Matters of the Heart

by Heather M Green

  "Do you want a hint?"

  "No. A few more guesses." I pretended to think for a minute. "Okay. Ego maniacs, equestrians, Equal Rights activists?" Laughter bubbled from her just as my phone rang. I checked the ID and said, "I need to get this. Sorry."

  "Hey, Andy," I answered the call on the third ring. "Who were the first people to remove unwanted body hair?"

  I brushed Sophie's hand aside with a grin as she exclaimed, "Hey, no cheating!" and made a grab for my phone.

  I tipped the phone away from my mouth and whispered with a grin, "This is my phone-a-friend."

  My grin widened when she rolled her eyes and went back to cutting.

  "Hello. I'm still here," Andy complained in my ear.

  "Sorry, man. What's your answer?"

  "My answer is- who knows and who cares?"

  "Harsh, dude," I told him with a chuckle.

  "Aww, man, now I forgot the reason I called," Andy whined.

  I laughed out loud. "Sorry. Call back." I pushed end and told Sophie, "One more guess." I paused, considering. "Egyp.....tologists." I guessed with a twinkle in my eye.

  She slapped my shoulder. "You knew it was the Egyptians the whole time," she accused.

  "Maybe. Maybe not," I shrugged. "I guess you'll never know."

  "You are one bad monkey," she said. But I could hear the grin in her voice.

  A comfortable silence surrounded us. I closed my eyes as the rhythmic motions and sounds of combing up and then cutting lulled me into a zen state. Who needed a massage. Had a haircut ever felt so relaxing?

  "You aren't going to fall out of the chair on me, are you?" She came around to stand in front of me and continued cutting.

  "The sun and the calm of just sitting are putting me to sleep," I admitted. If she ran her fingers through my hair a few more times, I'd be out.

  An annoying tickle on my nose had me scrunching it up and down to find relief. It would take too much effort to drag my hand out from under the cape and up to scratch it. I sneezed violently and Sophie's cutting stopped.

  "Oops," she laughed as she reached up and brushed some hair off the tip of my nose with her soft, slightly damp fingers.

  "What do you mean, oops?" I drawled lazily.

  "Never sneeze when your hair is near scissors."

  "You're very funny, San Antonio. Has anyone ever told you that?"

  "I'm not the one who is funny. Well, at least not funny looking."

  "Ouch. I don't know if that speaks more of my looks or your hair cutting abilities."

  "Touche," she laughed. The more I was with her, the more I found she could joke with the best of them. She could dish it out and she could also take it. She was quick. I liked that about her.

  "Where did you learn to cut hair?" I asked, curious.

  "It was one of those phases teens go through."

  "Ah, you went through a destructive phase," I teased knowingly.

  Her laugh brought a smile to my face. "No. It was my creativity phase," she said, all mock self-importance. "My friends and I wanted haircuts, but couldn't afford salon prices, so we mustered up some courage, dug deep and channeled our inner cosmetologist, and made freaks of each other." She laughed at the memory.

  "It was that bad, huh?" I laughed with her.

  "No. Not really. But we definitely improved with practice. When I felt brave enough to venture out on my own, I talked Trevor into being my guinea pig. It must not have been too bad because he came to me every time he needed a trim after that. It's just a fun little skill I picked up."

  "What about the sports therapy? Kaley said you were getting ready to set out on your own."

  Her grin turned into a full blown smile. "Yes! I found a spot and have some patients I am taking with me. I won't be big to start out, but I am starting out. Finally." I could feel pride, happiness and satisfaction bouncing off her in waves. I knew how she felt. Being a doctor put that look on my face more than once in the past.

  "I am happy for you." And I was. Doing something you love makes all the difference. "It takes courage to go out on your own. But if your determination to make haircuts work is any indicator, you will do well."

  "Thank you, James."

  We both fell into a comfortable silence as she continued combing and snipping. The sunshine and Sophie worked their magic and I had just reached that fully relaxed state again when I felt Sophie shift. Suddenly my senses were on full alert. My sleepy state vanished instantly and I felt ready to bolt.

  I opened my eyes to see what had caused this awareness that raised the hair on my arms only to see her face level with mine, mere inches away. Her eyes were trained on my hair, her concentration complete. Her subtle scent of coconut and some flower swirled around me and filled my senses creating a kind of tunnel vision where all I was aware of in that moment was Sophie. I studied her pink lips, wondering if they felt as soft as they looked. The hand that felt like lead ten minutes ago inched with surprisingly little effort toward the edge of the cape. It took conscious effort to keep my hand at my side and not raise my fingers to her lips. To trace them. Her smooth, flawless skin looked slightly kissed by the sun, and her eyes were this indescribable combination of grey, green, and blue.

  "What color would you call them?"

  "What?" she asked quietly and glanced down at me. I hadn't realized I'd said it out loud.

  Her hand stilled as our eyes met. I felt a pull from her as I gazed into those questioning eyes. Could she feel it too? My eyes moved to her lips of their own accord. Her hand brushed my cheek as she lowered it from my hair to her side. I felt myself lean toward her, helpless to stop the forward motion.

  Sophie

  "Hey, Soph!" I jumped at the sound of my brother's voice. "Why do you have my son's doctor tied to a chair?" Trevor called across the yard to me as he slammed his car door.

  I released a breath in a whoosh and blinked. It was telling that I didn't even hear him drive up. "Stay away and he won't get hurt," I told Trevor in my most threatening mobster voice, flashing my scissors at him.

  Trevor put his hands up in a placating gesture and backed toward the front porch. "Please, don't hurt him. He has the hands of a surgeon. We need him. And..." he grasped for something dramatic to say, "I don't want blood on my... front lawn."

  A loud burst of laughter spewed from me. "Watch it, or you'll be next."

  "Careful, Doctor," he warned James. "My wife clearly isn't stable." I snorted at that and Trevor grinned as he reached a hand out to open the front door. He stepped back abruptly when the door opened on its own.

  "Your wife isn't stable, huh?" Stacy gently shoved Trevor in the chest.

  He grabbed her hand and brought it to his smiling lips. "Just talking to Dr. Anderson about Sophie."

  Stacy glanced across the yard and grinned when she saw James. "Ahhh. I see. Hey wife,” she called to me, “think you could give Trevor a haircut after you are finished with the doctor?"

  "I think I could manage that," I said around my hand that was unsuccessful at holding back my laughter. I was surprised that even with James’ more olive coloring, his deep blush was so noticeable. I should have felt bad about his obvious discomfort, but I couldn't muster the sympathy.

  "Carry on then," Stacy laughed and took Trevor's hand to lead him into the house.

  I watched them look at each other, so much love evident between them, and smiled wistfully. Someday, I hoped to have the kind of marriage my brother had.

  "I can see that I'm not going to live that down anytime soon," James muttered and wiped a hand over his red face.

  "Probably not," I admitted with another laugh. "I'm pretty much finished with you. Not a lot more damage I can do without shaving the rest of it off. There are only one or two really uneven parts. At least it will grow out," I managed a straight face until a look of horror crossed his.

  "The really scary thing about all of this is that I can't tell whether or not you are serious. Do I even want to look in a mirror?"

  "You do if you want
a decent chance of fielding any questions that are sure to come." A groan was his only reply." You can brush off out here and then go change in the house if you are still up for a run."

  "I guess before I answer you one way or the other, I need to ask if I'm okay to be seen in public."

  I looked him over, shrugged, and said, "You'll do." I commanded myself to breath normally while shaking out the cape. "Tell Trev I'm ready for him, please. And the bathroom is straight down the first hall on the right." I watched him enter the house and put a hand to my chest. I didn't think anything could make him look better than he had since the day I met him, but that haircut...wow. I was in big trouble.

  "You okay?" Trevor asked as he made his way across the lawn and sat in the chair in front of me.

  "Yeah. Why do you ask?" I asked nonchalantly as I stepped behind him and secured the cape around his neck.

  "You looked a little...faint... just now." He craned his neck to look up at me. "You wouldn't be drooling over the doctor now, would you?"

  I cinched the cape tighter around his neck and leaned over to whisper, "No more talking. I have scissors and your cosmetological fate is in my hands, remember?" I brushed my hands across his shoulders, smoothing the cape dramatically, and whispered, "Good," at his fake choking sounds. As long as we understood each other.

  I was almost finished with Trevor's hair when James met us back out on the front lawn. I'm pretty sure I'd never get used to the way he made clothes look good.

  "Just one more cut," I announced. "There." I removed the cape from Trevor's neck and brushed the little hairs off his ears and the collar of his shirt.

  "Thanks, Soph," Trevor said as he bent over and brushed quickly at his hair and the back of his neck. "I'll take the chair and stuff in so you two can go. See you around, Doctor."

  We both watched as Trevor grabbed the chair and headed across the grass to the house.

  "Which direction?" James asked when the door closed behind Trevor.

  "Let's go left today," I suggested and started out at our normal pace.

  "You had me going for a minute, San Antonio." James glanced at me.

  "Had you going how?" I asked, returning his look.

  "This is the best haircut I've ever had, but with the way you talked, I thought bald would have been the painful next step for me."

  "Well, I figured you missed out on the massage, so I'd better make it worth your while."

  He laughed. "Massage or not, you realize I can't ever go back to Chinatown now, right?"

  "It will be tricky for me to cut your hair from Texas."

  "Yes. Texas. I had forgotten about that. I was hoping I could talk you into staying in Portland indefinitely so I wouldn't have to go back to Chinatown."

  "You are going to go and give me a big head." I blushed. Curses.

  "Well, it can't get much bigger than it already is, actually."

  "Is that your professional opinion or simply an observation?"

  "Well, since my professional opinion would deal primarily with your heart..." Heaven help me "...it would have to be an observation."

  "Based on what, may I ask?"

  "Based on the fact that I can't even get my arm all the way around your swollen cranium when I do this." He reached out and snagged his arm around my head and pulled me to him. I shoved him away and ducked out from under his arm. "Or maybe it's that my muscles are so big, when paired with your enormous head, it's impossible to reach all the way around."

  "Enormous head, huh?" I growled and launched myself at him. His laughter poured out around us as we fell onto the grass of a random home. "Enormous head?" I repeated as he rolled off of me and sat up, his laughter decreasing to a chuckle.

  Still lying on my back on the grass, I gazed up at him through partially lidded eyes. My heart swelled in my chest until it was almost painful. He was so beautiful on the inside and out. I loved spending time with him. I loved who I was when I was with him. What was he thinking about right now? He always seemed so unaffected by me. Why couldn't he feel even a fraction of what I felt for him? I quickly stood up and offered my hand down to him before I did something stupid like cry. I wouldn't cry over one more man. I could keep this thing on the friendship level because I was going back to Texas to become the person I had worked tirelessly for years to become. I was not getting hung up on another man.

  James

  I'd decided I'm not exceptionally adept at keeping my distance from Sophie. Today alone had been disaster after disaster waiting to happen. I tried not to even think about what would have occurred if her brother hadn't interrupted us during the haircut. Now the whole arm around her head and falling to the grass with her thing... I shook my head to clear the image. It was like I had to be in contact with her whenever she was within arms length. Even now as I mentally flogged myself, I knew if I looked at her there on the grass, I wouldn't be able to look away. Why was I so affected by her? I quickly shook my head again. A traitorous voice in the back of my mind whispered that I didn't want to think about these missteps because I would like where they would lead if I allowed them to play out.

  I startled when a hand appeared in front of my face. I had been so caught up in my thoughts that I hadn't seen Sophie stand. I stared for a second at her hand and felt incomprehensible anger rise in me. I wouldn't let myself fall for this girl, but I couldn't deny the intense pull I felt whenever I was with her. That I couldn't reconcile the two feelings made me angry.

  I waved her hand away and stood. "Wasn't I just telling you about my incomparable muscles? It would be unthinkable to accept your offer of assistance when this admirable physique is so capable." I wanted to take her hand, but I knew how it would have felt, so I stepped behind my self-erected, solid wall and teased her instead.

  "Even with my enormous head, I almost couldn't make sense of what you just said. You are so weird." She shook her head and started off at a jog, leaving me behind to squelch the feeling of loss at not touching her.

  I sprinted to catch up to her and asked, "When do you want to head back? I thought we could get some dinner." She looked at me quickly. "I mean, it's the least I can do for the haircut. If you're not busy."

  "Sure." She seemed surprised by my offer. I guess aside from the jogging, we never did anything together alone. There had always been some annoying co-worker or roommate too eager to join us. "This road loops around and we'll end up back at Trevor's. Let me just check with him to make sure he doesn't need me tonight and then I could meet you somewhere."

  "Did you get a haircut?" she asked as soon as we were seated in the classy Peruvian restaurant. The innocent look on her face was comical.

  I'd play along. "Sure did. How does it look?" I raised a hand and smoothed my hair then made a show of turning my head left then right for her to get a good look. "Are you speechless at my hotness?" I grinned at the slight pink coloring that rose on her cheeks.

  "Well, not exactly," she hedged. My grin died. "I mean it looks okay on you.” My grin turned down to a frown as she eyed me critically. “I was wondering more about the amazing cut and style." I raised an eyebrow at her in disbelief. "I can't get over how masterfully artistic the cut is," she continued. "Who's your stylist?"

  "She's this sassy little thing with a gargantuan head." I held my hands up on either side of my head to give her a visual. I bit down on a smile as she rolled her eyes because her lips also twitched. "I'd highly recommend her except she's a lie and a cheat. Doesn't even give a massage when you go for the haircut." My grin surfaced at her indignant gasp.

  "Yeah, well, I don't even know what to say to that. So there."

  She was so unexpected that a loud laugh burst from me before I could check it.

  "Would you mind keeping it down?" she hissed. Merriment sparkling in her eyes belied her tone. "I'm starving. I worked really hard for this dinner and I'll be pretty upset if your unruly behavior gets us kicked out of this place."

  I grinned at her as I apologized, "You are right-"

  "As usual,"
she interrupted.

  My grin widened. "-as usual. I'm sorry I stressed you out with the thought that you would be deprived of a meal."

  She sniffed. "That was a pretty good apology. Thank you. I'll take it." It was all I could do to not reach across the table and run my fingers across her smooth cheek. She was so adorable.

  "In all seriousness," I began, "thank you for the haircut. I appreciate your time." I gave in and reached across the table and squeezed her hand.

  She smiled and said, "In all seriousness, you are welcome. I was happy to do it. And... I guess if we are being serious, I can admit that it looks really good and not just because I'm the one who cut it."

  "Well, that didn't hurt much, now did it?" I squeezed her hand again. "Even if it was said grudgingly." I grinned at her, but was saved from what was sure to be a sarcastic reply when the waiter stepped to the table to take our order.

  The food was almost as good as the conversation with the beautiful girl across from me. I couldn't remember a time when I felt more comfortable around a woman. The other restaurant goers, soft wind and percussion music, and clinking of dishes faded into the background. All I saw was Sophie. The way her eyes- blue tonight- lit up when talking about a particular patient's success or one of her family members. The way her laugh filled my lonely soul to overflowing. The way she wrapped a lock of hair around her finger or bit her lower lip self consciously. All these Sophie-isms stealthily threaded their way into my heart and took up residence there almost against my will.

  A sense of overwhelming panic immediately rose up to choke out the serenity I felt. The sights, sounds and smells of the restaurant crowded back in, shattering my contented bubble with their volume-over stimulating and insistent. I took a long drink of ice water to steady myself. I needed space and distance in the worst way. After our run Friday, I'd head for Tillamook and take a break from all things Sophie.

  Chapter 16

  Sophie

  "Hey, Sophie. This is Kaley, James' sister."

  "Hey, Kaley. How are you? How are those cute boys?"