The Hairdresser Diaries (23 page)

I grabbed his arm and pulled him back in. “I don’t have to be there yet.” I pulled him on top of me and started kissing him.

He pulled back and unlatched my arms from his neck. “As much as it pains me, we don’t have enough time for that.” I frowned trying to change his mind, but then realized he was right. I couldn’t be late for work. It would throw off my whole day.

Cole dropped me off at home and I quickly hopped in the shower and was out the door in time to make it to work.

Peyton snatched me the second I walked in and pulled me out back. “What happened last night?” she asked.

“What do you mean?” I said nonchalantly.

“Don’t play coy with me,” she squinted at me. “You had sex, didn’t you?”

“God Peyton, is that all you think about?”

“Yes. Tell me everything.” I was just about to, when Kayla stepped outside.

“Well look who made it to work. I’m surprised you can keep your legs closed long enough to come in.” Kayla said.

“What’s the matter Kayla, finally starting to realize it’s you, not them? I believe this is now two guys that wanted me instead of you.”

“Everyone else already had their turn with you; I’m surprised you even found someone you haven’t tainted yet.”

I took a step towards her. “I heard your dad is leaving your mom, what happened, couldn’t keep daddy satisfied.”

“Tell Cole that when he wants a toy to play with that all the other boys haven’t already had, to give me a call,” she snickered.

That was about all I could take and I let her have it. I cracked her clear across the jaw. Kayla stumbled back holding her hand to her face.

“Oh shit,” Peyton yelled and reached over to grab me.

“Keep talking you stupid bitch and see what happens!” I screamed at Kayla.

“You’re crazy!” Kayla yelled back. Half the stylists ran out back to see what the commotion was, including my boss, Teresa.

“What the hell is going on?” Teresa asked.

“That crazy bitch hit me,” Kayla said. Teresa turned to me wide eyed and surprised. I started yelling a stream of profanities at Kayla.

“Alright enough!” Teresa yelled. “Kayla go inside. Tatum you stay here and cool off.”

After Kayla stomped off inside, the remaining stylists outside congratulated me and gave me high fives thanking me for doing something they all wanted to do for a while, but couldn’t.

Teresa came back outside and stared at me for moment. “Have you lost your mind?” she said with her hands on her hips. “I’m pretty sure she deserved it, but I can’t tolerate fighting at work Tatum.” She shook her head, unsure of what to do. “I’m sorry Tatum, but I’m going to have to send you home for the day until I can figure out how to clean this mess up.”

“What about my clients?”

“We’ll figure something out. Go home, now,” Teresa said sternly. Peyton let me go and I walked back and collected my stuff and went home. When I got there I called Cole.

“Hi.”

“Hey, you on a break?”

“No, I’m at home.”

“What? What happened? You sick, hurt? What’s wrong?” Cole asked in a panicked voice.

“No, I’m fine. They sent me home, cause…um…I punched Kayla.”

There was silence for a minute. “Why did you punch Kayla?”

“I don’t know, I guess I was tired of her running her mouth. She said some really nasty things so I let her have it.”

Cole laughed. “I think you should start taking some anger management classes.”

“Hey! I’m not that bad,” I said defensively.

“Want me to come over?”

“Yes please.”

“Okay, I’ll see you soon.” I hung up the phone and turned on the TV.

I must have fallen asleep waiting for Cole. I stretched my arms above my head and yawned while Cole stared at me. “When did you get here?” I asked.

“I just did. You know, you really should lock your door. What if I was a robber? What would you do?”

“I’d say, hey sexy, why don’t you come over here and tie me up.” I pulled on his shirt so I could bring him closer for a kiss.

He smiled for only a second and got serious. “Tatum I’m serious. You should get a dog.”

“I don’t need a dog, I have Leo.” I pointed in the direction of my cat sprawled out on a chair asleep. Cole shook his head.

“Besides, I’m not home enough to take care of a dog.”

“That’s where I come in.”

“I think you want a dog and you’re suggesting I get one because your place isn’t big enough for one.”

“Tatum, if that was the issue I’d just buy a bigger place.” I really hated when he threw his money in my face. I lay back down on the couch. He put his arms on either side of me and looked at me. “Plus, it will give me something to do.”

“How about get a job,” I suggested.

“Why, I don’t need money.”

“So, you keep reminding me.”

“I’m sorry. I just want you to know you don’t have to worry about anything now.”

I let out a sigh and he bent down to kiss me. Any anger or jealousy I felt was gone now. He pulled back and asked, “So, what do you want to do today?” I pulled him back to me answering his question. We eventually made our way upstairs and spent half the day in bed.

“How about I cook you dinner tonight,” Cole said.

“Sounds wonderful.”

“But, I want to do something special, so you have to leave.”

“You’re kicking me out of my own house?”

“Yes.”

“I’m sure whatever you do will be fine, you don’t have to go all out.”

“I want to. Why don’t you call up some of your girlfriends and go shopping and to a movie,” he reached for his wallet. “Spend the whole day out, on me.”

Normally I would be offended at someone who keeps throwing money at me, but I love to shop and shopping with someone else’s money is so much nicer than shopping with my own.

I called up Alex, Jessie, and Kelly. They told me they would meet me at the mall. I got up, got dressed, said thank you and goodbye to Cole.

“Call me before you come home.”

“Why?” I asked.

“I just don’t want you to come back early and ruin the surprise.”

“Okay,” I said suspiciously and left.

On my way to meet the girls I called Peyton to see how things were at the salon. She told me the stylists couldn’t stop talking about what happened and wished they could have been there to see me hit her. She also told me all my clients rescheduled and that she would be done with her last one shortly. I told her all us girls were going shopping and to meet us when she’s done work.

We spent most of the day shopping and even stopped to grab some lunch. By four Cole called to see how things were going and to remind me to call before I came home first. I was starting to get a little nervous about what he had planned. I brushed it off and decided to surprise him with a little something of my own. After lunch I told the girls I wanted to hit Victoria’s Secret.

Peyton had called on the way and I told her we’d be at Vicki’s (that was our nickname for Victoria’s Secret.) We met up with Peyton outside the store. When we got inside I automatically went towards the cutesy stuff, while Peyton and Jessie made a bee-line for the skanky ones. I picked up a cute red top with small black polka-dots and matching panties. The top had ruffles across the breast and was form fitting. The underwear had ruffles on the butt, which I thought was too cute and that I had to get it.

I held it up to show Peyton. “What do you think of this?”

“Cute, but I think this is better,” she said and held up this black sheer material that had two long straps. I think they were straps.

“Uh…I don’t want something that looks like an overstretched thong.” She and Jessie started laughing.

“Is that a belt?” Alex asked. I looked at her and shrugged my shoulders.

“How about this one?” Jessie asked.

“Not into leopard print.”

I looked around some more and found a few more cutesy type items. Then I walked over to Peyton to show her what I had found.

That’s when I spotted this aqua green corset, trimmed with black lace, matching boy shorts, and garter belt.

“Ooh, I like that. You should get it,” Peyton suggested.

I shook my head. “I don’t know it’s not really me.”

“That is why you should get it, here.” She threw it at me.

I picked up a few more items and checked out. I ended up buying the red and black polka-dot one, the aqua green, a cute baby doll cami, and some regular tanks and pajama shorts.

“Don’t forget these too,” Peyton shouted throwing a pair of black thigh high stockings at me.

“And these too please,” I said as I handed them to the cashier. The cashier finished ringing me out and I went over to the perfume and body lotion section where the rest of the girls were.

Jessie looked at my bag and said, “You’re not going to try your stuff on and show us?”

“You just want to see me naked,” I joked.

“Nah, I’ve seen you naked. It’s not pretty,” Jessie said.

“Hey!” we both laughed.

I ended up buying some lotions and body sprays while I was there. By the time we got done there I was kind of shopped out.

“Now what?” Kelly asked.

“Well, Cole wants me to call him before I come home, something about me not ruining the surprise.”

“I wonder what the surprise is,” Kelly gushed. Peyton and Jessie looked at each other like they knew something, but I ignored them. They tended to do that. Even if they didn’t know anything, they would pretend they did to drive me nuts.

I called Cole once more and he said he was still not ready. He suggested we go see a movie and by the time it was over everything should be done. I told the girls and they were game for a movie. They all wanted to go see the new Sex and the City movie, but I vetoed it. I think I might be the only girl who never got into that show.

I suggested the latest horror flick, but they vetoed me. If Lulu was here, it wouldn’t have been an option—horror or nothing at all.

We stood at the theater trying to make up our minds and agree on a movie. Jessie and Alex eventually gave up and said they didn’t care, pick whatever and meet them inside at the snack stand.

Peyton, Kelly, and I finally agreed on one of the newer comedies released. I bought the tickets for everyone—on Cole—and joined up with them at the snack stand. I shared my popcorn, not wanting to eat too much, because I had no idea what Cole had planned.

After the movie I was worn out and didn’t care if Cole was ready for me or not, I wanted to go home and relax. I said goodbye to the girls and headed home. I didn’t bother to call first.

I was a little scared when I first opened the door, so I opened it slowly and peeked in, but I didn’t see anything or smell anything for that matter. Maybe he changed his mind about cooking? Seeing no cause for alarm, I stepped inside and threw my bags on the kitchen table.

“Cole?” I called out seeing where he was. I heard the back door open and he came inside.

“You were supposed to call first remember?” he said wrapping his arms around my waist and giving me a kiss.

“I know, but I got tired of waiting. Can I see my surprise now?” I asked eagerly.

“Not yet. Soon, I promise.” I frowned and he changed the subject. “What did you buy today?” he asked looking directly at the Victoria’s Secret bag.

“That is my surprise, for you, later,” I said wrapping my arms around his neck and pulling him in for a kiss. Quickly he pulled away all jumpy.

“Okay, I’ll help you take this stuff upstairs. Then you have to stay up there till I’m finished and no peeking, promise?”

Hmm, that would be a hard one, I thought, but when I looked into his eyes, I could see this was something important to him and I promised I wouldn’t peek. Well I would try really hard not to.

The ‘no peeking’ didn’t even become an issue. When I reached my bedroom and found my bed. I crashed and was out in minutes.

Cole woke me up when I heard him rustling through my bags to see what I had bought.

“Hey,” I said giving him a dirty look.

“What? I was just curious,” he tried to play it off.

“I had to wait, so you do too,” I said as he joined me on the bed. “Can I finally see what you’ve been up to all day?”

“Are you going to show me what you bought?”

“Later,” I teased.

“Okay, come on, it’s ready.” I jumped out of bed excited.

He led me down the stairs and out the back. I opened the door and there was a trail of daisies down the stairs with white votive candles in small clear glasses lining the sides. He motioned for me to follow and when we reached the bottom there was a giant white tent in my back yard. The kind you would rent for an outdoor party. I stood there, not sure what to do.

I heard a whimpering noise and looked at Cole questioningly. He shrugged his shoulders like he hadn’t heard anything. He gave me a light shove in the direction of the tent. He pulled back the curtain and I stepped inside. I gasped.

There were pillows and blankets everywhere. A table set up for two in the middle, with a vase full of Stargazing Lillie’s—my favorite. The tent was covered in strands of white twinkling lights.

“I can’t believe you did this,” I said still taking in all my surroundings.

“Do you like it?”

“No. I love it. How did I get so lucky?” I said as I pulled him in for a kiss.

“I have one more surprise,” he said his eyes lighting up with excitement.

“There’s more. Cole really just this is enough, I don’t even deserve…” I cut myself off when he reached behind a curtain and brought out a puppy.

“A puppy!” I squealed taking it from his hands.

“A German Shepherd.”

“I love Sheps, how did you know?”

“I called and asked Peyton, plus they’re really good guard dogs.”

I should have known.

I put the puppy down and sat next to it on the mounds of pillows. “Boy or girl?” I asked.

“Girl, I heard they tend to be more protective of their owners.” I knew that much was true. I had a female Shep when I was little.

I scratched the puppy’s ears as I checked her out. She was black and brown and looked like a giant puff ball. Her paws were huge like a bears. She nibbled lightly on my pants and rolled over pawing at me. I picked her up and smushed her into my chest.