* * * *
Eboni glanced at Gunnar as he drove his big Hummer to his mother’s hair salon. She thought she’d caught him smiling a couple of times in during the drive. Being in the large vehicle must make him happy.
“I’d forgotten about your arrest.” Eboni had to bite the bullet and get Gunnar in a good mood before she relayed her plan.
He glanced at her but said nothing.
She kept talking until she could crack him. “I remember the good times there. Remember the dances?”
Gunnar shook his head. “I attended, but I didn’t dance.” He glanced at her.
“That’s right. You did kind of have that white-boy dance thing going on.” Eboni laughed. When he glared at her, she continued talking. “Have you improved since then?” She smiled.
He redirected his attention back to the road. “I do my dancing in the ring now.”
“I don’t watch your fights.” She shook her head and settled back into her seat. “I can’t. To see you like that.” She pointed to his face. “How can Queen stand that?” Eboni remained quiet for a moment before she said, “Oh, because she doesn’t watch your fights either, and you haven’t been home.”
He regarded her for a moment as he stopped at a traffic light. “I understand. To me, it’s just work.”
“Not to me. Seeing you fight one time up close was enough.” She couldn’t tell him why the entire fight bothered her.
Eboni balled her gloved hands into fists to ward off the cold. When she saw Gunnar driving down a side street, she turned to him.
“Why are you going this way?”
“It’s the main road going to Press ’N Curl.”
Eboni shook her head. “Not anymore.” When she caught his confused expression, she explained. “There’s been a ton of construction. They rerouted the main road. No one comes this way unless they live out here.”
Gunnar gazed around the area and must have seen what Eboni had noticed for years. With traffic rerouted, businesses in the area had either collapsed or dwindled. Homes looked dilapidated with faded paint jobs, broken-down cars in driveways, and lots of for-sale signs all around.
Stray dogs and cats ran in front of the vehicle as it rolled through the neighborhood.
“Mom never told me about this.” Gunnar kept scanning the area. “How’s business?”
Eboni kept quiet. No use saying what he would soon find out in moments.
Gunnar pulled the massive vehicle behind the shop. He parked and turned off the truck. Gunnar got out of the driver’s side, ran over to the passenger side, and opened her door as Eboni had put her hand on her door handle.
As much as Eboni hated to admit it, she liked gentlemanly side of Gunnar, a man who looked like he probably never used utensils. Her insides rattled when he held his hand up to assist her out of the tall ride.
When she got out and nearly buckled from his touch and the feel of his hard body against hers, she blamed the wobble on ice on the parking lot. Thankfully, he didn’t peer down to verify her claim.
Gunnar used his mother’s keys to unlock the back door. He opened it and allowed her to walk through first. She appreciated that, not because she liked the generous gesture, but because she wanted to view the salon before he could see it, not that she would have an opportunity to change anything.
Eboni skipped turning on the lights. With the blinds drawn, it cloaked the shop in darkness. Too bad Gunnar knew where the location of the light switch and had no problem flicking them.
“Wow.” Gunnar walked by Eboni and scanned the modest salon.
“Still the same shop.” She placed her purse on the reception station desk.
He turned to the wall of hair bonnet dryers. “The hair bonnets look the same from when I was here.”
“Queen makes sure everything works.” Eboni stared at Gunnar.
He walked over to the row of inky black sinks. He put his hand on one sink and ran his fingertips over the midnight-colored bowl. “Nothing has really changed. It all looks…good.”
“You know your mother. She has high standards.”
Gunnar strolled over to the styling chairs. One sat in the front window and six sat along the wall of mirrors. Gunnar ran his fingertips over the gold frame surrounding one of the mirrors.
He glanced down at the black-and-white checkered floor before bringing his attention back to her. “The place smells like her.”
Eboni smiled. “This place is her in every sense.”
She couldn’t wait any longer to talk about her idea. No time like the present. She took a deep, cleansing breath and spoke before he could say anything.
“Since you left”--she noticed his glare but kept going--“I’ve been donating my time and my money to the Oceanfront Community Center. That place really does help a lot of kids. I was one of them. It’s gone downhill a little.” She stepped closer to Gunnar so that he can see the intensity in her eyes. “They’re in dire need of some money.”
Gunnar tilted his head. “You’re asking me for money?”
Eboni blinked and took a couple of steps back. “Hell, no. I don’t want your money or your time.” She needed to corral her emotions otherwise she would end up arguing with the man, and she did not want her day to go that way. “I talked to your mom about doing a fund-raiser. She liked the idea but said in her current condition she can’t really help.” Eboni moved in closer. “She suggested I talk to you.” She licked her lips. “I was thinking of maybe doing a hair-cut promotion where a portion of the proceeds will go to the center.”
Gunnar put his fists to his hips. From his stance, Eboni knew he had some objections to her proposal. Whatever he said, she would have an argument to spin it around.
“Fund-raiser? My mom is in the hospital, business has slowed, and you want her to raise money to help the center?”
“I would only ask for the tips.”
“From everyone?”
Eboni nodded. “Yes. I would even do hair for one of my shifts and give all proceeds to the center.”
“You can’t ask the other employees to give up their money for your endeavor.” Gunnar moved away from her. “I don’t approve of this.”
It felt like flames engulfed her entire body. The throbbing that filled her head wouldn’t be going away with just an aspirin. “You have no right to tell me what I can do here. I asked your mother and she gave me her approval, and she’s the one who owns this place. Like I said before, you’re simply a distraction.”
“I can see now that the demands of this place put her in the hospital. My mother needs to rest. That’s not going to happen with selfish people around her.” He scanned the shop. “No, I’m going to do what my mother hasn’t been able to do. I’m selling this place.”
Chapter 4
Eboni glared at Gunnar for what felt like twenty years before she sprang into action. She pulled out her cell phone from her purse and activated the speed-dial number to Elizabeth. She paced in order to keep somewhat calm.
As soon as she heard a click on the other side of the line, Eboni launched into an attack. “Queen, I hope I didn’t wake you.”
Eboni heard heavy footfalls, turned around, and caught Gunnar charging toward her.
“Is everything okay at the house?” Queen Elizabeth sounded very wide awake considering. Her medical prognosis must be keeping her restless.
“The