"You have got to be kidding me."
Sophia looked up and their eyes met.
Hers widened, then narrowed, then widened again, like she couldn’t decide if she was seeing things or not.
"No way," she said, standing up from the chair. "You followed me here?"
Liam held up his hands. "I swear, I didn’t even know this place existed until five minutes ago."
"Mm-hmm." Sophia crossed her arms, but a smile tugged at her lips. "That’s exactly what a stalker would say."
"I’m hurt." Liam placed a hand over his heart. "Accused of being a stalker when I’m just a man trying to get a haircut."
Sophia tilted her head. "So you’re not following me?"
"Sure I am." Liam shrugged. "I’m Joe Goldberg."
Sophia burst out laughing. The sound was loud, genuine, and turned a few heads. Other customers glanced over. One of the stylists paused mid-snip, she looked at Sophia acting out of character.
"You’re ridiculous," Sophia said, wiping her eye.
She stepped closer, looking him up and down. "What are you actually doing here? This is a beauty salon and you aren’t exactly how usual client."
"I’m aware." Liam gestured to his messy hair. "I need a haircut desperately. Every barber I called was booked, and this place had good reviews online. I didn’t realize I’d be crashing girls’ night." Of course, this was a lie as Liam had not called any barber nor checked this place online but lies rolled off his tongue effortlessly, the perks of being a lawyer.
Sophia looked around the salon. Every stylist was busy. Two were doing color, one was braiding, and another was sweeping up hair while chatting on the phone.
She turned back to Liam.
"None of them are free," she said. "But I can do it."
Liam raised an eyebrow. "You cut hair?"
"I used to work in a salon before I got into fitness." Sophia grabbed a cape from a hook on the wall. "Don’t look so surprised. I have layers, Liam."
"I didn’t mean—" Liam couldn’t risk her taking it the wrong way.
"I’m kidding. Sit down."
Liam sat in the empty chair. Sophia draped the cape over his shoulders, her fingers brushing his neck as she fastened it. The touch was quick, professional, but Liam felt it.
"This is perfect," he thought. "It would be easier for me to build up the rebate meter this way."
"So," Sophia said, picking up a comb and a pair of scissors. "What are we doing? Short? Tapered? You want to keep the length on top?"
"Something clean. Professional. I have an image to rebuild."
Sophia laughed. "Big words for a guy who screamed like a wounded animal at the gym yesterday."
"That was one time!" Liam fired back.
"I heard you from the parking lot," Sophia couldn’t hold in her giggle and once again, the lady snipping her looked at Sophia with a raised brow.
Liam groaned. "Mike is trying to kill me. I’m filing a complaint."
"Good luck. Everyone’s filed a complaint. He’s still there." Sophia sectioned his hair with the comb, her fingers working quickly. "Now hold still. I’m good, but I’m not miracle worker."
Liam watched her in the mirror.
She moved with confidence. Her eyes focused with her tongue poked out slightly when she concentrated. The scissors glided through his hair like it was nothing.
"So," Sophia said, making small talk. "What’s a guy like you doing getting his hair cut in a place called Luminous Strands?"
"Desperate times," Liam responded with a stoic facial expression.
She laughed again. Liam noticed that right away. Two laughs in five minutes. This was going good for him.
"You never answered my question," Sophia said, trimming around his ear. "At the gym. You didn’t ask for my number."
"You didn’t offer," Liam fired back without wasting time.
"Touché."
Liam watched her reflection. "I wanted to figure out who you were first. Before I decided if you were worth the effort."
Sophia stopped cutting. She looked at him in the mirror, her eyes meeting his.
"And?" she asked. "What did you figure out?"
Liam smiled. "That you’re worth the effort."
Sophia shook her head, but she was smiling too.
"Flattery," she said, picking up the scissors again. "That is a bold strategy."
"Did it work though?" Liam asked with a smile across his face.
"Ask me after the haircut."
Liam sat back and let her work. The coconut smell filled his nose. The scissors snipped. And for the first time in days, he felt like things were falling into place as his tense shoulder loosened.
He didn’t have to worry about a damn thing.
