by Olivia Burke
Jill managed to refrain from asking the reporters how the story would’ve gone had the victim died in the car crash. She didn’t know him, obviously, but when asked, offered hope for his speedy recovery and that she was “glad to be there to help him.”
And it wasn’t only because she was happy he was alive; she couldn’t help but be proud of herself. She’d proved to herself that she could handle a difficult situation, and focus on what needed to be done. Jill hadn’t realized how badly she’d needed that kind of win.
She went to the hospital later that afternoon later to check in on him; he was thankfully okay. He’d be there at least another week, but he would heal.
“Thank you,” he said, over and over, peppered between every few sentences.
She stayed with him a little while longer, glad to hear his daughter would be there later that evening. Saying goodbye so he could get some rest, Jill had just stepped out of the room when a voice called her name.
“Jill Bennett?”
She turned to see a pretty brunette in the hallway. The woman appeared very official with her clipboard, along with the employee badge clipped to the waist of her skirt. Jill nodded. “That’s me.”
“Hi!” The women leaned in to shake her hand. “I’m Jennifer Roth, recruiting rep at Crystal Springs Hospital. Do you have a few minutes?”
“Oh, um, hi, Jennifer, sure.” Jill shot her a quizzical look. Why is the recruiting rep here?
“We wanted to thank you again for your help with that car accident yesterday. We were all really impressed by your ability to take action.”
“Oh, I’m sure anyone else in my position would have done the same–”
“Of course,” Jennifer agreed, “but in this case, you really did an amazing thing. On vacation, no less!”
“Thank you.”
Jennifer shifted in place, double-checking her clipboard. “The EMTs told me you were an RN back home and how you mentioned a slower lifestyle, which got me thinking. I looked a little into your background, and you work at a family physician’s office back home in Kansas?”
Jill swallowed hard. How often did she get to “jump into action” there? “Yes, I do.”
The other woman tilted her head in curiosity. “Any interest in working somewhere else? Say, here?”
Jill halted all movements, hardly daring to breathe. “I’m sorry, what did you say?”
“I know it’s not exactly a normal job interview, but the EMTs were most impressed with your skills – and the PR is great, too,” Jennifer added with a wink. “I had a hunch and took it to the board. They’re interested in knowing if you’d consider coming to work for them. As the recruiter, it’s my job to offer you the position and give you all the information needed for your decision.”
Jenny continued to break down the registered nurse position at Crystal Springs Hospital. She also included salary, to which Jill had to actually sit down for a minute in a nearby chair. I’ll never see that kind of money back home.
“And I’ll email you everything we’ve covered so you can have it in front of you while you think it over. We’ll give you a few days to decide, okay?”
“Yes, okay, thank you,” Jill thankfully managed to get out.
Jennifer reached in for a hearty handshake. “For what it’s worth, I hope you take it. You’d love the job.”
“I work in a small office,” Jill said, blinking in surprise at her. “What makes you think that?”
“The way you jumped into action …” She shrugged, a somewhat mysterious smile playing on her lips. “Well, let’s just say you strike me as someone who would thrive in the environment.”
Jennifer turned and left before Jill could respond, though her parting words swirled in her brain. She managed to get into the elevator and outside, though she couldn’t ignore the small part of her that took in every detail on the way out. I could work here. The thought kind of thrilled her – which also terrified her.
Jill went back to her temporary house; she called Rosie to share the news, but only got voicemail. Once inside, she paced the kitchen, unable to stay still. She glanced at the suite door, wondering if Colt was around. Sure, being around him is slightly intoxicating and you practically swallow your tongue every time you talk, but he gives decent advice.
She argued with herself for a few moments, on the fence if she actually wanted to run into Colt. Her problems weren’t his problems, but if she didn’t get this off her chest to someone, she might very well burst.
“It just so happens the next best someone is your crush,” she muttered to herself.
Against her better judgment, Jill headed downstairs. She could totally ignore the way her heartbeat picked up a few paces at the decision. Yep. Totally.
That was a great run.
Colt thoroughly enjoyed the mountains and greenway that Crystal Springs offered. They provided easy access throughout the city, and hills to challenge even the fittest runners. That plus the cool autumn weather, and it’d been nearly perfect.
He removed his earbuds as he came back inside his suite, grabbing a glass of water as he headed to the enormous guest bathroom. He kicked his shoes off and peeled his sweaty shirt away, tossing it in a nearby hamper. He tugged the band from his hair, cursing as it yanked a few strands from his head.
Colt leaned into the mirror, inspecting a few strands between his thumb and forefinger. Stupid split ends.
Light footsteps sounded off to the side and he turned to see Jill in the doorway. “What?”
“Do you ever wear a shirt at home?” She huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. “What happened to our second rule?”
Colt snorted. “I believe you’re breaking the third rule of barging in unannounced.”
Her cheeks reddened and changed the subject. “Why are you staring so hard at your hair?”
“It’s driving me crazy,” he admitted. “I want to cut it so badly.”
“Are you sure?” The way she eyed his hair made him smirk back at her in the mirror.
“You like it better long?”
“I think I’m really used to it after all the movies.” She turned redder even as she said it, making Colt grin. “That being said, we both know you’ll look good with any haircut. Shoot, go fully bald and you’ll still make that ‘Hottest Celebrities’ list.”
His laughter filled the bathroom. “Thanks, I think.”
“What’s stopping you?” She motioned to his hair.
“Well, I thought it’d be the studio.”
“What do you mean?” Her eyebrows drew together. “Have you called them?”
“That’s the thing,” Colt said, his chest tightening. “I did, earlier this morning. I’ve been thinking about it for a while, but especially since agreeing to stay in Crystal Springs.”
“Because of what happened at the burger place,” Jill said softly, the crease in her forehead softening. “It hasn’t happened again, though–”
“No, but I’ve thought about this for a while. It’ll increase my anonymity, at least until I head back to L.A., you know?”
“You don’t have to do this for me or anything, I hope you know that.”
“It’s not,” he assured her. “Seriously, this is something I want.”
She visibly relaxed. “So you called the studio guys to ask permission? Then what?”
Colt turned to look somewhere over her shoulder, his jaw tightening. “They said it was fine if I cut my hair. Not a problem whatsoever.”
Jill ticked her head, puzzled. “Why don’t you cut it then?”
“I don’t know, wouldn’t you think it’s odd that they’ve asked me to keep my hair long for years, only to now not care if I cut it all off while on vacation?”
Her expression cleared in understanding. “You think they’re letting you out of your contract?”
“It’s crossed my mind a couple times since hanging up, yeah.” Hence the extra three miles on his run, if only to distract himself from the worry.
“That seems a
bit extreme.” She leaned against the doorway. “You have an agent, an assistant, all the people who would ensure your career, right? So why would you suddenly be let go from your biggest – and most loved, I might add – role? No warning, no whispers, nothing? I can’t believe they’d do that to you.”
He grimaced. “Hollywood doesn’t really care about my feelings. Or anyone’s, for that matter.”
“Don’t tell me that, I want to be one of those naive people who thinks everyone is as nice as you hope they are.” She rolled her eyes.
“Well, you’ve had good examples, obviously, like Jack and Scarlett,” he said.
“And you,” she said softly, making his breath catch.
He stared at her for a beat too long without speaking, and started when she stepped inside without warning.
“What are you thinking of doing?” She reached for a lock of his hair. “A trim or a chop?”
“Uh, a chop, really,” he replied, not wanting to pull away from her. He brought his phone out to show her a few photos he’d saved of the style he wanted. Still a little long up top to style, but let’s go wild this time.
Jill studied the photo for a few more seconds. “I could do this for you. Like, right now.”
He scoffed. “No way. How is that possible?”
“What? My aunt’s a hairdresser and I helped a lot in the salon growing up. Sweeping floors and answering phones is how I paid for my first car.”
“Have you … you know, cut a guy’s hair before?”
“Yeah, including Jack’s,” she said, enunciating the name and rolling her eyes. “A few times over the years, anyway. I also know for a fact he’s got a barber’s kit somewhere in this McMansion.”
“You save lives, you run marathons, now you style celebrity hair…” He trailed off, laughing as she blushed. “Is there anything you can’t do?”
“Tap dance,” she immediately replied.
Colt burst out laughing. “Well, that’s a deal breaker than, obviously.”
“I always suspected.” Her amusement faded as she quirked an eyebrow at him. “So, what do you say? New haircut done by a capable someone who won’t charge you five hundred dollars or sell your locks to some stalker fan?”
“Five hundred is a bargain,” he quipped.
He eyed her, soaking in a little rush of adrenaline at the deal. He had no idea why; it was only a haircut, after all, but the thought of going against the grain of “celebrity lifestyle,” where haircuts were designer and expensive, excited him. It’s only hair, after all.
“Okay, let’s do it.”
“Wash your hair while I get the kit,” she said, clapping her hands together. She shouted at him as she headed upstairs. “It’ll be great. And I only charge three hundred.”
“Even better bargain!” he shouted after her. Her laughter carried all the way down the stairs back to him, making him smile.
He did as she ordered, sticking his head in the shower long enough to shampoo and condition. Soon they were set up in his bathroom, Jack’s pristine barber kit on the countertop. Colt perched on a chair they’d dragged in while Jill stood behind him. He held his breath as she picked up the scissors. She eyed his reflection, her mouth twitching a bit as if to hold back a grin.
“You ready?”
“Not with that look on your face, I’m not.”
She leaned in close and laughed, the pleasant sound near Colt’s left ear. Her voice took on a husky tone, breath tickling the hair on his temple. “Don’t you want to trust me?”
He met her blue eyes in the mirror, suddenly wondering if – and hoping – she meant something more than just a haircut. The moment went a heartbeat longer before she seemed to catch herself, and she straightened behind him.
“Yes.” He cleared his throat. “Yep, if Jack trusts you, I do too.”
Her posture stiffened at the mention of her brother, the sparks between them fading. He opened his mouth to say something, anything, but he paused at the way her lips pressed together. Her focus zeroed in on his hair, her fingers teasing his scalp.
They didn’t talk for a few minutes as Jill straightened out the towel around his neck and rechecked all of her tools. Colt recalled the look on her face when she’d first come downstairs. Did she come down here to talk to me about something?
The words spilled out before he could stop himself. “What’s wrong?”
She bit her lip, gazing only at the hair between her fingers as she snipped. “That obvious, huh?”
“You’ve usually got this sort of laser-eyed focus about you,” he said, kidding her a little. “Should I be worried about you putting scissors near my head?”
“Of course not,” she said, pausing to roll her eyes at him. “I guess there is something on my mind. Something huge and possibly life-changing.”
“Well, why don’t you tell me about it?”
Her eyebrows shot up. “Really? I mean I did come down here to talk it out, but…”
“Why not?” The towel rose up and down as he shrugged. “Hairdresser to client privilege, after all.”
Laughter bubbled up on her lips, and she relented. While she kept working, she shared the hospital’s job offer.
“Wow, that’s big,” he said, eyebrows shooting up.
“I don’t know what I’m going to do,” she replied, sucking in a breath.
“You sound like you’re seriously considering it.”
“Maybe.” She leaned in for a closer look, her body brushing innocently against his; nevertheless, every nerve in his body went on high alert. “I mean, I barely know what it’s like to live somewhere that isn’t my hometown.”
His brows drew together. “Didn’t you go to a smaller university a few towns over?”
She nodded, clearly surprised he’d remembered. “Right after I got my degree, Dad had a heart attack. I went back home to help out, got that job, and have been there ever since.”
“What was your plan before that happened?”
She paused trimming to think. “You know, I didn’t really have one. All I wanted was to work hard and get my nursing degree. After I finally got it, I didn’t expect to move far away or anything, but I was open to whatever crossed my path.”
Colt admired that greatly; he’d expected her to have her entire life planned out like most women he’d met. They all had plans for jobs and marriages and families. It was one of the reasons Colt hated dating these days; to them, he was like some piece of their puzzle, a name to fill out on the blank slot of “to do” items.
“It sounds like you’ve been taking care of other people for a long time now,” he said, gazing thoughtfully in the mirror at her. “When’s the last time you did something for yourself?”
Jill maintained a passive expression, but Colt sensed he’d hit a nerve. No way she doesn’t want more for herself.
“I suppose that’s a fair question,” she admitted. “It’s one of the reasons why I’m here, after all. But I’m not sure what the next step is, exactly. When a job offer comes along like this, I guess I have to wonder if it’s the Universe nudging me in the right direction.”
“The Universe, huh?”
She shrugged, a little smile playing on her lips. “Sounds very ‘woo woo,’ I know, but it’s nice to think I’m meant to be somewhere.”
“If that’s true, that means the Universe meant for us to both be here, in this house,” Colt said without thinking. “What’s up with that?”
Jill shot him a wry smile in the mirror. “I guess even fate likes practical jokes.”
There was something incredibly intimate about her cutting his hair, but even more so in her sharing something so personal. True, Colt mused, she was probably bursting to talk about the job offer and would’ve shared with the mailman had the timing been right, but all the same, she’d chosen to spill it to him. Not Rosie or Scarlett or a friend back home.
He couldn’t recall the last personal conversation he’d had like this, and even then, it’d been with Jack or his agent. Never a w
oman, not like this. The thought made him swallow hard and he attempted to keep it light.
“What are the cons? Making lists always helps, or so I hear,” he said, forcing a smirk.
She hummed under her breath. “Am I ready for this kind of move?”
“Why not?” Colt asked. “You’re young, single; it’s just a job.”
“It’s not only about leaving my job,” she protested. “We’re talking about my entire life back home.”
“It’s going to be hard, but the possibilities usually outweigh the risks.”
She rolled her blue eyes at him. “Just because you did it…”
“I know it’s not easy for everyone. But Jack and Rosie would be here, and her family is yours now.”
“True, but they wouldn’t be here all the time, either,” she argued. “They’re going to split their time in Hollywood.”
“Yeah, which can be easily done.” Colt shrugged again, matter of fact. “You’ll be busy working and learning all about your new city.”
“I suppose the dating pool is bigger than back home.” She remained focused on his haircut, but he couldn’t help but feel she was fishing for a reaction.
And I’m dumb enough to take the bait.
“Sure, after you get settled and all,” he said, trying to sound casual. Judging by the quirk of her mouth, there was no way he sounded nonchalant.
Her slim fingers brushed the hair off the back of his neck, her warm touch sending a little shiver down his spine. He spoke again if for no other reason than to distract himself.
“Back when I was trying to figure out if I should head to Hollywood, I used to ask myself just one question,” he said.
She paused her work to meet his eyes in the mirror, curious. “What question?”
“Would I regret it if I didn’t try?” Colt offered her a tiny smile. “If you didn’t take the job and move to Crystal Springs, would you regret it?”
Her mouth twisted in thought. “I don’t know. Maybe.”
“Something to think about, then. Neither of us should have any regrets.” Colt’s own words rang in his ears, and suddenly, the conversation had nothing to do with her job offer.