Abashed, Kyle smiled. “Yeah, you’re probably right about Maggie. She’s touchy about that sort of thing.”
Tate pushed Matt toward a kitchen chair she’d placed by his window. “That’s not touchy, silly. She’s his mom, a first haircut is a milestone, she’d want to be there. I do love his hair, though. My nieces and nephew have red hair, too.”
Matt allowed her to direct him into the chair and she put a fabric drape over him and one on the floor to catch the hair. He zoned out as she touched him.
“First thing, let me shave your neck.” Gently, the clippers trimmed and shaved his neck. Her hands were gentle as she worked and the soft scent he’d come to recognize as uniquely hers wafted through the air.
She’d nearly finished with his cut when a group of women showed up at his door.
“I’ve come to gather my men,” Maggie said, waltzing into the apartment, stopping when she caught sight of Tate. “Tate, how are you?”
His gregarious Tate suddenly got shy. “Hello, Maggie. I’m fine, just cutting Matt’s hair. I should be going though.”
She started to move away but Matt grabbed her arm. “No, not yet.”
Kyle grinned at them both. “You said you’d cut my hair too.”
Blushing, Tate cleared her throat, her eyes widening and looking to Maggie. “Well, I’m sure you’ll want to be with your family now.”
Maggie laughed. “Oh, hell no. I’ve been after him to get a trim for weeks. He goes to the barber shop and they always cut it too short and then he waits until it gets shaggy.”
Liv came into the room with Marc and seeing Tate, she smiled. “Hey Tate. You do house calls?”
“Hello, Liv. I hear congratulations are in order.” Matt noticed her shyness got even worse with Liv’s presence. He wondered if it was that they used to date or if there was another story.
“Thank you.” Liv touched her belly and then her hair. “I’m in dire need of a cut but I’m a total worry-wart about the chemicals and smell in salons.”
“It’s okay, I understand. I can come by your place if you’d like. That way you wouldn’t have to worry.”
“Really? Oh that would be fabulous. Do you have time today?”
Tate blushed and nodded.
Matt just watched the interplay and let it settle in. He’d been startled by the revelation but now, he realized, it’d been happening since that first visit at her salon. Damn, she was a good woman, a genuinely nice person.
She ended up cutting Kyle’s, Marc’s and Liv’s hair as well as giving Nicholas a trim. Maggie sat and watched the whole thing and Matt knew he’d hear from his sisters-in-law after Tate left.
“I should go. I’m having dinner with my family tonight.” Tate cleaned up, aided by Matt.
“Ah. I was going to see if you wanted to have dinner with me.”
She froze, blushing again. The best thing about her was that he could tell what she was feeling by her skin tone.
“I’ll be at our bench tomorrow. You can have lunch with me then.”
He pulled his wallet out and her eyes widened again. “How much do I owe you?”
“Do you think I go door to door hustling haircuts on the weekend for extra cash?” Her hands fell to her hips.
“I…uh, no. But you’re a hairdresser, you performed a professional service. I certainly don’t think you’d do five haircuts for free.” Matt looked to Maggie, who shrugged, also uncertain how to proceed.
It was Liv who broke the stalemate by shoving money into Tate’s hand. “Shaddup. Take the money. I need you to come and do my hair in six weeks at my house and Marc’s too while you’re at it. I feel loads better already. You’re a whiz with the scissors. If Kyle did your lawn or Marc designed a workout, they’d expect to be paid too.”
Tate nodded shortly and put the money in her pocket. “Right then. Listen, I was just in Atlanta to see my brother and sister last weekend. Have you been to Lullaby Rose?”
Liv shook her head.
“I went in to get some stuff for my niece, she’s turning three. Anyway, they’re having a huge sale right now. I know you were out today but they have a lot of great stuff. It’s near the convention center. I’m sure they have a website too.”
Liv’s eyes lit up and Maggie leaned in. “They have boy stuff too?”
“Oh yeah. Newborn to age six. All sorts of stuff.”
Matt hefted her duffel when she readied to leave. “I’ll walk you out.”
“Okay then.” Getting to her knees she accepted a hug from Nicholas. “I’ll see you later, Nicholas.” And said goodbye to everyone else.
At her car, Matt tossed the duffel into the passenger seat. “Thanks for today.” He touched his hair and she shrugged.
“No problem. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
He’d wanted to try and smooch up on her but she got into the car before he could make a move. All he could do was wave as she pulled away from the curb.
Back inside, he moved to the couch. “Before anyone asks, yes, I’m into Tate. She seems utterly clueless though.”
“Into? Yeah, that’s a mild word for a man who stared at her like he wanted to devour her.” Liv chuckled.
“She’s not your usual type, Matt.” Maggie bounced Nicholas on her knee.
“What do you mean?”
“Stop being so damned defensive about her already,” Marc grumbled. “She’s not your usual type. She’s a very nice woman, no doubt. But,” he shrugged, “she’s not the perky cheerleader beauty queen you normally date.”
“What was that thing about the money?” Kyle asked.
Liv snorted. “You guys all grew up so sheltered. Tate Murphy is a hardscrabble girl. She came up the hard way. Struggled, worked for everything she has. She’s defensive because of what she comes from.”
“And how do you know? You grew up pretty well.”
“I did, yes. And I’m lucky. Tate’s sister-in-law Susan was tight with my sister. When they ran wild together anyway. Susan mellowed long before my sister did. Anyway, I know Susan pretty well and through her, I know a bit about the Murphys. It’s going to be hard for you to get her to let you in, Matt. She’s been hurt, a lot. And, I’m going to say it because it’s my place to say things everyone is thinking but no one says—the looks thing is going to be a problem.”
“What looks thing?” Matt thundered.
Liv waved it away. “I’ve known you a long time, Matthew. Don’t play games. You go out with women who are drop-dead beautiful. Even I was intimidated when we dated. She’s a beautiful person, that goes without saying, but she’s not like the others.”
“Are you saying she’s ugly? Because that’s fucked up, Liv, in addition to being untrue.”
Liv snorted and put her hand on Marc’s arm to keep him from speaking. “I’m not saying she’s ugly. I know her. Not as well as I’d like to, she seems much more reserved around me than with other people. But enough to know I think she’s beautiful. But here’s what they’re going to say, Matt—she’s short and fat and from the wrong side of town. She’s after your money and your name. You’re tall, handsome and you come from money and an influential family.” Liv shrugged.
“You have to be prepared for it, Matt. You have to protect her and yourself by accepting it up front and understanding how to deal with it. If you mean to make something with her, you’re going to have a lot of hurdles. Other people may pretend that’s not a problem but I’m not other people and I love you too much not to say what everyone is thinking.”
Marc chuckled. “My fragile flower. So shy.”
“I never thought of it that way. Well, I don’t care what people think. I only care what I know. All my life people have just assumed I’m shallow. Kyle, he’s the sensitive one, Shane is the gruff one, Marc’s the happy-go-lucky one and I’m the pretty one no one thinks much of. I’ve gone out with dozens of women. I’ve been able to have a decent conversation with maybe three and only one has ever had the same feeling about family I have. I’ve gotten to know Tate
over the last few months, this isn’t sudden. She’s the one. She doesn’t judge me, she doesn’t look at me and think about how much money I might inherit or how much my family name can do for her. She doesn’t look at me and think that grabbing the last Chase bachelor would be a feather in her cap. She just sees Matt. No one else does. Do you know how special that is?”
Marc looked at Liv and then back to his brother, nodding. “I do. If you want her, you know you have our help and support.”
“You know Momma will be in your corner. If anyone says a word about it in her presence they’ll rue the day.” Kyle and Maggie looked to him. “I’m looking forward to getting to know Tate and making her part of our family. You’ve got our support.”
Matt looked at them, the people he loved and smiled. “Thank you. Looks like I might just have a job and a half ahead of me. Good thing I’ve never shied away from a challenge.”
“That’s putting it mildly.” Kyle winked.
Chapter Five
“Are you absolutely sure you want to do this?” Beth looked to Tate as they stood just outside the trailer.
“Sure? Fuck no. I know I don’t want to do this. But Jill and Jacob are in there and they need our support. If Mom and Dad don’t sign those papers, it’ll be hard for the kids to get their loans. We can pay for most of it but without those loans, it’s awfully hard. Plus, damn it, with their signatures they can keep getting state grants too. They deserve at least that from those two worthless assholes. So we do this once a year and thank the heavens it’s just that rare an occurrence.” Tate took a steadying breath and reached out to Anne on one side and Beth on the other. It fell to them because Tim, William and Nathan couldn’t be in the same room with their father without violence breaking out. They all played to their strengths and worked together. Dealing with their parents was her cross to bear.
The door opened up and Jill stood there, relief on her face. “Hi guys, come on in.” Her eyes sparked a warning and Tate steeled herself for the inevitable.
Once she walked up and through the creaky door, the assault of her entire childhood plagued her like it always did. The cloying stench of stale sweat, cheap perfume and alcohol assaulted her. God, she hated that smell.
Her mother raised a hand in halfhearted greeting from her place on the tattered sofa. Tina Murphy had a drink in the other hand. Her hair was currently platinum-blonde with three inches of red growout at the roots. No matter that her daughters were excellent hairdressers, no, Tina had killed her own hair with repeated home dye jobs that rendered it to straw.
Bracing herself, she bent to kiss her mother’s cheek. “Hey, Mom.”
“Hey, honey. I like that color on you.” In her own way, Tina was closest to Tate. What passed for love in Tina’s world was a scarcity but she did seem to care about Tate when she could be bothered to come home.
“Too bad orange isn’t slimming. Those shoes are hideous. Trying to take the focus off your fat ass? You’re late as usual, Tate. Stop at a drive-thru on your way over? Let’s eat, we don’t know when your mother will decide to cat off somewhere else.” Her father’s words had already taken on a heavy slur.
Jacob started to speak but Tate shook her head once, hard. If anyone engaged with their father, it would make matters worse. If you just ignored him, he gave up after a while. Or he passed out. Either way, he’d shut the fuck up before she gave in to her urge to smack the shit out of him with a frying pan.
“Good evening, Dad.” She walked past him toward the tiny eating area. Her mother may have a lot of faults but when she concentrated for long enough she was a pretty good cook.
It was just a matter of holding out through dinner. Just finish, make nice and get the hell out of there before anyone cried.
“Did they sign the papers?” she asked Jill in an undertone.
Jill nodded imperceptibly.
Only one more year.
“Don’t pass the potatoes by lard ass. I told you to make her a salad, Tina.”
“Bill, shut the hell up already.”
Tate drank her tea and kept her head down. Finally, after bickering back and forth, her father shut up. She didn’t bother eating, it would only prolong the evening.
After strained small talk they all made an exit.
“Come back to my place?” Beth hugged Tate tight.
Tate shook her head and hugged Anne, Jill and Jacob too. “I need to be alone for a while. Shake this off. I’m not good company.”
“Yes you are. Honey, don’t do this alone.” Anne kissed her forehead.
“Look, I give you all most of myself but this is mine. I’m going to go and eat dinner. Alone. Please.”
“We’re going to stay at William and Cindy’s tonight. We still on for breakfast tomorrow before Jacob and I go back?” Jill asked.
Tate nodded. “Of course.” She needed to be alone, damn it. Quickly, she got into her car and headed back into town.
At The Sands, Ronnie was there with a smile and a cup of coffee, ushering her to a corner booth. It was already half past eight on a Sunday night so the place was pretty uncrowded.
“Evening, Tate.”
“Hey, Ronnie.” Tate opened her menu.
“Hey, fancy seeing you here.”
She looked up into Matt Chase’s face and only barely resisted taking a long glance down the rest of him. His face was enough of a treat. Made her feel tingly when all she’d felt just moments before was numb.
“Can I join you? I’ve been on a call. Warren and Pearl Jervis’s place. I wish they’d leave each other, but they won’t. He set fire to their couch tonight. Made me miss dinner at my folks’.”
“Sometimes it’s because they don’t know any other way. Other times, it’s because they don’t give a shit about anyone else and can’t be satisfied until they bleed their misery on you.”
“Wow, sounds like there’s a story there. I’m sorry for bringing you down. You can tell me. Or, I promise to entertain you with happy stories if you let me sit with you.”
She rolled her eyes and laughed. “Sure, have a seat.”
Instead of sitting across from her, he slid into the booth beside her, stretching out his long legs next to hers.
“I’m absolutely convinced that Polly Chase will have a plate set aside for you in the oven as we speak,” she said dryly to hide the tremor working through her at his nearness.
He grinned. “Probably. But I’d rather be here with you.”
She narrowed her eyes at him but Ronnie came to take their order. “I’ll have the roasted chicken with the rice and a salad. Vinegar and oil please, Ronnie.”
“Give me the pork chops and mashed potatoes and a salad with ranch, and a beer.”
“Oh yeah, that sounds excellent. Beer for me, too, please.”
Ronnie smiled at them both and sauntered back to put their order in.
“Rough night?” Tate looked at him, liking the way his nose looked from the side.
“Why do you say that?” Matt asked warily.
“Because you had to go on what amounted to a domestic call, which can’t be much fun. But you’re here and avoiding your mother’s cooking, which I hear is legendary. Is something up?”
He chuckled and took a long pull off the beer Ronnie dropped off along with the salads. “Polly is a mighty fine cook, yes. And I don’t know how Shane does it. These domestic calls are awful. I don’t have to deal with them often but when I do, it’s hard to take, you know?”
“Yes, I do know.”
He turned and their faces were just inches apart. She could see the beginnings of a beard on his cheeks and chin.
“Too close to home?”
“I really don’t want to talk about that right now. Until about five minutes ago, I was having a very crappy night. It’s looking up so don’t screw with that.”
“Tell me about your night and why it’s been so bad.”
“Dinner with my parents.”
Matt nodded, wanting to know more. He’d only heard bits and pi
eces around town and from his mother. He knew the old man drank and the mother kept running off.
“I won’t pretend that I don’t know a little bit about your history. That’s not who I am and it doesn’t seem like who you are either. He been drinking?”
“Is that a rhetorical question? I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be disrespectful of him. And it’s not just him.” She shook her head and waited while Ronnie put the food onto the table.
“Once a year I have to endure dinner with them. It’s for my youngest brother and sister. Because they’re still young, they need my parents’ signature on their federal financial aid forms. We pay for most everything, my siblings and I. But it’s expensive and they can get loans at reduced interest and grants. Anyway, it’s just once a year. I go over there to check on him, my dad, every month or so but dinner there is just the worst. I sit and don’t eat, for an hour, and we all dash out the back door and run for it.”
“You don’t eat?”
“So, how did you end up as a firefighter anyway?” she asked with a grin as she changed the subject.
He allowed it, for the time being. “I considered being a cop like Shane but the police academy was not my cup of tea. One of the instructors there suggested I try firefighting instead. I did.” He shrugged. “I like it and the people of Petal. Well, most of them anyway. It’s nice to find something that makes you feel fulfilled you know?”
“Yeah, I do know. When I first got out of high school, I did all sorts of odd jobs to pay the bills. Tim and I got an apartment in town, big enough for everyone. After a time, I got into beauty school and I realized I’d found what I was good at. It isn’t police work or anything, but I like making people feel better about themselves. So many women have crappy lives or bad days or never get a chance to feel pretty or special. It’s amazing what a bit of hair color and a nice cut can do. Make you walk out of the salon like you’re on air.” She smiled as she said it and Matt felt it like a blow to his gut.
“You have such a pretty smile.”