What the hell was he going on about?

“Nadim, can you get to the point sometime soon?”

He took a deep breath, before running his hand through that cropped hair again. She’d liked his hair better last night. Long enough to fall into his eyes when not styled within an inch of perfection. But she couldn’t deny that this new velvety head looked deliciously touchable now.

“I have head lice,” he said.

Okay, maybe not so touchable. Lice? Ew. But at least not pregnancy or an STD … yay for blood-sucking parasites?

She wrinkled her nose. “Gross.”

“I know. I didn’t even realize it, but Sharon said she may have given it to me, so I googled it, and then looked, but I couldn’t really tell.”

“That’s what this new hairstyle is about?”

He nodded. “I figured I’d rather be safe than sorry and shave everything. I found a twenty-four-hour drugstore and got hair clippers. But … ” He looked at her face, eyes wide. “I’ll have to check your hair. You may have picked up some bugs when you slept in my bed.” He sighed. “I’m very sorry, Reena.”

She said nothing. Her dough felt smooth and pliant now with the gluten fully developed, so she dropped it in a greased bowl, covered it with plastic wrap, and placed it on top of her fridge to rise. Washing her hands and the counter, she considered this new blow to her life. Head lice. She didn’t know whether to laugh or cry at this one.

“I’m not shaving my head,” she told him, not meeting his eyes.

“No,” he assured. “I won’t let you … I’ll help you. I bought special shampoo and a comb. I just want to check your hair … ” His voice trailed off, hopefully as he realized how utterly ridiculous their relationship had become.

“Nadim, I—”

“Please,” he pleaded. “Let me help. I feel terrible, Reena. I know I messed up again. Your father’s going to—”

She put her hand up to stop him from continuing that statement and moved around the kitchen to sit on the barstool next to him. “I have no intention of telling my father this.”

“You don’t?”

“Of course not! Can you imagine how that conversation would go? So, Dad, I needed to drown my sorrows, so I went to a bar and had way too much gin while taking sinus medication. But don’t worry, your employee also had a shitty day, so we drank together. But then I slept in his bed, and he gave me lice.”

He frowned. “We don’t know if you even have them. Let me at least check …”

There was rock bottom, and then this. “Okay. Fine. I don’t have a whole lot of shame left to lose, anyway.” She let her head fall into her arms on the breakfast bar, needing the solid countertop under her to hold her up.

She definitely thought this situation warranted a cry, not a laugh.

“Okay,” he said softly, “I’m going to put my hands in your hair. Tell me if you want me to stop.”