Page 90 of Drive
He shrugged with a half grin. “It’s just hair. If she butchers it, it’ll growback.”
Rainey gaped at him with open disbelief. He laughed. “What?”
“Every musician I’ve ever known — male or female — has been almost obnoxiously protective about theirhair.”
Jacques’s laughter rattled the windows of the Impala. “Well, you can’t say thatanymore.”
They stopped for lunch in Nashville at the Sunflower Cafe off I-65. Rainey had left her hair down at Jacques’s request, and as they sat outside at one of the picnic tables, the breeze would lift her curls or blow them into her face. More than once, Jacques reached over and tucked a loose lock behind her ear while they ate. Every time he did, he wore a secret smile that made Rainey’s heart thump clumsily in her chest, and her face, her breasts, and places further south would flush withheat.
A little after two o’clock that afternoon, they rolled into Bowling Green and found Glorious Locks Salon. It was located in a tiny strip mall off an access road of Highway 231. The strip mall, despite its meager size, was actually kind of posh with a boutique dress shop on one side and a sushi bar on theother.
Jacques eased the Impala into a spot in the middle of the parking lot, not directly in front of the salon, but a few doors down. He killed the engine, and Rainey blew out a nervousbreath.
He glanced over at her. “You ready forthis?”
She gulped. “I thought I had everything I’d want to say planned out in my head, but now that we’re here, I’m afraid I’ll walk in there and just vomit it up all atonce.”
Jacques gave her a sympathetic smile. “I’ll go in first, like we talked about. If I have to wait for an appointment with Gloria, I’llwait—”
“What if she’s booked for the day,” Raineyfretted.
He just shook his head. “Look at the parking lot. There’s two empty spaces in front of her salon,” he reassured. “She’ll be able to take me. Besides, guy haircuts take like fifteen minutes. She can fit me in while one of her ladies is under thedryer.”
Rainey gazed at him in bemused amazement. “How do you knowthat?”
“Because…” He chuckled. “…that’s always what happens when I get my haircut.”
She nodded, his words and his usual easy confidence giving her a modicum of strength. It was a good idea, Rainey knew, to let him go in first, sit in Gloria’s chair, and talk to her before she came in. The plan was to introduce Rainey slowly. She’d come in as Jacques’s girlfriend, take a seat, and start talking to him about her sick sister. She’d tell Holi’s story and talk about her disappearing options while Gloria worked and listened as a captive audience — hopefully an engaged and sympathetic audience. When Gloria had finished with Jacques’s cut, they’d come clean about who they were and ask for her help, letting her know they’d be in town overnight if she wanted to talk or give them a chance to meet RayCharles.
They had no guarantees she’d help, but Jacques and Rainey agreed it was the best way to get Gloria to listen under thecircumstances.
Rainey watched the front of the salon and chewed on her lip. “I’m just nervous about screwingup.”
Jacques reached toward her and clasped her hand in his. “You won’t screw up,” he promised, peering into her eyes with certainty and a strength she could never hope to have. “Besides, I’ll be there to help keep you ontrack.”
Nodding, Rainey filled her lungs with a deep breath. “Okay,” she breathedout.
Jacques reached into the backseat, dug through his duffel bag, and pulled something from it. Raineyfrowned.
“Is that Pez?” she asked,confused.
She watched Jacques’s complexion color for the second time that day. “It’s for Ray Charles.” He held up the package featuring a cartoon character. “I hear nine-year-old boys likeDespicableMe.”
A smile broke out over Rainey’s face. “That’s awesome. Why didn’t I think of that?” she askedaloud.
Jacques shrugged, grinning back at her. “If you did, then you wouldn’t need me.” He didn’t give her any time to respond to that remark, handing her the dispenser. “I think you should give it to him if we get the chance to meethim.”
“But Jacques,” she protested, trying to hand it back, the sweetness of the gesture touching her heart. “You bought it. You should give it tohim.”
Jacques merely shook his head. “It should come from you. You’re his sister,” he said, effectively ending the discussion. Then he glanced to the back seat. “What are we going to do aboutArchie?”
The windy morning in Nashville had turned into a blustery afternoon in Bowling Green. The sky was dark to their west, but it still looked like they had a while before rain fell. “He’ll be alright here. I just need to walk himfirst.”
“Want me to wait for you before I goin?”
Rainey shook her head. “No. Go in and get started. Walking Archie while I wait for your text will be a lot better than sittingstill.”
Jacques gave her a smile. A tender, warm-her-forever smile. “Rainey, it’s going to be okay.” He squeezed her hand as he spoke, and the gratitude she felt for the man by her side made a lump form in her throat that was hard toignore.
