When they were both spent, Jake pulled her close, wrapping them up in the comforter, their bodies sheened with sweat, breath still coming fast with their effort.
Rachel waited for her heart to slow, listening to Jake’s racing too under the hard muscles of his chest.
“My god, you’re so beautiful,” he whispered, kissing the top of her head and she remembered her hair was on the floor somewhere in the foyer.
“You better stop saying that,” she whispered, tracing a finger down to his navel.
“I’m starting to believe you.”
“Good.” He chuckled. “My evil plan is working.”
“Don’t fall asleep,” she reminded him. “You have to get home for Emma.”
“Don’t worry.” He glanced at his watch, blinking his eyes, trying to focus. “We have hours to go before I sleep. And I’m going to make you come at least three more times.”
“Aiming low, are we?”
“Gimme that thing.” He grabbed for the still buzzing vibrator and Rachel squealed and tried to roll away, but he caught her and she gave up, knowing she was going to let him do whatever he wanted, for however long he wanted.
Even if her mind wasn’t ready to accept it yet, her body knew, had known since the first time he touched her-she was his.
Rachel could barely hold the phone. It trembled in her hand as she dialed Jake’s number and she had to sit down before he answered, only on the second ring.
“Rachel?” He must have known from the caller ID because she hadn’t said a word. “Did Nina call you?”
So he knew.
“She came into the salon.” Her voice didn’t even sound like her own, too faint and far away to be real. “She said she was going to sue me. She said…she said…”
“I know, I know.” Jake swore softly. “Rachel, turn on the news.”
“Joshie.” She put her hand over the receiver and called him over. He was gathered with the other stylists, all of them buzzing like bees about the drama Nina had caused when she’d burst in and made her little scene. Thankfully they’d only had three clients in chairs at the time and the damage to Rapunzel’s had been minimal. “Turn on the TV.”
It was a flat screen on the far wall. It was hardly ever on, but occasionally they’d get busy and a client would want to watch something. Joshie did as she asked, grabbing the remote and pushing the power button.
“What channel?” Rachel asked.
“Any local news channel.”
Her heart dropped at his words and it sank again when Joshie flipped to a local station. Nina was there, perfectly dressed, coiffed and composed, speaking into the microphone. “I’m sorry she has cancer, but that doesn’t mean she has the right to shave my daughter’s head.”
Rachel put her head on the table, whispering, “I’m going to need a lawyer.”
“I am a lawyer,” Jake reminded her.
“The salon.” She closed her eyes, feeling tears burning. “It’s over. No one will ever come here again.”
“You’re wrong.” Jake sounded angry, resolute. “I have an idea. Leave it to me.
Will you leave it to me?”
“Yes.” She was remembering the night before, the way they’d been together, how she’d felt falling asleep in his arms. She hadn’t felt that calm and safe in a long time.
Besides, what other choice did she have?
“Then let me rescue you.”
She gave a short, sharp laugh. “I’m not a damsel in a tower.”
“Sure you are,” he protested. “And I’m a white knight. Didn’t you see my horse parked around back?”
“I must have missed it,” she said faintly, but she was smiling. “Was it behind the BMW?”
He laughed. “Okay, hand the phone over to Joshie.”
“What?”
“Trust me,” Jake insisted.
“I do.” It was the truth. She called Joshie over and handed him the phone.
Rapunzel’s was all over the news. There wasn’t a local news station that hadn’t picked up on it, and now even CNN and the other major news networks had sniffed out the story and started to run with it. Rachel stood in the salon, Joshie by her side, staring at the screen, incredulous.
They flashed a picture of Rachel and the two young girls, three goddesses with their bald, painted heads put together, their smiles stretched wide. Joshie had done a beautiful job, taking hours on each of them this time and adorning them with sparkles and glitter. All three looked radiant and beautiful. Even me, Rachel thought, looking at the picture in wonder.
Then it was gone, and Jake was there on the screen. “Speaking as a lawyer, I can tell you that this is a frivolous lawsuit and I’d be surprised if a judge will even hear it.
Speaking as a human being, I think this whole thing is just heartless and cruel.
Speaking as a father, I fully support my daughter’s decision and I’m very proud of her.” The whole salon cheered at that.
“Rachel, this is Mandy.” Emma presented another of her classmates, this one a cheerleader with long blond hair. Rachel knew she was a cheerleader because the teen was actually wearing a cheerleading outfit. Probably for the cameras outside, Rachel realized. “She wants to get her hair cut for Locks of Love, too.”
“Hi Mandy.” Rachel smiled at the girl. “Come sign in.” The list on the wall was growing. So was the line out the door with the professionally printed sign Jake had put up with that same picture on it, the one the news kept using-Emma and Rachel and Liv smiling, their bald painted heads pressed together. Locks of Love Drive – We’re Too Sexy For Our Hair!
It matched the billboard Jake had put up on the freeway.
“This is crazy,” Joshie called on his way by as he directed another Locks of Love donation client back to his stylist’s chair. “I think your boyfriend may have saved the salon.”
“That’s not all he saved.” She smiled, seeing Jake pushing his way through the crowd toward her.
“Did I hear something about rescuing damsels in distress?” Jake slipped an arm around her waist and kissed her cheek. She wanted more, and from the look in his eyes, she knew he did too, but there were too many people around.
“Listen, Mr. Cocky, there’s still the lawsuit to deal with,” she reminded him, but she couldn’t help smiling up at him.
“I told you to trust me,” he reminded her.
“I do.”
He nuzzled her neck, no hair in the way. “I like hearing you say those two little words.”
She gave him a sharp, surprised look. “No blue Tiffany boxes.”
“Not today.” He chuckled. “But maybe someday.”
“Maybe someday,” she conceded, whispering her response into his ear and daring, for the first time in a long time, to hope about the future.
“We feel very vindicated.” Jake spoke into the microphone, Rachel at his side.
On his other side stood Emma and Liv, holding hands. Both girls had hair now, cute little pixies just like Rachel’s. “I’ve said since the beginning that this was a frivolous lawsuit that should have been dismissed months ago. I’m glad the judge finally saw reason.” Rachel felt Jake’s hand slip into hers and she smiled up at him. She barely heard the questions being peppered at them.
“No, the judge didn’t award Rapunzel’s any damages,” Jake countered to one of the reporters. “We didn’t countersue for any. But the judge did say that if we had, he would have awarded them to us.”
Rachel glanced out into the crowd. Nina wasn’t there. She’d been in the courtroom but had left almost immediately after the verdict. Emma had tried to talk to her mother but she’d disappeared too quickly. Emma saw her only on the weekends.