Matchmaker Part 3

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One year later…

 

It’s July 4th weekend and I’m sprawled out on a lounge chair by lake Winnebago, watching my husband, James, fish off the end of the dock. Myself, James, my best friend Taylor, and her boyfriend Finn are all up at her parent’s cabin. We’ve got the place for two weeks to ourselves, and I’m in heaven. This is the first time we’ve all been on vacation together, but it’s been in the cards for a while. I look over at my motley crew and smile. There’s Taylor, she is the wild child of the group, though she looks like a saint with her long honey-blond hair and bottle-green eyes. Then there’s me, with shoulder length auburn hair and hazel eyes, the self appointed ‘mom’ of the group. James is currently sporting a scruffy beard and about four inches of sandy blond hair that flops down over his gray-blue eyes. He’s my rock, my partner for life, and the biggest tease you’ll ever meet. And the last of us is Finn, who much like my husband is currently scruffy and floppy, only his hair is chocolate brown and his eyes are a deeper sapphire blue. He’s the sweetest soul, and the perfect counterweight to Taylor’s impulsive ways.
My quiet musing is interrupted by James falling lazily into the chair next to me, followed by Finn dragging a chair over and joining us. I look over at them and sigh, “How’s it going, mountain men?”
They both laugh and ruffle each other’s hair. Normally by June I’d have James’ locks clipped down to an 1/8th inch, and he absolutely would not have a full beard. Neither would Finn, for that matter. This whole last year, Finn had been keeping his hair confined to a short Ivy League, with his usual kiss of stubble on his jawline. But this summer? This summer they were in cahoots with one another, and it was killing me. They had placed a bet in the fall to see who could grow a bigger beard, and somehow that had turned into ‘how long can we go without any grooming before Bree snaps and shears us’. They didn’t think we were on to their little scheme, for some reason. And while Taylor and I were unimpressed with their unkempt appearances, the notion of our two loves having a grand time egging one another on was enough to make us bite our tongues, for now…
Taylor joins us and scoots a chair over next to Finn. He leans over and kisses her cheek, and she wipes it off with the back of her hand, “I feel like I’m being kissed by a wet dog.”
Finn looks dejected but lets out a laugh, “Sorry, Tay.”
We sit for a while, making idle chatter, but then everyone goes quiet. Taylor and I are both lazily ‘reading’ in the sunshine and sipping our drinks. The boys are mostly napping, occasionally getting up to take a dip in the lake. I keep seeing them scratch at their damp hair, restlessly tucking it behind their ears. At one point I overhear Finn mutter to James, “How the f-k did I ever have it longer than this, it’s so freaking itchy.”
James responds in a low voice, whatever he says sends Finn into a fit of laughter.
“You two lovebirds need a room?” I tease, peering over my book at them. Now they’re both blushing and shake their heads no.
“How much did you guys bet one another anyway?” Taylor asks.
Finn looks dumbstruck, “Bet each other for what?”
“Oh come on,” I say, “You two really don’t think we know?”
“Yeah you’re not that slick, or quiet,” Taylor snorts.
They’re both wide-eyed, not sure how to respond.
“Hope you’re both happy being itchy all summer. Jamie, darling, you really should know better than to drag me into a bet by now.”
“But we weren’t betting you, we were betting each other!” Finn’s stammering like a little kid trying to back out of a pinky promise.
Taylor rolls her eyes, “You two are so dumb sometimes. Finn, your hair is always going to be longer than Jamie’s because it grows so damn fast and it was longer to start with. There’s no way Jamie wins the bet, unless Bree shaves your head in your sleep.”
“So you were really just gonna let us go on like this?” James rakes his hair out of his face, “Hmph, I thought for sure you’d be begging me to let you have your way with this mess by now.”
I give him a playful wink, “Didn’t even bring my clippers, sweetie.”

 

Later that night we’re sitting by the fire and James snuggles up next to me. His scruff tickles my face when he tries to kiss me, and I playfully shove him away.
“You know, if you’d proposed to me with a full beard, I would have said no,” I tease, before kissing his normally smooth cheek.
“Yes dear,” James replied, rolling his eyes, “I know I know, any scruff is too much scruff.”
“I cannot wait for you to shave.”
“You’re not gonna shave me?” James flashes his puppy dog eyes. As much as I can’t stand his stupid hair, I find him just as irresistible as I did when we first met.
“Don’t tempt me. I’d have to use a steak knife.”
“Wouldn’t want Finn to beat me anyway,” James retorts.
“No we wouldn’t want that now would we?” I kiss him on the nose.
I look over at Tay and Finn and see that they’re cuddled up, lost in their own little world. I could tell they were head-over-heels for one another, and it wasn’t just the honeymoon phase type of love, it was genuine. It made my heart swell with happiness, I loved seeing my bestie fall for her soulmate right before my eyes.

 

The next morning I walk into the hallway and find Taylor rummaging through the linen closet.
“Whatcha lookin’ for?”
Taylor looks over at me and her eyes are alight with mischief, more so than usual, “I swear to god if Finn’s freaking nasty wet hair touches my face when he makes out with me one more time I will scream! Dad used to leave a set of clippers here, they’ve gotta be in here somewhere. I’m taking matters into my own hands.”
I let out a snort, “If you find them, feel free to shave James first. I’ll pay you double whatever he bet Finn.”
I leave Taylor to her search and go off to the kitchen to start a pot of coffee and make some scrambled eggs. I’m surprised to see Finn already seated at the table, sipping coffee, still half asleep. “Morning,” Finn says with a yawn.
James walks in and gives me a bear hug from behind, “Morning, babe.”
“Good morning,” I reply, “I see neither of you caved last night.”
“I was thinking about taking a disposable razor to Finn’s head, but cheating feels wrong,” James says.
Taylor emerges and sets a plastic box on the table with a victorious thump, “I found clippers. Now can we please just acknowledge that you two made a stupid bet that neither of you can really win?”
James cards his hands through his hair and then turns to Finn, “Whaddya think? Shall we call it a truce?”
Finn looks a bit unsure, and I’m wondering if he was secretly hoping to grow his hair back to its former glory, but then he looks at Taylor an a big stupid grin breaks out on his face.
I crack the case open and inspect what’s inside: it’s not a full clipper set, it’s just balding clippers. I should have known Mr. Wallace didn’t keep a full clipper set in the cabin. I’d never known him to have anything other than a high and tight…
“Sorry fellas,” I say, snapping the case shut again, “Unless you both wanna look like you’re in boot camp for the next week, we’re gonna have to wait ‘till we get home.”
“Why, what’s wrong with those?” Taylor asks.
“Those are just balding clippers.”
“Ah,” Taylor says, biting her lip, “Well, that’s too bad.”
“Yeah, doesn’t give me a lot of options. I could probably finagle something, if I had shears and a comb… you’d probably be better off waiting.” I turn around to go put the case back in the closet…
“Maybe we should just go for it.”
I can’t believe I’ve just heard those words, and coming from Finn’s mouth!
“I’m with him,” James pipes up, “It’s too freaking humid, and I’m about ready to rip my face off on account of this beard is like wearing a scarf 24/7.”
I turn back to face them, “Alright, then find me a pair of scissors and-”
“Nah, just shave it off,” Finn says, “We’re up here for two weeks, it’s only day two. By the time we get home it’ll have grown out, and no one will even know, it’ll just look like a normal buzzcut by then, right?”
I look over at Taylor, whose jaw is on the floor. So much for my theory that Finn wanted his long flowing locks back!
“It’s gonna take more than two weeks for it to grow out to a ‘normal’ buzzcut,” I say, “These won’t even leave an 1/8th inch. You’ll still be looking a bit sparse by the time we get home.”
Finn shrugs and looks over at James, who shrugs as well.
Both boys take their shirts off while Taylor spreads a bedsheet out on the floor and sticks a kitchen chair in the center. James sits down first.
“Before I do this, let me just reiterate: you guys are seriously asking me to SHAVE your heads?”
They nod in unison.
The clippers come to life in my hand and I drag them straight down the middle of his head. Five inches of blond curls plop lifelessly on the floor, and I brush my fingers over his newly exposed skin.
“You’re gonna have to not keep doing that babe, or we’ll have to excuse ourselves.”
I control my urge to keep petting his head as I mow the rest of his hair off. James’ eyes close, he’s thoroughly enjoying this whole experience. After James is fully denuded, beard and all, I rub both hands over his head to remove any stray clippings. He gets up, stretches, and goes to inspect himself in the bathroom mirror.
Finn takes a seat in the chair in front of me and I have a moment of dejavú. Once again the hum of the clippers fills the air, and I swiftly remove a one inch swath of his hair. Finn gasps and his eyes go huge as the cool air hits his bare skin. But as I continue stripping his hair, his eyes close just as James’ did.
Before long I have two pale headed boys standing before me, drinking beers and rubbing each other’s noggins. If I’m being totally honest, the completely bald look has never been my favorite. But, I know it’ll grow back soon enough, and they look relieved to be free of their mop tops.
Taylor and I are drinking margaritas as we watch James and Finn take turns diving off the dock into the lake. Their blindingly white heads look like buoys, bobbing in the clear blue waters. We look at each other laugh, then clink our glasses, “To long haired boys and the girls who keep them shorn,” Taylor said.
“A-freaking-men,” I replied.
“I never did thank you for introducing me to Finn,” Taylor says wistfully.
“I’m just happy you’re happy,” I tell her.
“Well I’ll be a lot happier once he doesn’t look like some sort of glow in the dark alien species. Remind me never to complain about his hair getting too long again.” Taylor tosses back the last of her drink and we both cackle, knowing damn well she will complain as soon as his hair hits his collar. The boys look over at us, and we just wave back. It’s going to be a beautiful summer, I think to myself, and hopefully, for the four of us, a very wonderful happily ever after. I can think of nothing better than having these three around for the rest of my life and enjoying every single moment of time we spend together. And to think, all it took was a haircut!

 

Thank you so much to everyone who read and commented. I’m a long time reader but this is my first time posting! I have plenty more story ideas, so be on the lookout for my next tale 😉

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