“Okay, good—” But she was talking to dead air. She looked at Char. “He needs to work on his phone etiquette.”

“God himself couldn’t teach those boys of mine phone etiquette. So is he coming?”

“In ten.”

Char smiled wide. “Yep. He likes you.” Her gaze went speculative. “So what’s your stance on children?”

Lily’s mouth fell open.

“Kidding!” Char said, and laughed, the sound a little evil actually.

“He doesn’t like me like that,” Lily said.

“Honey, let me tell you something about my boy. It takes an act of Congress for me to get him to do anything he doesn’t want to do. You follow me?”

Lily was afraid she did but she shook her head no.

“It’s the middle of the day and he’s busier than a priest in a whorehouse. So if he’s coming now, he dropped a million things to do so. For you.”

Oh, God. “Why are we doing this again?” Lily asked desperately.

“Because the mess-ees are going to become the mess-ors.”

Lily stared at Char. Yep. Evil. “Promise me something.”

“Anything,” Char said.

“If you ever get mad at me, you’ll just kill me dead. You won’t pin me to a board and slowly pull off my legs.”

Char laughed again, sounding delighted now. “I’d better get out of here.”

“Wait— What? I thought you wanted to see your son.”

“No, I want you to see my son.”

“But—”

“Just work your magic, get him to talk to you.” Char hugged her. “He needs that, honey. More than you know. He doesn’t have anyone in his life to let go to. Oh, and give him a haircut—or whatever treatment floats your boat. God knows he could use a little TLC. But don’t forget to feed him the old folks home story.” She grinned. “I’ll leave my credit card at the front desk. Make sure to wear that pretty little sign on your forehead.”

“What sign?”

“The one that says, Spill your guts to me.”

Lily was boggled. “I don’t have a—”

“Yes, you do. That’s what makes you such a good cosmetologist. You listen. You care. It’s what he needs, trust me. He doesn’t spill his guts to anyone. Ever.”

“Maybe he doesn’t have any real feelings to spill,” Lily said.

Char laughed again. “Aw, now we both know that’s not even close to true.” She hugged Lily again, winked, and left.

“But what am I supposed to do with him?” she asked Char’s empty chair.

The chair didn’t answer.

Chapter 14

Aidan was exhausted. The night before he hadn’t gotten to bed until midnight, and no sooner had his head hit the pillow than an S&R call had come in.